The Myths of the North American IndiansSpence, Lewis
History
The Myths of the North American Indians
Spence, Lewis
Indian mythology -- North America; Indians of North America -- Folklore
Glooskap, having conquered the Kewawkqu', a race of giants and
magicians, and the Medecolin, who were cunning sorcerers, and Pamola, a
wicked spirit of the night, besides hosts of fiends, goblins,
cannibals, and witches, felt himself great indeed, and boasted to a
certain woman that there was nothing left for him to subdue.
But the woman laughed and said: "Are you quite sure, Master? There is
still one who remains unconquered, and nothing can overcome him."
In some surprise Glooskap inquired the name of this mighty individual.
"He is called Wasis," replied the woman; "but I strongly advise you to
have no dealings with him."
Wasis was only the baby, who sat on the floor sucking a piece of
maple-sugar and crooning a little song to himself. Now Glooskap had
never married and was quite ignorant of how children are managed, {146}
but with perfect confidence he smiled to the baby and asked it to come
to him. The baby smiled back to him, but never moved, whereupon
Glooskap imitated the beautiful song of a certain bird. Wasis,
however, paid no heed to him, but went on sucking his maple-sugar.
Glooskap, unaccustomed to such treatment, lashed himself into a furious
rage, and in terrible and threatening accents ordered Wasis to come
crawling to him at once. But Wasis burst into direful howling, which
quite drowned the god's thunderous accents, and for all the
threatenings of the deity he would not budge. Glooskap, now thoroughly
aroused, brought all his magical resources to his aid. He recited the
most terrible spells, the most dreadful incantations. He sang the
songs which raise the dead, and which sent the devil scurrying to the
nethermost depths of the pit. But Wasis evidently seemed to think this
was all some sort of a game, for he merely smiled wearily and looked a
trifle bored. At last Glooskap in despair rushed from the hut, while
Wasis, sitting on the floor, cried, "Goo, goo," and crowed
triumphantly. And to this day the Indians say that when a baby cries
"Goo" he remembers the time when he conquered the mighty Glooskap.
[Illustration: "Glooskap brought all his magical resources to his aid"]
Glooskap's Farewell
At length the day on which Glooskap was to leave the earth arrived, and
to celebrate the event he caused a great feast to be made on the shores
of Lake Minas. It was attended by all the animals, and when it drew to
a close Glooskap entered his great canoe and slowly drifted out of
sight. When they could see him no longer they still heard his
beautiful singing growing fainter and fainter in the distance, until at
last it died away altogether. Then a strange thing happened. {147}
The beasts, who up to this time had spoken but one language, could no
longer understand each other, and in confusion fled away, never again
to meet in friendly converse until Glooskap shall return and revive the
halcyon days of the Golden Age.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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