25-in the land of souls-第1章

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IN　THE　LAND　OF　SOULS　＇21＇



＇21＇　From　the　Red　Indian。



Far　away；　in　North　America；　where　the　Red　Indians　dwell；　there

lived　a　long　time　ago　a　beautiful　maiden；　who　was　lovelier　than

any　other　girl　in　the　whole　tribe。　　Many　of　the　young　braves

sought　her　in　marriage；　but　she　would　listen　to　one　onlya

handsome　chief；　who　had　taken　her　fancy　some　years　before。　　So

they　were　to　be　married；　and　great　rejoicings　were　made；　and　the

two　looked　forward　to　a　long　life　of　happiness　together；　when　the

very　night　before　the　wedding　feast　a　sudden　illness　seized　the

girl；　and；　without　a　word　to　her　friends　who　were　weeping　round

her；　she　passed　silently　away。



The　heart　of　her　lover　had　been　set　upon　her；　and　the　thought　of

her　remained　with　him　night　and　day。　　He　put　aside　his　bow；　and

went　neither　to　fight　nor　to　hunt；　but　from　sunrise　to　sunset　he

sat　by　the　place　where　she　was　laid；　thinking　of　his　happiness

that　was　buried　there。　　At　last；　after　many　days；　a　light　seemed

to　come　to　him　out　of　the　darkness。　　He　remembered　having　heard

from　the　old；　old　people　of　the　tribe；　that　there　was　a　path　that

led　to　the　Land　of　Soulsthat　if　you　sought　carefully　you　could

find　it。



So　the　next　morning　he　got　up　early；　and　put　some　food　in　his

pouch　and　slung　an　extra　skin　over　his　shoulders；　for　he　knew　not

how　long　his　journey　would　take；　nor　what　sort　of　country　he

would　have　to　go　through。　　Only　one　thing　he　knew；　that　if　the

path　was　there；　he　would　find　it。　　At　first　he　was　puzzled；　as

there　seemed　no　reason　he　should　go　in　one　direction　more　than

another。　　Then　all　at　once　he　thought　he　had　heard　one　of　the　old

men　say　that　the　Land　of　Souls　lay　to　the　south；　and　so；　filled

with　new　hope　and　courage；　he　set　his　face　southwards。　　For　many；

many　miles　the　country　looked　the　same　as　it　did　round　his　own

home。　　The　forests；　the　hills；　and　the　rivers　all　seemed　exactly

like　the　ones　he　had　left。　　The　only　thing　that　was　different　was

the　snow；　which　had　lain　thick　upon　the　hills　and　trees　when　he

started；　but　grew　less　and　less　the　farther　he　went　south；　till

it　disappeared　altogether。　　Soon　the　trees　put　forth　their　buds；

and　flowers　sprang　up　under　his　feet；　and　instead　of　thick　clouds

there　was　blue　sky　over　his　head；　and　everywhere　the　birds　were

singing。　　Then　he　knew　that　he　was　in　the　right　road。



The　thought　that　he　should　soon　behold　his　lost　bride　made　his

heart　beat　for　joy；　and　he　sped　along　lightly　and　swiftly。　　Now

his　way　led　through　a　dark　wood；　and　then　over　some　steep　cliffs；

and　on　the　top　of　these　he　found　a　hut　or　wigwam。　　An　old　man

clothed　in　skins；　and　holding　a　staff　in　his　hand；　stood　in　the

doorway；　and　he　said　to　the　young　chief　who　was　beginning　to　tell

his　story；　'I　was　waiting　for　you；　wherefore　you　have　come　I

know。　　It　is　but　a　short　while　since　she　whom　you　seek　was　here。　

Rest　in　my　hut；　as　she　also　rested；　and　I　will　tell　you　what　you

ask；　and　whither　you　should　go。'



On　hearing　these　words；　the　young　man　entered　the　hut；　but　his

heart　was　too　eager　within　him　to　suffer　him　to　rest；　and　when　he

arose；　the　old　man　rose　too；　and　stood　with　him　at　the　door。　

'Look；'　he　said；　'at　the　water　which　lies　far　out　yonder；　and　the

plains　which　stretch　beyond。　　That　is　the　Land　of　Souls；　but　no

man　enters　it　without　leaving　his　body　behind　him。　　So；　lay　down

your　body　here；　your　bow　and　arrows；　your　skin　and　your　dog。　

They　shall　be　kept　for　you　safely。'



Then　he　turned　away；　and　the　young　chief；　light　as　air；　seemed

hardly　to　touch　the　ground；　and　as　he　flew　along　the　scents　grew

sweeter　and　the　flowers　more　beautiful；　while　the　animals　rubbed

their　noses　against　him；　instead　of　hiding　as　he　approached；　and

birds　circled　round　him；　and　fishes　lifted　up　their　heads　and

looked　as　he　went　by。　　Very　soon　he　noticed　with　wonder；　that

neither　rocks　nor　trees　barred　his　path。　　He　passed　through　them

without　knowing　it；　for　indeed；　they　were　not　rocks　and　trees　at

all；　but　only　the　souls　of　them；　for　this　was　the　Land　of

Shadows。



So　he　went　on　with　winged　feet　till　he　came　to　the　shores　of　a

great　lake；　with　a　lovely　island　in　the　middle　of　it；　while　on

the　bank　of　the　lake　was　a　canoe　of　glittering　stone；　and　in　the

canoe　were　two　shining　paddles。



The　chief　jumped　straight　into　the　canoe；　and　seizing　the　paddles

pushed　off　from　the　shore；　when　to　his　joy　and　wonder　he　saw

following　him　in　another　canoe　exactly　like　his　own　the　maiden

for　whose　sake　he　had　made　this　long　journey。　　But　they　could　not

touch　each　other；　for　between　them　rolled　great　waves；　which

looked　as　if　they　would　sink　the　boats；　yet　never　did。　　And　the

young　man　and　the　maiden　shrank　with　fear；　for　down　in　the　depths

of　the　water　they　saw　the　bones　of　those　who　had　died　before；　and

in　the　waves　themselves　men　and　women　were　struggling；　and　but

few　passed　over。　　Only　the　children　had　no　fear；　and　reached　the

other　side　in　safety。　　Still；　though　the　chief　and　the　young　girl

quailed　in　terror　at　these　horrible　sights　and　sounds；　no　harm

came　to　them；　for　their　lives　had　been　free　from　evil；　and　the

Master　of　Life　had　said　that　no　evil　should　happen　unto　them。　　So

they　reached　unhurt　the　shore　of　the　Happy　Island；　and　wandered

through　the　flowery　fields　and　by　the　banks　of　rushing　streams；

and　they　knew　not　hunger　nor　thirst；　neither　cold　nor　heat。　　The

air　fed　them　and　the　sun　warmed　them；　and　they　forgot　the　dead；

for　they　saw　no　graves；　and　the　young　man's　thoughts　turned　not

to　wars；　neither　to　the　hunting　of　animals。　　And　gladly　would

these　two　have　walked　thus　for　ever；　but　in　the　murmur　of　the

wind　he　heard　the　Master　of　Life　saying　to　him；　'Return　whither

you　came；　for　I　have　work　for　you　to　do；　and　your　people　need

you；　and　for　many　years　you　shall　rule　over　them。　　At　the　gate　my

messenger　awaits　you；　and　you　shall　take　again　your　body　which

you　left　behind；　and　he　will　show　you　what　you　are　to　do。　　Listen

to　him；　and　have　patience；　and　in　time　to　come　you　shall　rejoin

her　whom　you　must　now　leave；　for　she　is　accepted；　and　will　remain

ever　young　and　beautiful；　as　when　I　called　her　hence　from　the

Land　of　Snows。'