Iraçéma: the Honey-lips, a Legend of Brazil/Chapter 25
CHAPTER XXV.
Joy still reigned in the cabin during the whole time whilst the ears of corn ripened and waxed yellow.
Once at break of day the Christian was strolling by the borders of the sea. His soul was weary.
The humming-bird satiates itself with honey and perfume; it then sleeps in its little white nest of cotton, until another year comes round with its Moon of Flowers. Like it, the warrior՚s soul is sated with happiness; it wants sleep and repose.
Hunting and excursions in the mountains with his friend by his side, the tender caresses of the wife awaiting his return, the pleasant Carbeto[1] in the Wigwam porch, no longer awakened in him emotions as they were wont to do. His heart began to speak.
Iraçéma was sporting on the beach. His eyes wandered from her over the sea՚s vast expanse.
Large white wings were seen hovering over the blue waste. The Christian knew that it was a big Igára of many sails, such as were constructed by his brethren, and the Saudade of his country wrung his breast.
High rose the sun; the warrior on the shore followed with his eyes the white wings as they fled. In vain the wife called him to the hut, in vain she displayed to his eyes her graces, or offered him the best fruits of the country. The warrior never moved until the sail disappeared behind the horizon.
Poty returned from the Serra, where for the first time he had been alone. He had left serenity on his brother՚s countenance, and now he found there sorrow. Martim went forth to meet him.
"The great Igára of the white Tapúia is on the sea. The eyes of Poty՚s brother saw them flying towards the banks of the Mearim. They are the allies of the Tupinambás[2] and the enemies of his and my race.
"Poty is lord of a thousand bows; if Coatyabo wishes, he will accompany him with his braves to the banks of the Mearim to conquer the Tapúitinga, and his friends the treacherous Tupinambás."
"When it is time, Poty՚s brother will tell him."
The warriors returned to the cabin where Iraçéma was. The sweet song to-day was silent on the wife՚s lips. She wove amidst her sighs the fringe of the maternal hammock, broader and thicker than the marriage-cot. Poty, who saw her thus occupied, spoke.
"When the Sabiá sings, it is the season of love. When, silent, it makes the nest for the little one: it is the time for work."
"My brother speaks like the[3] announcing the rain, but the Sabiá which makes its nest does not know if it will sleep in it."
The voice of Iraçéma trembled. Her eye sought Martim. He was thinking. The words of Iraçéma passed over him like the breeze upon the smooth surface of the rocks, noiseless and echoless.
The sun still shone on the sea-beach, and the sands reflected its ardent rays, but neither the light which came from heaven nor that which earth gave could drive darkness from the Christian՚s soul. Every moment the twilight deepened on his forehead.
Arrived from the banks of the Acaraú a Pytiguára warrior, sent by Jacaúna to his brother Poty. He had followed the warriors՚ trail as far as the Trahiry, whence the Fishermen had guided him to the Wigwam.
Poty was alone in the porch. He rose up and bent his head, to listen with more gravity and respect to the words which his brother had sent him by the mouth of the messenger.
"The Tapuitinga who was in the Mearim came through the forests as far as the beginning of the Ibyapába, where he had made an alliance with Irapúam to fight the Pytiguára nation. They are coming down the Serra to the banks of the river where the herons drink, and where Poty raised the Tabá of his warriors. Jacaúna now summons him to defend the lands of our fathers, and his people want their greatest warrior."
"The warrior must return to the banks of Acaraú, and his foot must not rest until it has trodden the floor of Jacaúna՚s Wigwam. When he arrives, he will say to the great chief, ՚Jacaúna՚s brother has arrived at the Taba of his warriors՚—and he will not lie."
The messenger departed.
Poty aroused himself, and walked towards the plains, guided by the trail of Coatyabo. He met him far beyond, wandering amongst the reeds and rushes which border the banks of Jacaratuy.[4]
"The white Tapuia is in the Ibyapába, to help the Tabajáras against Jacaúna. Poty is hastening to defend the land of his brothers, and the Taba where sleep the Camocins of his fathers. He will know how to conquer quickly, in order to return to Coatyábo."
"Poty՚s brother goes with him. Nothing separates two warrior-friends when sounds the Inubia of war."
"My brother is great like the sea, and good like the sky."
The two friends embraced, and marched with their faces turned to the quarter of the rising sun.
- ↑ Carbe՚o, a sort of evening meeting of the Indians in a large cabin where they used to converse.
- ↑ Tupinambás means fathers of the Tupys, a formidable nation, the primitive branch of the great Tupy race. After an heroic resistance, not being able to expel the Portuguese from Bahia, they migrated to Maranhão, where they formed alliance with the French, who overran these regions.
- ↑ Ran, frog.
- ↑ Jacaratuy, a lake near the present town of Ceará.
This work is a translation and has a separate copyright status to the applicable copyright protections of the original content.
| Original: |
This work was published before January 1, 1931, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse |
|---|---|
| Translation: |
This work was published before January 1, 1931, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse |
