The Path on the Rainbow, edited by George W. Cronyn, [1918], at sacred-texts.com
HAIDA CRADLE SONGS
I
Again perhaps you expect to sit up high in your father's canoe * chief-woman, and look around upon all things in front of Upset-Canoe. Be careful, be careful, chief-woman!
Again perhaps you expect to sit up high in your father's canoe, chief-woman, and look around the place whence abalones come. Be careful, be careful, chief-woman.
II
Perhaps you are crying and crawling to get your grandmother's hand which was hurt on a wooden tray with square sides, I hear; for that you are crying and crawling chief-woman, chief-woman, crying and crawling.
III
Whence have you fallen, have you fallen? Whence have you fallen, have you fallen? Did you fall, fall, fall, fall, from the top of a salmonberry bush?
IV
Stop crying, chief's child! Stop crying, chief's child! I do not expect that drums will sound again for you, chief's child, if it is for that you are crying and wriggling. Stop crying, great chief's child, a child of noble family sits quietly. Now, now, great chief's child; a child of noble family sits quietly. Stop crying, chief's child! Stop crying, chief's child! I do not expect that they are going to lay heavy planks for you again, chief's child; if it is for that you are crying and wriggling. Stop crying, great chief's child, a child of noble family sits quietly. Now, now, great chief's child; a child of noble family sits quietly.
One sits here like a common person facing the woods Say, stop telling lies! Your mouth will be crooked you mosquito-people-trash!
VI
In your father's house, your father's house Cape Qóna seagulls eating things are making cries. In the midst of all these things you are going to move proudly as you sit.
VII
Come, let us take it on our knees! Come, let us take it on our knees! Hand it to one another inside of its father's house, hand it to one another! Come, let us take it on our knees! Come, let us take it on our knees!
VIII
At that time when my child goes about as a youth vainly alone I shall sit around. His son making a great noise went by on the water. I wonder where he is going! His son making a great noise went by on the water. It must be to the North islands.
Did you make up your mind to fall into the cradle to fall into the cradle to fall in from the top of a spruce-tree? to fall in from the top of a salmonberry bush?
X
Be careful, my noble sons! you will grow to one another like leaves. Be careful, my own chief! Be careful, my own chief!
XI
Are you crying for this, chief? Are you crying for this, chief? Are you crying to have your sisters put you up higher, chief? Crying for your cousins to make the people as numerous in front of you as when people make seagulls cry, being obliged to step on them, For these things are you crying, chief?
XII
You came to me, you came to me, ye he he! You came to me, you came to me. You came walking to me, calling me "mother," instead of to someone else. To me my child, who is a chief's child, came walking, calling me "mother," Mother of noble family, Mother of noble family, mother of noble family, mother of noble family, mother of noble family.
Behind Sea-Lion Town I was looking around a while; the future chief I found, just big enough to walk. Take care, take care, my own chief! Take care, my own master!
XX
Women are better than men, women are better than men. Women have more property. Chiefs of my family, where are you?
XXI
Upon his grandmother's land my child walks proudly. For that his foot is dear. Do not cry!
Footnotes
138:* Chiefs' children used to be placed high up on blankets in the center of trading canoes so that they could look about. Here the baby is reminded of what she used to do in a former existence.