A Guide to MythologyClarke, Helen A. (Helen Archibald)
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A Guide to Mythology
Clarke, Helen A. (Helen Archibald)
Mythology -- Juvenile literature
And whenever they were compelled by stress of weather to make a landing
on this part of the coast, they never failed to leave an offering of
tobacco, or some other token, to show that they desired to stand well
with the proprietors of the fairy ground.
To this sacred spot Leelinau had made her way at an early age, gathering
strange flowers and plants, which she would bring home to her parents,
and relate to them all the haps and mishaps that had occurred in her
rambles.
Although they discountenanced her frequent visits to the place, they were
not able to restrain them, for she was of so gentle and delicate a temper
that they feared to thwart her.
Her attachment to the fairy wood, therefore, grew with her years. If she
wished to solicit her spirits to procure pleasant dreams, or any other
maiden favor, Leelinau repaired to the Manitowok. If her father remained
abroad in the hunt later than usual, and it was feared that he had
been overwhelmed by the tempest, or had met with some other mischance,
Leelinau offered up her prayers for safety at the Manitowok. It was there
that she fasted, mused, and strolled.
She at length became so engrossed by the fairy pines that her parents
began to suspect that some evil spirit had enticed her to its haunts, and
had cast upon her a charm which she had not the power to resist.
This belief was confirmed when, one day, her mother, who had secretly
followed her, overheard her murmuring to some unknown and invisible
companion appeals like these:
“Spirit of the dancing leaves!” whispered Leelinau, “hear a throbbing
heart in its sadness. Spirit of the foaming stream! visit thou my nightly
pillow, shedding over it silver dreams of mountain brook and pebbly
rivulet. Spirit of the starry night! lead my footprints to the blushing
mis-kodeed, or where the burning passion-flower shines with carmine hue.
Spirit of the greenwood plume!” she concluded, turning with passionate
gaze to the beautiful young pines which stood waving their green beauty
over her head, “shed on me, on Leelinau the sad, thy leafy fragrance,
such as spring unfolds from sweetest flowers, or hearts that to each
other show their inmost grief. Spirits! hear, O hear a maiden’s prayer!”
Day by day these strange communings with unseen beings drew away the
heart of Leelinau more and more from the simple duties of the lodge, and
she walked among her people, melancholy and silent, like a spirit who had
visited them from another land.
The pastimes which engaged the frolic moments of her young companions,
passed by her as little trivial pageants in which she had no concern.
When the girls of the neighboring lodges assembled to play at the
favorite female game of pappus-e-ko-waun, or the block and string, before
the lodge-door, Leelinau would sit vacantly by, or enter so feebly into
the spirit of the play as to show that it was irksome to her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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