🧚 Opening, part 10

To which another said, That he would plunge from the rocks And dive in the deep cold stream, Aye drinking as he dived.1

And the third said: “I would be washed Up and down with the rippling waves, Living at will on land, Or in the water;” Then The fourth said: “None of you Know how to wish, and I Will teach you how.2 I’d live In water all the time.3 And forever swim in it!”4

Now it chanced that these things were said In the hour when, while it passes Over the world, all the wishes Which are uttered by men are granted.5 And so it was with these Indians; For the first became a leech, The second a spotted frog, The third a crab which is washed Up and down with the tide, And the fourth a fish which swims A-drinking ever more.6

Ere this, there had been in the world None of the creatures which dwell In the water, but now they were there Of every kind.7 And the river Came rushing and roaring on, And they all went headlong down Into the endless ocean, To be washed into many lands, And places all over the world, Forever and ever more.8

FOOTNOTES:9

[31] Long ago, an Indian village stood far back in the mountains.10

VII11

HOW KULÓSKAP WENT WHALE-FISHING12

[_Micmac_]13

_Piche Kulóskap pechian Machieswi menikok.14 _[32]15

All of the olden time!16 The Master Kulóskap came To Pulowechē Munígû, That is to Partridge Island.17 And on the isle he met With Kitpûsâgunâû, Whose mother had been slain By a fearful cannibal giant: Therefore, like Kulóskap, He warred through all his life Upon the monstrous race; From which it came to pass That they were loving friends, Which did not hinder them From a hearty, merry strife In which they barely missed Taking each other’s lives In the most good-natured way As ye shall hear anon.18

Now being on the isle, The Lord of Men and Beasts Was entertained as guest By Kitpûsâgunâû, Born after his mother’s death.19 And, as the night came on, The host said to the Lord.20 “Let us go forth to sea In my canoe, and catch Some whales by torch light.”21 So Kulóskap, nothing loath, Consented, for he was A mighty fisherman, Like all the Wabanaki Who live along the shore.22

Now when they came to the beach There were many mighty rocks Lying scattered here and there.23 Then Kitpûsâgunâû, Lifting the largest of them, Put it upon his head, And it became a canoe.24 Then picking up another It turned to a paddle; next A long and narrow piece Which he split away from a rock Was changed to a fishing spear; And then Kulóskap asked “Who shall sit in the stern And paddle; and who shall take The spear?”25 The other said “That will I do.”26 And so The Master paddled; ere long The canoe passed o’er a whale.27 A monster of a fish; There was not his like in the sea.28 But he who held the spear Sent it down into the waves As if ’twere a thunderbolt; And as the handle rose He snatched it up, and so The mighty fish was caught; And as Kitpûsâgunâû Whirled it on high, the whale Loud roaring touched the clouds; Then taking it from the spear He tossed it into the barque As if it had been a trout.29 And both the giants laughed; And the sound of their laugh was heard All over the land afar, The Wabanaki land.30

So, being at home, the host Took up a knife of stone Splitting the whale in two, And threw one half to his guest.31 And they roasted each his piece, Over the fire and ate it.32

Now the Master, having marked The light which was in the heaven Long after the sun went down, Said, “The sky is red, and the night I think will be bitter cold.”33 And the other understood That by his magic power The Lord would bring a frost And make it cold indeed; So he made the Marten bring All the wood that lay without, With the fresh oil of a porpoise Which he multiplied ten times By sorcery; and then They sat them down and smoked, And sang old songs and told Tales of the early time.34 But ever the cold came on, And at midnight, when the fire And fuel were all burnt out, The Marten froze to death, And then the grandmother.35 But still the giants smoked on, And laughed and talked as before.36

Then the rocks all round without Split with the awful cold.37 The great trees in the forest Were rent with frost, and the sound Was like thunder above, but still The Master and “He who was born After his mother’s death.”38 Kitpûsâgunâû, Laughed on, and so they sat Until the sun arose.39

And then Kulóskap said Unto the grandmother: “_Nugumích, nemchaase!40 _” “O grandmother, arise.”41 And then unto the boy “_Abistaneûch, nemchaase!42 _” “Marten, arise!” and both Awoke to life once more.43

Then as the day was fair They went into the woods To seek for game, yet found Full little.44 All they got Was one small beaver, so The Master said: “My friend, You may keep all of that.”45 Then Kitpûsâgunâû Fastened it to his knee Where it dangled like a mouse.46 But as the giant went On through the woods, and on, The beaver ever grew Larger and larger still, Till ’twas of monstrous size; Then he who bore it, took A mighty sapling.47 This He twisted to a withe And with it, to his waist He tied the beaver fast; But still it grew apace Till, trailing after him, It tore down all the trees, So that the giant left A clean fair road behind.48

Then when the night came on They fished for whales again, And feasted as before And had the cold again; So, even as before, The grandmother lay dead Of cold, with Marten, too.49 Then Kitpûsâgunâû Yielded unto the spell, And Kulóskap sat alone, Alone as conqueror.50 But when the sun arose He brought them back to life; And, laughing heartily, Said merrily, “Good-bye!”51 To Kitpûsâgunâû.52 [33] L.53

FOOTNOTES:54

[32] Long ago Kulóskap came to Partridge Island.55

[33] The last nine lines of this poem were added by me conjecturally.56 L.57

VIII58

KULÓSKAP AND WUCHOʿSEN, THE WIND-EAGLE59

[_Passamaquoddy_]60

_Wuchoʿsen nit kininagwʾsit Kʾchî plakʾn potowatak pemlamsuk.61 _[34]62

Wuchoʿsen the Giant Eagle, The Bird-Who-Blows-the-Winds, Lives far away in the North, Ever sitting on a rock Which is at the end of the sky; Because when he flaps his wings The wind blows over the earth, Men gave him the name of old.63

When Kulóskap lived among men, He often in his canoe Went forth to kill the wild-fowl, Ducks or swans or brant, Which swim upon the sea.64 One day the tempest roared, The waves were as high as hillocks, Even Kulóskap the Lord Cared not to face the storm; So then he said to himself: “Wuchoʿsen has made this mischief And all to show his power, So now he shall feel mine!”65

He turned him to the North, It was long ere he came to the end; There on a moss-grown rock He found a great White Bird, The Eagle of the Wind.66

“Grandfather!” said the God, “Thou takest no compassion Upon us Kosesak-- That is, ’thy suffering children’-- For thou hast raised this storm.67 It is too terrible!68 Be easier with thy wings!”69

The Giant Bird replied: “Even from the earliest time, And from the earliest days, Ere aught beside on earth Had ever uttered word, I moved my wings and spoke In Wind unto the World; For mine was the first Voice E’er heard in life or time, Therefore I’ll ever speak, And ever move my wings, At freedom, as I will.”70