Page:Iracéma, the honey-lips (1886).djvu/66

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IRAÇÉMA.

"Come! the life of the warrior is in danger until he treads the Pytiguára land."

Martim followed the girl silently, and she flitted before him amongst the trees like the timid Acoty.[1] Sorrow preyed upon his heart, but the perfume wafted on the air by the passage of the beautiful Tabajára fanned the love in his warrior-breast. Still his step was slow and his breathing was oppressed.

Poty reflected. In his youthful brain had lived the spirit of an Abaeté.[2] The Pytiguára Chief thought th love is like Cauim, which, drunk with moderation, fortifies the brave, but in excess weakens the hero՚s courage. He knew how fleet was the Tabajára՚s foot, and he expected the moment when he must die defending his friend.

As the shades of evening began to sadden the day, the Christian stopped in the middle of the forest. Poty lit the fire of hospitality. The bride unfolded the white hammock of cotton fringed with the feathers of the Toucan,[3] and hung it to the branches of a tree.

"Husband of Iraçéma, thy hammock awaits thee."

The daughter of Araken then went and sat afar off on the root of a tree, like the solitary doe who has been driven forth from the sunny plain by her ungrateful mate. The Pytiguára warrior disappeared in the thickest of the foliage.

Martim sat silent and sorrowful, like the trunk of some tree from which the wind has torn the beautiful Cipó[4] which embraced it. The passing breeze at last bore on it one murmur—

"Iraçéma!"

It was the cry of the mate. The wounded doe flew back to the sunny plain.

  1. ↑ Acoty, generally written cutia, a racoon.
  2. ↑ Abaeté means a good, strong, wise, clever man.
  3. ↑ Tucano, a well-known bird with gorgeous plumage, black, green, scarlet, and orange, with a large beak.
  4. ↑ Cipó, a Lliana or climbing plant.
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