Tall was young Wanata, stronger than Heyoka's giant form,-
Laughed at flood and fire and hunger, faced the fiercest winter storm.
When Wakinyan flashed and thundered, when Unktehee raved and roared,
All but brave Wanata wondered, and the gods with fear implored.
When the war-whoop shrill resounded, calling friends to meet the foe,
From the teepee swift he bounded, armed with polished lance and bow.
In the battle's din and clangor fast his fatal arrows flew,
Flashed his fiery eyes with anger,-many a stealthy foe he slew.
Hunter swift was he and cunning, caught the beaver, slew the bear,
Overtook the roebuck running, dragged the panther from his lair.
Loved was he by many a maiden; many a dark eye glanced in vain;
Many a heart with sighs was laden for the love it could not gain.
So they called the brave “Ska Capa;”[CI] but the fairest of the band-
Moon-faced, meek Anpetu-Sapa-won the hunter's heart and hand.

[CI] Or Capa Ska-White beaver. White beavers are very rare, very
cunning and hard to catch.

From the wars with triumph burning, from the chase of bison fleet,
To his lodge the brave returning, spread his trophies at her feet.
Love and joy sat in the teepee; him a black-eyed boy she bore;
But alas, she lived to weep a love she lost forevermore.
For the warriors chose Wanata first Itancan[CJ] of the band.
At the council-fire he sat a leader brave, a chieftain grand.
Proud was fair Anpetu-Sapa, and her eyes were glad with joy;
Proud was she and very happy with her warrior and her boy.
But alas, the fatal honor that her brave Wanata won,
Brought a bitter woe upon her,-hid with clouds the summer sun.
For among the brave Dakotas wives bring honor to the chief.
On the vine-clad Minnesota's banks he met the Scarlet Leaf.

[CJ] E-tan-can-Chief.

Young and fair was Ape-duta[CK]-full of craft and very fair;
Proud she walked a queen of beauty with her dark, abundant hair.
In her net of hair she caught him-caught Wanata with her wiles;
All in vain his wife besought him-begged in vain his wonted smiles.
Ape-duta ruled the teepee-all Wanata's smiles were hers;
When the lodge was wrapped in sleep a star[CL] beheld the mother's tears.
Long she strove to do her duty for the black-eyed babe she bore;
But the proud, imperious beauty made her sad forevermore.
Still she dressed the skins of beaver, bore the burdens, spread the fare;
Patient ever, murmuring never, though her cheeks were creased with care.
In the moon Maga-o kada, twice an hundred years ago-
Ere the “Black Robe's”[CM] sacred shadow
stalked the prairies' pathless snow-
Down the swollen, rushing river, in the sunset's golden hues,
From the hunt of bear and beaver came the band in swift canoes.
On the queen of fairy islands, on the Wita Waste's [CN] shore
Camped Wanata, on the highlands just above the cataract's roar.
Many braves were with Wanata; Ape-duta, too, was there,
And the sad Anpetu-sapa spread the lodge with wonted care.
Then above the leafless prairie leaped the fat-faced, laughing moon,
And the stars-the spirits fairy-walked the welkin one by one.
Swift and silent in the gloaming on the waste of waters blue,
Speeding downward to the foaming, shot Wanata's birch canoe.
In it stood Anpetu-sapa-in her arms her sleeping child;
Like a wailing Norse-land drapa [CO] rose her death-song weird and wild:

[CK] A-pe-leaf,-duta-Scarlet,-Scarlet leaf

[CL] Stars, the Dakotas say, are the faces of the departed watching over
their friends and relatives on earth.

[CM] The Dakotas called the Jesuit priests “Black Robes,” from the color
of their vestments.

[CN] Wee-tah Wah-stay-Beautiful Island,-the Dakota name for Nicollet
Island, just above the Falls.

[CO] Drapa, a Norse funeral wail in which the virtues of the deceased
are recounted.

Mihihna,[CP] Mihihna, my heart is stone;
The light is gone from my longing eyes;
The wounded loon in the lake alone
Her death-song sings to the moon and dies.

Mihihna, Mihihna, the path is long,
The burden is heavy and hard to bear;
I sink-I die, and my dying song
Is a song of joy to the false one's ear.

Mihihna, Mihihna, my young heart flew
Far away with my brave to the bison-chase;
To the battle it went with my warrior true,
And never returned till I saw his face.

Mihihna, Mihihna, my brave was glad
When he came from the chase of the roebuck fleet;
Sweet were the words that my hunter said
As his trophies he laid at Anpetu's feet.

Mihihna, Mihihna, the boy I bore-
When the robin sang and my brave was true,
I can bear to look on his face no more,
For he looks, Mihihna, so much like you.

Mihihna, Mihihna, the Scarlet Leaf
Has robbed my boy of his father's love;
He sleeps in my arms-he will find no grief
In the star-lit lodge in the land above.

Mihihna, Mihihna, my heart is stone;
The light is gone from my longing eyes;
The wounded loon in the lake alone
Her death-song sings to the moon and dies.

[CP] Mee-heen-yah-My husband.

Swiftly down the turbid torrent, as she sung her song she flew;
Like a swan upon the current, dancing rode the light canoe.
Hunters hurry in the gloaming; all in vain Wanata calls;
Singing through the surges foaming, lo she plunges o'er the Falls.

Long they searched the sullen river-searched for leagues along the shore,
Bark or babe or mother never saw the sad Dakotas more;
But at night or misty morning oft the hunters heard her song,
Oft the maidens heard her warning in their mellow mother-tongue.
On the bluffs they sat enchanted till the blush of beamy dawn;
Spirit Isle, they say, is haunted, and they call the spot Wakan[CQ]
Many summers on the highland in the full moon's golden glow-
In the woods on Fairy Island,[CR] walked a snow-white fawn and doe-
Spirits of the babe and mother sadly seeking evermore
For a father's love another turned away with evil power.

Sometimes still when moonbeams shimmer through the maples on the lawn,
In the gloaming and the glimmer walk the silent doe and fawn;
And on Spirit Isle or near it, under midnight's misty moon,
Oft is seen the mother's spirit, oft is heard her mournful tune.

[CQ] Pronounced Walk-on,-Sacred, inhabited by a spirit.

[CR] Fairy Island,-Wita-Waste-Nicollet Island.