Then he made a tiny cradle,
Made it from the bark of birches,
Made it soft from fur of beaver.
In her cradle small Tee-na-nay
Laid a furry mountain rabbit;
And she sang a mother's love-song
To the little sleeping rabbit.
In a corner of the wigwam,
There she made a little tepee,
Tepee for her little infant.
Thus the rabbit and Tee-na-nay
And the aged Arrow-Maker
Dwelt beside the icy waters,
Waters of the icy Merced.
Berries then from neighboring hillside
Small Tee-na-nay roamed to gather;
Hopping with her, little rabbit
Played among the fragrant grasses.
Thus Tee-na-nay and her rabbit
Grew together in the wigwam
Of the ancient Arrow-Maker.
Made it from the bark of birches,
Made it soft from fur of beaver.
In her cradle small Tee-na-nay
Laid a furry mountain rabbit;
And she sang a mother's love-song
To the little sleeping rabbit.
In a corner of the wigwam,
There she made a little tepee,
Tepee for her little infant.
Thus the rabbit and Tee-na-nay
And the aged Arrow-Maker
Dwelt beside the icy waters,
Waters of the icy Merced.
Berries then from neighboring hillside
Small Tee-na-nay roamed to gather;
Hopping with her, little rabbit
Played among the fragrant grasses.
Thus Tee-na-nay and her rabbit
Grew together in the wigwam
Of the ancient Arrow-Maker.
When the mountain snowdrifts melted,
Then with rod of bending willow,
Line of sinew of the wildcat,
Hook from tiny bone of minnow,
She the speckled fishes captured
For the aged Arrow-Maker,
As he sat beside the wigwam,
Dreaming of the dusky mother,
Mother of the loved Tee-na-nay!
When the evening shadows gathered
Round the humble little wigwam,
Came the trill of wakeful night-bird.
Then he crooned a gentle night-song
To his sleeping dusky daughter.
Bronzed her cheek and black her tresses,
Tresses blown by summer south-wind!
Fleet of foot was she, Tee-na-nay,
Keen of eye to follow footsteps,
Footsteps of the deer and bison.
And the lovely young Tee-na-nay
Vied in song with mellow wood-birds;
Happy she, the dusky maiden,
Daughter of the Arrow-Maker.
Then to valley of the Merced
Came one far from o'er the mountain,
Mountain of the shining jasper;4
Jasper-tipped his spear and arrows,
Strong of arm to twang the bowstring,
Swift to chase the deer and bison,
Bearing bow and feathered arrows
For the deer and savage panther.
He from o'er yon mountain journeyed;
And he loved the dusky maiden,
Daughter of the Arrow-Maker,
Strong Kos-su-ka from the mountain.
Love, beneath a mortal bosom,
Be it bronzed or white as marble,
Thrills the heart in rhythmic softness;
Sadness ne'er the heart may suffer.
Then with rod of bending willow,
Line of sinew of the wildcat,
Hook from tiny bone of minnow,
She the speckled fishes captured
For the aged Arrow-Maker,
As he sat beside the wigwam,
Dreaming of the dusky mother,
Mother of the loved Tee-na-nay!
When the evening shadows gathered
Round the humble little wigwam,
Came the trill of wakeful night-bird.
Then he crooned a gentle night-song
To his sleeping dusky daughter.
Bronzed her cheek and black her tresses,
Tresses blown by summer south-wind!
Fleet of foot was she, Tee-na-nay,
Keen of eye to follow footsteps,
Footsteps of the deer and bison.
And the lovely young Tee-na-nay
Vied in song with mellow wood-birds;
Happy she, the dusky maiden,
Daughter of the Arrow-Maker.
Then to valley of the Merced
Came one far from o'er the mountain,
Mountain of the shining jasper;4
Jasper-tipped his spear and arrows,
Strong of arm to twang the bowstring,
Swift to chase the deer and bison,
Bearing bow and feathered arrows
For the deer and savage panther.
He from o'er yon mountain journeyed;
And he loved the dusky maiden,
Daughter of the Arrow-Maker,
Strong Kos-su-ka from the mountain.
Love, beneath a mortal bosom,
Be it bronzed or white as marble,
Thrills the heart in rhythmic softness;
Sadness ne'er the heart may suffer.
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