Nv. 



C/j 



WOODMYTH & FABLE 



Deep in the darkest part of the dark 

 month, in the Moon of the darkest days, 

 they met in their wildest revel; for this 

 was their season of sovereignty. Then 

 did they hold their war-dance on the ice 

 of the Chaska-water, dancing in air like 

 flashes of rosy lightning — in a great 

 circle they danced. And they shot their 

 shining deadly arrows in the air, frost-ar- 

 rows that pierced all things like a death ; 

 they pounded the ice with their war- 

 clubs as they danced, and set the snow 

 a-swirling louder, harder, faster. 



There were sounds in the air of going, 

 sounds in the earth of grinding, and of 

 groaning in Chaska-water. 



"I am not afraid," said the Partridge, 

 as fear filled her breast : " I can hide in the 

 kindly snow-drift." *' I have no fear," said 

 the trembling Marten: "my home is a hoi- 



