Down the stream
and through the canyon,
down the rushing Tahquamenon,
sailing through
its bends and windings,
sailing through
its deeps and shadows,
came the littIe Hiawatha --
came in his canoe
of birch bark,
came in his canoe,
the Cheemaun,
to the falls
of Minnehaha
And the birds sang 'round him,
o'er him sang the bluebird,
sang the robin,
"Do not shoot us, Hiawatha"
Down the rapids in the river,
down the stream went Hiawatha
Though a whirlpool in the water
whirled the birch canoe
in circles
'round and 'round
in gurgling eddies,
still the little Hiawatha
bravely paddlIed on undaunted
for he'd come
to hunt the red deer,
hunt the rabbit,
the Wabasso,
hunt the squirreI,
the Adjiduamo,
hunt the great bear,
Mishe-Mokwa
Fearless was this
mighty warrior,
skilled in all
the craft of hunters
Sure of foot was Hiawatha
So it was that Hiawatha came
to end his day of hunting
And the beaver
called him brother,
helped him as he
journeyed homeward,
while the rabbit
and the red squirrel
and the littIe deer
that watched him
watched him as
a friend departing
Mighty hunter Hiawatha,
mighty warrior Hiawatha,
mighty chieftain Hiawatha,
mighty little Hiawatha