Native American Legends
How Glooskap made a magician of a young man, who aided another to win a wife and do wonderful deeds
A Micmac Legend
It is well known unto all Indians who still keep the true faith
of the olden time that there are wondrous dwellers in the lonely
woods, such as elves and fairies, called by the Micmacs, Mikumwessos,
and by the Passamaquoddies, Oonahgawessos. And these can work great
wonders, and also sing so as to charm the wildest beasts. From them
alone come the magic pipes or flutes, which sometimes pass into
possession of noted sorcerers and great warriors; and when these
are played upon, the woman who hears the melody is bewitched with
love, and the moose and caribou follow the sound even to their death.
And when the Megumawessos are pleased with a mortal they make him
a fairy, even like themselves.
N'Karnayoo. In old times there was an Indian village, and in it
were two young men, [Footnote: According to another Micmac version
of this legend, the elder of these pilgrims was Keekwahjoo, the
Badger, and the younger Caktoogwasees, or Little Thunder.] who
had heard that Glooskap, where he left the world, would bestow on
those who came to him whatever they wanted. So they went their way,
an exceeding long pilgrimage, until they came to a great island,
where he dwelt. And there they first met with Dame Bear and Marten,
and next with the Master himself. Then they all, sitting down to
supper, had placed before them only one extremely small dish, and
on this there was a tiny bit of meat, and nothing more. But being
a bold and jolly fellow, the first of the pilgrims, thinking himself
mocked for sport, cut off a great part of the meat, and ate it,
when that which was in the dish grew in a twinkling to its former
size; and so this went on all through the supper, every one eating
his fill, the dish at the end being as full as ever.
Of these two, one wished to become a Mikum-wess, and the other
to win a very beautiful girl, the daughter of a great chief, who
imposed such cruel tasks on all who came for her, that they died
in attempting them.
And the first was taken by Glooskap; and after he had by a merry
trick covered him with filth and put him to great shame, he took
him to the river, and after washing him clean and combing his hair
gave him a change of raiment and a hair string of exceeding great
magic virtue, since when he had bound it on he became a Mikumwess,
having all the power of the elfin-world. And also because he desired
to excel in singing and music, the Master gave him a small pipe,
and it was that which charmed all living beings; and then singing
a song bade him join in with him. And doing this he found that he
could sing, and ever after had a wondrous voice.
Now to seek the beautiful girl it was necessary to sail afar over
the sea; and during this adventure the Mikumwess was charged to
take care of the younger pilgrim. So he begged the Master to lend
him his canoe. And Glooskap answered, "Yes, I will do this for thee,
if thou wilt honestly return it when thou needest it no more. Yet
in very truth I did never yet lend it to mortal man but that I had
to go after it myself."
Thereupon the young man promised most faithfully that he would
indeed return the canoe, and with this they got them ready for the
journey. But when they came to the bay there was no canoe, and they
knew not what was to be done. But Glooskap pointed to a small island
of granite which rose amid the waves, and it was covered with tall
pine-trees. "There is my canoe!" said he; and when he had taken
them unto it, it became a real canoe, with masts, and they set sail
on it, rejoicing.
So they came in time to a very large island, where they drew up
the canoe and hid it in the bushes. Then they went forward to seek
for people, and found a village in which dwelt the chief who had
the beautiful daughter, in seeking whom so many had lost their lives.
And having found him, they went into his wigwam, and were placed
on the seat of honor. Now when an Indian seeks a wife, he or his
mutual friend makes no great ado about it, but utters two words,
which tell the whole story. And these are Sewin-coadoo-gwah-loogwet',
which mean-in Micmac, "I am tired of living alone." And the chief,
hearing this, consented that the young man should marry her whom
he sought; but on one condition: and this was that he should slay
and bring unto him the head of a certain horned dragon, called in
Micmac Chepichealm. So this was agreed upon, and the two strangers
went to the wigwam which was assigned them.
Now in the night he that was Mikumwess arose and went alone and
afar until he came to the den of the dragon, and this was a great
hole in the ground. And over this he laid a mighty log, and then
began the magic dance around the den. So the serpent, or the great
Chepichealm, hearing the call, came forth, putting out his head
after the manner of snakes, waving it all about in every way and
looking round him. While doing this he rested his neck upon the
log, when the Indian with a blow of his hatchet severed it. Then
taking the head by one of the shining yellow horns he bore it to
his friend, who in the morning gave it to the chief. And the old
man said to himself, "This time I fear me I shall lose my child."
Yet the young man had more to do; for the chief said, "I would
fain see my son coast down yonder hill on hand-sled." Now this lull
was an exceeding high mountain; the sides thereof were ragged with
rocks and terrible with trees and ice. Then two toboggans were brought
out, one of them for the two strangers, and this he that was Mikumwess
was to direct. And on the other were two powerful men, and these
were both boo-oinak, who hoped to see the former soon fall out,
and then to run over them. And at the word they went flying fearfully
down the mountain, and yet ever faster, as if to death. And soon
he that sought the girl went whirling headlong from the sled, and
the two boo-oinak gave a loud hurrah; for they knew not that this
had been done with intent by the Mikumwess, that he might get them
before him. So he put forth his hand, and, seizing the younger man,
turned a little aside, but in an instant went on after; and erelong
the sled of the boo-oinak stopped, but the other, bounding upwards
from a mighty wall of ice, flew far over their heads onwards; nor
did it stop in the valley, but, running with tremendous speed up
the opposite hill and into the village, struck the side of the chief's
wigwam, ripping it up from end to end ere it stopped. And the old
man, seeing this, said, "This time I have lost my daughter!"
Yet the young man had more to do; for the chief said, "There is
here a man who has never been beaten in running, and thou must strive
with him in that and overcome him, to win thy wife." And the race
was appointed; but ere it came off he that was Mikumwess lent to
his friend the magic pipe to give him power.
And when he that was the racer of the village met the young man,
the youth said, "Who art thou?" and he replied, "I am Wey-ad-esk"
(the Northern Lights); "but who art thou?" And he answered, "I am
Wosogwodesk" (the Chain Lightning). And they ran. In an instant
they were no longer in sight; they were far away over the most distant
hills. Then all sat and waited, and ere it was noon he that was
the Chain Lightning returned, and he was not out of breath, nor
weary, and he had gone round the world. And at evening they saw
the Northern Lights return, and he trembled and quivered with fatigue;
yet for all that he had not been round the world, but had turned
back. And the old chief, seeing him beaten, exclaimed, "This time
I shall lose my child!"
And yet there was another trial of the young man ere he could win
her whom he wanted. For the chief had a man whom no one could overcome
in swimming and diving, and it was chiefly in this last thing that
he excelled. And the young man must strive with him. And when they
met he asked the man of the village his name, and he replied, "I
am an Ukchigumooech" (a Sea Duck); "but who are you?" And he answered,
"I am a Kweemoo" (a Loon). So they dived, and after a time the Sea
Duck rose again for breath, but those who waited long indeed ere
they saw the Loon. And an hour passed, and he came not, and yet
another ere they beheld him; but when he at last rose the old chief
said, "This is the end of all our weary work, for this time truly
I have lost my child."
Yet it was not the end of the wonderful deeds which were done in
that village by the power of the great Glooskap. For the Mikumwess,
at the great dance which was held that evening at the wedding, astonished
all who beheld him. As he danced around the circle, upon the very
hard beaten floor, they saw his feet sink deeper at every step,
and ever deeper as the dance went on; ploughing the ground up into
high, uneven ridges, forming a trench as he went, until at length
only his head was to be seen.
And this ended the dancing for that night, since the ground was
no longer to be danced upon by anybody except wizards and witches.
Then the young man and his wife and the Mikumwess entered their
canoe and sailed boosijk (homewards.). And yet their trials were
not over. For they had not gone far where they saw an awful storm
coming to meet them; and he that had the Elfin spells knew that
it was raised by boo-oin, or sorcery, since these storms are the
worst of all. Then, without fear, he rose, and, filling his lungs
and puffing his cheeks, he blew against the tempest, wind against
wind, until he blew the wind away, and the great water was 'aoobuneak',
as calm and smooth as before.
So they sailed on over the sunlit sea, but it was not long before
the Elf-gifted saw rising among the waves far before them a dark
mass, which soon proved to be a tremendous Beast coming to attack
them. And as he drew near they saw it was Quahbeet, the giant beaver,
and his eyes were angry. But the Mikumwess, seeing this, steered
straight to meet the monster, and, coming to him, said, "I am the
great hunter of beavers; lo, I am their butcher; many a one has
fallen by my hand." Now the Beaver had placed himself under water,
with his tail out of it and rising upwards, that he might sink the
canoe with a blow thereof; for the Beaver strikes mightily in such
wise, as is his wont. But he of the magic power, with one blow of
his tomahawk, cut the tail from the body, and sailed onward.
Yet they had not gone far when, on rounding a point, they saw before
them another animal of giant size, who likewise had his tail in
the air, waiting to overcome them, and this was A-bekk-thee-lo,
the Skunk. Yet ere he made his hideous attack the Mikumwess, ever
on the watch, caught up his spear, and, hurling it, pierced A-bekk-thee-lo,
who did but kick two or three times ere he died. And, stepping ashore,
he who had slain him took a pole, a long dead pine, which lay upon
the sand, and, transfixing the Skunk, lifted him high in air, and,
planting the tree on the ground, left him, saying scornfully, as
he left, " Lik cho je nain!" which, being interpreted, meaneth,
"And now show your tail there!"
So they returned safely. And Glooskap met them at the landing,
and his first words were, "Well, my friends, I see that you have
brought back my canoe." And they answered, "We have, indeed." Then
he inquired," Has all gone well with ye?" And they replied that
it had. Then Glooskap, laughing, let them know that in all they
had experienced he had been busy, and that in all their triumphs
he had had a hand. And to the Mikumwess he said, "Go now thy ways,
thou and these, and ever lead happy lives: thou amid the Elfin,
they among mankind. And be sure of this, that if danger or trouble
should come to you, you have but to think of me, and verily aid
will come." So they rose and went to their wigwams.
Footnote: In its earlier form this must have been a very remarkable
narrative, or poem. That the two combatants in the race were originally
the personified Northern Lights and Lightning, and that these were
not merely names assumed for boasting, is shown by the incident
that the Lightning actually passed round the world, while the Aurora
Borealis only covered a portion of it. The diving is either a later
addition, or it represents the same stupendous spirits taking on
the appearance of mastering the element of water as well as that
of fire. Without carrying the Solar myth theory to extremes, it
cannot be denied that Glooskap appears in several of these stories
as Spring, or as the melter of ice, the conqueror of the frozen
stream and of the iceberg. In this narrative he is active and creative
Nature itself, directing and sporting with the warring elements.
His vast practical joking cannot fail to remind the reader yet again
of the Norse deities and their jovial household godhood.
This tradition is Micmac, and taken almost entirely from Mr. Rand's
manuscript. It should be borne in mind that it is not from a single
story of this collection, but from a careful analysis and comparison
of them all, that their entire value is to be ascertained.
Certain incidents in this tale deserve special attention. The young
men go to a land of evil sorcerers, of boo-oin. When one is required
to run a race he conquers because he is really the Lightning. When
Thor visits Utgard Loki, there is also a race, in which Hugi wins,
because he is Thought disguised as a man. Glooskap has a canoe,
which is sometimes immensely large, but which at other times shrinks
to a very small size. In the Edda, Odin is said to have had made
for him by the dwarfs a boat, Skidbladnir, which, like Glooskap's
bark, expanded or diminished. Sigurd, in the New Edda, is obliged
to kill a dragon, and it is very remarkable that he does it by a
special previous preparation. That is to say, he digs a little ditch,
and when the dragon crawls over it the hero pierces him with his
sword. In this story the Indian lays a log over the dragon's hole,
to enable him to chop his head off. The dragon, or horned snake,
is an old-time tradition in America, or pre-Columbian.
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