 | [Poems by Gallagher in] The poets and poetry of the West |  |
144
THE SPOTTED FAWN.
On Mahketewa's flowery marge
The Red Chief's wigwam stood,
When first the white man's rifle rang
Loud through the echoing wood.
The tomahawk and scalping-knife
Together lay at rest;
For peace was in the forest shades,
And in the red man's breast.
Oh, the Spotted Fawn!
Oh, the Spotted Fawn!
The light and life of the forest shades
With the Red Chief's child is gone.
The Red Chief's wigwam stood,
When first the white man's rifle rang
Loud through the echoing wood.
The tomahawk and scalping-knife
Together lay at rest;
For peace was in the forest shades,
And in the red man's breast.
Oh, the Spotted Fawn!
Oh, the Spotted Fawn!
The light and life of the forest shades
With the Red Chief's child is gone.
By Mahketewa's flowery marge
The Spotted Fawn had birth,
And grew, as fair an Indian girl
As ever blest the earth.
She was the Red Chief's only child,
And sought by many a brave;
But to the gallant young White Cloud,
Her plighted troth she gave.
Oh, the Spotted Fawn!
Oh, the Spotted Fawn!
The light and life of the forest shades
With the Red Chief's child is gone.
The Spotted Fawn had birth,
And grew, as fair an Indian girl
As ever blest the earth.
She was the Red Chief's only child,
And sought by many a brave;
But to the gallant young White Cloud,
Her plighted troth she gave.
Oh, the Spotted Fawn!
Oh, the Spotted Fawn!
The light and life of the forest shades
With the Red Chief's child is gone.
From Mahketewa's flowery marge
Her bridal song arose—
None dreaming, in that festal night,
Of near encircling foes;
But through the forest, stealthily,
The white men came in wrath;
And fiery deaths before them sped,
And blood was in their path.
Oh, the Spotted Fawn!
Oh, the Spotted Fawn!
The light and life of the forest shades
With the Red Chief's child is gone.
Her bridal song arose—
None dreaming, in that festal night,
Of near encircling foes;
But through the forest, stealthily,
The white men came in wrath;
And fiery deaths before them sped,
And blood was in their path.
Oh, the Spotted Fawn!
Oh, the Spotted Fawn!
145
With the Red Chief's child is gone.
On Mahketewa's flowery marge,
Next morn, no strife was seen;
But a wail went up, where the young Fawn's blood
And White Cloud's dyed the green;
And burial, in their own rude way,
The Indians gave them there,
While a low and sweet-ton'd requiem
The brook sang and the air.
Oh, the Spotted Fawn!
Oh, the Spotted Fawn!
The light and life of the forest shades
With the Red Chief's child is gone.
Next morn, no strife was seen;
But a wail went up, where the young Fawn's blood
And White Cloud's dyed the green;
And burial, in their own rude way,
The Indians gave them there,
While a low and sweet-ton'd requiem
The brook sang and the air.
Oh, the Spotted Fawn!
Oh, the Spotted Fawn!
The light and life of the forest shades
With the Red Chief's child is gone.
| [Poems by Gallagher in] The poets and poetry of the West | |