友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
九色书籍 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

rolf in the woods-第66章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




insight; and this he grasped  that the times were changed;

and his was the way of a bygone day。



〃Mine is the wisdom of the woods;〃 he said; 〃but the woods are

going fast; in a few years there will be no more trees; and my

wisdom will be foolishness。 There is in this land now a big;

strong thing called 'trade;' that will eat up all things and

the people themselves。 You are wise enough; Nibowaka; to paddle

with the stream; you have turned so the big giant is on your

side; and his power is making you great。 But this is not for me;

so only I have enough to eat; and comfort to sleep; I am content

to watch for the light。〃



Across the valley from the big store he dwelt; in a lodge from

which he could easily see the sunrise。 Twenty…five years added

to the fifty he spent in the land of Mayn Mayano had dimmed his

eye; had robbed his foot of its spring; and sprinkled his brow

with the winter rime; but they had not changed his spirit; nor

taught him less to love the pine woods and the sunrise。 Yes;

even more than in former days did he take his song…drum to the

rock of worship; to his idaho  as the western red man would

have called it。 And there; because it was high and the wind

blew cold; he made a little eastward… facing lodge。



He was old and hunting was too hard for him; but there was a

strong arm about him now; he dimly thought of it at times 

the arm of the fifteen…year…old boy that one time he had shielded。

There was no lack of food or blankets in the wigwam; or of freedom

in the woods under the sun…up rock。 But there was a hunger that

not farseeing Nibowaka could appease; not even talk about。 And

Quonab built another medicine lodge to watch the sun go down

over the hill。 Sitting by a little fire to tune his song…drum;

he often crooned to the blazing skies。 〃I am of the sunset now;

I and my people;〃 he sang; 〃the night is closing over us。〃



One day a stranger came to the hills; his clothes were those of

a white man; but his head; his feet; and his eyes  his blood;

his walk; and his soul were those of a red Indian of the West。

He came from the unknown with a message to those who knew him

not: 〃The Messiah was coming; the deliverer that Hiawatha bade

them look for。 He was coming in power to deliver the red race;

and his people must sing the song of the ghost…dance till the

spirit came; and in a vision taught them wisdom and his will!〃



Not to the white man; but to the lonely Indian in the hill cleft

he came; and the song that he brought and taught him was of a

sorrowing people seeking their father。



〃Father have pity on us! Our souls are hungry for Thee。 There

is nothing here to satisfy us Father we bow to Thy will。〃



By the fire that night they sang; and prayed as the Indian

prays  〃Father have pity and guide us。〃 So Quonab sang the

new song; and knew its message was for him。



The stranger went on; for he was a messenger; but Quonab sang

again and again; and then the vision came; as it must; and

the knowledge that he sought。



None saw him go; but ten miles southward on the river he met a

hunter and said: 〃Tell the wise one that I have heard the new

song。 Tell him I have seen the vision。 We are of the sunset;

but the new day comes。 I must see the land of Mayn Mayano;

the dawn…land; where the sun rises out of the sea。〃



They saw no more of him。 But a day later; Rolf heard of it;

and set out in haste next morning for Albany。 Skookum the

fourth leaped into the canoe as he pushed off。 Rolf was minded

to send him back; but the dog begged hard with his eyes and

tail。 It seemed he ought to go; when it was the old man they

sought。 At Albany they got news。 〃Yes; the Indian went on

the steamboat a few days ago。〃 At New York; Rolf made no

attempt to track his friend; but took the Stamford boat and

hurried to the old familiar woods; where he had lived and

suffered and wakened as a boy。



There was a house now near the rock that is yet called 〃Quonab's。〃

From the tenants he learned that in the stillest hours of the

night before; they had heard the beating of an Indian drum; and

the cadence of a chant that came not from throat of white man's

blood。



In the morning when it was light Rolf hastened to the place;

expecting to find at least an Indian camp; where once had stood

the lodge。 There was no camp; and as he climbed for a higher

view; the Skookum of to…day gave bristling proof of fear at

some strange object there  a man that moved not。 His long

straight hair was nearly white; and by his side; forever still;

lay the song…drum of his people。



And those who heard the mournful strains the night before knew

now from Rolf that it was Ouonab come back to his rest; and the

song that he sang was the song of the ghost dance。



〃Pity me; Wahkonda。 My soul is ever hungry。 There is nothing

here to satisfy me; I walk in darkness; Pity me; Wahkondal〃











End 
返回目录 上一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!