Chapter 2
chapter two of it a simma this librivox recording is in the public domain it a simma the honey lips a legend of brazil by jos de lencar translated by isabel chapter two far very far from that serra which purples the horizon was born irasema irasema the virgin with the honey lips whose hair hanging below her palm-like waist was jetty as the grauna bird's wing the comb of the jachibi was less sweet than her smile in her breath excelled the perfume exhaled by the vanilla of the woods fleeter than the wild grow the dark virgin wandered freely through the plains and forests of ipu where her warlike tribe a part of the great tabajada nation lay wigwaint her subtle naked foot scarcely pressed to earth the thin green garment with which the early rains clothed the ground one day when the sun was in midday height she was reposing in a forest clearing the shade of the oichisika more refreshing than the dew of night bathed her form
the arms of the wild acacia dropped their blossoms upon her wet hair the birds hidden in the foliage sang for her their sweetest songs it asema left the bath pearl drops of water stood upon her like the sweet mangaba which blushes in the refreshing dawn dew whilst reposing she refits her arrows with the plumes of the whilst she joins in the joyous song of the forest sabi perched in the nearest bough a beautiful ara her companion and friend plays near her now the bird climbs the branches and calls the virgin by her name then he slips down and shakes the little satchel of colored straw in which the wild maid carries her perfumes her white threads of the kraut her needles of the jussara thorn with which she works the grass-cloth and her dyes that serve to tinge the cotton a suspicious noise breaks the soft harmony of the siesta irasema raises the ice which no sun can dazzle and her sight is troubled
standing before her absorbed in gazing upon her is a strange warrior if indeed it is a warrior and not some evil spirit of the forest his face is white as the sands that border the sea his eyes are sadly blue as the deep he bears unknown weapons and is clad in unknown cloths rapid as her eye glance was the action of irasema an arrow shot from the bow and red drops ran down the face of the unknown at the first impulse his nimble hand sought his sword cross but presently he smiled the young warrior had been brought up in the religion of his mother wherein woman is a symbol of tenderness and love he suffered more in his soul than from his wound what expression was in his eye and whole face who knows but it made the virgin cast away her bow and wirasaba and run to the warrior pained at the pain she had caused
the hand so swift to strike more rapidly and gently staunched the dripping stream then irasema brake the murderous arrow she offered the shaft to the unknown and she kept the barbed point the warrior spoke dost thou break with me the arrow of peace who taught the white warrior the tongue of irasema's brethren how came he to these forests which never saw other warrior like to him daughter of the forests i come from afar i come from the land which thy brothers once possessed and wherein mine now dwell welcome be the stranger to the prairie of the tabajadas lords of the villages and to the wigwam of araken father of irasema chapter two
