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"Should you ask me whence these stories,
"Whence these legends and traditions,
* * * * *
"I should answer, I should tell you:
"'From the forests and the prairies,
* * * * *
"'From the mountains, moors, and fenlands,
"'Where the heron, the shuh-shuh-gah,
"'Feeds among the reeds and rushes.
"'I repeat them as I heard them
"'From the lips of Nawadaha,
"'The musician, the sweet singer.'
"Should you ask where Nawadaha
"Found these songs, so wild and wayward,
"Found these legends and traditions,
"I should answer, I should tell you
"'In the birds'-nests of the forest,
"'In the lodges of the beaver
"'In the hoof-prints of the bison,
"'In the eyry of the eagle!'" LONGFELLOW.
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