Identifier: cu31924014524619 Title: Child life: a collection of poems Year: 1871 (1870s) Authors: Whittier, John Greenleaf, 1807-1892 Subjects: Children's poetry Publisher: Boston, Houghton, Osgood and company Contributing Library: Cornell University Library Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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Text Appearing Before Image: ; When thy locks are thin and silver,Theirs will still be shining gold. LEGENDARY. 117 They will haunt thee from their heaven, Softly beckoning down the gloom ;Smiling in eternal sweetness On thy cradle, on thy tomb I — Fro7n the Scandinavian. HIAWATHAS CHILDHOOD. By the shores of Gitchee Gumee,By the shining Big-Sea-Water,Stood the wigwam of Nokomis,Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis.Dark behind it rose the forest,Rose the black and gloomy pine-trees,Rose the firs with cones upon them ;Bright before it beat the water.Beat the clear and sunny water.Beat the shining Big-Sea-Water. There the wrinkled old Nokomis Nursed the little Hiawatha, Rocked him in his linden cradle, Bedded soft in moss and rushes, Safely bound with reindeer sinews ; Stilled his fretful wail by saying, Hush ! the Naked Bear will hear thee ! Lulled him into slumber, singing, Ewa-yea ! my little owlet! Who is this that lights the wigwam ? With his great eyes lights the wigwam ? Ewa-yea ! my little owlet! 118 CEILB LIFE.

Text Appearing After Image: Many thiugs Xokomis taught himOf the stars that shine in heaven ;Showed him Islikoodah, the cometIshkoodah, with fiery tresses ;Showed the Death-Dance of the spirits,Warriors with their plumes and war-clubs,Flaring far away to northwardIn the frosty nights of winter ;Showed the broad, white road in heaven,Pathway of the ghosts, the shadows,Running straight across the heavens,Crowded with the ghosts, the shadows. LEGENDARY. 119 At the door, on summer evenings,Sat the little Hiawatha ;Heard the whispering of the pme-trees,Heard the lapping of the water.Sounds of music, words of wonder ; Minnie-wawa ! said the pine-trees, Mudway-aushka ! said the water.Saw the fire-fly Wah-wah-taysee,Flitting through the dusk of evening,With the twinkle of its candleLighting up the brakes and bushes,And he sang the song of children,Sang the song Nokomis taught him : Wah-wah-taysee, little fire-fly.Little flitting, white-fire insect,Little, dancing, white-fire creature,Light me with your httle candle.Ere

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