A METOWAC LEGEND. 201 



kept her eyes fixed upon the ground where the flowers were 

 springing about her feet, and opening their blossoms, as if light 

 had been imprisoned within their chalices and was now making 

 its escape. 



Na-wi-qua watched them a long time, and they looked up at 

 her, as each became perfect. Then Na-wi-qua began to look 

 up likewise. She lifted her head and saw the face of her 

 lover. She did not speak. She looked into his eyes. Na-wi- 

 qua next raised hers upward and she met the blue sky. 



The GreatSpirit then smiled upon them both, for Na-wi-qua 

 had approached his seat. He had never been so pleased 

 before. Love had perfected the creation of the Master of 

 Life. It had given eyes to Na-wi-qua. 



Na-wi-qua is still held in great reverence. All the graces 

 of womanhood are supposed to have been derived from her. 

 She is the ideal of the aboriginal creation. The beautiful 

 instinct that caused her to raise her eyes upward from the 

 blossom at her feet, to the face of her lover, and still in pursuit 

 of the good and the true lifted them to the sky, first taught 

 men the sentiment of love, and the sentiment of worship. 

 Na-wi-qua became the embodiment of innocence, of love, and 

 religion. Through her men first learned the worship of the 

 Great Spirit. 



Even now, when they speak of a woman remarkable for her 

 virtues they say her mother was Na-wi-qua. 



26 



