George W. Caldwell

“ While you stand above the harbor, While you call the fog and west-wind, While you wear your cloak of poppies, Never shall a foeman enter Through the Golden Gate with war-boats. Pluck the petal, let it flutter To the ground. Your wish is granted. Stand forever, native daughters, As Twin Peaks, to guard the harbor.' That was long ago, my children, When the earth was young, and people Heard the voices of the Spirits— Knew the language of the sea-birds. To this day the ancient warriors Flounder on the Sea Rock Islands, Barking, roaring, crowding, fighting, Near the gateway of the harbor. ”

“ There she lies in all her beauty, Sacred Maid of Tamalpais! If her eyes should turn from heaven, She would see across the waters Piles of tumbled crags and boulders In the Grove of Thousand Oak Trees, Where the buckeye trees still blossom Over mortar holes, half hidden. Children play with merry laughter Hide and seek among the boulders. Even now perhaps, the Fairies Dressed as butterflies may whisper Secrets in the ears of children, If they listen to the voices. ”

“ Would you know what brings the westwind, With its cool and filmy vapors Trailing like a scarf of chiffon Through the narrow Golden Gateway, Screening shore and hills and harbor, While the country all around it Bathes in floods of golden sunshine? Would you know why great Sea Lions Flounder on the rocky islands, Standing by the Golden Gateway? Why they fight in baffled fury, Barking ever at the mainland? Listen then, and I will tell you As the legend was related By an ancient Tamal woman, As she sat beside the campfire In a grove of giant redwoods On the slopes of Tamalpais. ”

“ Lovers climb the sacred mountain, Roam the hillsides, tread the wildwoods, Finding there new inspiration, Hope and happiness, not knowing That the Maid of Tamalpais Gives her spirit to all lovers Who approach her mystic presence. ”

“ Yet they shall not harm your people If you stand upon the hilltop With the talisman I give you. Take this Magic Iris with you, Guard it well for every petal Has a charm that brings an answer To a prayer that is unselfish, To a prayer for all the people That will live around your harbor. Never, while you guard the hilltop, Shall a foe invade your country. Petals three there are; three wishes Shall be granted when you make them.' Then the Poppy Maiden vanished, And we hastened to our village. ”

“ Spirit came and blew upon it, And a Man was thus created. Sun God made the Moon to guard him, And she stood before his tepee, Watching while the Sun was sleeping; But she loved the Sun and followed Him into the starry heavens, Always with her face turned to him. ”

“ God has sent a warning message By the Fairies, and they whispered To me as I ground the acorns In the mortar 'neath the buckeyes. Rally all your braves around you, Seize your strong bows, fill your quivers With the long flint-pointed arrows; Guard the ridges to the eastward Ere the foe shall fall upon us.' To the eastward where Diablo Rears its peak above the fog banks Drifting landward from the ocean, Lived a warlike tribe of people. Fierce they were, and grim and cruel, Worshiping the Fire Demon Who is crouching in the mountain. ”

“ Bringing brightness and the odor Of the burning pitch that lingers As the incense of the forests. By the fireplace sat the Tamal, Lone survivor of her people— Sat and listened to the patter Of the raindrops on the shingles, To the soughing of the west-wind In the branches of the redwoods. Long she gazed upon the harbor, Lying leaden-gray below us. Then, she told this ancient legend— Legend of her tribe, the Tamals, Legend of an ancient deluge. "Do you see," she said, "the Islands Of the Albatross and Beaver? By another name you call them. One is crested by a prison, Grim and somber, melancholy ”

“ While above our heads the wild ducks Flying southward clamored hoarsely, 'They are coming; They are coming!' Sea gulls, winging from the ocean, Shrieked their warning, 'They are coming!' Then we dared to brave your Council With the message of the Maiden, And the warning of the seabirds. 'It is well,' the Chieftain answered, 'Daughters with the eyes of springtime And the faces of the flowers, It is well. The Gods have marked you With their sign upon the forehead; You have stood before a Goddess, And her spirit is upon you.' Long the Old Men sat and pondered. ”

“ In the village lived a maiden, Fairest of all comely maidens Ever born among the Tamals; Fair of face and pure of spirit, Kind in thought and quick in service To the young and old and helpless; Ever eager for her duty, Ever singing at her labor. When she sat beneath the buckeyes Grinding acorns in the mortar, Humming birds came sipping honey From the heavy scented blossoms ”

“ Live oaks, bay trees, and madronas Billowed over plains and hillsides. Through the forest ranged the hunters, Seeking game in glen and canyon, Meat for food, and fur for raiment; Vanquishing the forest creatures With flint arrows and stone axes; Seeking fish in bay and river With the spear or net of sinew. On the bay the warriors paddled In canoes of bark or rawhide, Or in mighty redwood dugouts Dared the currents of the narrows Training warriors to be ready To defend their shores and harbor. From the North the foemen threatened, As an ever-present shadow. ”

“ My twin daughters, ever faithful, All your thoughts are for your people; Therefore, you shall be immortal, Standing on the heights forever, As the Guardians of the Harbor. Draw your mantles around your shoulders, Furs they are, but flowers they shall be. ”

“ Love does not change cannot injure— The shaft is not aimed at a loved one. If you would draw the wild creatures, Love them, and guard them from danger.' 'I am a hunter, Merita, And yet would I gladly abandon The bow and the trap to secure The charm that the Great Spirit gives you. ”

“ If you search among the thickets Of the low widespreading buckeyes You will find their ancient mortars In the bedrock still remaining— Mortar holes ground deep, and polished By the toil of many women Pounding, grinding with a pestle Fashioned from a stream-worn boulder. Gone are all those ancient people, Perished now for many ages. Many oaks have grown and withered, Many buckeyes bloomed and faded, Many tribes have fought and conquered, Lived for many generations, Then were driven out by others. Still the mortar holes will linger As our monuments forever. ”

“ To the northward, where great boulders Lie in tumbled piles and masses, And a Thousand Oaks are clustered, And the crags upthrust their fingers Through the meadows of the uplands, Was another Indian village, Ancient stronghold of the Tamals. In the village on the hillside Men were hunters, brave and fearless, Skillful with the bow and arrow, Artful with the snare and deadfall; Hunting deer and elk and bison In the open grassy meadows, Tracking wolf and mountain lion To their lairs among the redwoods ”

“ Search and Labor, be their motto; And, lest children of their children May forget their mighty saviors, Giant Albatross and Beaver Shall be changed to rocky Islands— Monuments to stand forever, In the Harbor of the Tamals.' Thus the ancient Tamal woman Told the Legend of the Islands, While December rains were falling, And the fragrant pine was burning In the fireplace of the cabin On the slope of Tamalpais. ”

“ Well they knew that all wild creatures Speak to man if one is worthy To receive their friendly warning; Knew that seabirds, swift and cunning, See the foemen while their war boats Still are far beyond the sea-rim. ”

“ Neither man nor woman enters When the warriors plan for battle." "Let us speak," the Maidens answered, "For we bring a warning message. As we wandered on the ridges Gathering the golden poppies To adorn our Mother's tepee, We were talking of the danger From the foemen of the Northland, When a Maiden stood before us, Strangely fair, with golden tresses, Eyes of deep blue like the lupins, Dressed in garlands made of poppies. ”

“ Well the wise men knew the sisters, Maidens blooming into women, Loved them for their grace and beauty, For the joy they radiated, For the charm that emanated From their chaste and gentle spirits, As the perfume that is wafted From the rose buds newly opened. ”

“ The wicked Sea King Holds her hostage on his war boat.' Thus they mourned, and prayed the Father, The Great Spirit, that he give them Wings to fly above the waters Where the Sea King could not reach them. ”