🧚 Opening, part 18

There was a woman, long, long ago, She came out of a pit In which dead people were buried; She made her home in a tree; She was dressed in leaves; All long, long ago.1 When she walked among the dry leaves, Her feet were so covered That they could not be seen; She walked in the woods Singing all the time: “I want company: I am lonesome!”2 All long, long ago!3

From afar o’er the lakes and mountains A wild man heard her cry; He came to her, she saw him, Saw him and was afraid; She tried to flee away, For he was clothed with the rainbow, Color and light were his garments.4 She ran and he pursued her, Pursued her rapidly, Unto the foot of a mountain.5 He spoke in a strange language, She could not understand him.6 He would make her tell where she dwelt.7 They married and had two children One of them was a boy, A boy who was blind from his birth.8 But he frightened his mother by his sight; He could tell her what was coming: What was coming from afar, What was near he could not see.9 He could see the bear and moose, Far away beyond the mountains; He could see through everything.10

The father was a great being, He was a mighty hunter; His wife had magic gifts.11 A boy was born to them Alas, the boy was blind!12 In time his sight returned, He said that he could see.13 The mother did not believe it, She thought it was magic sight.14 So one day she bade her husband Put on him certain things Which no one could behold Who saw them not with eyes As every one could see them.15 And then she asked the boy “What is it that your father Uses to pull his sled?”16 Promptly the child replied “The rainbow.”17 Then she said: “What has he for a bow-string?”18 To which his answer was “It is Ketaksuwauʿt That is the Spirits’ Road” (Meaning the Milky Way).19 Yet once more she inquired: “What has he on his sled?”20 “A beaver,” he replied; She knew that he could see.21

It would appear from collateral indications of other songs in different tribes that this song is of very great antiquity.22 The first portion of it was chanted to Mrs. W. Wallace Brown by an old Indian woman; the remainder was recovered from the Passamaquoddy Thomas Josephs or Tamaquah.23 There appears to be in the myth, for such it undoubtedly is, a refinement of philosophic or theosophic speculation.24 This is shown in the conception of the young magician, or poet, so gifted though _blind_ that his mother could not determine whether he saw all things by _clairvoyance_ or natural vision.25 L.26

FOOTNOTES:27

[66] Long ago there was a woman who came out of a pit where dead people are buried.28

V29

PASSAMAQUODDY LOVE SONG30

ORIGINAL TEXT31

Anigowanotenu!32 Boski ktabin elmi nelemwik Elmi papkeyik; boski ktlabin, Anigowanotenu!33

Neket mpesel etli-nemiotyikw.34 Etuchi wlinakwben sebayi sibuk; Etuchi wli baquasketen.35 Kʾmachtina nolithasiben.36 Mechinoltena keppithamʾl.37 Anigowanotenu!38

Boski ktlabin elmi nelemwik Elmi papkeyik; boski ktlabin, Anigowanotenu!39

Negetlo he eli-alnisukmekwben Sibayi guspenik Etuchi welanakwsititben wuchowek He eli-machip klamisken mipisel.40 Anigowanotenu!41

Anigowanotenu!42 Nittloch apch eli-alnisuknukw tan etuch apachyaie; Tan etuch boski pʾkesik mipisel Yut pemden nit kʾtlaskuyin.43 Anigowanotenu!44 Boski kʾtlabin elmi nelemwik Elmi papkeyik; Boski kʾtlabin, Anigowanotenu!45

V46

PASSAMAQUODDY LOVE SONG47

Anigowanotenû!48 Oft these lonely days thou look’st On beauteous river and down shining stream.49 Oft thou look’st and sighest deep, Anigowanotenû!50

With me thy lover by thy side How fair that stream did bubble on!51 How lovely was the silver moon!52 Thy heart now tells thee of that joy.53 E’en unto death I think of thee.54 Anigowanotenû!55

Oft these lonely days thou look’st On beauteous river and down shining stream.56 Oft thou look’st and sighest deep.57 Anigowanotenû!58

When we in birch canoe did glide Together on that glistening lake, How fair the hills and how we watched The _red_ leaves whirling in the breeze.59 Anigowanotenû!60

Anigowanotenû!61 We’ll rove once more in bark canoe And watch the _green_ leaves swirl on high When spring smiles on the mountain tops.62 Anigowanotenû!63 Oft these lonely days thou look’st On beauteous river and down shining stream.64 Oft thou look’st and sighest deep.65 Anigowanotenû!66 P.67

VI68

THE SONG OF THE STARS69

[_Passamaquoddy text_]70

Nilun pesazmuk elintaquik.71 Ntʾlintotebin kʾpesaukhenmâgonok.72 Nilun sipsizuk squʿtek; Kʾpʾmitoiapon pissokiqs Kʾpesaukhenmagon pesazum.73 Kʾtʾlintoanen âût niwesquok; Otâût Kʾchî-Niwesq Koitchimkononnoak nohowok katonkewinoak, Nosokoat moinial Nit mesq tepnaskwiewis Mesq katonketitiq Ketlapinen pemtenikek Yot lintoakʾn pemtenikek.74

VI75

THE SONG OF THE STARS76

We are the stars which sing.77 We sing with our light.78 We are the birds of fire We fly across the heaven, Our light is a star.79 We make a road for Spirits, A road for the Great Spirit.80 Among us are three hunters Who chase a bear: There never was a time When they were not hunting; We look down on the mountains.81 This is the Song of the mountains.82 L. & P.83

VII84

HOW THE INDIANS LOST THEIR POWER85

[_Penobscot_]86

_Uskichinwi pilskwessis muiso Ktatnok Naya kamach okiwachitahasin.87 _[67]88

All of the olden time!89 Once as an Indian girl Was gathering blue-berries, On Mount Katahdin’s side, She felt a strange loneliness, And said unto herself: “I would that I were wed Unto some brave great man!”90 And, seeing the great mount In glory rising high E’en as ’twere to heaven (White the red sunlight shone Upon the very head), She said: “A man indeed, Like great Katahdin there!91 High rising over all, That were the man for me.”92 This she was heard to say Ere she went further on Up to the mountain top-- Three years then passed away Ere she was seen again, And then when she returned ’Twas with a charming child, The fairest in the land; Only one thing was strange: His eyebrows were of stone.93

She had been wed in truth, To Mount Katahdin’s self; The Spirit of the Mount Had ta’en her to himself, And when she greatly longed To see her folk again, He said: “Then go in peace.”94 But one thing he forbade With terrible command: That she should ever tell To any mortal soul Who ’twas had married her.95

The boy had wondrous gifts; The sages of the tribe Said he was soon to be A mighty sorcerer; For when he did but point His finger at the moose, Or anything which ran, At once it would drop dead, Killed by his magic will; And, when in a canoe He pointed at the ducks, The wild fowl swam no more, And all the water round Was full of floating game Which all might gather in, As freely as they would.96 And so it came to pass That through that wondrous Boy The mother and her tribe Had ever food enough.97

Now this is all the truth, And ’twas a wondrous thing, As ever yet was told.98 Katahdin the great lord Of the Wabanaki; The children of the Light, Or of the Break of Day; Had wed him to the girl That she might have a child Who should raise up the tribe, And make them great once more Even a mighty race, The Lords of all the land.99 And so to her he said: “Declare unto thy folk That they shall never ask Of thee, who was the sire Of this brave lad, our son; They’ll know it all right well If they but see his face, And thou shalt not be teased By questions and by talk From fools who fain would know The by-ways of a god.”100

And so she made it known That none should question her, And gave them all their food, And bade them let her be!101