The league of the Iroquois and other legends : from the Indian muse

THE COUNCIL. 141
As if with warrior-pride elate,
Or felt again love's fond desire,
It lightly skipped, as loth to wait
To bear him to the Council Fire ;
On Onondaga's breast to dance
Far on the sea to dance and leap,
Before the westering sun should glance
His arrows from the rocky steep.
In royal mantle woven fair,
Nyah-tah-wanta's hand had made,
Where shone the Tortoise, Wolf, and Bear,
Shone fierce in many a to-tem braid ;
In moccasins with the marvelous hem,
In snowy leggins, beaded grand,
Inwrought with many a curious gem,
He trod the Onondaga strand.
And her he called the little maid
From out the leafy summer wood,
Glad singing through the windy glade
The simple songs of maidenhood ;
And when anear she lightly run,
Said to the maiden tenderly,
"Go, put your beaded kirtle on,
Your mantle new, and go with me."