Chapter IV: Act II: Hiawatha’s Childhood

_Scenery_:

_A short scene or acting tableaux, can be given
here, the scenery to follow the description in the
poem, HIAWATHA, a baby, in an Indian cradle swung
between the trees which is being rocked by old
NOKOMIS (his grandmother) while she is singing the
Lullaby song, Little Owlet._ (_See following
description._)

By the shining Big-Sea-Water,
Stood the wigwam of Nokomis.
Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis.
Dark behind it rose the forest,
Rose the black and gloomy pine-trees,
Rose the firs with cones upon them;
Bright before it beat the water,
Beat the clear and sunny water,
Beat the shining Big-Sea-Water.
There the wrinkled, old Nokomis
Nursed the little Hiawatha,
Rocked him in his linden cradle,
Bedded soft in moss and rushes,
Safely bound with reindeer sinews;
Stilled his fretful wail by saying,

_Nokomis_:

Hush! the Naked Bear will hear thee!

Lulled him into slumber singing,

_Nokomis Song_:

Ewa-yea! my little owlet!
Who is this, that lights the wigwam?
With his great eyes lights the wigwam?
Ewa-yea! my little owlet!
Wah-wah-taysee, little fire-fly,
Little, flitting, white-fire insect,
Little, dancing, white-fire creature,
Light us with your little candle,
Ere upon your bed I lay you
Ere in sleep you close your eyelids!