🧚 Opening, part 4

Now ere they were born, The two a council held That they might decide How they would be born.1 And Kulóskap said: “I shall be content If I may come to life Even as others come.”2 But Malsum, the Wolf, Said: “Just as you will; But I am too great E’er to see the light As common creatures do; I will burst to light Rending everything E’en through death to life.”3

So it came to pass Kulóskap, the Lord, Came in peace to light; Malsum kept his word, And the mother died.4

So the two grew up, Till one day the Wolf, Who knew that both were given Strange mysterious lives Charmed ’gainst everything Save one concealèd death, Asked of the elder what His hidden bane might be?5

Then the wise Kulóskap Thought how when he was born Malsumsis in his pride Had slain his mother; And he said: “If Wolf knew The secret of my life, That life would soon be o’er.”6 And therefore he agreed To tell Malsum the Wolf The secret of his death, If he the younger born Would tell him in return The secret of his own.7

Therefore the elder said, To test his brother’s truth: “The feather of an owl Is the one thing on earth Which e’er can end my life.”8 In sooth, this was a lie Although no evil one, And yet from uttering it Kulóskap got his name Which means the Liar, or, As Indians mean the word: A wise and crafty man.9

And then it came to pass That in the after-days Kwâbîtsis the son Of the Great Beaver, or As others tell the tale Miʿko the squirrel, or else The very devil himself Who dwelt within his heart, Tempted Malsum to slay His brother Kulóskap; For in those early days All men were wicked--all Lived but in evil deeds.10

So Malsum took his bow And, stealing through the woods Into his dark retreat, Shot Koʿkoʿkhas, the owl, And with his feathers struck Kulóskap while asleep.11

Up leaped the Lord enraged, Yet even in his wrath He spoke right craftily: “Thou ever evil One!12 Thou murderer of all!13 Know that no feather can E’er take my life. ’14 Tis by A pine-root and a blow That I am doomed to die, By that, and that alone.”15

So on another day When both together went A-hunting in the woods Kulóskap laid him down To sleep upon the leaves Where all was very still; Then Malsum, ever bent On evil and on death, With a great pine-tree root Smote with his giant strength His brother on the head.16 Up leapt the Lord again Unharmèd as before, And drove the Wolf away, Away in bitter scorn, Away into the woods.17

Then sitting by a brook He saw the flowering rush, Or cat-tail, in the stream-- Of all the plants on earth The weakest, softest thing-- And said unto himself, Although he spoke aloud: “What soul would ever dream That in that plant abides The secret of my death?”18

The Beaver who lay hid Deep down among the reeds.19 Heard what the Lord had said, And hastening to Malsumsis Told him the whole.20 For this Malsum had freely sworn To give the Beaver aught Or all that he might wish.21

But when the Beaver asked For wings, that he might fly Even as pigeons do, Malsum replied in scorn, And laughing from his heart: “Thou with a sorry tail Like any rugged rasp, What need hast _thou_ of wings!22 Mud-scraper!23 Get thee gone!”24

In a bitter rage Forth the Beaver ran, Ran by night and day, Till he found the Lord, Kulóskap the Wise, Unto whom he told All that he had done, Sorrowing that he Had so evil been, Sorrowing that he Had ever heard and told The secret of his life.25 Then in sorrow too, And yet in anger grim, Up the Lord arose, Rose all in his might, And plucking up a fern, Sought in the deep dark wood For Malsumsis the Wolf: And having found him there Smote him a single blow; Down fell the demon dead.26

Then Kulóskap sang a song, Lamenting for the dead; Though ever unto him He had so evil been, And as a bitter foe Had sought to end his life; Sung over him a song, Then homewards went his way.27 L.28

FOOTNOTES:29

[13] This is an ancient story of Kulóskap which they told long ago.30

II31

THE CREATION OF MAN AND THE ANIMALS32

[_Passamaquoddy and Micmac_]33

_Kulóskap nitamk naga nit kʾchi pechies Yut kilun kʾmʾt-kinansnok.34 _[14]35

Kulóskap was first, First and greatest, To come into our land-- Into Nova Scotia, Canada, Into Maine, into Wabanaki, The land of sunrise, or light.36

There were no Indians like us, Here in those early days; Only far in the West Lived red men strange and wild.37

First born were the Miʿkumwessuk The fairies of the forest, The Wʾnâgʾmeswuk, elves, The little men, dwellers in rocks.38

Thus it was Kulóskap the Great Made man: He took his arrows And shot at a tree--the ash, Known as the basket-tree.39

From the hole made by the arrow Came forth new forms, and these Were the first of human kind.40 And so the Lord gave them a name Meaning “those born from trees.”41

Kulóskap the Lord of Light Made all the animals.42 First, he created All of giant size; Such was the beginning.43 Then he said to Teâm, the Moose, Who was tall as the Kiwaʿkw, The colossal giant of the mountain, The awful king of the forest, The lord of the roaring river: “What wouldst thou do, Teâm, Shouldst thou see man a-coming?”44 Answered the monstrous Teâm, “I would tear the trees down on him.”45 Then the Lord Kulóskap Saw that the Moose was too strong; So he made him smaller and weaker So that the Indians could kill him.46

Even so with the Squirrel Who was as large in those days As the great wolf in our time; “What would you do, Sâkskadu?”47 Asked the Lord of Beasts and Men, “If you should meet an Indian?”48 “I would scratch up trees by their roots That they might fall upon him.”49 Answered the Squirrel undaunted.50 “Thou also art far too strong,” Replied the mighty Master; So he smoothed him down in his hands, And, as he was smoothed, the Squirrel Grew ever smaller and smaller, Till he was as we see him now.51

Then he asked the Great White Bear: “And thou, Kʾchî Mūʾūin!52 What wouldst thou do if ever A man should come in thy way?”53 And the Bear replied: “I would eat him.”54 Then the Master bade him go And live among rocks and ice, Very far away in the North, Where he would see no Indians.55 And there he is ever in snow.56

So Kulóskap the Great, Lord of all things that are, Did question all the beasts, Changing their size or strength, Or measuring out their lives, According to their answers.57

He took the Loon for his hunter To serve him as a dog; But the Loon was often absent, Not to be found when wanted; So he took in his place two Wolves, One black, the other white; And these wild dogs are his messengers Who bear to him tidings of all.58

Many years ago, Yet still within our time, Very far to the North, An Indian in his canoe Was about to cross a bay To a distant place; When, just before he launched, There came in haste a stranger Followed by two great dogs, Who asked to be taken over.59 “You may come,” replied the Indian, “Come over the bay and welcome, But what will you do with your dogs?60 For we cannot take them with us!”61