The Pathetic Love Story of Waubenoo--The Treachery
of Gray Wolf--The Legend of the Whisky Jack.
"It came about in this way," said Souwanas, "and it is such a sad story
about beautiful Waubenoo."
"Will it make me cry?" said the tender-hearted Minnehaha. "If so, I do not
think I want to hear it."
"Stay and hear it, you little pussy," said Sagastao. "I am sure it is not
worse than the Babes in the Wood."
"Well, you always cry first, when we read that story together," said
Minnehaha.
At this the lad had nothing to say, for in spite of his apparent
brusqueness his heart melted more quickly, and his eyes filled easier with
tears, at a pathetic story, than did his sister's.
"Well, go ahead, Souwanas," said Sagastao. "We each have a pocket
handkerchief, and when they are used up you can lend us a blanket."
At this quaint speech everybody laughed, and then the old man began his
second story about Waubenoo. "It all came about because little children
have long tongues, and this story should warn little children that, while
they have two eyes and two ears, they have but one tongue, and that they
should not at any time talk about or repeat half of what they have seen and
heard.
"The little brothers and sisters of Waubenoo had been warned that they
should say nothing about the visit of Nanahboozhoo to their wigwam. In
fact, Nanahboozhoo was such a queer fellow that he did not at any time want
people to be gossiping about him, and, if he had done any good deed for
anyone, he did not wish them to be ever speaking about it. Then another
reason why Nanahboozhoo did not want them to talk about his visit and help
was the fear that Gray Wolf, finding out how it was that he had received
such a beating, would be more bitter and revengeful against Waubenoo and
would again try to get her in his power. The little children were, of
course, delighted that their wigwam was no longer visited by Gray Wolf,
whose coming had always filled them with terror, while Waubenoo was so
pleased at having thus got rid of him that she was happier and brighter
than she had been for a long time. It was not long before some of the other
Indians noticed the change. They were surprised that Gray Wolf had so
suddenly stopped his visits, and that he seemed so dejected and sullen.
Naturally their curiosity was excited, and they were anxious to find out
what had happened."
"Better to have been minding their own business," broke in young Sagastao,
who seemed to see the drift of the story.
"Be quiet, and do not interrupt Souwanas," said Minnehaha, who often felt
called upon to restrain her brother's impulsiveness.
"Of course," Souwanas continued, "Gray Wolf had so suffered that he had
very little to say, and if ever teased about Waubenoo he fell into a great
passion.
"Waubenoo herself was too sensible to gratify their idle curiosity, but the
very return of her brightness, and her unwillingness to talk about the
matter, only added to the foolish desires of outsiders to find out what had
really occurred. So some of these naughty busybodies began questioning the
children when they could get them away from Waubenoo, for in her presence
they were as mute as she was. They pestered and bothered the children and
tried in various ways before they succeeded. But one day, while Waubenoo
was away overhauling her traps, some of those wicked meddlers visited her
wigwam and succeeded in getting one of the smallest ones--I just forget now
whether it was a boy or a girl."
"A girl, of course," shouted Sagastao.
"No, indeed; I am sure it was a naughty boy," said Minnehaha.
"Well, no matter which; but one of them said: 'Nanahboozhoo!'
"This one word, Nanahboozhoo, was quite enough to startle and alarm them,
for Nanahboozhoo was also much feared, as he sometimes did dreadful things.
"The fact that Nanahboozhoo had been in their very midst, although they
were a long time in hearing anything more than the one word from the now
frightened children, was quite enough to excite the whole village, for the
news was soon spread abroad by the tattlers.
"Such busybodies could not be satisfied with only hearing that Nanahboozhoo
had visited the wigwam of Waubenoo. Of course they wanted to hear about
what he said and did, and I am sorry to have to say that after a while,
with coaxing and presents, they managed to get from the children the whole
delightfully exciting story.
"When Gray Wolf, who was so jeered and laughed at by all who dare, heard
from the gossipers how it had happened that he had received such a
thrashing he was doubly wild and furious.
"When Waubenoo found out that all was known about how Nanahboozhoo had
helped her she was very sorry that her little brothers and sisters had been
so naughty and disobedient. She also knew that now she would have to be
more careful than ever against the movements of Gray Wolf. But the fact was
that he had been so cowed by his beating that he was afraid to openly
attack her, lest she should get Nanahboozhoo to help her again and it might
be worse for him than it was at his first meeting. But he treasured up
revengeful feelings in his heart and resolved that at some time or other he
would dreadfully punish her.
"Some years passed by, and the older children, next to Waubenoo, were able
to do most of the hunting and fishing as well as to be on guard against
any of the evil doings of Gray Wolf. Thus they were able, in a measure, to
repay their sister, whom they dearly loved, although they were so
thoughtless, for all her great kindness to them.
"One fall there came to the village a splendid Indian hunter. He was of the
same tribe, but lived with his people, most of the time, at a distant part
of the country. He was so pleased with this village, where dwelt Waubenoo,
that he decided to remain for the winter and hunt. He was such a very
pleasant fellow and such a great hunter that he soon made many friends.
Gray Wolf was the only man who seemed to hate him, and he was even so rash
as to insult him openly in an Indian gathering.
"Soquaatum, for this was the young warrior's name, stood the insults of
Gray Wolf for some time, then, when he saw that some of the young hunters
began to think he was afraid of Gray Wolf, he suddenly sprang at him and
knocked him down, and then seizing him by his belt, he shook him as easily
and thoroughly as a wildcat would a rabbit. Then he threw him from him and
sat down among the people as though nothing had happened.
"That evening, when he and the relatives with whom he lived were seated
around the fire in the wigwam, he heard for the first time the story of
Waubenoo: of her great industry, her love for her little brothers and
sisters, and how she had been threatened by Gray Wolf and then befriended
by Nanahboozhoo.
"This story very much interested Soquaatum, and especially as in his
hunting he had met her younger brother, now a fine strapping hunter, and
had become very fond of him, although he was much younger. So he resolved
that as soon as he could he would visit her wigwam and seek her
acquaintance."
"Ho! Ho! So this is to be a love story," said Sagastao.
"Be quiet, do," said his sister. "All love stories do not end well.
Remember, there was Gray Wolf!"
Souwanas profited by the interruption, for it gave him an opportunity to
light his pipe with flint and steel, and he then resumed the story.
"Soon after Soquaatum arrayed himself in his most attractive costume and
called at the tent of Waubenoo. His excuse was that he wanted to see her
brother and arrange some hunting excursion.
"Waubenoo, who had often heard her brother speak of his great skill as a
hunter, and had also heard how easily and thoroughly he had handled Gray
Wolf, received him most kindly and at once made him welcome.
"Well, it is not surprising that he should soon fall in love with Waubenoo,
and so pleased was she with his manner, as well as his attractive
appearance, that she became very fond of him, and it was not many days
after their first meeting before it was noised abroad that Soquaatum and
Waubenoo were lovers.
"Soquaatum remained until about the middle of the winter. Then he returned
to his distant home to make all preparations for receiving his wife, for
whom he was to come in the spring.
"Gray Wolf was, of course, furious when he heard that Waubenoo was to be
married, and to the man who had humiliated him in the presence of so many
people. Though angry and revengeful, he was at heart a cowardly fellow, and
now that Waubenoo's brother was full-grown he was afraid of him, as well as
of Soquaatum while he was in the neighborhood. But his fears did not
prevent him from thinking of schemes for revenge which, however, came to
nothing, because the friends of Waubenoo were so vigilant and well
prepared.
"At length one of his plans succeeded, and this is how it happened:
"Gray Wolf enlisted a young Indian who was equally bad with himself to help
him. As Soquaatum had now been gone for some weeks to his home, which was
far east from that region, Gray Wolf and his wicked companion went a good
long distance--many miles--in that direction. There they made a hunting
lodge and laid their plans to capture Waubenoo. Then Gray Wolf's companion
went back and remained secreted near the wigwam of Waubenoo. One night he
saw her two brothers leave, about midnight, for some distant traps that
would take them all day to reach.
"As soon as this bad fellow was satisfied that they were well out of sight
and hearing he rushed up to the tent of Waubenoo and hastily aroused her
from her sleep. He had arrayed himself as though he was gaining on her,
she began calling: 'Soquaatum! Soquaatum!' Alas! he was far away, but there
was another who, fortunately, was near. Nanahboozhoo had been out hunting
and he had a sled which he was dragging, loaded with game. He was surprised
as he heard this calling, 'Soquaatum! Soquaatum!' and as he continued
listening it became hoarse and then only like a whisper. He could stand it
no longer; he rushed through the woods and there he saw Waubenoo, dashing
along on snow-shoes, calling in a low whisper: 'Soquaatum! Soquaatum!'
while not a hundred feet behind her was Gray Wolf, yelling in triumph that
he would soon capture her. Unfortunately Nanahboozhoo was not in a very
good humor that day. He had heard of some little children that had been
tattling about him, and he had heard that the children in the tent of
Waubenoo had told about his visit.
"However, when he saw who it was that was in danger, and heard her cry to
him for help when she saw him, and especially when he saw who it was that
was after her, he quickly turned Waubenoo into a bird and without any
trouble she quickly flew up into a tree out of the reach of danger.
"Ever since that Waubenoo has been the Whisky Jack, and if you will listen
to Whisky Jack when he is not scolding or clamoring at your camp for food
his voice is like that of the lost Indian maiden, with a bad cold, calling
for her lover."
"What did Nanahboozhoo do to Gray Wolf?" said Sagastao.
"Hush," said Minnehaha. "Don't you know Nanahboozhoo doesn't like to have
children talk about him?"
This excessive caution on the part of the little girl vastly amused
Souwanas. Then he told them that Nanahboozhoo turned Gray Wolf into a dog
and made him draw home his heavy load of meat.