and the mother and child
returned to the lodge; but fear had taken possession of her, and she
watched her son with eyes in which terror and love struggled for the
mastery.

One day, as the little one played beside a rippling brook, laughing
and singing in his glee, suddenly the clouds gathered, the flashing
lightning and the crashing thunder sent beast and bird to cover, and
drove the mother out to find her child. She heard his voice above the
fury of the storm, calling to her. As she neared the brook, a vivid
flash blinded her eyes. For a moment she was stunned; but, recovering,
she pushed on, only to be appalled by the sight that met her gaze.
Her boy lay dead. The thunder god had claimed his own.

No other children came to lighten the sorrow of the lonely woman; and
every spring, when the first thunder sounded, and whenever the storm
swept the land, this stricken woman climbed the hills, and there,
standing alone, facing the black rolling clouds, she sang her song of
sorrow and of fealty.

* * * * *

The words of the song are addressed to the god; but the music, in its
swaying rhythm, suggests the mother's memory of the days when she
soothed her little child.

The following is a free translation of the Indian words:--

E dho he![9]
Behold! On their mighty pinions flying,
They come, the gods come once more
Sweeping o'er the land,
Sounding their call to me, to me their own.
Wa-gi-u_n_![10] Ye on mighty pinions flying,
Look on me here, me your own,
Thinking on my vow
As ye return once more, Wa-gi-u_n_!

[Footnote 9: Sighing vocables.]

[Footnote 10: Dakota term for the thunder bird.]

[Music: THE MOTHER'S VOW.

_Dakota._

Harmonized by PROF. J.C. FILLMORE.

E dho he!
Gi-un, gi-un a-gi-ba ha-don-be
Co-dha, gi-don-be a-me, ha-don-be a-me,
Wa-gi-un gi a-me dho he dho-e.
Wa-gi-un
gi-un a-gi-ba ha-don-be
Co-dha gi-don-be ha-we ha-don-be a-me.
Wa-gi-un gi a-me dho he dho.]

A LOVE-CALL.

The native flageolet has proved a trusty friend to many a youth to
whom nature had denied the power of expressing in vocal melody his
fealty to the maiden of his choice. With its woody tones he rivalled
the birds as he sounded his love-call from the hills and made glad the
heart of the girl, who, catching the signal, awaited his coming at the
spring.

There are many bits of music composed for this little instrument,
which, in spit