  Wabun was the son of Mudjekeewis. He was young and beautiful. When he came from the east in the morning, his breath was fresh with the perfume of flowers, and he painted the sky with streaks of crimson and gold. He woke the deer and called the hunters, and chased the dark over hill and valley. But Wabun was lonely in the sky, and, although the birds sang to him and the rivers and the forests shouted at his coming, he longed for a friend to be with him always. One day, when a fog lay on the river, he looked toward the earth and saw a slender maiden walking all alone upon the meadow. She was gathering water flags and bulrushes, which grew along the margin of the river. Her eyes were as blue as two blue lakes. They are still found together in the eastern sky, Wabun and the Wabun-Annung, the east wind and the morning star. “Young and beautiful was Wabun; He it was who brought the morning, He it was whose silver arrows Chased the dark o’er hill and valley; He it was whose cheeks were painted With the brightest streaks of crimson, And whose voice awoke the village, Called the deer, and called the hunter. “Lonely in the sky was Wabun; Though the birds sang gaily to him, Though the wild flowers of the meadow Filled the air with odors for him, Though the forests and the rivers Sang and shouted at his coming, Still his heart was sad within him, For he was alone in heaven. “But one morning, gazing earthward While the village still was sleeping, And the fog lay on the river, Like a ghost, that goes at sunrise, All alone upon a meadow, Gathering water flags and rushes By a river in the meadow. “Every morning, gazing earthward, Still the first thing he beheld there Was her blue eyes looking at him, Two blue lakes among the rushes. And he loved the lonely maiden, Who thus waited for his coming; For they both were solitary, She on earth, and he in heaven. “And he wooed her with caresses, Wooed her with his smile of sunshine, With his flattering words he wooed her, With his sighing and his singing. Gentlest whispers in the branches, Softest music, sweetest odors, Till he drew her to his bosom Folded in his robes of crimson, Till into a star he changed her, Trembling still upon his bosom; And forever in the heavens They are seen together walking Wabun and the Wabun-Annung, Wabun and the Star of Morning.” |
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