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NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



less of her father's entreaties, she ran from him nor stopped until 

 she had gained the sandy lake shore and falling upon her knees 

 had buried her lips in the water. Eagerly she drank as if never to 

 cease while unconsciously she drifted into the lake, when, as she 

 was sinking, strong arms were thrown around her, and she heard 

 a voice as musical as a running brook, pronouncing her name. 

 " Fear not, Gi-da-no-neh," it said, " for I am Ga-ye-was, your 

 lover." Opening her eyes she beheld a tall young warrior, who 

 was clasping her to his breast, a warrior as if of her own people, 

 and resplendent with silver brooches that covered him as an armor. 

 With his strong arms he held her while with endearing words he 

 told her of his love, and the winning was sudden! He told her of 

 his long wooing, how he had waited each sunset for her coming to 

 the lake, how he had often neared her singing his power song that 

 seemed so to please her and had determined to win her for his 

 bride and companion. With the power of his charm song he 

 had enticed her to the lake, with the beautiful fish he had lured 

 her, for having eaten them she would ever thirst for the lake water 

 and never again would be content with the land. She should again 

 wear the brooches of which she had been so cruelly deprived, they 

 were the scales of his coat which he wore when as a fish he lived 

 in the water. He ruled the lake and had prepared a home for 

 her far down in its coolest depths. She should accompany him 

 when he visited the lands of his domain and should be his com- 

 panion forever. And Gi-da-no-neh was happy in her love for 

 Ga-ye-was. 



The day was well up in the sky when the troubled father, who 

 had wandered the night through round the lake, was returning 

 disconsolate to his lodge, when from the water came his daughter's 

 voice, and, pausing in surprise, he saw the water spread apart dis- 

 closing her clasped to the bosom of Ga-ye-was. " Father, I have 

 sought you!" she said. " I will return no more to my land life. 

 My true lover rules these pleasant waters and I am now his bride. 

 You loved me, father, but did not know my heart. I will ever be 

 near you to help you, but you will never behold me again. Fare- 

 well, farewell!" As she finished speaking, the waters slowly 

 united and a gentle strain of a song was borne to the shore as the 

 old man wended his way to his lodge. 



When a fisherman of the mountain lakes secures a fish of unusual 

 size and beauty, he says, " This is a true child of Ga-ye-was the 

 fish chief and his Indian wife Gi-da-no-neh." 



