Part 3

“madji·djᴐ·´s wələ´·mk·i·`tc” madjidjᴐ̹´s wələ´mk·i·`tc” “Bad stooping coward Bad stooping coward.”

ni·ye´nəma to´ləbε pa´gəs·i`k ki·k nit·e udeli·wα̨ni·ła´n Then there turtle falling on the ground right away disappeared.

ni·gwi´·lawasoldi`n ni·nda mskaᴐ̹wi·´ ni·wa´ gepti´n Then they all searched for him but not could find him. Then the captain

pabmi·gwi·lawαs·i´t ni·una´mi·tun se´ski·dju´ we´lαmkat·e`k went about hunting him still and saw a bark basket upside down

ni·uda´kskamən ni·uməskawαna´ toləba´l` ni·´ga and he kicked it over and found turtle. Then

təpəloma´n nit·a´tci· eləmi·gi·zloma´n wedji·´ he held a trial (over turtle) and at once it was decided that

metci·ne´t`. ni·gepti´n udi·damə´n “tanedji·nawa´ he should die. Then the captain said, “How then

kdli·hα̨´nenα̨`?” ni·wa´ eta´k·ozi·t ni·udi·damə´n shall we do with you?” Then second chief said,

“kzəgu´sktahα̨`n·α̨dji·`” ni·wa toləbε·´ wədi·damə´n “nda´ ni·a “We will cut him to pieces.” Then turtle said, “Not me

ni·łəgowα´n.” ni·udi·damənα´ “negatci·´ kəme´t`kasesαn·enα̨`.” it will kill.” Then they said “Then will we burn him.”

ni·udi·damə´n mi·´na toləbε·´ “nda ni·n ni·łəgowα´n” Then he said again turtle, “Not me it will kill.”

ni·udi·daməna´ “nəgatci·´ ba´skədji·balα`n” ni·wa´ toləbε·´ Then they said “Then will drown him.” Then that turtle

udi·damə´n mi·´na “ni·n ni·łəgu´n” nega´t·e said again, “Me will be killed.” Immediately

we´dji·ni·mi`p`hamα`k` ni·´l·αnasi´n aida´ nəbə´s·i·zak ni·wedji·´ they grabbed him to kill him. Well! in a little lake that is why

α̨bodji·gelkε·´t·ek yuki·´ edudna´s·imα`k[54]w wa toləbε·´ it is torn and furrowed this earth where they dragged him that turtle

malα´mit·e yu nəbəs·ə´k ni·wədjau´paken·α̨` at last here in the pond. Then they threw him into the water.

ni·wədali·mi·´ ele·dji·ni·gədałα´n ni·yu´ onəs·ε·bε·nəmə´n Then he sank back down and belly up. Then here he riled it up with his paws

nəbi·´ ni·gizi·´ pα̨´gowi·az·əs·ko` ni·wədji·´ nodα̨´dəbewi`n the water; then after it became real muddy so he poked his head out

nəbi´k· ni·ugα̨´galowe`n “oho< >u· ki·ləwᴐ̹,wα´n kəda´k·i·wα̨` of the water. Then he cried out “Oho< >u you all your land

kəni·łəgonα̨´ ni·´ni·a` ndak·i·´ ndαn·i·łəgowα´n” ni·si·´psak kills you but I my land does not kill me!” Then the ducks

nnoda´wαnα̨` kedwi·tci·ba´gətces·i·`t toləbε´· nega´t·e heard him his noise of screeching turtle. Then at once

ugwi·ldasoldi·nα̨´ yu´gik nope´usewi·`n·owak ni· məgəna´n owa´ they rushed for him these warriors Then they chose that

aweni·´ netα̨wikα̨mogwi`t` nimskawa´n məde´wełê` ni·uga´mkolitawα`n one who was expert diver they found. The loon dove down for him

yulil` ni·´səda eli·gamogwi´t nsəde´waiyε·´ ni·uməskawα´n this one second time as he dove the third time then he found

toləba´l` ni·wədji·´kpana`sehi·di`t malami·´ ki·k the turtle. Thereupon they threw him ashore at last upon the ground

nega´ wa´ səgwαsk`taha´n toləbε´ ni·ume´tα̨begəs·i`n then that one they knocked him dead turtle. Then here ends

ndatlo´kα̨ga`n. my story.

[51] Given as “eagle” by Neptune, but, in Penobscot, Newell Lyon identified this with the extinct “auk.”

[52] A secondary chief, from English “captain.”

[53] In a monotonous singsong tone.

[54] This accounts for the mountain ridges and valleys of to-day.

C

ni·gawa Gluskα̨bε´ wedji·mαdjełα´nt sobegu´k ni·wuno´sotəg- And then that Gluskabe went away to the ocean then he followed

wetekamə´n malαmi·´ ktci·dαba´kwαni·ganα´k[55] ni·wedji·´ a river up at last to the great divide. Thence

kalapα̨´welα`nt mozu´l` ni·wa´ mu·s mα̨djełα´nt man·´i·wi· he started up a moose and that moose started off among

si´·bui·ku`k teka´ Pan·awᴐ̹·´mp`skao`k lagwewi·´ ni·wewᴐ̹la´n the rivers in direction of Penobscot River Valley toward. Then she knew

Pukədji´nskwes´u`[56] ni·gi·zi·we´dolamα`k[57] owa´ a´ida Pukedjinskwessu and she could sense it. That one well

məde´olənuskwe´ ni·ugadawi·´gak`hi·`ki·hα`n Gluskα̨ba´l` ni· sorceress. Then she wanted to tease Gluskabe. Then

ugadawi·´kəlapα̨´wəla`n mozu´l` wadji·´ndagi·zi·nlα`ŋk`ᵂ˙ ni·wa´ she wanted to start up the moose so that not he could kill it. That

Gluskα̨bε´ wε·wedəhamα´n yuli´l Pukədji´nskwes·uwal` Gluskabe knew her this Pudedjisdwessu

e´li·gak`hi·ki·hogo`t ni·udli·´dəhamα`n “e´begwatcinatci.` how she was teasing him, then he thought “on account of it not also

kəna´mi·hi·` yu pemi·łα´” ni·geła´ ni·wa´ uba´bmi·gwil- you will see me here passing by.” Accordingly that searched all

awᴐ̹bi`n Pukədji´nskwes·u´ tani·ba´weni·` udli·nami·hα´n about to see him Pudedjinskessu how if anybody she could see.

ni·ge´nəwαnda` wi·´bi·wi· unami·tu´n eli·´dji·lakwəs·inli·`t But not except she saw how the tracks

udαŋəma´ pemsege´k niα̨lawi·´ uno´sawα̨p`tasi`n of his snowshoes on the ledge. For a long time she followed the tracks

neganowa´ Gluskα̨ba´l` wəsε·´smi·wαni·halα̨·l` wzami·´wi·tc wudli·´dəhamgun then that Gluskabe she lost his tracks because it was willed

ni·´ wedjinda´ p`skαŋgo´k ni·wa´ Gluskα̨bε´ madα̨bełα´nt that not she could find him. Then that Gluskabe went down

si·bu´k ni·wanami·hα´n mozu´l` yu´lil noso´kawα`nt to the river. Then he saw the moose this he was following.

ni·ubi·bmα´n ni·a´ida ni·ugi·bi·łα´n mozu´l` ni·gi·zi·´ Then he shot it well then it fell moose then after

eləmi·giptes·i´k ni·udlo´s·α`n ne´ga ubəs·i·halα´n he fell and lay down then he went and he skinned it

ni·gi·zi·´p`si·halα´nt gi·zi·´p`kwedji·łα´nt ni·u- and after he had skinned it when he had taken out then

la´gəzi·α`l`. uge´dnəmə`n ni·udla´kewαn ude´miza`l` ni·´yu his intestines he took then he threw them to his dog and here

edeli·`nłamα`k mu·s ni· muzi·´kətci·` lewi·tα̨zu´ si·bi·wi·´ where he was killed moose that moose buttocks is called and

yu el`ta´gi·hazi`k wula´gəzi·a`l` wa mu·s nit·e here as it stretched out his intestines that moose right away

li·wᴐ̹·bi·gα`k tet·atci·dji·´ eska´mi· wᴐ̹·bi·gα´n tagagi·wi`· became white and now forever white until

metka´mi·gegε`. ndatlokαŋga´n tagα´gα̨begəsi`·t nimsi·wi·´. at the end. My story as far as it goes all.

[55] Said by the informant to have been the ridge dividing the waters flowing into the St. Lawrence from those flowing southward into the Atlantic.

[56] A mythical character common to the Malecite, Passamaquoddy, Penobscot, and Wawenock. She is described as having a figure like a “jug,” who lives alone in the remote forests.

[57] A common concept among the Wabanaki, “to know a thing by intuition.”

D

GLUSKABE BECOMES ANGRY AT THE BIRCH TREE AND MARKS IT FOR LIFE

wᴐ̹·´wi·git notlo`´kαŋga`n wa Gluskα̨bε´ ni·gani·yu´ Here camps my story that Gluskabe also here

babmi·zobe´k`ᵂke`t ni·metcełε·´ uda´lnola`k`ᵂ[58] wandering by the ocean then started out with his man’s boat

ni·gizi·´yume`t`- kak ·wudu·´l` ni·udli·´dəhα̨zi`n and when he had worn it out his canoe then he thought

pla nda´təwoli`n ni·geła´ ni·ugwi·lauhα´n maskwe´muzi·a`l` for awhile, I will build a canoe and so he searched for a birch tree

wela´k`ᵂəseli·´t ni·ugi´ptahα´n ni·gi·zi·´gi·bi·lα´nt straight one then he cut it down and when he had felled it

waba·´zi´· ne´ləwε·´ uzəli·gi·`tahogu´l` awαkα̨dji·´ that tree almost it nearly fell on him hardly

ugi·zi·´wədji·´bulowα´n ni·udli·dəhαmα´n “nda´tci·mi·na` he could escape. Then he thought “Never again

kəni·l`ke´u!” nip`skα̨´təgwα`n wikwənəmə´n ni·uses·əm`hα´n you will kill!” (anybody) That branch he took and he switched it

yuli´l maskwε´muzi·a´l` ni´t·e eli·dji·la´kwus·i`k wəs·əse´mhiga`n this birch tree at once over its entire length it was switched

tet·a´tci·dji·` eska´mi· wewi´nαŋgwa`t kweni·´ pmauzwi·´n·owi·`kek and now forever it is known while people are living

ski·tkami´k`ᵂ ni·umetα̨begəzi´n notlo`kαŋga´n. on the earth. And there ends my story.

[58] Some kind of a hollowed-out canoe.

GLUSKΑ̨BΕ THE TRANSFORMER

FREE TRANSLATION

A

Here begins Gluskabe. When the Owner made the first man then when the first man was made Gluskabe created himself out of the left-over material, out of this earth left over, this earth sprinkled.[59] That is why Gluskabe was so strong. Well, this Gluskabe was able to create himself. Then he moved about in a sitting position. Upon seeing this the Owner was astonished and he said, “How happened you to be here?” and Gluskabe told him, “Well, because I formed myself from the waste pieces of earth out of which you made the first man.” Then the Owner told him, “You are indeed a very wonderful man.” And Gluskabe answered, “I am a wonderful man, because you sprinkled me, and on account of being so near to you.” Then Owner said to him, “So, then, you and I shall roam about from now on.” Accordingly, they started out. They went up a hill, they went up a mountain, and when they got on top of the mountain, when they began to gaze all around with open eyes, so great a distance around could they see the lakes, the rivers, and the trees, and all the lay of the land of the country. Then the Owner said, “Look at this; behold such is my wonderful work, all created by my wish of mine. The earth, the water, the ocean, the rivers, the basins, the lakes.” Then he said to Gluskabe, “What might you have brought into existence?” Then he answered him, this Gluskabe. “I can not bring a thing into existence, but, then, one thing maybe I can accomplish.” Then he said, “Well, I could perhaps do one thing, make the wind.” Then said the Owner, “Well, then, make it; whatever you can do, according to how powerful you are.” Then, accordingly, he made the wind. It began to blow. Then it increased so strong, the rising wind, and then it blew harder until those trees were torn out by the roots and blown over. Then said the Owner to Gluskabe, “That is enough; I have seen your power, even what you can do.” Then said the Owner, “Now, I for my part. I will make a wind.” Then, accordingly, it commenced to blow in return. Then it blew so hard that they could not hold on where they were standing(?); and it blew so hard that the hair on the head of Gluskabe became all tangled up. Then when he tried to smooth it out, the hair of his head, all of it blew off and the head of hair that he had was all blown off by the wind. That is the end of this story.

[59] The Owner here corresponds to the Creator. The sprinkling evidently refers to the Roman Catholic idea of holy water.

B

Well, then, as he wandered along the shore of the ocean, Gluskabe killed a whale and when he had killed the whale he went to inform his uncle, the Turtle. Then he said to him, “Great luck! Killed a whale.” So he told his uncle, “And also we will go and get it, the whale meat.” So accordingly they went, went to the ocean; and when they arrived there where the whale lay they took as much of it as they wanted; and when they had taken it they placed it to one side for a while and that Turtle called together the birds, as many kinds as there were in all the world, and they came along flying in droves. On account of their number the ground fairly shook and, moreover, they fairly covered up the sun by their numbers. Then they all came flying together and ate because they were invited to the feast. Then the Eagle was the chief of the birds, and close by here where he sat was the Turtle. Then that Turtle took out his knife and he cut the buttocks off from the Eagle, this chief. Even then the chief did not feel that his buttocks had been cut off. Then this man, the second chief, a captain, said to his chief, “Who then has done such a deed to you, belittling you? We are all insulted.” Then they all became angry and they laid a plan what to do to the Turtle so as to kill him. Thereupon, immediately they (prepared to) attack him. Then the Turtle took the feathers of the bird and fanned himself, for which he said, “Wing is his fan, wing is his fan,” because he was using a wing as a fan. Then Gluskabe said to his uncle, “By so doing you have done wrong, indeed, cutting the buttocks of the chief. For soon they will attack us.” Then he said, “On account of it, what shall we do?” So he said, “In the meanwhile I will build a nest in this tree.” Then Gluskabe built a nest and he said to his uncle, “You shin up the tree.” Then the Turtle tried to shin up, but he was not able to do it; not able to shin up; so he said, “Dull are my heel claws.” Then Gluskabe took hold of him, the Turtle, and he tossed him up into the nest. And when they were in the nest they sat down to pass off water. Then the Turtle said, “How am I going to urinate up here?” Then Gluskabe said to him, “Extend your buttocks over the edge of the nest.” Then, accordingly, Turtle urinated water, which ran down below. Now the warriors discovered it (where Gluskabe and his uncle were hiding) and their captain looked up and he saw Turtle in the nest. Thereupon, he shot an arrow at him and brought him down. Then he said, “Bad stooping coward, bad stooping coward.” But where the Turtle fell on the ground there he disappeared, and they made a search for him but could not find him. And the captain hunted all about. Soon he saw a bark vessel upside down. Then he kicked it over, and found the Turtle. Thereupon they held a council over him and it was decided that he should die. Then said the captain, “What, then, shall we do with you?” The second chief spoke and said, “We shall have to cut him up in pieces.” Then said the Turtle, “Not me; that will not kill me.” Then he said (the captain), “Then we shall burn him up.” Then again said the Turtle, “Not me; that will not kill me.” Then they all said, “Then we shall drown him.” Then that Turtle said again, “That will kill me.” Immediately they grabbed him to kill him. Well, in a little lake they were going to throw him. From the place where they dragged him the earth was torn up and furrowed, where they hauled him. But at last, here in the lake, they threw him into the water, that Turtle; then he sank, his back down and belly up, like a dead animal. But he riled up the water with his paws, and then when it was all muddy he poked his head out of his shell from the water and then he cried out, “Oh ho! as for you all, your earth kills you, but as for me my land does not kill me.” Then the birds heard him, that Turtle, by the noise of his screeching, and they rushed upon him, these warriors, and they chose one that was an expert diver. They selected the loon. Then this one dove down for him. When he had done this the second and the third time he found the Turtle. And thereupon they threw him ashore out upon the ground, and they knocked him dead, the Turtle, and that is the end of my story.

C

Then Gluskabe went away from there to the ocean. And he followed a river up as far as the great divide (the frontier between New England and Canada). There he started up a moose and this moose started to make away among the rivers in the direction of Penobscot Valley. Pukdjinskwessu knew that he was coming, for she could sense it, being a magic woman. Then she wanted to plague Gluskabe, for she wanted to scare away from him the moose so that he could not kill him. But that Gluskabe knew it, that Pukdjinskwessu, how she wanted to plague him. So he thought, “On account of this, you will not see me passing by.” Accordingly, that Pukdjinskwessu wandered all about to see if she could find out whether anyone had gone by. But she could see nothing except how the tracks of his snowshoes were left on the bare ledge. For a long time she followed the tracks, but at last she lost the tracks of Gluskabe, because he commanded, in his mind, that she could not find him. Then Gluskabe went down to a river, and he saw the very moose he was following; and he shot at it, and there it fell, the moose. And while he was falling he went up and skinned it, and after he had skinned it he took out its intestines. Then he threw them to his dog. He threw them where the moose was killed. That is now called “moose buttocks” by the people. And as the intestines of that moose were stretched out there they showed white underneath the water. And even, now and forever until the end of the world, they will be white.[60] That is as far as my story goes.

[60] Neptune stated that Gluskabe threw the moose’s head to a place which became known as “Musα̨dáp,” “Moosehead,” but he did not know where this was. This is also the native name of Moosehead Lake, which may have been the place indicated in the story. (Cf. Jos. Laurent, New Familiar Abenakis and English Dialogues, Quebec, 1884, p. 216, and Maurault, op. cit. p. IV.) Gov. Newell Lyon, of the Penobscot tribe, added that this is probably the upper end of Islesboro (formerly Long Island) in Penobscot Bay. This still has the name We·ni·α̨ŋgánik “Has a head” in the Malecite language, probably having been named by some Malecite. At Castine Head, where the lighthouse is now, is a place called Madə´ŋgαmαs, “Old homely snowshoe.” The Indians claim that this is where Pukdjinskwessu gave up her chase, the same story occurring in the Penobscot. In several large crevices in the ledge here are the marks of two snowshoes, one a regular one, the other a woman’s shoe, short and round.

D

Here comes my story of that Gluskabe. Then wandering about the ocean he started in a canoe and when he had worn this out, his canoe, he thought “I shall stop until I build another canoe.” And accordingly he looked for a birch tree, a straight one. Then he cut it down, and when it fell down, that tree, apparently it nearly fell upon him. He had difficulty in being able to run away from under it. So he thought, “Never again will you fall on and kill anybody.” That big branch he took hold of it and switched this birch tree right away along its whole length. He kept on switching it and now it will forever be marked while there are people living in the world. This is the end of my story.[61]

[61] The “eyes” in the bark of the white birch are the blisters caused by Gluskabe’s switching. Such an explanation is very common in northern and northeastern Algonkian mythology. (_Cf._ S. T. Rand, Legends of the Micmacs, p. 67, and F. G. Speck, Myths and Folk-Lore of the Temiskaming Algonquin and Timagami Ojibwa, Memoir Anth., Series No. 8, Geological Survey of Canada, p. 83.)

HOW A HUNTER ENCOUNTERED BMULE´, VISITED HIS COUNTRY, AND OBTAINED A BOON

Ni·ga´ be·səgwəda´ alnα̨bα´ ki·wadi·eli´n nda´tαmα ke´gwi And once a man went hunting not anything

nami·təwi´ ni·gayu´ pe´mose`t si·bu´k` ni´obe´dji·gada`dusəmi`n he could see and soon he came to a river then he grew thirsty

nspi·wi.´ bawadji·´ α̨dabi´t ni·yu·´ gi·zi·´ abi·´t` at the same time because of it he sat down and here after he sat

ni·yu·´ ugada´wəs·əmi`n ni·gełα´ ni·´yu. udli·´dαpsidoda`mən here he was going to drink and so here here stooped down

yunəbi´k lagwi·wi·` ni·yu·´ nəbi·´k wəda´li·na`mi·hαn here water toward and here in the water there he saw

aweni´li´l` eləwe´gwi·na` pmauzəwi·´n´u`k li·´nαŋgᵂzu` ndaganowa´ somebody like really a human being resembling but not that

wᴐ·we´lmα̨wi·a`l` aweni·wa´ ke´nəwagi·zi·` una´ nodaməna`l he knew him who that but that he had heard of him

ni·aweni·´ eli·gi´t` sak`hi·wa´ bmulε·´ negani·´ wudji·am`ki´n that one was like behold Bmule´. Then he got up

ni· wənα̨´djigαntłα̨zin u`wa alnα̨be´ ni·gi·zi·´gα̨tłα̨zi`t` then he went and hid himself that man and after he hid

ni·yu·´ dα̨´dəbi·nawα`n yuli´l wi·dα̨ba`l`[62] dαni·dji·´wədla`dake`n then as he noticed him this his friend what was he going to do

ni·gewa´ bmulε´ ni·wədji·´pənα̨dawe`n i·yu·´ abazi·´k ni·gat·e·´ then that. Bmule´ Then he climbed here in a tree at once

eli·nawα´nt` yuli´l` alnα̨ba´l` eli·taləs·əmi·´t` yu· si·bu´k it appeared like this man as he saw lying here in the river

ni·agəma´ egəmα´t·atci·` α̨si·dai·wi´ ogado´`səmi`n ni·yu´ that one where he also in his turn he was going to drink, then

wi·zα̨wi·´mani·`m[63] ge·´lada`k ni·wikwənəmə´n ni·yu´k·i·`k his gold in his mouth and he took it out and here on the ground

ubᴐ´nəmən ni·wa´lnα̨bε`´ gi·zi·ne´mitα̨ŋk`ᵂ ei·gadənə´k he lay it then that man when he saw it where he hid it

i·yuwədo´nαk ni·yuwədli·dəhα̨zi´n nα̨dji·´kəmodənα´n ni·geła´ here in his mouth and he thought to go and steal it. So accordingly

ni·yu´ mα̨djegᵂzi`n walnα̨bε´ abαk·skadai·wi·` wadji·nda´ then he started to crawl that man flat on his belly so that not

wewᴐ̹·lα´ŋk`ᵂ yuli´l` wi·dα̨ba´l` ni·gαn·i·´ gi·zi·be´sudji·wi·` he would know it this his friend then when he had come near

pedji·gwəzi·´t ni·gi·gi·mi·wi·´ uwikwənəmə´n wi·zα̨wi´mani·` coming crawling slyly he took it the gold.

ni·wa´gizəs·əmi·`t wabmulε·´ elα̨bi´t ni· ndα`tαmα̨` unami·´towα`n Then when he had drunk that Bmule´ looking there not, he saw it

wi·zα̨´wimani·`m ni·yu´ ga´dagi`dəhα̨zi´n ni·wədli·´dəhŋzi`n his gold. Then he began to think about it and he concluded.

“eli·kəmo´dənamα`k`.” ni·ganəwowa´ bmulε´ məde´oləno ogwa´ “So it is stolen from me.” And then that Bmule´ was a magician it was said

ni·gan·i·´. yu´t·e ni· no´ləmi·wi·` udli·´gelosi`n ni·udi·damə´n and then right there that abroad he spoke aloud and he said,

“ni·dα̨bε´ kmi·´li·n·əba ni· nəwi·zα̨wi·´mani·`m ki·yandaba´ ke´gwi· “My friend, give me, do, that my gold you can not anything

kdla´wakek·towα´n ni· ni·a´ pma´uzowαŋa`n. ni`· si·bi·wi· you make use of it that mine life. Now also

ndaba´ nzi´p`ki·ngi·zi·tcani·ła`n`tamα̨`. a´yagα`ntedji·´ nabi·´wi· can not I very long can stop anywhere. Pray unless that soon

mi·li·ane´ ni·mi·li·ane´ kule´ləməgwawi`n nəwedji·´ you give it to me and if you give it to me you will have good luck for that

kəməs·e´ltodji·` mani·´ medji·mi·wi·´ αnda´ nadi·e´ləwαŋga`n you will have an abundance money always not hunting

kəne`´nodahαmə`.” ni·udi·łəgu´n yuli´l` a´lnα̨ba`l` “ni· you will lack.” Then he was told this man “Now

gədα̨´ badji·`mi·l·α`n kəwi·zawi·´mani·`m ni·genowa´ moza´k I will give you back your gold but then don’t

pa´tcwuli·k·a`tc” ni·udi·łəgu´n “nda`ba´ keba´tcwəl·o` cheat me.” And he was told “Can not cheat you

ni·gα̨de´kse´gəzi·yanε` ni·ga´ a´ida tes·α̨dewα npəs·kwanə`k` if not you are afraid of me and well mount upon my back