10 15 20 25 5 350 He might pass the black pitch water. Of the mightiest of Magicians. Then once more Cheemaun he patted, And with one great bound of triumph Leaped through tangled flags and rushes, Straight he took his bow of ash tree, With his knee he pressed the middle, Stretched the faithful bowstring tighter, Sent it singing as a herald, As a bearer of his message, Of his challenge loud and lofty: "Come forth from your lodge, Pearl-Feather! HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW: The Song of Hiawatha. Man'i to, god; wam'pum, Indian money, made of shells; wiles, tricks; fen'lands, swamp lands; jas'per, a hard and precious stone; war gear, war-dress; ex ul'ting, rejoicing. 1. Who was Hiawatha? Who was Pearl-Feather? 2. What body of water is meant by Gitche Gumee? 3. At what time of day does this story open? 4. What "bloody footprints" are referred to in the fourteenth line? 5. Why did Nokomis wish Hiawatha to slay Pearl-Feather? 6. Why did the Indians make their bows of wood of the ash tree? 7. What was the advantage of having arrows jasper-headed? 8. Give the meaning of line 6, page 347, in your own words. 9. What is the Indian custom of declaring war? Read the lines that describe Hiawatha's declaration of war. Sentence Study. -1. Read the first ten lines. To what does Longfellow compare the setting sun? What other comparison 5 10 could you make? Find some other comparisons in this same poem. 2. Make sentences using the following comparisons: Like a golden ball, as a lion, like a bird, as a feather, like velvet, as a bell, like the roar of the sea, like a pearl, like a wild rose, as a serpent. Subject and Predicate. The noble Hiawatha sang his war song. What is the subject of this sentence? What is the predicate? Draw a vertical line between them. Which of the words in the subject is necessary to the sense of the sentence? Which in the predicate? Read the necessary word of the subject with the necessary word of the predicate, and see if the two together make sense. -The necessary word in the complete subject is called the simple subject. Rule. The necessary word or words in the complete predicate are called the simple predicate. I. Strike out all the unnecessary words in the following complete subjects, leaving only the simple subjects. Then write each simple subject with its predicate, and see if the words taken together make sense. 1. The cool wind blows. 2. The babbling little brook flows. 3. The brown autumn leaves fall. II. Strike out all unnecessary words in the following complete predicates, leaving only the simple predicates. Then write each simple predicate after its subject, and see if the two together make sense. 1. Orioles build hanging nests. 2. Shepherds watch their flocks. 3. Primroses peep beneath the hedge. 59 HIAWATHA AND PEARL-FEATHER (Concluded) STRAIGHTWAY from the Shining Wigwam Came the mighty Megissogwon, Tall of stature, broad of shoulder, Clad from head to foot in wampum, Armed with all his warlike weapons, Painted like the sky of morning, 5 Streaked with crimson, blue, and yellow, Streaming upward, streaming outward. But my Hiawatha answered, 10 15 20 Deeds are better things than words are, Then began the greatest battle |