The White Hawk

"The White Hawk" by Julia Darrow Cowles is a captivating historical novel that weaves together themes of identity, resilience, and survival against the backdrop of a changing world. The story follows its protagonist as she navigates personal and societal challenges, embodying the spirit of strength and transformation represented by the titular white hawk. Through rich imagery and well-drawn characters, Cowles explores the struggles and triumphs of her characters, ultimately illuminating the enduring human spirit. The narrative is both poignant and thought-provoking, offering readers a deeply immersive experience in a vividly rendered historical setting.

• History
• Novel
• Short story

								
WAUPEE was an Indian youth, and a mighty hunter. The meaning of his
name was White Hawk. He was tall, and strong as the great oaks of the
forest. He was fleet of foot, and keen of sight. When he drew his bow,
his arrow went swiftly to the mark.

The Chief of the tribe said, “White Hawk will provide well for the
maiden he chooses as his wife. He has the flesh of every animal for
food. He has the skin of every animal for his lodge and for his
clothing.”

But Waupee lived alone in his lodge. He loved the chase, but as yet he
cared for no maiden.

One day, as he followed a deer through the forest, he went far away
from his lodge; far away from his usual hunting ground. Beyond the
forest he saw an open space where the grass grew green, and yellow
blossoms studded it like stars in the sky.

Waupee passed swiftly through the forest until he came to the open
space, and there, as he looked about, he discovered a curious thing.
It was a circle, where the grass bent down as though many feet had
passed lightly over it. He wondered what dancing feet could have made
this circle in the grass. And he wondered still more when he looked
all about and could find no trace of a footstep outside it.

“How did they come? How did they go?” questioned Waupee in amazement.
“I must know more of this.”

So he hid himself among the trees in the edge of the forest and
waited.

He had hunted long: the drowsy insects droned about him, and at length
Waupee fell asleep. Soon he was aroused by the sound of tinkling
music. It was like the ringing of a silver bell.

He started up and listened. It seemed to come from the sky. He looked
up; then he stood still and waited.

Directly over the circle upon the prairie grass there was descending
something--Waupee knew not what. It was like a boat, but its colors
were like the colors of a sea shell, changing from silver to green, to
pink, and to blue.

The wonderful boat came to rest in the center of the circle, and out
of it stepped twelve maidens, more beautiful than any Waupee had seen
before.

Taking hold of hands, they danced lightly round and round, while the
silver bells kept time to their steps. Their eyes were bright as the
stars, and a star rested upon the breast of each maiden. But though
all were beautiful, Waupee was attracted by one alone, and she was the
youngest.

“I must have this maiden for my own!” cried Waupee. He ran from the
shelter of the trees and would have clasped her in his arms, but he
was too late.

The startled maidens sprang into their boat, which lifted instantly
and carried them away.

Waupee watched until they disappeared among the clouds. Then slowly he
returned to his lodge, but he could think only of the beautiful maiden
with eyes like stars, and he determined to use all his powers to win
her.

The next day, at the same hour, he was again at the edge of the
forest, but this time he had changed to the form of the white hawk,
whose name he bore.

“I will wait until they dance,” he said to himself, “and then I will
fly to the maiden of my choice. I will change to my own form and clasp
her in my arms.”

So Waupee waited, and as before he heard music like the tinkling of
silver bells, and the boat with its changing silvery colors floated
down within the circle.

Out stepped the twelve maidens and began their dance.

Waupee was too eager to wait, and he flew at once from the tree. But
the moment the maidens heard the sound of his wings, they sprang into
their boat and were carried swiftly back to the sky.

Waupee, resuming his form as a man, sat down in the forest, and drew
his blanket over his head, as the Indians do when they mourn. He
feared that the maidens would nevermore return.

But after a time his courage and hope came back, and he determined
that he would not give up until he had captured the maiden who had won
his heart.

On the third day he was again at the edge of the forest, and there he
noticed the half-decayed stump of a tree. In and out, about the
stump, a dozen field mice were playing.

“Now you must help me, little brothers,” said Waupee. He lifted the
stump and set it down near the magic circle in the field. The little
field mice continued to play about it as before. Waupee changed
himself into the form of a field mouse, and began running about with
the others.

He soon heard the tinkling music, and looking up saw once more the
silvery boat floating down from the sky.

When it touched the earth the star maidens sprang out and began their
dance. But one of them saw the old stump.

“That was not there before!” she cried, and running from the circle
she looked closely at it.

“Let us return!” said the youngest maiden, but the others replied,
“But look! Here are field mice running about. Let us chase them!”

The little mice ran in all directions, and the maidens ran after them,
laughing, and threatening them with their silver wands.

And the one that the youngest maiden chased ran far from the others.
Then, just as the maiden reached him, and would have struck him with
her wand, the little field mouse changed suddenly to the form of a
man,--and it was Waupee.

He caught the maiden in his arms, and he told her how she had won his
heart by her loveliness, and begged her to stay with him.

The other maidens, frightened at the sight of Waupee, sprang into
their boat, and it rose and bore them away.

Then the youngest maiden wept, but Waupee comforted her, for he was
strong and brave, and a mighty hunter. And her heart was won, and she
went with him to the village.

So Waupee was wedded to the Star Maiden, and she was the loveliest
maiden in all the tribe.

The next year Waupee and his bride were made still happier by the
coming of a baby boy, and the White Hawk was the proudest father in
all the tribe.

But after many moons had passed, the Star Maiden grew lonely for her
father, and for the scenes of her star home in the sky. And so, one
day, she took her little son by the hand and led him to the magic
circle in the grass of the prairie. In the center of the circle she
placed a boat which she had woven from the grass and rushes of the
meadow, and she and her little son stepped into it. Then she sang the
song of the silvery bells which had been always in her heart, and the
boat of woven rushes began to rise.

Up and up it went until it carried the Star Maiden and her son far
away to the Sky Land.

Waupee, far away at the chase, heard the strains of the magic song and
ran to the spot, but he was too late. He saw the boat with its
occupants disappear among the clouds, and then he sat down upon the
prairie, covered his head with his blanket, and mourned. And no one in
all the tribe could comfort him.

The Star Maiden and her son were welcomed by her father, and for some
time they were happy. Then the boy began to long for his father, the
White Hawk, who was so strong and brave. And his mother, too, secretly

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