Prevod
Na skalni ploščadi, kjer danes stoji Catskill Mountain House in od koder se odpira eden najlepših razgledov na svetu, si je stari poglavar Shandaken postavil vigvam — zmotno je namreč misliti, da je barbarom lepota tuja — in tam so njegovi bojevniki snubili njegovo hčer Lotowano. Ona pa je ostala zvesta zaobljubi, ki si jo je v mladosti izmenjala z mladim poglavarjem Mohawkov. Med snubci je bil še posebej nadležen Norsereddin, ponosen, čemeren mož temnih potez, tujec med rdečekožci, ki je trdil, da je potomec egipčanskih kraljev. Živel je sam ob potoku Kaaterskill in se le redko prikazal v naselbinah belcev.
Med enim njegovih obiskov v Catskillu je neki Nizozemec, ki je posedal po krčmah, z njim stavil za tisoč zlatih kron, da ne more osvojiti Lotowane. Norsereddin se je, podžgan tako od pohlepa kakor od strasti, znova lotil obleganja njenega srca. A dekle ga še vedno ni hotelo poslušati in Shandaken mu je svetoval, naj se zadovolji z nasmehi drugih deklet. To je Egipčana tako razjezilo, da je napadel poglavarja, zato so ga z udarci pregnali iz tabora. Toda na dan Lotowanine poroke z Mohawkom se je vrnil in s sladkimi besedami prosil, da bi smel nevesti podariti dragulj v dokaz, da je v sebi zatrl ljubosumje in zlobo. Dekle je sprejelo lepo skrinjico, ki ji jo je ponudil, in odmaknilo pokrov; tedaj je sprožila vzmet, ki ji je v roko zasadila nanjo pritrjeni strupnik kače. Strup je bil močan in čez nekaj minut je Lotowana mrtva obležala pred moževimi nogami.
Čeprav je Egipčan izginil v gozd takoj, ko je dekle sprejelo njegovo zahrbtno darilo, se je dvajset bojevnikov pognalo za njim. Dohiteli so ga na Kalkbergu in ga privlekli nazaj na skalo, kjer sta oče in mož objokovala dekletovo prezgodnjo smrt. Le nekaj čevljev od roba prepada so nakopičili grmado dračja, nanjo privezali ujetnika in jo prižgali z baklo. S kriki zmagoslavja so plesali okoli nje, medtem ko so nesrečnikovi kriki odmevali od skalnih sten. Žalujoče pleme je mrtvo dekle pokopalo, Norsereddinov pepel pa prepustilo vetru, da ga je raznesel. Na dan svojega maščevanja je Shandaken zapustil staro bivališče in odtlej njegovi taborni ognji niso nikoli več pobliskavali na pobočju Ontiore.
Izvirnik
On the rock platform where the Catskill Mountain House now stands, commanding one of the fairest views in the world, old chief Shandaken set his wigwam,--for it is a mistake to suppose that barbarians are indifferent to beauty,--and there his daughter, Lotowana, was sought in marriage by his braves. She, however, kept faith to an early vow exchanged with a young chief of the Mohawks. A suitor who was particularly troublesome was Norsereddin, proud, morose, dark-featured, a stranger to the red man, a descendant, so he claimed, from Egyptian kings, and who lived by himself on Kaaterskill Creek, appearing among white settlements but rarely.
On one of his visits to Catskill, a tavern-lounging Dutchman wagered him a thousand golden crowns that he could not win Lotowana, and, stung by avarice as well as inflamed by passion, Norsereddin laid new siege to her heart. Still the girl refused to listen, and Shandaken counselled him to be content with the smiles of others, thereby so angering the Egyptian that he assailed the chief and was driven from the camp with blows; but on the day of Lotowana's wedding with the Mohawk he returned, and in a honeyed speech asked leave to give a jewel to the bride to show that he had stifled jealousy and ill will. The girl took the handsome box he gave her and drew the cover, when a spring flew forward, driving into her hand the poisoned tooth of a snake that had been affixed to it. The venom was strong, and in a few minutes Lotowana lay dead at her husband's feet.
Though the Egyptian had disappeared into the forest directly on the acceptance of his treacherous gift, twenty braves set off in pursuit, and overtaking him on the Kalkberg, they dragged him back to the rock where father and husband were bewailing the maid's untimely fate. A pile of fagots was heaped within a few feet of the precipice edge, and tying their captive on them, they applied the torch, dancing about with cries of exultation as the shrieks of the wretch echoed from the cliffs. The dead girl was buried by the mourning tribe, while the ashes of Norsereddin were left to be blown abroad. On the day of his revenge Shandaken left his ancient dwelling-place, and his camp-fires never glimmered afterward on the front of Ontiora.
