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

THE WONDROUS DEEDS. 41
Then from his Meda-sack he drew
All things that bear a secret charm ;
Of all their potency he knew
Their power to harm, to shield from harm ;
Adorned with beak and claw and shell
His weapons all ;
with wizard skill
Wrought into each the magic spell
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That fateful is for good or ill.
Or resting from his ruder toil,
He carved and shaped the pot and bowl,
His soup to warm,
his meat to boil
And make the wigwam comforts whole ;
Or forth he went with shaft and bow,
And many a hairy
skin he bore
Of Yek-wai and of 0-kwa-ho,
And softly matted all the floor.
To charm and guard his home arid place
Its barky sides he pictured fair
With to-tems of his name and race ;
10
Where fierce the Tortoise, Wolf, and Bear
High on its matted cover shone ;
Each type and symbol, such as thence
The greatly wise may draw alone
The mystery of the hidden sense.