The Wallum Olum (Delaware)

The Path on the Rainbow, edited by George W. Cronyn, [1918], at sacred-texts.com

p. 28 p. 29 p. 30 p. 31

SONGS FROM THE SOUTHEAST

FRAGMENT FROM THE WALLUM-OLUM OR CHRONICLE OF THE LENI-LENÂPÉ ^*

DELAWARE

After the rushing waters had subsided
The Lenâpé of the Turtle were close together,
In hollow houses, living together there.
It freezes where they abode:
It snows where they abode:
It storms where they abode:
It is cold where they abode.
At this northern place they speak favorably
Of mild, cool lands
With many deer and buffaloes.
As they journeyed, some being strong,
Some being rich, they separated
Into house-builders and hunters:
The hunters showed themselves at the north:
The hunters showed themselves at the east:
The hunters showed themselves at the south:
The hunters showed themselves at the west.
In that ancient country, in that northern country,
In that Turtle country
The best of Lenâpé were the Turtle-men.
All the cabin fires of that land were disquieted
And all said, "Let us go."

p. 32

To the Snake land, to the east, they went
Going away, earnestly grieving.
Split asunder, weak, trembling, their land burned
They went, torn and broken, to Snake Island.
Those from the north being free, without care
Went forth from the land of snow in different directions.
The fathers of the Bald Eagle and the White Wolf remain
Along the sea, rich in fish and strength.
Floating up stream in their canoes
Our fathers were rich, they were in the light
When they were at those islands.
Head Beaver and Big Bird said:
"Let us go to Snake Island," they said.
All say they will go along
To destroy all the land.
Those of the north agreed,
Those of the east agreed,
Over the sea, the frozen sea,
They went to enjoy it.
On the wonderful slippery water,
On the stone-hard water all went,
On the great tidal sea, the muscle-bearing sea.
Ten thousand at night,
All in one night,
To the Snake Island, to the east, at night,
They walk and walk, all of them.
The men from the north, the east, the south:
The Eagle clan, the Beaver clan, the Wolf clan,
The best men, the rich men, the head men,
Those with wives, those with daughters, those with dogs.
They all come, they tarry at the land of the spruce-pines:
Those from the west come without hesitation,
Esteeming highly their old home at the Turtle land.
There was no rain and no corn
So they moved further seaward.
At the place of caves, in the Buffalo land,
They at last had food on a pleasant plain.

Footnotes

31:* This famous fragment, the only written (pictograph) historical record extant among the Eastern tribes, is included as an example of the Saga element in Indian literature.