Native American Legends
How a certain wicked witch sought to cajole the great and good Glooskap, and of her punishment
A Micmac Legend
N'karnayoo, of old time. Once it came to pass that Glooskap
met with an evil witch, and she had made herself like unto a fair
young girl, and believed that he could not know who she was. And
she asked him to take her with him in his canoe. So they sailed
out over a summer sea: and as they went the witch sought to beguile
him with sweet words; but he answered naught, for he wist well what
kind of passenger he had on board. And as they went on she played
her cajoleries, but he remained grim as a bear. Then she, being
angry, showed it, and there arose a great storm. The wind howled
over the waves as they rose and fell, like white wolves jumping
while they run, the first lightnings flashed, and the sky grew dark
as night. The Master was angered that so mean a creature dared to
play him such tricks, and, paddling the canoe to the beach, he leaped
ashore. Then giving the bark, with the witch in it, a push out to
sea, he cried to her, "Sail thou with the devil! But never be in
human form again, O she-beast!"
Then she, being frightened, said, "Master, what wilt thou that
I become?" And he replied, "Whatever thou wilt; that grace alone
I give thee." And in despair she plunged into the waters, and became
a keegunibe, a ferocious fish, which has upon its back a
great fin, which it shows like a sail when swimming through the
water. So the canoe and the witch became one in the evil fish, and
the Indians to this day when they see it, cry, "See the witch, who
was punished by the great Master!"
Now of sinful men, evil beasts, foul sorcerers, witches, and giants,
there were in those days many who sought to do great harm to Glooskap;
but of them all there did not escape any; verily, no, not one.
Native American Legends
Back to Top
Other Native American Legends
|
Native American Legends A-B