Part 4

ni·gəzα̨´ŋgəlα̨badji`n pi·´t·adji· kəse´łα̨bənα`.” ni·geła´ walnαbε´ and hold tight for exceedingly we will go fast.” Forthwith that man

udes·α̨dawa´n ubə´s·kwanə`k yuli´l` bmula´l` ni´·wa mounted his back of this Bmule´. Then

umα̨´djełα`n ktci·´mədeolənu` ni·gα̨da´k e´dudji·ełα`nt` he went away the great magician even so traveling

wabmulε·´ pek·i·´lα̨begwa`si·məgi·` ni·gi·´zi· met`ki·wi´k wa´ that Bmule´ could rise in the air. Then when to the end there

obe´djiłα`n i·yu´ ede´li·bezwo`got bmulaiki·´ li·wi·tα̨zu´. he came here there he brought him to Bmule´’s country as it is called.

ktaha´n·dwi· mədeolənowa`k ai·yi·di·´t ma´ǫwi· baskwε·´ Great magic shamans are there together just at noon.

payα̨di·´t yugi´k mədeolənowa´k ma´ǫwi· gau´ldowak They came these shamans together they slept.

ni·yuli´l` bmula´l` pεzwogo´t ni´t·e yuk·i´k Then this Bmule´ bringing him right there to this country

ubu´nəgu`n ni·ude´łəgu`l “yudala´di·eli·` təmakwa´k he was put down and it was said to him, “Here hunt beavers

si·bi·wi·´ wunəgi·gwa´k ni·kwi·wi·zα̨dji´n wi·biwi·´ also otters so hurry and get ready just

ngedα´mkip·o`de[64] kda´tcwi· ayi·´n ni·gi·za´di·eli·ane` at one o’clock you must stay and after you have hunted

ni·gəbəs·i·ha´dasi`n nabawi·´ ni·t·atci·´ ko´lα̨bekhα̨da`mən you skin them quickly and then at once bundle them up well

kəmade´gənoma`k ni·ni·ebla´ tek·a´ ndatcwi·´l·os·e` nda´ba your hides until then there I must go it will not be

sipki·wi·´ ni·dji·nəbaya´n esmadji·´ to`k·u´ldewi·a`k ktci·mədeolənowa´k long time and I will come before will they wake up great shamans

nədji·´kəmαdja`ləlα´n mi·na´ wa´dənαla`n” ni·geła´ ni·gat·e´ so I will carry you back again (to) where I got you.” Accordingly at once

wa yuli´l`. wi·dα̨ba´l` ela´gəki·mgo`t ni·wi· hwi·zα̨dji´n that this his friend as he was told then he hurried

ni·gat·e´ nunadi·e´ləwα̨mα`n wunəgi·gwa´ si·bi·wi·´ təma`kwa´ and at once then he hunted and packed them otters also beavers.

ni·gi·zi·ni·łα̨ni·´ kipke´`tαhα`nt ni·yu´ bə´s·i·hada`s·i·łαn After he had killed he cut off some meat and then he skinned them

nabi·nαŋgwa´t ki·ni·´ eli·wi·za`ke´k ni·ga´ wᴐ̹·lαbek·hα̨da´mən quickly it seemed very much he hurried and then he bundled them up well

umadegənoma´ ni·gi·zi·´ ki·zα̨dji·´t eli·dəhαzi·´t “ki·zi·ε´t·o´ his hides and after he was ready he thought, “It is after

nahən´i·´ nəgwədα´mki·p·ode·` α̨gełαt·e´.” ni·ga´nowa now about one o’clock surely.” And then he

wədli·dəhα̨zi´n “ni·dα̨bε´ nowa´neləmu`k`ᵂ” ni·ganowanda´ thought, “my friend said what was true.” And then not

tαnetu´l`. la´k`ᵂhε·ki·` wedji·bayα`nt yuli´l` wi·dα̨ba´l` did not know how far he came from this his friend

wəs·a´mi·wi·`tc nd´at·egəne` ki·zi·djanabi·wi·` wa ayagαnt·e´ because also not he could stop that since

we´dji·wi·` mε·łαntde´ spəmə´k` sala´k·i·wi·` ni· unodamə´n always traveling in the air. Suddenly then he heard

saŋkhi·mαmα´ntkami·`gip·ode`k eli·dəhα̨zit ebəgwatcε·t·o´ coming out earth trembling, thinking on account of it

gadi·me´t`kami·ge` e´dudji·sαk·pa`tαŋgwa`k saki·´yulil` the world was about to end so much it was noisy, but behold this

wi·dα̨ba´l` sαŋkhe´łα̨li`t ni·ga´t·e pedji·´gədahi·t wa bmulε·´ his friend coming along out and then came jumping that Bmule´.

ni·udi·´damən wa a´ida bmulε·´ “nabawi·´ tes·i·´gədahi`n nbə´skwanα`k Then said that well Bmule´ “Quickly jump upon my back

gi·zi·na`´ni mədeolənowa´k amku´ldowa`k.” ni·geła´ ni·wa´ it is already time the shamans wake up.” Accordingly then he

udes·i·´gədahi´n pə´s·kwanα`k. yuli´l wi·dα̨ba´l` sε·wi·yu´ jumped upon his back this his friend with here

umadegənoma´ tαnławe´i· ki·za´di·eli·`t ni·wa´ omα̨´djełαn his hides as much as he had hunted. Then he started off

bmulε·´ ni·t·atci·´ tα̨ławe´i· e´dudji·łα`nt pek·i·wi·´bi·wi·` Bmule´ and then like so fast going only just

lαmbi·gwa´hasi·de` ni·gi·zi·´ obesogu´n wa´də nogo`tα`p ntami·´ he imagined it then after he warmed up his belly and his head first

neni·gan·i·´ gi·zi·be´swogo´t ni·udi·´łəgun “nd´atci. mi·na´ there as formerly when he brought him then he was told “Not ever again

kəne`na´mi·hodi·`p·əna` kenowadji·´ kədaskami·´ wule´ləməgwewin we will see each other but also you forever will have good fortune

nəwedji·´ kwenα̨´wəzi·a`n” ni·t·atci·´ notlo´`kαŋga`n ume´tα̨begəs·i`n. and so you will live long.” And here my story is ended.

[62] Used in a somewhat humorous sense.

[63] Lit. “yellow money,” mani´, “money” borrowed during early English contact.

[64] Literally “once move (sun)” referring to division of portions of the day.

HOW A HUNTER ENCOUNTERED BMULE´, VISITED HIS COUNTRY AND OBTAINED A BOON[65]

FREE TRANSLATION

Once there was a man who went hunting but he could not find anything. Soon he came to a river and as he had become thirsty, he sat down and after he had sat down, he was about to drink. While he stooped down toward the water, there in the water he saw some one’s reflection really resembling a human being, but one whom he did not know but of whom he had heard. Behold he was like Bmulε´, and at once the man got up and hid himself and after he had hidden, he watched to see what the other, his friend Bmulε´, would do. Then he climbed into a tree. Then the other, whose reflection he had seen in the water while lying on his face, that one in his turn was about to come down and drink. He had a piece of gold in his mouth and he took it out and laid it on the ground. Then the man, when he saw where Bmulε´ had hidden it after taking it from his mouth, thought that he would go and steal it. Accordingly, the man started to crawl flat on his belly so that his friend would not see him, and when he came near, crawling slyly along, he took the gold.

[65] A St. Francis Abenaki tale, given by C. G. Leland and J. D. Prince (Kuloskap The Master, New York 1902, p. 236), rather closely follows this narrative, though in the St. Francis story “P’mula” gives magic eye-rings of a snake to the hunter.

Pəmu´la seems to be known locally among the western Wabanaki. To the St. Francis Abenaki he is a bird-like monster which flies from one end of the world to the other in one day. He can hear the merest mention of his name if anyone calls him. (Cf. Maurault, op. cit., p. 574.) In Penobscot mythology, Pəmu´le, “Comes flying,” is believed to heed the appeal of men. Once a year he flies across the sky, propelling himself with bull-roarers, giving three cries; one at the horizon; one at the zenith, and one at the other horizon. He may be stopped by an ascending column of smoke and will then grant supplications for aid.

The concept is interesting as an element of religious and social fabric among related western Algonkian. Among the Algonquin and Ojibwa of Ontario, the creature is known under the name Pa·´guk` (Timiskaming) (cf. F. G. Speck, Myths and Folk-Lore of the Timiskaming, Algonquin, and Timagami Ojibwa, Memoir 70, Anthropological Series No. 9, Geological Survey of Canada, 1915, p. 22) and Pa·´gαk (Timagami) (ibid., p. 81). The beliefs regarding him are similar to those of the Wabanaki; though the Timagami believe his appearance to be an omen of death. With the Menomini “Paˣkaˣ is a flying skeleton ... corresponding to the western Ojibway Pägûk” (A. B. Skinner, Social Life and Ceremonial Bundles of the Menomini Indians, Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History (1913), Vol. XIII, pt. 1, p. 83).

On the northern plains, however, among the Plains Ojibwa, “Pägûk, a skeleton being with glaring eyes which is sometimes seen flitting through the air,” is the dream patron of a cannibal cult (Windigokan), the members of which perform in a mask costume and blow on whistles. The functions of the society are to heal disease and to exorcise demons. Taboo associations have become centered about the society. (A. B. Skinner, Political Organization, Cults, and Ceremonies of the Plains Ojibway and Plains Cree Indians, ibid., Vol. XI, Part VI, pp. 500-505.) The Plains Cree had the same society (Skinner, ibid., p. 528-529) and so do the Assiniboine (R. H. Lowie, The Assiniboine, ibid., Vol. IV, Part I (1909), pp. 62-66), who also designate the dance by a cognate term Wiᵂtgō´gax. This series of cases makes me feel that we have here a case of more recent elaboration from a common Algonkian idea, the result of a tendency toward socialization on the Plains, where the cannibal cult evolving out of the flying-head conception has taken on the characteristics of the crazy dance of the Arapaho, Gros Ventre and the others of this region.

Then when Bmulε´ had finished drinking, returning for his gold, behold he could not find it and, thinking about it, he reached a conclusion. “So it is evidently stolen from me.” Now that Bmulε´ was a sorcerer, and so right there he spoke aloud into the air and said, “My friend, please do give me back that, my gold, for you can not make any use of it. That is my life. Moreover, I can not stay long in any one place. Pray do give it back to me quickly and if you give it to me you will have good luck, for that you will always have an abundance of money and you will not lack in hunting.” Then the man spoke to him and said, “Then I will give you back your gold, but then don’t cheat me.” And he, Bmulε´, said, “I can not cheat you. If you are afraid of me so now mount upon my back and hold tight to me for very fast we shall go.” Accordingly the man mounted upon the back of Bmulε´ and the great magician started off traveling so fast, because that Bmulε´ could even rise in the air, and then they came to the end where he brought him, Bmulε´’s country, as it is called. Great magicians lived there. Just at noon time these magicians assembled at that place and slept together. Then this Bmulε´ bringing him right to this country put him down and said to him, “Here you may hunt beavers and otters. So hurry and get ready. Just until 1 o’clock you can stay, and after you have hunted, skin your game quickly and bundle up your hides. Until then I must go somewheres. It shall not be for a long time and I shall come back before the great magicians wake up, and carry you back again to the place where I got you.” Accordingly at once the man did as his friend told him and he hurried on with it and he hunted beavers and otters and after he had killed them he cut off some meat and skinned them, quickly he proceeded with haste and then bundled up his hides, and after he was ready he thought to himself, “It must now be about 1 o’clock surely.” And he thought again, “My friend said what was true.” But he did not know how far his friend had to come from, forasmuch as he could not stop anywhere since he was always traveling in the air. Suddenly then a great trembling he heard arise from the earth and he thought on account of so much disturbance that the world was about to come to an end. But behold it was this his friend coming along. Then Bmulε´ came bounding up and Bmulε´ said, “Quickly jump upon my back, it is already time for the magicians to wake up.” Accordingly then the man jumped upon his friend’s back with his hides that he had secured, and Bmulε´ started off going so fast that one could only imagine it. Then he brought him to where he had been formerly. After he had warmed up his belly and his head, he said, “Never again will we see each other, but nevertheless you will forever have good fortune and besides you will live long.” And here my story is ended.

THE ORIGIN AND USE OF WAMPUM

Tanławe´i· aida´ dane´dudji· bodawa´zi·mα`k`ᵂ ni·nawa´ Accordingly well then whenever they held a council then there

utai·nα̨´ məde´olinowa`k ni·dαni·´ εkwαmpsa·´nəhi·di·t yu´gi·k there were shamans and how according as they were strong these

məde´olinowa·`k ni·uda´li wewełα´n aweni·´ mliksani·da´ shamans there they were known who is powerful.

ni·gizi·´ bodawazi·mα´k` ni·ubə´s·kwəletαmαnα` ni·udαm`hadi´n And after they councilled then they lighted up their pipes and all smoked.

ni·wa´ ktci· məde´olinu` gesta´ p`kwudetαmα´nt ni·wᴐ̹·bα̨´bi· And this great shaman each time he drew upon his pipe this wampum

so´gahazo` wudji·´ wudonα´k[66] w·ᴐ̹bi·gα´k ni·wa´ məde´olinu` fell out from his mouth (if) they are white then that shaman

tebα̨´bwi·wi·` edutsani·`t ni·wα̨·bα̨bi´m ebas·i·wi·´ wᴐ̹·bi·´gən medium so powerful this his wampum half white

si·bi·wi·´ ebas·i·wi·´ elwe´mkwi·gə`n ni·wa´ nodas·ani´t and half reddish then this least powerful

məde´olinu´ neləwε·´ mkazewi·gə´n wᴐ̹·bα̨bi´n ni·nawa´ shaman almost blackish the wampum. And then

yugi·´k məde´olinowa`k tanyu´gədji· sekᴐ·´sidji·`k ni·gi·gədji´ of these shamans how this one will win the other ones

peme´ltodetci·` wᴐ̹bα̨bi·´ ki·zi·wədα´mhadi·hi·di·da` having the most wampum after they have all smoked

məde´olinuwa`k ni·tα̨´ławe`i· kadawi·´ wələs·tα̨wα̨`di·hi·di·de` shamans. Then whenever they want to make a treaty

yugi·´k ni·zᴐ·k·ami·´gəsowa`k ni·wətambe´nkek·tona` wᴐ̹·bα̨bi·´ these two nations then they exchange in payment wampum

ni·l·α´mpskahα̨zu` kədəgwabi·zu´n ni·dalα´mpskəhα̨zu` ni·zno´l beads worked into a belt designed into two

wəldji·a´l` eli·danławei´ gi·zi·´wələ`s·tawα̨`dəhi·di`t nda´tαma hands meaning as they have agreed to the treaty no (more)

mαdα̨be´k`ᵂ nda´tci· gadona´ldi·wi·a`k ni·askami·wi·` ni·a´tci· fighting and not hunting one another forever And that

nimsi·wi·´. is all.

[66] The narrator added that some old woman would catch the beads in a receptacle as they fell from the magician’s mouth.

THE ORIGIN AND USE OF WAMPUM

FREE TRANSLATION

Accordingly, then, whenever they held a council there were shamans there. And according to their strength among these shamans it was known who was the most powerful. After they held their council they lighted their pipes and smoked. In the case of an exceedingly great shaman every time he drew upon his pipe, wampum fell from his mouth. If the wampum was white, then it denoted that the shaman was of medium power. If the wampum was half white and half reddish it denoted the least powerful shaman. But if, in the case of a shaman, his wampum was almost black, then he would win over these shamans, the others who had the most wampum, after the shamans had smoked their pipes. And so whenever these two nations wanted to make a treaty they gave wampum to each other as a payment, the beads woven into a belt designed with two hands, meaning that they had agreed to the treaty and would fight no more and forever would not hunt one another down again. And that is all.

WAWENOCK DRINKING SONG

In the following text, obtained at Tadousac from Joseph Nicolar, a Wawenock descendant affiliated with the Montagnais, we have a type of song common among the Penobscot and the other Wabanaki tribes and known as “Lonesome songs.” Owing to his unfamiliarity with the language the informant has used some forms which are not very clear.

ni· tα̨ be si·´s tαn wedo sa´n My little friend whence comest thou,

net·e´ tala´gwi· wi·´ gwe nǫ´ da nǫ´ In that direction “Long town”?[67]

ni· tα̨ be si·´s tαn wedo sa´n My little friend whence comest thou,

di· wa´ di· no´ pαm se´ gwe nǫ´ da nǫ´ Lonesome(?) ledge “Long town”?

ni· tα̨ be si·´s a we´li· si·´s My little friend his little navel

ni· tα̨ be si·´s kαmi·´li·ti·n My little friend give me some

bu tai´ a li·p san bet gwe nǫ´ da nǫ´ Bottle fill up please “Long town” (?)

di·wa´di· ta´ wi· wi·´ gwe nǫ´ da nǫ´ Lonesome “Long town” (?)

[67] For the want of a better explanation it seems that the song refers to some place called “Long Town” (gwenodana´, “long-town”), probably in Canada. The expression gwe nǫ da nǫ may, however, be a verse ending having a value similar to Kuwenodinu, “It is long O,” occurring in a Passamaquoddy song recorded by Professor Prince. (Cf. The Morphology of the Passamaquoddy Language of Maine, Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, Vol. LIII, No. 213 (1914), pp. 115-116-117.) In still another Passamaquoddy song given by Leland and Prince (Kuloskap, The Master, pp. 308-309), there is an untranslated stanza ending anigowanotenu. These independent occurrences of the burden in question seem to attest to its antiquity in the Northeast.

INDEX

=Abenaki Indians= retirement of, to Canada =43=: 175. territory occupied by =43=: 170. _See also_ =Abnakis=; =Abnaquies=.

=Abenaki of Becancour=, a synonym of Wawenock =43=: 173.

=Abnaquies= tribes composing =43=: 170.

=Anasagunticook=, location of =43=: 170.

=Apoosaguntacook= mention of =43=: 170. original form and meaning of the name =43=: 173.

=Ausummowett=, sagamore of Aroosaguntacook =43=: 174.

=Becancour= Indians residing at =43=: 169. native name for =43=: 169. origin of Indians at =43=: 171.

=Birch Tree= myth concerning =43=: 189.

=Bmulé= myth concerning =43=: 193 _sq._ various conceptions of =43=: 193.

=Cannibal Cult=, of the Plains Ojibwa =43=: 193.

=Carribas=, location of =43=: 170.

=Conference at Falmouth= =43=: 174 _sq._

=Crazy Dance= reference to =43=: 193.

=Culture Hero= myths concerning =43=: 180-189. of the Wawenock =43=: 177.

=Dances= traditional, of the Wawenock =43=: 177.

=Dress= of ball players, myth concerning =43=: 157.

=Dummor, _Gov._ W.,= treaty made by =43=: 174.

=Falmouth=, conference at =43=: 174 _sq._

=Gluscap= the culture hero =43=: 177.

=God= Wawenock synonym for =43=: 180.

=Hunter= the, myth of =43=: 193 _sq._

=Jacques Family=, mention of =43=: 176.

=Kennebec=, forms of the name, with meanings =43=: 170.

=Lake St. John=, Wawenock descendants at =43=: 176.

=Legends= of Norridgewock mission =43=: 173.

=Loron= a Penobscot chief =43=: 174. origin of the name =43=: 174.

=Marriage= customs, Wawenock =43=: 177.

=Masta, Henry=, information furnished by =43=: 177.

=Memmadgeen=, a Wawenock chief =43=: 174.

=Moose= myth concerning =43=: 188 _sq._

=Moosehead Lake=, native name of =43=: 189.

=Names, Personal= of the Wawenock =43=: 175.

=Neptune, François=, informant, mention of =43=: 171, 173, 177.

=Neptune Family=, information concerning =43=: 176.

=New England Tribes= extinction of =43=: 168.

=Nicola Family=, information concerning =43=: 176.

=Norridgewock Indians= expedition sent against =43=: 172. forms of the name, with meanings =43=: 170. mention of =43=: 170. mission among the =43=: 172. political independence of =43=: 175.

=Ojibwa, Plains=, cannibal cult of the =43=: 193.

=Passamaquoddy Indians= present home of the =43=: 169.

=Paterramett=, a Wawenock at Falmouth conference =43=: 174.

=Penobscot Families=, territory held by =43=: 170.

=Penobscot Indians= peace made by, for absent tribes =43=: 174. possible union of, with Wawenock =43=: 171. present home of =43=: 169.

=Penobscot Language= material on, reference to =43=: 177.

=Philip Family=, information concerning =43=: 176.

=Phonetic Notes= =43=: 178, 179.

=Quinoise= a Wawenock at Falmouth Conference =43=: 174. possible origin of the name =43=: 174.

=Rasles, _Father_ Sebastian= account of death of =43=: 172 _sq._

=Rosier, James=, Indians described by =43=: 172.

=Saawerramet=, a Wawenock at Falmouth Conference =43=: 174.

=Sachems=, list of, signing Falmouth treaty =43=: 174.

=Sagadahock= forms of the name with meanings =43=: 170. the territory of the Wawenock =43=: 170. use of the word =43=: 171.

=St. Francis Abenaki= origin of the term =43=: 173. tribes constituting =43=: 169.

=St. Francis Indians=, independent of the Wawenock =43=: 175.

=St. Lawrence River=, Wawenock descendants on =43=: 176.

=Sheepscot=, local name for Wawenock =43=: 172.

=Sokokis=, location of =43=: 170, 173.

=Toxeus=, sagamore of Norridgewock =43=: 174.

=Transformer= myths concerning =43=: 180-189.

=Treaty= of Falmouth =43=: 174.

=Turtle= myths and lore concerning =43=: 187 _sq._

=Wabanaki Group= present status of =43=: 169. treaty of, with the English =43=: 175.

=Wampum= myth concerning =43=: 196.

=Warinakiens=, a synonym for Wawenock =43=: 172.

=Wawenock Tribe= dialect of, now obsolete =43=: 177. family names of =43=: 176. gradual drift of =43=: 172. habitat of =43=: 170 _sq._ history of =43=: 171-175. location of =43=: 170. loss of the name =43=: 175. material culture of =43=: 176. meaning of the name =43=: 169, 171. part taken by, in Indian wars =43=: 174. political independence of =43=: 175. population of =43=: 175. present survivors of =43=: 169. proper name of =43=: 169. removal of, to Becancour River =43=: 173. settlement of, on Becancour River =43=: 175. social organization of =43=: 176. synonyms for =43=: 171.

=Waymouth=, _Captain_ ----, reference to =43=: 171.

=Wenerramett=, a Wawenock at Falmouth Conference =43=: 174.

=Woosszurraboonet=, sagamore of Wawenock =43=: 174.

[Transcriber’s Note:

Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation are as in the original.]

End of Project Gutenberg's Wawenock Myth Texts from Maine, by Frank G. Speck