rolf in the woods- 第22部分

Chapter　33。　A　Song　of　Praise



ROLF　was　lying　by　a　fire　when　he　came　to；　Quonab　bending　over　him

with　a　look　of　grave　concern。　When　he　opened　his　eyes；　the　Indian

smiled；　such　a　soft；　sweet　smile；　with　long；　ivory　rows　in　its

background。



Then　he　brought　hot　tea；　and　Rolf　revived　so　he　could　sit　up　and

tell　the　story　of　the　morning。



〃He　is　an　evil　Manito；〃　and　he　looked　toward　the　dead　buck；　〃we

must　not　eat　him。　　You　surely　made　medicine　to　bring　Skookum。〃



〃Yes；　I　made　medicine　with　my　mouth；〃　was　the　answer；　　〃I　called；

I　yelled；　when　he　came　at　me。〃



〃It　is　a　long　way　from　here　to　the　cabin；〃　was　Quonab's　reply。

〃I　could　not　hear　you；　Skookum　could　not　hear　you；　but　Cos　Cob；

my　father；　told　me　that　when　you　send　out　a　cry　for　help；　you

send　medicine；　too；　that　goes　farther　than　the　cry。　　May　be　so；　I

do　not　know：　my　father　was　very　wise。〃



〃Did　you　see　Skookum　come；　Quonab？　　〃



〃No；　he　was　with　me　hours　after　you　left；　but　he　was　restless　and

whimpered。　　Then　he　left　me　and　it　was　a　long　time　before　I　heard

him　bark。　　It　was　the　'something…　wrong'　bark。　　I　went。　　He

brought　me　here。〃



〃He　must　have　followed　my　track　all　'round　the　line。〃



After　an　hour　they　set　out　for　the　cabin。　　The　ravens　〃Ha…ha…ed〃

and　〃Ho…ho…ed〃　as　they　went。　　Quonab　took　the　fateful　horn　that

Rolf　had　chopped　off；　and　hung　it　on　a　sapling　with　a　piece　of

tobacco　and　a　red　yam　streamer　　　　　'；　to　appease　the　evil　spirit

that　surely　was　near。　　There　it　hung　for　years　after；　until　the

sapling　grew　to　a　tree　that　swallowed　the　horn；　all　but　the　tip；

which　rotted　away。



Skookum　took　a　final　sniff　at　his　fallen　enemy；　gave　the　body　the

customary　expression　of　a　dog's　contempt；　then　led　the　procession

homeward。



Not　that　day；　not　the　next；　but　on　the　first　day　of　calm；　red；

sunset　sky；　went　Quonab　to　his　hill　of　worship；　and　when　the

little　fire　that　he　lit　sent　up　its　thread　of　smoke；　like　a

plumb…line　from　the　red　cloud　over　bim；　he　burnt　a　pinch　of

tobacco；　and；　with　face　and　arms　upraised　in　the　red　light；　he

sang　a　new　song：



〃The　evil　one　set　a　trap　for　my　son；　But　the　Manito　saved　him；　In

the　form　of　a　Skookum　he　saved　him。〃







Chapter　34。　The　Birch…bark　Vessels



Rolf　was　sore　and　stiff　for　a　week　afterward；　so　was　Skookum。

There　were　times　when　Quonab　was　cold；　moody；　and　silent　for

days。　　Then　some　milder　wind　would　blow　in　the　region　of　his

heart　and　the　bleak　ice　surface　melted　into　running　rills　of

memory　or　kindly　emanation。



Just　before　the　buck　adventure；　there　had　been　an　　unpleasant

time　of　chill　and　aloofness。　　It　arose　over　little。　Since　the

frost　had　come；　sealing　the　waters　outside；　Quonab　would　wash　his

hands　in　the　vessel　that　was　also　the　bread　pan。　　Rolf　had　New

England　ideas　of　propriety　in　cooking　matters；　and　finally　he

forgot　the　respect　due　to　age　and　experience。　　That　was　one

reason　why　he　went　out　alone　that　day。　　Now；　with　time　to　think

things　over；　the　obvious　safeguard　would　be　to　have　a　wash　bowl；

but　where　to　get　it？　　In　those　days；　tins　were　scarce　and　ex…

pensive。　　It　was　the　custom　to　look　in　the　woods　for　nearly　all

the　necessaries　of　life；　and；　guided　by　ancient　custom　and

experience；　they　seldom　looked　in　vain。　　Rolf　had　seen；　and

indeed　made；　watering　troughs；　pig　troughs；　sap　troughs；　hen

troughs；　etc。；　all　his　life；　and　he　now　set　to　work　with　the　axe

and　a　block　of　basswood　to　hew　out　a　trough　for　a　wash　bowl。

With　adequate　tools　he　might　have　made　a　good　one；　but；　working

with　an　axe　and　a　stiff　arm；　the　result　was　a　very　heavy；　crude

affair。　　It　would　indeed　hold　water；　but　it　was　almost　impossible

to　dip　it　into　the　water　hole；　so　that　a　dipper　was　needed。



When　Quonab　saw　the　plan　and　the　result；　he　said：　〃In　my　father's

lodge　we　had　only　birch　bark。　　See；　I　shall　make　a　bowl。〃　He　took

from　the　storehouse　a　big　roll　of　birch　bark；　gathered　in　warm

weather　（it　can　scarcely　be　done　in　cold）；　for　use　in　repairing

the　canoe。　　Selecting　a　good　part　he　cut　out　a　square；　two　feet

each　way；　and　put　it　in　the　big　pot　which　was　full　of　boiling

water。　　At　the　same　time　he　soaked　with　it　a　bundle　of　wattap；　or

long　fibrous　roots　of　the　white　spruce；　also　gathered　before　the

frost　came；　with　a　view　to　canoe　repairs　in　the　spring。



While　these　were　softening　in　the　hot　water；　he　cut　a　couple　of

long　splints　of　birch；　as　nearly　as　possible　half　an　inch　wide

and　an　eighth　of　an　inch　thick；　and　put　them　to　steep　with　the

bark。　　Next　he　made　two　or　three　straddle　pins　or　clamps；　like

clothes　pegs；　by　splitting　the　ends　of　some　sticks　which　had　a

knot　at　one　end。



Now　he　took　out　the　spruce　roots；　soft　and　pliant；　and　selecting

a　lot　that　were　about　an　eighth　of　an　inch　in　diameter；　scraped

off　the　bark　and　roughness；　until　he　had　a　bundle　of　perhaps　ten

feet　of　soft；　even；　white　cords。



The　bark　was　laid　flat　and　cut　as　below。



The　rounding　of　A　and　B　is　necessary；　for　the　holes　of　the　sewing

would　tear　the　piece　off　if　all　were　on　the　same　line　of　grain。

Each　corner　was　now　folded　and　doubled　on　itself　（C）；　then　held

so　with　a　straddle　pin　（D）。　　The　rim　was　trimmed　so　as　to　be　flat

where　it　crossed　the　fibre　of　the　bark；　and　arched　where　it　ran

along。　　The　pliant　rods　of　birch　were　bent　around　this；　and　using

the　large　awl　to　make　holes；　Quonab　sewed　the　rim　rods　to　the

bark　with　an　over…lapping　stitch　that　made　a　smooth　finish　to　the

edge；　and　the　birch…bark　wash　pan　was　complete。　（E。）　Much　heavier

bark　can　be　used　if　the　plan　F　G　　be　followed；　but　it　is　hard　to

make　it　water…tight。



So　now　they　had　a　wash　pan　and　a　cause　of　friction　was　removed。

Rolf　found　it　amusing　as　well　as　useful　to　make　other　bark

vessels　of　varying　sizes　for　dippers　and　dunnage。　It　was　work

that　he　could　do　now　while　he　was　resting　and　recovering　and　he

became　expert。　　After　watching　a　fairly　successful　attempt　at　a

box　to　hold　fish…hooks　and　tackle；　Quonab　said：　〃In　my　father's

lodge　these　would　bear　quill　work　in　colours。〃



〃That's　so；〃　said　Rolf；　remembering　the　birch…bark　goods　often

sold　by　the　Indians。　　〃I　wish　we　had　a　　porcupine　now。〃



〃Maybe　Skookum　could　find　one；〃　said　the　Indian；　with　a　smile。



〃Will　you　let　me　kill　the　next　Kahk　we　find？〃



〃Yes；　if　you　use　the　quills　and　burn　its　whiskers。〃



〃Why　burn　its　whiskers？〃



〃My　father　said　it　must　be　so。　　The　smoke　goes　straight　to　the

All…above；　then　the　Manito　knows　we　have　killed；　but　we　have

remembered　to　kill　only　for　use　and　to　thank　Him。〃



It　was　some　days　before　they　found　a　porcupine；　and　when　they

did；　it　was　not　necessary　for　them　to　kill　it。　　But　that　belongs

to　another　chapter。



They　saved　its　skin　with　all　its　spears　and　hung　it　in　the

storehouse。　　The　quills　with　the　white　bodies　and　ready…　made

needle　at　each　end　are　admirable　for　embroidering；　but　they　are

white　only。



〃How　can　we　dye　them；　Quonab？



〃In　the　summer　are　many　dyes；　in　winter　they　are　hard　to　get。　　We

can　get　some。〃



So　forth　he　went　to　a　hemlock　tree；　and　cut　till　he　could　gather

the　inner　pink　bark；　which；　boiled　with　the　quills；　turned　them　a

dull　pink；　similarly；　alder　bark　furnished　rich　orange；　and

butternut　bark　a　brown。　　Oak　chips；　with　a　few　bits　of　iron　in

the　pot；　dyed　black。



〃Must　wait　till　summer　for　red　and　green；〃　said　the　Indian。　　〃Red

comes　only　from　berries；　the　best　is　the　blitum。　　We　call　it

squaw…berry　and　mis…caw…wa；　yellow　comes　from　the　yellow　root

（Hydrastis）。



But　black；　white；　orange；　pink；　brown；　and　a　dull　red　made　by　a

double　dip　of　orange　and　pink；　are　a　good　range　of　colour。　　The

method　in　using　the　quills　is　simple。　　An　awl　to　make　holes　in

the　bark　for　each；　the　rough　parts　behind　are　concealed　afterward

with　a　lining　of　bark　stitched　over　them；　and　before　the　winter

was　over；　Rolf　had　made　a　birch…bark　box；　decorated　lid　and　all；

with　por…　cupine　quill　work；　in　which　he　kept　the　sable　skin　that

was　meant　to　buy　Annette's　new　dress；　the　costume　she　had　dreamed

of；　the　ideal　and　splendid；　almost　unbelievable　vision　of　her

young　life；　ninety…five　cents'　worth　of　cotton　print。



There　was　one　other　point　of　dangerous　friction。　　Whenever　　it

fell　to　Quonab　to　wash　the　dishes；　he　simply　set　them　on　the

ground　and　let　Skookum　lick　them　off。　　This　economical

arrangement　was　satisfactory　to　Quonab；　　delightful　to　Skookum；

and　apparently　justified　by　the　finished　product；　but　Rolf

objected。　　The　Indian　said：　〃Don't　he　eat　the　same　food　as　we　do？

You　cannot　tell　if　you　do　not　see。〃



Whenever　he　could　do　so；　Rolf　washed　the　doubtful　dishes　over

again；　yet　there　were　many　times　when　this　was　impossible；　and

the　situation　became　very　irritating。　　But　he　knew　that　the　man

who　loses　his　temper　has　lost　the　first　round　of　the　fight；　so；

finding　the　general　idea　of　uncleanness　without　avail；　he　sought

for　some　purely　Indian　argument。　As　they　sat　by　the　evening　fire；

one　day；　he　led　up　to　talk　of　his　mother　　of　her　power　as　a

medicine　woman；　of　the　many　evil　medicines　that　harmed　her。　　〃It

was　evil　medicine　　for　her　if　a　dog　licked　her　hand　or　touched

her　food。　A　dog　licked　her　hand　and　the　dream　dog　came　to　her

three　days　before　she　died。〃　　After　a　long　pause；　he　added；　〃In

some　ways　I　am　like　my　mother。〃



Two　days　later；　Rolf　chanced　to　see　his　friend　behind　the　shanty

give　Skookum　the　pan　to　clean　off　after　they　had　been　frying　deer

fat。　　The　Indian　had　no　idea　that　Rolf　was　near；　nor　did　he　ever

learn　the　truth　of　it。



That　night；　after　midnight；　the　lad　rose　quietly；　lighted　the

pine　splints　that　served　them　for　a　torch；　rubbed　some　charcoal

around　each　eye　to　make　dark　rings　that　should　supply　a

horror…stricken　look。　　Then　he　started　in　to　pound　on　Quonab's

tom…tom；　singing：



〃Evil　spirit　leave　me；

Dog…face　do　not　harm　me。〃



Quonab　sat　up　in　amazement。　　Rolf　paid　no　h