Wednesday, February 20, 2008

The Brave and the Maiden (continued)


The unfortunate lovers, on landing, took a trail leading in a Western direction over the hills. The Algonquin, weaken by unhealed wounds, followed his active guide up the acclivity with panting heart and flagging pace; while his enemies, with the grim old Sachem at thei head, drew nearer and nearer, At length, finding farther attempts at flight useless, she divered from the trail, and conducted her lover to a table-crested rock that projected over a ravine, or gulf, one hundred and fifty feet in depth, the bottom of which was strewn with mis-shapen rocks, scattered in rude confusion. With hearts nerved to resolve, the hapless pair awaited the arrival of their yelling pursuers. Conspicuous by his eagle plume, towering form, and scowling brow, the daughter soon descried her inexorable sire leaping from the crag to crag below her. He paused aburptly when his fery eye rested on the objects of his pursuit. Notching an arrow on the string of his tried and unerring bow, he raised his sinewy arms but ere the missle was sent, Wun-nut-hay, the Beautiful, interposed her form between her father and his victim. In wild appealing tones she entreated her sire to spare the young chieftain, assuring him that they would leap together from the precipice rather than be seperated. The tern old man, deaf to her suppication, and disregarding her menace, ordered his followers to seize the fugitive. Warrior after warrior darted up the rock, but on reaching the platform, at the moment when they were grasping to clutch the young brave, the lovers, locked in fond embrace, flung themselves from the steep rock and perished.

From: The life and Times of Sa-Go-Ye Wat-ha or Red Jacket, by William L. Stone 1841

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I love that story!