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

ORIGIN OF THE RED WILLOW.
Once on a time a-hunting went
Great Manaho-zho : with his bow
He traveled on through wind and snow ;
At length, just as the day was spent,
High perched upon a withered tree,
Afar he spied a Kee-wau-nee ;
He fixed an arrow, creeping nigher,
He shot it, and the bird did bring
Into the woods, where was a spring ;
He plucked the feathers, built a fire,
And by the flame, to cook it quick,
He stuck it on a forked stick.
And then he said,
" I think that I
Will take a nap.
1 '
" Here legs," said he,
You roast the bird the Kee-wau-nee ;
See it don't burn ;
let none come nigh
To touch it ;
A-watch :"
and be sure you keep
and then he went to sleep.