Queen Ah-we-a of the Fishers Mourned the sorrows of her people; Comforted the weeping widows; Cared for all the little orphans. Little wonder that her subjects Loved the gentle Queen Ah-we-a. Long the Queen in silence pondered On the perils of her people. Long she stood upon the headland Where the wind-distorted cedars Cling upon the rocky hillside. Long she prayed to the Great Spirit For his guidance and protection. Long she prayed and watched and waited Till the moon came up and silvered All the sea, and cast the shadows Of the cedars, weird and lonely. From the harbor came the night winds Robed in tinsel veils of vapors, And they whispered in the branches Of the cedar trees above her-- Whispered of the King, their master, Whispered terms for ceasing warfare. Ah-we-a heard the hard conditions, Bowed her head as in submission. On her face the resolution For a sacrifice was graven-- For a sacrifice so noble That the Spirit in the Heavens Smiled and promised, in her absence, To protect her Fisher people. Morning dawned, with vapors brooding On the silent glassy waters. Queen Ah-we-a called her people To the sandy shore, and standing In her light canoe of deer skin, Told them of her nightlong vigil. 'Now I go,' she said in parting, 'To the great boat of the Sea King, There to plead that storms be banished, Banished from our bay forever. The Great Spirit will protect you Till I come again to lead you.' Then her paddle dipped the water, And her light canoe of deer skin Went into the fog and faded, Faded to a shadow outline, Then was gone into the silence. Long and watchfully the people Waited for the Queen Ah-we-a. Then a great fear came upon them. 'She is lost. The wicked Sea King Holds her hostage on his war boat.' Thus they mourned, and prayed the Father, The Great Spirit, that he give them Wings to fly above the waters Where the Sea King could not reach them. 'Give us wings,' they prayed 'On pinions Would we fly to find Ah-we-a. Change us, Father, into sea birds. Let us search and find Ah-we-a, And at last, when we have found her, Change us back to Fisher People. In the flicker of an eyelid, All the fisher men and women And their children changed to Sea Gulls. And the Father, ever mindful Of his promise to Ah-we-a, Put into the hearts of mortals Universal love for Sea Gulls. Laws have even been enacted To protect them from the hunters.