Page:What cheer, or, Roger Williams in banishment (1896).pdf/134

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Whereat their arrows follow, flight on flight,
  With hideous yells at every pause between;
Now down the stream—now at the tumbling falls,
The petty battle raves, and wrath to vengeance calls.


XXIX.

Hour after hour thus raged the doubtful fight,
  Until the combatants their shafts had spent;
Then to the river's marge in peaceful plight,
  Bearing the pipe with fumes all redolent,
The fraudful wizard came, as to invite
  Across the stream to cheer quite innocent
And friendly league a neighbor and a friend;
"Come, let the pipe," he said, "the battle end.


XXX.

"Waban is brave, and Tatoban is brave;
  Hereafter let us live as neighbors kind,
And let thy arrows sleep; no more shall rave
  This knife and hatchet; Tatoban was blind!"
"Go!" Waban cried, "thou and thy dastard slave!
  Go trap the Neyhom, or the foolish hind;
But thinkest thou into thy open snare,
To lure the cunning fox, and slay him there?"


XXXI.

Thus closed the strife that day; another came,
  And all was peace; another sun and still
Another rose and set, and still the same
  Unbroken peace—no threatening sign of ill:
Quite undisturbed red Waban trapped his game
  Or delved the shore—no foe appeared; until
Our Sire believed that he might safely bless
His weary hours with earth's best happiness.