Native American Legends
Of Glooskap and the sinful Serpent
A Passamaquoddy Legend
Of old time it befell that Glooskap had an enemy, an evil man,
a sinful beast, a great sorcerer. And this man, after trying many
things, made himself a great serpent, hoping so to slay the Master.
Of old time Glooskap met a boy whose name was 'Nmmokswess,
the Sable. And the boy had a flute: whoever played on it could entice
unto him all the animals. And once, when the Master was afar, the
boy broke the flute, and in his great sorrow he would not return
home, but wandered away into the wilderness. Now Glooskap knew in
his heart that the flute was broken: he who is a magician knows
at once of a great evil. And coming home, he asked of the grandmother
where the boy was, and she could only weep. Then the Master said,
"Though I roam forever, yet will I find the boy." So he went forth,
and he tracked him in the snow for three days; and on the third
night he heard some one singing in a hollow; and it was a magic
song, that which the m'téoulin sings when he is in
dire need and death is near. And making a circle round about the
place, Glooskap looked down and saw a wigwam, and heard the voice
more distinctly as he drew nearer; and it was the voice of the boy,
and he was singing a song against all of the snake kind. And he
was wandering about the wigwam, seeking a straight stick.
Then Glooskap understood all the thing, and how the boy had been
enticed into the wilderness by the evil arts of At-o-sis, the Snake,
and that the Great Serpent was in the wigwam, and had sent him out
to seek a straight stick. Then Glooskap, singing again softly, bade
him get a very crooked one, and told what more to, do. So the boy
got an exceedingly crooked one; and when he entered, the Snake,
seeing it, said, "Why hast thou got such a bad stick?" And the boy,
answering, said, "Truly, it is very crooked, but that which is crookedest
may be made straightest, and I know a charm whereby this can be
done; for I will but heat this stick in the fire, and then I will
make it quite straight, as you shall see." Now At-o-sis was very
anxious to behold this wonderful thing, and he looked closely; but
the boy, as soon as the end of the stick was red-hot, thrust it
into his eyes and blinded him, and ran forth. Yet the Snake followed
him; but when he was without the wigwam he met the Master, who slew
him out of hand.
Of old times. This is an end of the story.
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