On The Trail Of Elder Brother : Glous'gap Stories Of The Micmac Indians (Gluskap, Glooscap, Glooskap, Kluscap, Micmac, Miꞌkmaq, Miꞌkmaw) [1 ed.] 0892552484, 9780892552481

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On

tAe,

R AI L of

1

ELDER BROTHER Qiaos'*yap. Staples of t/i& JfLicmac

Jlbt&lcl

MICHAEL

B.

Jndians

by

RUNNINGWOLF

(MICMAC NATION) &>

PATRICIA CLARK SMITH

JUustsuLUons by

MICHAEL

B.

RUNNING WOLF

$17.95 (Can. $25.99)

S

/

0-89255-248-4

TORIES OF Glous’GAP, ment of

the embodi-

the Great Spirit, are told by the

many Algonquin-speaking

tribes of the

United States and Canada.

Among them

is

the

Micmac of Maine, Quebec, and

the

Maritime Provinces. Since the seventeenth century, anthropologists have listened to

Micmac Now,

storytellers

and recorded their

for the first time,

tales firsthand.

we

tales.

are given these

Powerful and joy-filled, they

are irresistibly told

by two Micmac authors. LIBRARY

Beginning with

his arrival at the

time of Square

we

creation,

known

follow Glous’gap, also

Elder Brother, over the course of sixteen

He

helps shape the earth and populate

and he

creatures,

with

battles the monsters

who

— among them,

hoarding monster,

a giant bird

off with

tales.

it

threaten his people

flies

as

women and

shape-shifting sorceress

water-

a

of prey

who

children, and a

who

is

Glous’gap’s

eternal nemesis. In the last story, the world

has

become

a settled place

taught his people within

it.

how

and Glous’gap has

to live

harmoniously

Before he bids farewell, Glous’gap

foresees the future, including the

ominous

coming of the white man, and he promises return. “Is the time yet

upon us

Glous’gap will come back to walk

No

one

taught

is

us.

certain.

Always,

We

we

can only

.

.

.

to

when

among

us?

live as

he

wait for his return.” (continued on back flap)

PUBLIC

Copley

BOSTON

Digitized by the Internet Archive in

2017 with funding from

Kahle/Austin Foundation

https://archive.org/details/ontrailofelderbrOOmich

On

the

T RAI L

ef

ELDER BROTHER Qlou&'yafi StoJUes of

the,

JPUc/nac Jncllans

JZetold by

MICHAEL

B.

RUNNINGWOLF

(MICMAC NATION) &)

PATRICIA CLARK SMITH JUu&tbations. by

MICHAEL A

B.

RUNNINGWOLF

KAREN AND MICHAEL BRAZILLER BOOK

PERSEA BOOKS/NEW YORK

Copyright

© 2000 by Michael B. and

Illustrations

Patricia

RunningWolf

Clark Smith

© 2000 by Michael B. RunningWolf No

All rights reserved.

part of this publication

may

reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage

and

retrieval system,

without prior permission in writing

from the publisher.

Requests for permission to reprint or to make copies, and for any other information, should be addressed to the publisher: Persea Books, Inc.

171 Madison Avenue

New York, NY

10016

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

RunningWolf, Michael B.

On Micmac

the

trail

of elder brother: Glous’gap stories of the

Indians/retold by Michael B.

RunningWolf and

Patricia

Clark Smith; illustrations by Michael B. RunningWolf. p.

cm.

ISBN 0-89255-248-4 1.

(he; alk. paper)

Gluskap (Legendary' character) 3. I.

Micmac

2.

Indians.

Micmac mythology.

Smith, Patricia Clark.

II.

Title

E98.M6 R86 2000 398.2’089’973

—dc21

Designed by Leah Lococo. Typeset

99-087597

in

Adobe

Caslon.

Printed in the United States of America. First Edition

MICHAEL DEDICATES THIS BOOK TO HIS SON JOSEPH ISAAC RUNNINGWOLF, AND TO HIS NIECES BETH AND SHILOH AND HIS NEPHEW LAWRENCE. PAT DEDICATES THIS BOOK

TO HER SONS JOSH AND CALEB, HER NIECE

SHAULA, HER NEPHEW MAX, AND HER

GRAND-GODSON JACKSON. TO THE CHILDREN OF THE MICMAC NATION,

AND ALL FUTURE GENERATIONS OF

MICMAC PEOPLE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

T

HANKS, ABOVE ALL,

to the ancestors

who

shared

their stories.

Thanks Crawford,

to our spouses,

who

and gave sage

Thanks Karen

Kat RunningWolf and John

put up with our madness, listened patiently,

advice.

Susan Cohen and our editor

to our agent

Braziller for seeing this

book

into print.

We

could

not wish for better colleagues.

Thanks

to the

these stories, and Rita, Jim,

many

people

who

read or listened to

who commented and made

suggestions:

Mike, and Denise Clark; James Colbert;

Tom

Cummings; Gary and Marlys Harrison; David Johnson; Tony Mares and Carolyn Meyer; K.T. Martin;

Elsie

and

Edythe Mocho; Louis Owens; Rich, Janet, Danny, and Chrissy Pascal; Luci Tapahonso; Sophie Wadsworth; Sharon Oard Warner; Jill Williams and Mike Wolfe;

Hugh

and Barbara Witemeyer.

A special thanks Pat’s students in

to Victor

all,

we

to

Native American Literature classes at the

University of New Mexico.

To

and Martha Garcia, and

say welalin

.

CONTENTS ix

Introduction

The Coining

of

Glousgap

3

Glous'gap and Young Wolf

Why

the Beav ers

Are

at

War

II

with Glous’gap

Porcupine and Fisher

H ow

21

Glous gap Saved Pine Marten

and Mrs. Bear

25

Glous gap and Grandfather Turtle

43

Glous’gap and the Water Monster

57

H ow

the Sacred Pipe to the

W as Brought

Micmac

65

Glous’gap and Painted Turtle

The Boy

in the Birchharh

Glous’gap and Wotjou’san, the

Glous’gap and the Little

73

Box

W ind Bird

Summer Woman

Glous’gap and the Gulls

107

Glous’gap and Wa’sis

117

Glous’gap and the Three Washes Glous’gap’s Farewell

1

Map: Land of the Micmac Micmac

Glossary

Further Reading and Viewing the Authors

144

121

27

13 2

and Pronunciation Guide

About

8l

141

133

INTRODUCTION

T

HE STORIES Micmac

IN THIS

BOOK

people of the Maritime Provinces, Quebec,

and Maine. The Micmac belong

peoples

among known

as the

made up of

Wabanaki,

Micmac,

the

even more widely

people

as far

south

as

Children

also called the

The Wabanaki

Malicite, Passamaquoddy,

Penobscot, and Abenaki tribes and bands. ries are told

stories are

the closely connected Eastern Algonquin

of the Dawn, and Keepers of the Sunrise. are

body of

to the great

Algonquin language speakers, and many of these shared

by the

are told

Some of the

among Algonquin

Delaware and

as far

speakers;

west

as the

Great Lakes know of water-hoarding monsters and

some

sto-

fear-

lake serpents.

We Micmac were

among

the

first

American Indians

to

have contact and interaction with Europeans coming to these shores, and yet their descendents to this day tle

about

us.

that center

Here we

tribe.

all

sampling of the

on Glous’gap, the great being

Elder Brother.

among

offer a

Though most of

know lit-

many

stories

whom we

call

these stories are told

the Wabanaki, they differ slightly from tribe to

We generally tell the Micmac version.

God

is

called Gitji

Manitou

Nigsgam (Holy Grandfather) and Glous’gap

who moves

is

the

live

or Kesoulk (The Creator),

embodiment of

about on the earth and

with people and animals.

cannot

(the Great Spirit) or

Our

who

his power. It

without the people, nor can we

*

ix

he

has direct dealings

stories tell us that

INTRODUCTION

is

Glous’gap

live

without

—

him.

He

our spiritual teacher, the ultimate warrior, medi-

is

cine-person, and occasional trickster. it;

others think he

Some

human. In any

is

say he

a spir-

is

case, the things

Glous’gap says and does are models for the way our people

approach

life.

The Glous’gap wisdom of

the

like these are

stories

Wabanaki of

embody

the laws, morals, and

Some may

people.

think stories

use today, but they are wrong.

little

Ingenuity, audacity, a sense of humor, cooperation, kindness, the hatred

of injustice, the determination to survive

these things always matter. Moreover, the earth place

is

where astonishing things can happen, much

did in Glous’gap’s time

among

us.

These

still

as

a

they

stories unfold in a

wonderful world of monsters and magic that

is

still

very

recognizably the northeastern woodlands, a world brim-

ming over with drawn

to

intelligent

come and

whale-summoning

serve

title

Here, whales are

irresistibly

whoever can sing the Micmac

song, spring flowers speak to us of

hope, and porcupines are

As our

life.

irascible,

On

suggests,

new

then as now.

the Trail of Elder Brother fol-

lows Glous’gap through his adventures during the time he lived

with our people.

When

he comes, the earth

and barely formed, and he helps with creatures and plants. to live

and how

He

to shape

to live together,

behalf with the monsters

who

and populate

human

teaches

raw

is still

beings

it

how

and he battles on our

threaten on

all sides.

By

the

time he takes his leave of us, the world has become a more settled place,

that arises

These

and the

later stories

from human traditional

x

evil

hearts.

Micmac *

mostly concern the

stories

do not have

INTRODUCTION

distinct

beginnings, middles, and ends that leave the characters tidily

accounted

for.

As

in all great story cycles,

Norse or Hindu, Greek or Iroquoian, each branch growing out of

many more Glous’gap story than

we

a

wide-spreading

stories,

retell here.

one

tale is

tree.

There

are

and many more parts to each

But you can sometimes

the story-branches in this

whether

book connect and

how

see

intertwine.

For example, certain decisions Glous’gap makes back in the

dawn of time come

infuriate

some of the animals, and

the clams, beavers, and

their anger out

moose

in years to

will continue to take

on him and the Micmac people. Again,

Glous’gap’s wars with the sorceress Poug’tjin’skwes span

many by

ages,

and each meeting of these old enemies

spiced

their past encounters.

Since the seventeenth century, a anthropologists have listened to set

is

down

their versions

Micmac

of Glous’gap

of these accounts in an appendix. As the only retold

number of non-Native

stories.

far as

book of traditional Micmac

storytellers

We

list

we know,

stories that

we know of

some

ours

is

have been

and written down by two Micmac authors.

the only account

and

It is also

that focuses entirely on

Glous’gap’s history.

How At times

this

in

book came

our young

to be written

lives

is

a story in

we were being

raised within a

few miles of one another, but we did not meet were middle-aged and

living in

New

itself.

Mexico,

far

until

we

from the

beaches and woodlands of our childhoods. Michael

RunningWolf grew up is

a native speaker

the very

Micmac

in

Maine and New Brunswick. He

of Micmac, a storyteller descended from people

who were

INTRODUCTION

*

often interviewed by

xi

early anthropologists.

Michael learned most of these

as a child after the

chores were done on Friday and

Saturday nights,

when he and

gathered around the his

wood

his seven brothers

and

tales

sisters

stove to listen to his father or

grandmother or some other family member begin

story.

In the old way, his grandmother would sometimes

of birchbark to

bite shapes out

Smith

Patricia Clark Irish,

a

also

grew up

French Canadian, and

of the

illustrate a part

Maine, and she

in

Micmac

story.

descent. Pat

fessor of English at the University of

New

is

of

is

a pro-

Mexico, where

she teaches Native American literature and creative writing. Together,

ple to

life

We

we have

tried to bring the stories

of our peo-

on the printed page.

wanted

to give our readers the

things as often as possible; there

is

Micmac words

a glossary

ciation guide at the back of the book.

north country on page 132 uses

and pronun-

The map of

Micmac

for

the

place-names.

It

traces Glous’gap’s trail as he journeys to rescue Pine

Marten and Mrs. Bear and marks other

sites in

New

England, the Maritime Provinces, and points beyond

where the Glous’gap

happen.

were made by Michael,

illustrations

his

stories

The map and

who

the

incorporates into

pen-and-ink drawings traditional designs and symbols

from Micmac

quill

and bead work, hide paintings, and

writings on rock and birchbark.

now

Listen

the old-time

Glousgapi

.

.

.

to the voice of the storyteller, beginning in

way with here

is

these words: Wodiriit atogagan

a story

of Glous’gap!

MICHAEL RUNNINGWOLF PATRICIA CLARK SMITH

xii *

INTRODUCTION

On

tho

T RAI L

of

ELDER BROTHER

&

THE COMING OF GLOUS GAP Wodiriit atogagan Clous'gapi

£JOME

.

SAY THAT GLOUS’GAP was born

speak of him coming

in

more ancient

sto-

down from Was’ouk,

the

the land of the Wabanaki, but ries

.

Sky World, during the time the world was being

formed by Kesoulk, the Creator. They say Glous’gap made his

way

that

across the Sunrise

was

really a

and

spruce, pine,

Ocean

canoe

in a great stone

whole island of granite forested with

With him on

cedar.

the island lived

some

people with the names and natures of different birds and

animals ple ple.

—Mrs. Bear and Pine Marten,

and the Bluejay

The

folk,

the Partridge peo-

Clam peo-

Painted Turtle, and the

island-canoe finally anchored off the northeast

coast, the place the

Wabanaki

There were no people

living

the

call

on the mainland

was rumored there were wild people

how

west. Just

long ago

Land of the

yet,

but

it

living very far to the

these things

all

Sunrise.

happened

is

lost to

us now.

Soon

after

Glous’gap came to these shores, he built

a

lodge for himself. Right away Kesoulk the Creator gave

him work out

all

“Take your maplewood

to do.

the rivers and streams of their

bow and

mud and

dredge

sludge,”

Kesoulk ordered. “Make the channels deep and clean so the waters can run smoothly into the ocean.” So Glous’gap

began clearing

all

making

the waterways of the continent,

deep riverbeds that wound their way toward the great

He mud

ocean to the

east.

did this by dragging his

bow through

the

and

By

the end of the

exhausted.

He

silt,

first

and

it

maplewood

was hard, hot work.

day Glous’gap was

trudged along the

salt

trail

back to

muddy and his

wigwam

and sank down on the cool grass before the door of the lodge. After a while he got his second

wind and began

looking around him, and suddenly he saw something he hadn’t noticed before. just traveled

4

was

*

Coming

a lovely

trail

he had

young woman, slim and

strong.

along the very

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

How

had he ever missed seeing

walked straight over

down

smiled

“What “I

am

sitting

and

you doing here?” asked Glous’gap.

woman

have come to help you,” replied the

voice. “I this

where Glous’gap was

to

him.

at

are

he wondered? She

her,

resourceful and young, and

in a clear

will be

I

good

at

work.”

Glous’gap had to admit he could use the help, and so he invited her to stay with him in his lodge.

The

follow-

ing morning, after the sun had risen from the ocean,

Glous’gap and the young

woman went

ways and worked very hard

They

day

at cleaning the rivers.

pulled up debris from the beds and dredged

from the channels so land,

all

out to the water-

mighty

rivers

way smoothly

The two and were

and

the waters of

the rivers of the

all

little rivers alike,

could

make

their

to the sea.

returned to Glous’gap’s

sitting

when they

all

silt

wigwam

that evening

exhausted on the grass before the door

spied a handsome, well-muscled

walking toward them along the

trail

young man

they had just taken

home. This time Glous’gap was not so

surprised.

He

sus-

pected this newcomer was part of Kesoulk’s plan for his

new- forming world. “Come over the

young man. “What “I’ve

come

young and

are

you doing here?”

to help you,” the

resourceful,

and

here!” Glous’gap cried to

I’ll

young man

be good

replied. “I

at this

“Where have you come from?” Glous’gap “I

am

work.” asked.

have come from Was’ouk, the Sky World,” the

young man invited the

said,

and Glous’gap nodded

young man

to stay in his

to himself.

wigwam

THE COMING OF GLOUS’GAP

as well.

* 5

He

The

next day

three

all

dredging out the riverbeds.

hands

at

work, by

late

completed. Glous’gap tifully all

the rivers

raised his eyes

went

forth together to finish

What with

three pairs of strong

afternoon the great task was at

felt satisfied

now

when he saw how beau-

flowed to meet the ocean.

from the waters, and he frowned

a

could see there was more work to be done to

world the sort of place Kesoulk meant Glous’gap turned to the young

Then he little.

He

make

the

to be.

it

woman

know, we have plenty of plants and

and

“You

said,

and bushes here,

trees

but they have no buds, no blossoms, no leaves, and no I

want you

go around

to

to each

last

fruit.

growing thing and help

it.

Give the evergreens fragrant needles, and give them cones as well so

they can

make more

cedars and spruces and pines.

Give the oaks acorns, and wrap shining white bark around Let there be strawberries

the birches.

ings, blackberries in the thickets,

the bogs.

Be

sunny

autumn, so we can enjoy

maples and golden beeches and bronze oaks.”

when

hard, and

were done she proudly showed the splendid and shrubs

to Glous’gap.

He

would be

ful trees to

good idea

a

some

young woman to bring

my

said,

birds

all,

and but

“You know,

on these beauti-

said. “I’d

them

•

Sky World,” the

birds back there in the

here.

be very glad I

really

if

we

could find some

miss them!”

So Glous’gap summoned up 6

trees

sing for us.”

“I left all

way

to have

her tasks

admired them

then he rubbed his chin thoughtfully and it

in

sure to give each leafy tree the sort of foliage

The young woman worked

plants

clear-

and cranberries bobbing

that will turn just the right color in scarlet

in the

all

his

power and

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

called

upon Kesoulk

Down

World.

send the birds from their

to

home

in the

they came, the whole host of birds, wheeling

and gliding and flapping and diving through the of all

and colors with

sizes

light.

When

their

wings gleaming

Land of

they reached the

posed to do. The chickadee its

own name. The

the lakes and laughed.

The

air,

birds

in the sun-

the Sunrise, each

bird immediately began to do the very things

called out

Sky

it

was sup-

branches and

flitted in the

loon rocked on the waters of

waded and

blue heron

fished in

the ponds, the red-winged blackbird teetered and trilled

from the

cattails,

the jay screamed, the robin caroled from a

bough, and the eagle soared grandly above

down

drifting

to

all, its

Glous’gap and his helpers

Glous’gap smiled to hear and see

how

cries

far below.

the birds enlivened

the world.

Next, Glous’gap turned to the young

“We

man and

said,

need some animals around here!”

Again, Glous’gap called

summoned up

upon the Creator

Creator

the greatest of

is

all

to help him. all

Now

beings, but his

times works through Glous’gap, and so

While

two helpers watched

his

his strength

it

Kesoulk the

power some-

was

this time.

in awe, Glous’gap created

the animals, and as he called each to him, he gave

name.

He made

gwetj, or Chatter.

“What

will

the squirrel and called

That

squirrel

you do

was

if I let

and

him

as big as a

it

a

A’dou’dou’-

whale!

you loose on the world?”

Glous’gap asked A’dou’dou’gwetj.

With

that the squirrel leaped over to a towering tree

and brought

it

down with

a crash.

“You’re too destructive to be so big!” Glous’gap scolded

THE COMING OF GLOUS’GAP

*

7

as

he reshaped A’dou’dou’gwetj into the

little

fellow he

remains today.

Then Glous’gap him

created the

beaver and

first

named

Kwa’bit, or Hard-tooth. Kwa’bit too was as big as a

“What

whale.

will

you do

if I let

you loose

in the world?”

Glous’gap asked the beaver. Right away Kwa’bit set ously to work. a

dam

He gnawed

and

great trees to splinters

furi-

built

so vast the countryside started to flood from horizon

to horizon.

“This won’t work,” muttered Glous’gap, dismantling the dam. “You’ll

hard to create

drown the world we have been working

if I let

you go on being

this size.”

so

Then he

tapped Kwa’bit lightly on the back, and the animal shrank to the size

of ordinary beavers today.

Next, Glous’gap tried his hand at creating the moose.

He named him Off Trees, and

Te’am’mous’e, meaning

called

him Te’am

He

for short.

that if you were to stand at his feet

Strips

Te’am was so big

and look up, you could

not see his head. Glous’gap thought to himself, that a

game animal of this

mountains

flatten the forests, the

beautiful world. It just

isn’t

worth

So Glous’gap tapped the moose to

make him

shrink, but

smaller. Eventually,

moose and

scratch, but that

At

last,

to

lightly

*

true

make him

path

in this

so big.”

on the hindquarters

Te’am refused

to

become any

kill

that giant

moose-making over again from

a story for another time.

Glous’gap finished creating

his satisfaction,

8

is

it

in his

—everything

Glous’gap was forced to

start his

“It’s

could feed plenty of hungry

going to trample everything

families, but he’s

and

size

Things

all

the animals to

and he looked around happily. Everywhere,

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

creatures were burrowing and nibbling, scurrying and

skulking, napping and scratching.

dank

blindly in the

earth, the otter

mudslide and splashed into the at dusk,

river,

The mole tunneled tobogganed down

the bat flittered about

and the doe stepped quietly through the brush

lowed by her two dappled fawns. All was

Now to

them,

his

as

it

fol-

should be.

Glous’gap turned to his two helpers, and he said

“My

friends,

The young

another.”

and Glous’gap could will live together,”

and your children

I

am going

marry you

to

to

one

people looked at each other shyly,

tell this

plan pleased

he went on, “and you

them

will

You

both. “You

have children,

will dwell all

your

days in this beautiful world you have helped to make.

You

can drink

The

nuts.

You

its

will have children.

clear water

and eat

its

greens and fruits and

animals and birds will be your companions here.

will enjoy their grace

and

their courage,

and some-

times they will give up their lives to help feed you and your family.

Go now

begin your

and make

a

wigwam

and

lives together.”

So the two bade farewell away hand

for yourselves,

in

to

Glous’gap and walked

hand, looking for a place to build their lodge.

Glous’gap watched them go, smiling.

By

this story,

our people

know how our

came down from the Sky World

when

grandparents

to help Glous’gap,

the world was new.

THE COMING OF GLOUS’GAP

#

9

back

GLOUS’GAP AND YOUNG WOLF Wodiriit atogagan Glous'gapi

T

HE ABENAKI PEOPLE

.

.

.

say that Glous’gap

formed himself from dust shaken from the

Creator’s hands.

But our Micmac

stories tell us that

Glous’gap was actually a twin with a younger brother.

Just as

much

Glous’gap was good, his brother

as

Utj’bak’tasum, or

Young Wolf, was thoroughly

evil.

Before they came into this world, the two babies held

womb. They

council with one another in their mother’s talked about the different ways they

Glous’gap

said, “I

wanted

choose to be born in the usual way, just

as other babies are.”

He knew

that

it

would be

lead the people, and being born in the

would help him

child

to be born.

his job to

way of an ordinary

be closer to them.

to

But Young Wolf thought himself too great a being

come

forth into the world in such a

vowed,

“When my

time

arrives,

I

common

manner.

shall burst out

to

He

through

our mother’s armpit!”

As

the brothers predicted, so

it

came

to pass. Glous’-

gap, first-born and eldest, slipped quietly and easily into this tle

world, and his mother smiled to see her beautiful

son.

But suddenly she was wracked with

terrible

lit-

pangs

quite unlike the normal pains of childbirth. Sure enough,

Young Wolf fought and clawed

bloody way out

his

through his mother’s armpit, and thus she died in this unnatural birth.

Now both

children were sacred, and both were protect-

ed against death.

The Creator had whispered

blow from

that only a

would be

fatal for

Glous’gap

a flowering rush could kill

Young Wolf he whispered root

to

that only a

blow from

him.

To

a fern-

him. Each child was told to guard

his secret carefully.

The two

who knew

boys grew up together.

their lives

*

day Young Wolf,

were both safeguarded, casually asked

Glous’gap just what 12

One

it

would take

to kill

him. But

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

how

Glous’gap, remembering

had

slain their

own

mother, thought

who seemed

one

life-secret to this

may

said to himself, “It

you what,

each of us shall

trust his

to relish death. Still,

he

me

to

So he

secret.”

my brother, let us

know

unwise to

it

prove important one day for

know Young Wolf’s own “I’ll tell

thoughtlessly Utj’bak’tasum

the

Young Wolf,

said to

exchange

secrets.

Then

most important thing about

his

beloved brother.” “All right.

You go

first,”

said

Young Wolf, and

the elder

brother agreed.

But Glous’gap was test

cautious,

and he was determined

Young Wolf. “The only way

I

can be killed

stroke of an owl’s feather,” he lied.

is

to

by the

Young Wolf, however,

told the truth, saying, “I can be killed only

by

a

blow from

a

fern-root.”

After

many

days

came

it

to pass that Kwa’bit’tjitj, the

son of Great Beaver, tempted Young gap.

Now the

beavers

still

Wolf

hated Glous’gap because of what

had happened back when Glous’gap was animals,

to kill Glous’-

first

creating the

when he had

forced the giant beaver to shrink to a

The

beavers couldn’t help brooding about

manageable

size.

what mighty dam builders they could have been Glous’gap hadn’t interfered.

and taking up

his

bow

“I’ll

do

it,”

said

elder brother with

it

Young Wolf,

he shot Ko’ko’kas the Owl.

with one of those big soft feathers, Young as

if

Armed

Wolf struck

his

Glous’gap slept peacefully in the

cool green shade of a beech tree. Glous’gap started awake in

anger and Young

after

Wolf ran

away. But Glous’gap hollered

him, “Ho, Younger Brother!

It is

not an owl’s feather

but a pine root that shall be the death of me!”

glous’gap and young wolf

•

13

Some

days passed, and peace of a sort seemed to be

restored between the brothers. “Let us be friends and go

hunting together

we used

as

to,”

They walked

Glous’gap, and Glous’gap agreed.

woods and made

into the clear,

their

Young Wolf

camp

a long

way

beside a pool in a

slow-running stream, a place where game animals

would

come

surely

camp, Glous’gap

to drink in the evening. After setting

felt

Young Wolf came sneaking up on elder brother, a pine root.

and

Once more,

the sleeping form of his

Glous’gap came awake with a roar and drove into the woods.

Then Glous’gap

in

a nap.

time he smote him on the head with

this

Young Wolf off deep

head in

up

drowsy from the sun and the walking,

and he stretched himself out to take

was

said to

his hands.

no way

sat

He

down

felt

beside the stream with his

so sad to

know

to be trusted. Glous’gap

that his brother

began picking up

smooth stones from the bank and tossing them

idly into

the water as he thought about his brother and their poor

Now

mother, long dead. in order to save his

own

he had life.

lied to

“Of

Young Wolf

course, the truth

nothing but a blow from a flowering rush can me,” he mused aloud to himself

as

twice

is

that

really kill

he tossed another stone

into the pool.

Unbeknownst tossing stones nearby, and he

Young Beaver was poking about had

splashing sounds. to tell

him what

Wolf was

to Glous’gap, all the while

swum

He

in the reeds

immediately sought out Young

he’d overheard Glous’gap saying.

ever present he asked

*

sat there

over to see what was making the

so pleased he offered to give

14

he

lor.

The

little

Wolf

Young

Young Beaver what-

creature squeezed his

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

eyes shut and cried, “Oh, please, Master

should so love to have wings

When Young Wolf heard

like a

duck or

this foolish wish,

Young Beaver

scornfully and told

to

Young Wolf,

he

go back

I

a

goose!”

just

laughed

to his

pond.

Young Beaver grew very angry Young Wolf’s contemptuous treatment of him, and straightaway he went to Glous’gap’s

how

confessed what he’d overheard and

he’d carried the secret of Glous’gap’s

Wolf said.

camp and

life

to

Young

Glous’gap listened carefully to what the small beaver

He nodded

his head,

and then he stood up

in sorrow.

Plucking one of the ferns that grew abundantly in the

damp ground by

the

est searching for

Young Wolf.

evil

woodland

pool, he set off into the for-

When

Glous’gap found his

younger brother, he smote him so hard with the fern-

root that

Young Wolf

instantly

fell

down

dead. Glous’gap

sang the death song over the body of his younger brother

and wept

bitterly.

The Micmac entombed Peninsula.

in the

He

say the

lies

Chic-chouc Mountains, out on the Gaspe

will rise

when Glous’gap

body of Young Wolf

up

will battle

at the last all

days of this earth,

over again the giants and

monsters he fought in the olden times, and Young Wolf will lead that terrible army.

time

is

with a

coming, for then Glous’gap terrible noise.

for the brother he

world might be

know when

People will will

shake the ground

But meanwhile Glous’gap

was forced to slaughter

a safe place for beasts

that

still

weeps

in order that the

and human beings.

glous’gap and young wolf

*

15

.

WHY THE BEAVERS ARE AT WAR WITH GLOUS’GAP Wodinir atogagan Glous'gapi

B

ACK AT THE DAWN gap created

beaver he Kwa’bit,

all

made was

of things

.

.

when

Glous’-

the creatures, the very as big as a

whale.

first

One day

whose name means Hard-tooth, began

to

home he dreamed of for himself He wiped

build the

whole

wood

of forest just for the

tract

and the dam he constructed was so flood

tall

to

make

out a

his lodge,

the waters began to

the country roundabouts. Needless to say, this

all

greatly displeased Glous’gap, who’d

worked

so hard to

dredge out the broad watercourses and make our land beautiful.

“Stop,

my

friend!” called out Glous’gap the Gitji’ke’-

man

napi, the great

of power. “You’ll drown everything

we’ve got here!

Great Beaver, tried to say,

“Go

Gitji’ Kwa’bit,

was too busy to

He

listen.

away, Glous’gap,” but just then he was

swimming

off with another stand of huge trees in his

mouth, and

it

came out more

“Come back

like

‘“O away, ’ous’ap!”

and Great

here!” thundered Glous’gap,

Beaver dropped his mouthful of timber and stared defiantly at

him. “I’m building myself a lodge and a

needs, and that’s

Glous’gap said only one

many

who

others

“No one “I

am

there

all

to say about that!”

is

sternly,

dam

to suit

my

he snarled.

“Friend Kwa’bit, you are not the

has need of a place to suit himself1 There are .

whose needs you must is

as

important

as

I

consider!”

am!” Great Beaver replied.

reshaping the world!”

Glous’gap shook his head.

“My

friend, you’re too

destructive for your size!” he warned, but Gitji’ Kwa’bit

paid no attention.

He

simply eased himself into the water

so only his nose, his back, ble.

trees

He

and

his

broad

flat tail

were

visi-

occupied himself by ferrying stand after stand of

from the shore 18

*

to his towering

dam.

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

“I

am

talking to you!” Glous’gap shouted over the

water, but Great Beaver paid no attention.

“‘O away, ’ous’ap!” he

mumbled

and to add emphasis to

der,

cross-hatched

tail

down on

his

again over his shoul-

words he slapped

the water, causing a drenching

deluge that sent Glous’gap sailing through the

dropped him

to earth

huge

his

some

air

and

distance away.

Glous’gap spluttered and stood up, soaked to the bone.

He

enormous rock and chucked

seized an

dodged

Beaver. Gitji’ Kwa’bit

and then another came

easily,

it

but

it

Great

at

when another

flying at him, Beaver

began to run.

In trying to escape Glous’gap’s barrage of boulders, Beaver

ran crashing through his pieces.

The

What

own dam,

a fearful sight!

splintering

dam

swamps, bogs, ponds, and lakes that of the Wabanaki peoples even to all

many

into

Water gushed everywhere.

flood from that broken

With

it

created the

are

found

many

in the land

this day.

his wild scramble to escape, Gitji’ Kwa’bit

didn’t get very

far.When he caught up with Beaver, the

dripping Glous’gap howled with laughter as he slapped

him on

To

the back, causing

him

to shrink to his present size.

this day, all beavers feel bitter

Glous’gap when they consider

might have stripped and what

dammed-up

But Glous’gap and

fur has kept

how many a

forests they

wonderful world of

waters they might have made. For that reason,

they always choose to

beaver,

and vengeful toward

in

make war upon him.

in his turn has

time he slew

been no friend of the

many of them, and

their sleek

him very warm.

WHY THE BEAVERS ARE AT WAR WITH GLOUS’CAP

•

19

.

*

PORCUPINE AND FISHER Wodiriit atogagan Glousgapi

L

ONG AGO, side.

The

.

.

a great flood covered the country-

waters washed away nests and bur-

rows and dens and camps and

villages,

and

all

the

creatures were left homeless. Porcupine and Fisher

r

and Glous’gap, our Elder Brother, the Lord of Creation,

down

sought refuge on a big uprooted tree floating swollen

all

the

river.

Matta’es the Porcupine did not recognize Glous’gap,

and even

if

he had,

it

wouldn’t have

Porcupine just wanted to be

made any

warm and

dry.

difference.

He dug

his

claws into the broadest, flattest part of the tree trunk, then raised his quills

carious perch, flood.

and forced Glous’gap

among

to take the

most pre-

the thin branches straggling in the

Every time the current buffeted the

got dunked in the icy waters.

He

spluttered

tree

Glous’gap

and shivered

as

he clung to the sodden branches.

Pe’gumk the Fisher recognized Glous’gap and wanted

to help him.

He

right

away

turned to the bristling Porcu-

pine and said, “Please, friend, give up your seat to this fellow. Can’t you see he’s soaked and chattering with the cold?” “I don’t care!” said

him swim

Porcupine. “If he doesn’t like

it,

let

off and find a tree of his own!”

“Please, friend!” said Fisher gravely, glancing over at

the drenched Glous’gap. “Don’t talk that way! Can’t you see

how much

this

“Better

one

is

suffering?”

him than me!” Porcupine

sneered, as the tree

careened through even wilder waters. Fisher tried once again. the roar of the flood, “It ishly!

I’ve

who

warm is

Friend!” he shouted above

sad that you are acting so self-

now

unhappy

creature

perch. Please, won’t you give

up your

asked you twice

take your safe

spot to he

is

“O

to let this

more worthy of it?”

But once again Porcupine

refused. “I

am

the great and

mighty Matta’es!” he taunted. “Nothing can move 22

*

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

me from

my of

chosen place!

my

will

tail

anyone

If

tries to

dislodge me, one slap

be enough to send him howling!”

he turned his back to Fisher and raised his

that,

With

quills in

fighting form.

Fisher had had enough, and he pounced upon Porcupine. Slashing claws and flashing teeth mixed with

and

flying fur

quills, so that

current as they fought.

Fisher at

last

the tree hobbled crazily in the

Amid

snarls, screams,

drove Porcupine off the safe wide trunk

toward the roots half- sub merged in the this time, Fisher

shot

full

and yeowls,

But with

quills.

By

frigid waters.

could not speak because his

of porcupine

down

a gallant

mouth was wave of his

paw, he offered the dry spot to Glous’gap.

Glous’gap saw poor Fisher’s injured mouth, and he

knew how much

it

drew Fisher near

trunk,

As

the quills.

He

hurt.

sat right

to him,

and

down on

the broad

carefully pulled out

the tree rushed ahead on the crest of the

great flood, Glous’gap told Fisher,

“From now on,

Pe’gumk, you will be Porcupine’s greatest enemy, and quills will

pay for

never again

his arrogance

And creature

so

it is,

who

unharmed.

harm

and

you. In this

way Matta’es

even to this day. Fisher a

When Micmac bits

his will

disrespect.”

can fight

droppings with

know

all

is

still

the only

porcupine and come away people come across animal

of porcupine

quill stuck in

Fisher has passed that way, and they

them, they

know

that once

again he has gotten the better of Porcupine, just as Glous’-

gap promised long ago.

PORCUPINE AND FISHER

*

23

HOW GLOUS’GAP SAVED

PINE

MARTEN AND MRS. BEAR Wodiriit atogagan Glous'gapi

1

N

THE OLD DAYS,

I island

.

.

.

.

Glous’gap lived on an

where he shared

a

lodge with Pine

Marten, the fellow he liked to

call

Younger Brother, and

Mrs. Bear, the elder he called Grandmother. Mrs. Bear kept the lodge neat and prepared meals and took good care of Glous’gap

and Pine Marten.

In those days, a person could be both an animal and a

human being

at the

Brother looked

like a

same time. Sometimes Younger

pine marten, with sleek

snout, and a long bushy

human

self into

young man.

tail.

But he could

fur, a

also

pointed

change him-

shape and be a bright-eyed baby or a

lithe

was the same with Mrs. Bear. Sometimes

It

she looked like a shaggy, snuffly she-bear, and sometimes she seemed to be a stout old lodge.

shuffling around the

Even when Pine Martin and Mrs. Bear took on

human they

woman

shape, there was always something about the

moved and spoke

that recalled their animal natures.

Glous’gap and Pine Marten shared

many

adventures

Sometimes Glous’gap would lend Pine Marten

together. his

way

magic

belt,

deeds. Pine

and then he too could perform wonderful

Marten himself had

a special possession. It

was

a small, ordinary-looking birchbark dish, the kind our peo-

ple call witj’kwid lakuritjitj. Pine

from

it.

Marten

ate all his

meals

In time of trouble, he could leave the dish any-

where, and Glous’gap would be sure to find

it.

By studying

certain mysterious markings Pine

Marten would make on

the birchbark, Glous’gap could

exactly

going with his

Now

little

tell

how

things were

family.

many

other Indian peoples living on

the island with Glous’gap.

Each band took on the name

there were

and the personality of some particular animal or

bird. In

those times, the Partridge people had begun to acquire a

26

*

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

!

little

power

and

for themselves,

gaining some power just

in the

way of such

things,

made them want more. They were

very jealous of Glous’gap, the most powerful being of

So the Partridge people held

ming

They decided

as partridges do.

was off on one of

a council,

take

meeting and drum-

that while Glous’gap

his expeditions, they

Marten and Mrs. Bear and

would kidnap Pine

them

if

shows how

One

he were

little

crisp

they

knew of Glous’gap’s

people’s meeting, Glous’gap

a

would

die

alone on the island. This only

left

November day not long

weeks of hunting

The

far away.

Partridge people had great hope that Glous’gap

of sorrow

all.

powers!

after the Partridge

was headed home

in the forest.

Over

his

after six

back he had slung

hunting cord strung with the rabbits and ducks he had

brought down with full

load of cut-up

his

maplewood bow, and he

moose meat

watered

as

own

carcass.

His mouth

he thought about the delicious moose-meat

stew Mrs. Bear would soon per.

pack he had

as well in a

neatly fashioned from the moose’s

carried a

But when he came

set

about cooking for their sup-

to the lodge, Pine

Marten and Mrs.

“

Bear were nowhere to be seen. Nougourriitj Grandmother! Utfkin!

My Younger Brother!” Glous’gap called out, but no

reply came.

Glous’gap spotted the tracks of several people, including

down

to the

whom

should

those of Pine Martin and Mrs. Bear, leading water’s edge.

he see

among

quickly followed them, and

at the shore

but Win’pe, the most dreaded sorcerer

the Partridge people, setting off in his canoe.

him were Bear,

He

his

own

whom he

wife and child, and Pine

had forced

HOW glous’gap SAVED

to

With

Marten and Mrs.

accompany him.

PINE MARTEN AND MRS. BEAR

*

27

The canoe was

still

within hailing distance, and so

Glous’gap cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted,

“Grandmother! Send me back would need

my

dogs!”

were to rescue

their help if he

He knew

his family.

he

Now

Glous’gap’s dogs, like Glous’gap himself, could assume any

and right

size,

they were only the size of

Mrs. Bear snatched up

squirrels.

bowl

moment

at that

— and

set the

two dogs

a woltestakun

afloat in

the shore where Glous’gap fished

water and greeted his loyal pets.

and

face

it.

it

—

a

wooden

It drifted easily to

out of the cold

The dogs

salt

licked his hands

and quivered with excitement. They thought they

would be

setting off on a fresh adventure right

away

to res-

cue their friends, but they were wrong. Glous’gap just stood and watched as the canoe bearing his family slowly

dwindled to looked up

a speck in the distance.

at

The dogs whined and

Glous’gap, but he only sighed.

Win’pe’s canoe was no longer

visible,

At

last,

when

he turned back to the

lodge, the dogs following anxiously behind him.

Meantime, Win’pe was puzzled that Glous’gap did not try to stop him. is

already

any

case,

He

thought to himself, “Perhaps Glous’gap

weakened because of the he decided to move

his family

and

moog’waddy,

his prisoners,

at the

loss

of his dear ones.” In

as quickly as

he could.

Win’pe paddled on

northeastern tip of what

With

to Passa’-

we now

call

Maine, and from there he ordered the canoe on to Grand

Manan. After camping Kes’poog’wit, which today.

And

is

there for a while, he crossed over to

where Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

so he went, slowly traveling northward along

the coast through Oun’a’mag’ik, or

28

is

*

Cape Breton, and

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

at last

now

over to Uk’tuk’kam’kou,

maps. If you look

at the

map

called

of northeastern

and Canada on page 132, you can

2

Now

whether

some other

it

was

Newfoundland on

New England

trace the trail

of Win’pe.

.

to strengthen his

own power

reason, no one knows. But the fact

or for

that

is

Glous’gap remained on his island for seven whole months before he began to pursue his marauding enemy. In high

summer, when he and went down

felt

to the

right,

he took his dogs

beach and stood there looking out to

sea, far across the waters.

to sing his

was

the time

Then

in a strong voice he

whale-summoning song,

began

the song the whales

have no choice but to obey.

Soon

a small

whale breached

in the distance

and swam

gladly along the shore straight to Glous’gap. Glous’gap

placed one foot on the whale to test his weight, but the

creature was too small and sank under the burden. Glous’gap just thanked him and sent him on his way.

Then Glous’gap sang

his

whale song again, and

this

time there came swimming up to him the largest whale in all

the briny oceans, a mighty she-whale.

Her name was

Bootup’skwes. She ferried Glous’gap and his dogs well and easily over the

waves

to Kes’poog’wit.

But Bootup had

always been afraid of getting stranded in shallow water, and so she called

up

to her passenger, “Is land in sight yet?”

Glous’gap, not wanting to get his feet wet, called back, “No!’

And

so

Bootup went on,

HOW glous’gap SAVED

PINE

slicing cleanly

through the

MARTEN AND MRS. BEAR

*

2 l)

!!

-

,

gray waters, with Glous’gap balanced deftly on her back.

His hair whipped about him, and the determined

salt

spray stung his

face.

As Bootup swam

on the ocean

shells lying

make out

on, she could begin to floor

below

and soon the

her, “

water grew so shallow that she cried out, Mooriastabagari kwitje' an' nook?” which means, “Isn’t the land showing itself as plain as a

bowstring?”

But Glous’gap

way from

They

called out to her,

“We

are

still

a

long

shore.”

raced on until the water was so shallow that

Bootup could hear the song the clams were singing from where they

Clam

lay

hidden under the sand below

the

people hate Glous’gap, and this was the song they

were singing to her That one

,

Luckily,

:

toss

Drown him

him from your back

.

in salt waters black

Bootup did not understand the language of

clams, and so the song was lost on her. But she

Glous’gap could speak the languages of

and she

Clam

Now

her.

called

up

to

all

knew

that

the creatures,

“What song

are those

goes something

like this,”

him, asking,

people singing, master?”

“Oh,” replied Glous’gap,

and he sang to

“it

her:

Koussal koussal koussal koussal

Hurry hurry hurry hurry Ferry that one, ferry that

man

,

over the waters swift as you can

30

*

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

—

Bootup obediently plied her

swimming

faster

and

tail

with

all

her might,

— and sudddenly found

faster

herself

thoroughly beached, high and dry on the shore! She could not believe that Glous’gap would deceive her so badly, and she sang out her whale’s lament:

Ah,

my grandson,

Alas,

noutjitj,

you have been my

Now I can

death, ’

never leave the land

Never again will I swim

in the sea.

But Glous’gap just laughed and sang back

Have

no fear

to her,

my grandmother,

Have no fear, nougoumi Wait and see,

You shall swim

in the sea once more!

Then with one shove of

his

maplewood bow

against

her massive forehead, Glous’gap sent Bootup sliding off the beach back into deep water. There the relieved whale

splashed and dove, flashing her before she headed off she

asked Glous’gap shyly,

swam up “

K'tin

and flukes

for joy.

But

close to shore again

and

tail

tumakun ak

turn a

we ?”

meaning, “Do you have a pipe and tobacco?”

Glous’gap replied Friend.

me,

I

“A'io, yes,

You want tobacco? Well,

am

in

your debt

—

Bootup, I

swam

dear Water

have some, and as for

so take this!”

With

her a short pipe and some tobacco and great she-whale

my

lit

it

that he gave for her.

The

off in high spirits, and Glous’gap

smiled, watching the faint cloud of smoke trailing after her.

HOW glous’gap SAVED

PINE MARTEN AND MRS. BEAR

*

31

To

this day, if

whales pass

you look out to sea carefully

by,

you may well catch

in places

a glimpse

where

of Bootup’s

pipe smoke.

3

Now

.

Glous’gap pushed on to the place where Win’pe had

camped

at

O’gum’ke’ge’ok, only to find the

But he looked around

site

abandoned.

and sure enough, there on

carefully,

the ground he found Pine Marten’s birchbark dish.

picked

it

up and studied the

scratched into the bark.

He

and went on following the

secret

He

markings Marten had

slipped the dish into his pack

trail

of the

evil

Win’pe.

Along the way Glous’gap came upon an old man and

woman. They knew and Pine Marten,

all

about Win’pe capturing Mrs. Bear

was gossiping about the

for everyone

way

the sorcerer had foiled even the mighty Glous’gap.

The

old couple told Glous’gap that

had

left a

good seven months

him they had heard rumors

Win’pe and the others

earlier.

that

They

also

Win’pe had

left

warned behind

monsters to guard his route so that Glous’gap could not follow him.

Right away Glous’gap suspected that the source of

some of these monsters must be

Poug’tjin’skwes, that witch

whom our people have many names — Evil Pitcher Woman and Black Cat Woman are two of them. She was for

just the sort

upon

of wicked being Win’pe would be

for help. Poug’tjin’skwes

had the power

likely to call

to take

many

shapes and forms. She could appear as one man, or one

woman,

old or young. She could appear as a bevy of beauti-

32

*

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

ful

women,

a

crowd of tumbling, laughing children, or

whole army of monsters. Glous’gap would prepared for every

was

it

On

colder.

late

just have to be

and he was.

possibility,

Glous’gap continued to follow the

now

as a

trail

of Win’pe. By

August, and the nights were growing Glous’gap passed a

his way,

about with rushes and

cattails.

When

little

bog hedged

he looked closely

at

the bog, he could see the red of ripening cranberries.

“Aha!” said Glous’gap to himself, and he

bog and gathered

them

stored

might come

At lodge.

last

in

into the

good many of the cranberries and

a

He had

Pine Marten’s dish.

an idea they

in handy.

he came to O’gum’ke’ok, where he found

There by

woman

waded

a

a fire sat a filthy, ragged, toothless old

covered with

lice.

She shook with palsy and seemed

near death as she looked up at Glous’gap with clouded eyes

me some

and whined, “Please, Grandson, gather Glous’gap did

as she asked.

wood, she begged him truth, as

woman

After he brought her the

to help her get rid

Glous’gap could sense,

firewood.”

this

of the

lice that

swarmed over her but

poisons easily able to

kill

anyone

In

was no pathetic old

but Poug’tjin’skwes herself. Furthermore,

ordinary

lice.

it

was no

tiny devils full of

who came

in contact

with them.

Glous’gap told the old

woman

to

bend down before

him, and one by one he began to pluck the her

hair.

As he

flung each louse down,

porcupine or a toad. as she

The

old

woman, of

it

devil-lice

from

changed into

a

course, bent over

was, could not see what Glous’gap was doing. Each

HOW glous’gap SAVED

PINE

MARTEN AND MRS. BEAR

*

33

!

time he plucked

at

her hair, she would ask, “Have you

found one?”

And “

every time, Glous’gap would answer,

Basp Crush

it!”

she cackled each time, and at that,

Whenever

Glous’gap would crush a cranberry. that

have!”

“I

she heard

squishing sound, she was sure that Glous’gap was

little

covering his fingers with deadly poisons that would swiftly

him. As the

kill

pile

of crushed cranberries grew on the

numbers of porcupines and

floor of the lodge, so did the

under

toads. Glous’gap herded the creatures carefully

wooden bowl. Then he used tjin’skwes

drop off to

When

at last

his

powers to make Poug’-

sleep.

she awoke, Glous’gap was nowhere to be

and porcupines and toads were swarming across the

seen,

floor of the lodge. Poug’tjin’skwes

because to her If

her as she

slept.

as

Then

insulted her.

an enemy, he would have slain

She roared with anger

shape, a toweringly beautiful

some.

was doubly furious

way of thinking, Glous’gap had

he had truly feared her

own

a big

as

she took on her

woman, wild and

she gathered up her devil-friends and

plans to do battle with her

enemy Glous’gap another

4

made day.

.

Meanwhile, Glous’gap journeyed on narrow pass between two

fear-

hills.

He

until he

came

to a

was very watchful,

for

he was sure that Win’pe had other surprises in store for

him

besides Poug’tjin’skwes. Sure enough, there at the pass

two savage, giant dogs attacked him, but he two dogs

at

34

them.

*

The monster dogs were

set his

own

astonished to

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

two

see the

who

tiny creatures

looked

mouthful apiece suddenly grow

like they’d

make

tremendous

to

a

size,

snarling and baying and slavering.

Glous’gap had an unusual way of training his dogs.

When

he called them

knew

the dogs harder.

So

it

off, yelling

“Stop! That’s enough!”

these words were really the signal to fight

was

at that his loyal

this time. “Stop!”

shouted Glous’gap, and

dogs tore the monster hounds to

Soon Glous’gap came

bits.

to the top of a high hill covered

with golden birches and flaming maples.

Summer had

already turned to autumn, and Glous’gap was grateful for

warmed him He stopped

the northern sunlight that clearing and gazed across large

wigwam, and he

wicked people

Making to the

and

his

the land. Afar off he saw a

sighed, for he could foresee that

lived there,

way down

all

in a

and another

battle awaited

the rough slope and ledges, he

wigwam and found

there an old

their lovely daughters.

man and

him.

came

his wife

The young women came

out

and greeted the handsome young M’toulin or medicinewarrior with soft voices and winning smiles.

Now

it

used to be the custom

young woman

among our

to drape a string of delicious bear-entrail

sausages around the neck of a young sure enough, the daughters

strings of sausages.

enchanted, and

people for a

if

man

she admired, and

came toward Glous’gap bearing

But these particular sausages were

one of those

women had

succeeded in

draping a string of them around Glous’gap’s neck,

it

might

well have been the end of him.

The young women were unaware

HOW glous’gap SAVED

PINE

that Glous’gap

MARTEN AND MRS. BEAR

*

35

brought a new kind of magic into our world, and did not realize

he could see into their bad hearts.

They thought

they had tricked him completely, and they danced up to

him smiling and swaying

their slender bodies invitingly as

they waved the enchanted sausages in his direction. Glous’-

gap gaped and grinned like a

the

foolishly, acting for all the

young man who wanted very much

women

danced ever

world

to be courted.

closer, Glous’gap’s dogs,

who

As can

always smell magic afoot, began to growl. “

KousT Glous’gap shouted, which means “Stop!”

course, the dogs recognized that attack,

brush

own

into their

fire

exploding into

A

lips,

young women

at

burning eyes, and foul

battle followed, the likes of

been seen before

a

the witches burst

life,

dreadful forms, not lovely

but she-fiends with bloodied

breath.

as their signal to

and they sprang upon the young women. With

flash like a

all

word

Of

in the land of the

which had never

Dawn

people.

The

ground trembled, huge boulders splintered, and water sloshed out of the lakes. All the while, Glous’gap kept call-

ing gleefully to his dogs, “Stop, you hounds! Can’t you see these are

my

dogs fought

dear sisters?

Come

away, you bad dogs!”

fiercely until the witches ran off, shrieking

The and

cursing and sobbing.

Glous’gap then strode across the clearing and flap

of the wigwam. There

fully expecting to eat

stared at

him

*

he asked with

Would you two

Well then, here they

and

his wife,

Glous’gap for their supper. They

in disbelief as

“Are you hungry?

36

sat the old sorcerer

lifted the

are,

mock

care for

politeness,

some sausages?

and may you savor them!” With

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

that,

he looped the strings of enchanted sausages about

their necks, instantly rendering

them powerless. Then he

slew them with one blow, called his dogs to his side, and

went on

his way.

5

.

After hard journeying Glous’gap reached the Strait of

Kamsok

just as the first

snows were beginning to

Again he sang the whale-summoning song, and

a

fall.

whale

arose from the depths of the winter ocean to ferry

him

across the water. Glous’gap circled around Oun’a’mag’ik,

coming upon many old camps Win’pe and left

behind.

The

At one such

had planted another birchbark dish the secret marks

his beloved

much

had

of the camps were drifted over with

fires

snow, the ashes long cold.

From

his captives

upon

it,

place, Pine

Marten

for Glous’gap to find.

Glous’gap learned

how long

ones had been gone from that camp and

how

they were suffering as the slaves of Win’pe, and he

set his heart

even more firmly upon finding them.

lowed their

trail to

He

fol-

call

Cape

North, and there he found that the enemy party had

set off

Uk’tu’tun,

which people

only three days earlier for Uk’tuk’kam’kou, the great island

of Newfoundland. at least the trail

gap sang

It

was the very heart of winter now, but

was growing warmer. Once again Glous’-

his irresistible song,

and once again

whale appeared to carry him across the

Once he before he

a willing

sea.

landed, he had scarcely traveled a mile inland

knew he was nearing what he

found the still-smoking embers of

HOW glous’gap SAVED

sought, for he

a fire. Swiftly

he

PINE MARTEN AND MRS. BEAR

*

fol-

37

lowed the

trail until

Then Glous’gap

he came upon Win’pe’s encampment.

hid himself beneath the snow-laden

branches of a giant blue spruce and studied the situation.

Marten came out of the lodge and began

Pretty soon Pine

poking sadly around

deep snow for firewood.

in the

Glous’gap could see that Younger Brother was terribly thin

and shivering

in his scanty but

knew

mended.

was Mrs. Bear, of

It

Marten

help Pine

Marten was

clothes.

away who had kept those clothes

Glous’gap

right

well-mended

course, trying to her best to

survive captivity.

so deep in despair he did not even hear

Glous’gap softly signaling him. Finally, Glous’gap tossed a small stick at Pine Marten’s feet, and the young fellow

looked up in surprise. At

had

that

fallen

from

Marten

Glous’gap.

first

he thought

until

it

was

just a twig

a tree, but then he caught sight of

started to cry out “Elder Brother!” but

Glous’gap fiercely motioned him to be

“Wait

it

grows dark,

into the lodge. For now, just

“

go

he tell

silent.

said,

“and then

Nou’goum’i,

I’ll

come

my grand-

mother, that I’m here.”

Sure enough,

late that

Win’pe’s very lodge.

A

night Glous’gap stole toward

fresh

fall

of snow muffled his

approaching footsteps. Inside the lodge, the

was snoring

in the

warmest spot near the embers of the

Mrs. Bear, hearing

fire.

evil sorcerer

a tiny rustle

of movement

at

her

back, turned over and beheld Glous’gap by the light of the

dying ed,

fire.

She was so overjoyed

to see

him

that she faint-

and Glous’gap knelt beside her and cradled her shaggy

head

in his lap until she recovered.

Mrs. Bear whispered

how

hard Win’pe made her

very quietly to Glous’gap about

38

*

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

and Pine Marten work and what poor rations he fed them.

“Never mind, Grandmother,” Glous’gap whispered back. “Endure

and

we’ll

him

for just

soon have our revenge on Win’pe.”

Then he

hastily gave

and bade them both

snow had

one night longer, Nou’goum’i,

let

up,

some

instructions to Pine

to say nothing of his visit.

and

a

Marten

By then

the

half-moon was shining. Glous’gap

melted once again into the shadows between the snowladen spruces and pines.

Now every

morning of his

captivity Pine Marten’s first

job was to fetch the water for the whole

camp while he

tended Win’pe’s stinking, squalling devil-baby in gan’igan, or cradleboard. Glous’gap

on

this

break,

had told Marten that

day he must bring Win’pe the

could find. So

when Win’pe

Marten did not go

as

its a’ti-

filthiest

water he

kicked Marten awake at day-

he usually did to

fill

the buck-

ets

with new-fallen snow and bring them inside the lodge

to

melt into clean fresh water. Instead he shouldered the

cradleboard and went straight to a nearby swamp. There he

broke the thick

ice

and dipped up buckets from the oozy,

muddy bottom. Then

he crumbled old rabbit and deer

droppings into the thick, smelly water, and for good measure he threw in the matted hair of a dead

skunk he had

found. Ever so meekly, Pine Marten offered this foul concoction to his master.

Win’pe poured

it

sniffed at the reeking

cup suspiciously and then

out on the ground, swearing a blue streak. “Uk-

seF he spat, tossing the bucket angrily at Pine Marten.

and bring

me

“Go

clean water!”

HOW glous’gap SAVED

PINE

MARTEN AND MRS. BEAR

*

39

Instead, Pine Martin defied the furious sorcerer.

He

baby and

all,

shrugged off the cradleboard and threw

down

in the ashes next to the

fire.

it,

Win’pe’s wife screamed

and snatched up her bawling devil-child. Then Pine Martin ran pell-mell out of the lodge toward the snowy thicket

where Glous’gap

lay in hiding, calling out, “Elder

Brother! Elder Brother!”

Win’pe was

right behind him. His eyes

with anger, and the veins

and

you now! He’s

can’t help

the island where for

it’s

we

your turn to

left

die,

temples bulged.

at his

upon your precious

call

gleamed red

he screamed. “He

“

brother!

“Go ahead

far to the south,

mooning away on

him! Cry out

loud as you want,

you miserable

as

little

Glous’gap’s scheme worked. Pine

weasel!”

Marten

so aroused

Win’pe’s wrath that he lost the perfect calm control a sor-

command

cerer needs to

overcome by

Now Win’pe

own

magic was

rage.

Glous’gap stepped out of hiding and stood before

in

situation,

his

his evil forces. Win’pe’s

all

his shining power.

drew back

a

himself once again.

few paces

With

The

sorcerer, sizing

up the

to try to gain possession

of

great calm and steady will,

Glous’gap raised every drop of power within himself. As the magic stirred, Glous’gap

grew and grew

until he

tow-

ered far above the tallest pine, and the pines in those days

were

far taller

than the ones

we know. The Lord of Men

and Beasts laughed with delight

was

far

as

he shot upward until he

above the clouds, and he seemed to be heading

straight for the very sun. Far below, as

an ant

at Glous’gap’s

40

*

mighty

Win’pe cowered,

feet.

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

tiny

Glous’gap held

this quivering sorcerer

of the Partridge

people in great contempt because hed acted so underhand-

edly and treated decent people so badly, and thus he

scorned to fight any real warriors’ contest against him. Instead, Glous’gap reached lightly

with the

tip

down and tapped

of his maplewood bow,

the sorcerer as if

Win’pe

were a dog that needed to be disciplined. At once, Win’pe fell

dead.

“And

that’s that,” said

Glous’gap.

Glous’gap returned to his normal around

for Win’pe’s wife

no doubt gone

to join

size.

He

looked

and baby, but they had vanished,

some of

their evil relatives.

Then

Glous’gap called Mrs. Bear and Pine Marten and his two loyal

dogs to come out of hiding. They went about gather-

ing up food and blankets, and then the

dered their packs.

With

little

party shoul-

Glous’gap’s dogs racing joyfully

ahead, the three of them set out through the snow, heading

south on the long journey back to their island.

HOW glous’gap SAVED

PINE

MARTEN AND MRS. BEAR

*

41

GLOUS’GAP AND GRANDFATHER TURTLE Wodiriit atogagan Glousgapi

A

FTER THE FINAL

.

.

.

SHOWDOWN

foundland with Win’pe, the

on New-

evil sorcerer

the Partridge people, Glous’gap paddled his canoe

the

way over

the icy waters to Pictoug,

or, as

of all

the

The name of

English and French

say,

means “bubbling”

Micmac, and

in

Pictou.

it is

that place

named because

so

a

whirlpool churns nearby and the waters there are always frothy. In those days there

more than

a

hundred wigwams

lage dwelt an older

He was

was

encampment of

a winter

and

at Pictou,

man whom Glous’gap

in that vil-

truly loved.

called Mik’tjitj, or Turtle.

Now

Turtle was not a great

man by any means. He

wasn’t very good-looking, and he had few possessions.

He

People didn’t consider Turtle clever or witty or wise.

seemed

to have

stand out.

and past

The

no

talent or skill that

would cause him

others in the village thought

his prime.

But out of

all

him

poor, lazy,

others, Glous’gap chose

Turtle to be his adopted nigsgamitj or grandfather. ,

truth

is

that Turtle

was

a

wonderful

one but Glous’gap ever bothered over, life

to

storyteller,

to listen to

he had a kind heart, and he bore

all

The

though no

him. More-

the hardships of

so good-naturedly that Glous’gap couldn’t help loving

him.

He

resolved to help Turtle rise in the world.

Glous’gap himself, of course, was

who

a

handsome man

carried himself proudly. Indeed, he

admired by

all

the

women,

old and

arrived at Pictou, every family their lodge, but Glous’gap Mik’tjitj, his

young

wanted him

was especially alike.

When

he

to be a guest at

begged off so he could

beloved Grandfather Turtle. Turtle

stay

with

knew

the old-time lore, and his stories delighted Glous’gap.

all

He

truly loved this elder.

Now

as

is

usual at

Micmac

winter encampments, a

great feast and celebration were planned.

months, the people usually traveled 44

*

During the warm

in small parties to

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

hunt, fish, and gather plant food. Winter was the time

when

they drew together in larger numbers around the

fires

and shared many things. They would sing the

Gathering Song together and make

They would

recite to

been born and

all

snows had

last

their

Winter Count.

one another the names of all

who had

fallen. If

who had

died in their families since the

someone had brought down an

unusually large moose, or

if

there

had been

meteor

a big

shower, or bright flarings-up of the Northern Lights, they

noted

of

that. If there

eels or

salmon

had been an

especially

at a certain place, that

Winter Count helped the people keep

good or poor run was

told as well.

in touch

with each

other and record what was going on in the world around

them year

after year.

Many other

doings happened at these wintertime com-

ings-together, including lots of

There were snowball matches, and a ers

game

saw who could

fights,

games and competitions.

snowshoe

called snow-snake, in

slide a staff

that

,

a very

was not

Then

rough-and-tumble game

for the faint

which the play-

painted like a snake the

thest distance along an icy trough.

touwe

races, wrestling

of heart,

as

you

there

was bagahockey

like field shall

far-

hear

later.

Glous’gap himself didn’t care to do any of these things, but he said to Turtle, “Grandfather, part in

aren’t

you going to take

some of these games? All the young women

will

be

there watching, you know, and I’ve been thinking that you

shouldn’t have to live

all

by yourself. Haven’t you ever

thought about getting married?” Grandfather Turtle shook his head and smiled

“Oh, no,” he

ruefully.

replied. “I’m afraid I’m too poor, too old,

glous’gap and grandfather turtle

*

45

and

just too plain.

I

think

lodge and smoke

it’s

my

better if I just

my

here alone in

sit

pipe and think over the stories from

the old times.What do

I

woman?

have to offer any

I

don’t

even have any clothes that are fine enough for feast-going.” “Clothes!” Glous’gap exclaimed. “Is that really

stopping you from joining the fun? fine

I

can stitch up a

mantle and leggings for you in no time, and they won’t

ever wear out, either. to

Why,

all that’s

make

a

I tell

new man of you

“Is that so,

you, Grandfather, is

some new

all it

will take

clothes!”

He

Grandson?” mused Grandfather Turtle.

looked thoughtful. “Can you make over the insides of a person as well?” he asked shyly.

“By the Great Beaver!” Glous’gap avowed. “That’s harder job, but

it

can be done! If

things right in this world,

promise you I’ll

I’d

I

do

weren’t so busy setting this

it

Grandfather. Before

this,

a

minute. But

I

leave this village

I

bring about the transformation you’re wondering about.

For now, though,

let’s start

for taking part in the

my magic belt, Once

many

and

with your

games,

you’ll

do

all

new

clothes.

you have to do

is

And

as

borrow

well.”

Turtle tied on Glous’gap’s belt, he appeared

Then Glous’gap

years younger than his true age.

dressed Turtle in the mantle and leggings he

out of soft deerhide.

The

clothes were

made

for

him

most becoming, and

suddenly Turtle seemed not only young but good-looking as well.

Glous’gap promised him, “From

father Turtle,

when you walk

the handsomest of

you

will be

all

men.

in

now

on,

human form you

When

vou walk

one of the hardest creatures

as

to kill

Grandwill

an animal,

on the

of the earth because of your patience and toughness.”

46

*

be

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

face

With

Glous’gap’s words of promise in his heart, Turtle set out to join in the feasting and the games.

Now

the sagama or chief of the Pictou had three

daughters. All were lovely, but the youngest was thought to

be the most beautiful

ly

to kill

Land of

in all the

young men of Pictou desired

Sunrise. All the

vowed

woman

who won

anyone

her,

the

and they

her hand. Because he usual-

kept to himself, Turtle had never seen this young

woman, but

that

was about

to change.

Turtle took part in several games, and just as Glous’gap

promised he made

a

good showing

at

snow-snake and

snowball throwing. Afterwards, the people staged a give-

away ceremony to

watch

in the center

as families

goods and

set

of the

village. Turtle

stopped

brought out armloads of different

them down

for others to

choose from. There

were fur robes and berrying baskets, quillwork boxes and clam-shell necklaces, fishing-spears and bowls of dried

meat and corn. The her father’s

wigwam

chief’s

youngest daughter came out of

carrying a nicely tanned moosehide to

contribute to the giveaway. She was slender and lithe, and

she smiled sideways at the handsome, young-looking Turtle as she walked past

him

to place the

moosehide on

the ground with the other goods. Turtle could not take his

eyes off her. All through the night while the feasting,

drumming, and singing went on and

on, Turtle kept steal-

ing glances at her.

Late that night Turtle returned to his lodge, where he

magic

With

handed Glous’gap back

his

youthful appearance

away, and he looked his true age

once again. But

as

fell

belt.

that, all his

Glous’gap had promised, Turtle

glous’gap and grandfather turtle

*

47

remained handsome,

He

and Glous’gap

glow of their

fire.

and shared

sat

Then Turtle

gap. “I’ve seen the one I

way of

in the

I

want

a very dignified elder.

revealed his heart to Glous’for

my wife,”

he sighed, “but

have no hope of winning her.”

“Have courage, Grandfather,” Glous’gap you remember that mation

in

The

your

said.

promised to bring about

I

“Don’t

a transfor-

life?”

very next day Glous’gap went as an envoy to plead

Turtle’s cause.

He

took a

to the chief’s lodge,

lot

of ouVnap'skouk or ,

where he proposed Turtle

for the youngest daughter.

little

wed. But

this

as a

husband

surprising, because Turtle

had no great reputation. Moreover,

young woman

wampum,

The young woman’s mother was

quick to agree. That was a

a

low

a pipe beside the

it

was most unusual

to be married before her older sisters

mother was

when he vowed

wise,

that Turtle

for

were

and she trusted Glous’gap

would make her youngest

daughter the best of husbands. She accepted the

wampum

as her daughter’s bride-price.

The

wam

chief’s

daughter built a birchbark-covered wig-

and made up

boughs covered with all

reluctant to

a

marriage-bed of pine and spruce

a thick

white bearskin. She was not

marry the handsome young

noticed at the games, the one

who

man

at

she had

kept casting glances at

her during the giveaway that followed. But

when

it

came

time for the marriage to be celebrated, there stood Turtle,

beaming with pride and happiness looking his true age.

The young

to be sure, yet

now

bride was dismayed, but

all

the arrangements had already been made, and so the two

were married. That evening, husband and wife and 48

*

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

Glous’gap were feasted

at

her family’s lodge with a wed-

ding supper of dried berries, deer meat, and corn soup.

Then life

own

Turtle led his bride to their

lodge to begin their

together.

Weeks

By and

passed, and the winter wore on.

began

Turtle’s wife

to think that her

by,

new husband was

rather lazy. Instead of going off on hunting parties with the

other men, he preferred to spend the cold and snowy days sitting ries

by the

and

fire

were pleasant

was getting very Finally, the

and scolded,

much

telling stories.

to listen to, but

as a scrap

“Oh,

all

their larder

young woman placed her hands on her hips

“Just look

both soon

meantime

sto-

low.

around you, Turtle! There’s not so

of meat in

this lodge!

yourself and go out hunting as a we’ll

She thought the

man

If is

you don’t

bestir

supposed to do,

starve!”

right,

my

and he strapped on

dearest,” said Turtle good-naturedly,

snowshoes, took up his

his

bow and

arrow, and stepped outside into the snow. His wife slipped

out of their ly

wigwam

going hunting

after

him

he

said.

as

Turtle, setting off for the

Now

it

takes

to

certain he

a

while to find their balance

poor old fellow hadn’t gone very

own snowshoes and

real-

at a brisk pace.

on snowshoes, and Turtle was way out of

his

was

Sure enough, there went

woods

most people

make

far before

practice.

The

he tripped over

landed FLUMP! in a snowbank. His

wife looked on with disgust to see Turtle spluttering on his

back with

his

arms and

legs

waving wildly

in the

air.

She

ran straight back to her family’s lodge and told her mother,

“That Turtle you made

me marry

is

absolutely worthless!

glous’gap and grandfather turtle

#

49

Why, he

even snowshoe straight!” She wept bitterly

can’t

to think of

the fine, capable Pictou boys she might have

all

wed.

But her mother smiled, and went on with her sewing. “Don’t worry,” she told her daughter.

be a good husband

A

few days

yet.

in.

will turn out to

to be patient.”

Glous’gap said to Turtle, “Tomorrow

later

there will be a great

You just have

“He

game of bagatouwe, and you must join

But because you’ve made enemies of

all

the

young men

here at Pictou by marrying the chief’s youngest daughter, they’re

going to try to

on you and

pile

try to

you during the game. They’ll

all

knock you down and trample you

to

kill

death, and then they can claim

Now,

this attack

is

was

it

just an accident.

going to happen when the play has

reached a spot very near your father-in-law’s place. So you

may

escape them,

Pm

going to give you the power to jump

high over that lodge. You’ll be able to do

The

trouble.

sorry about

third time, though, won’t be easy,

it,

came

All

but

that’s just the

way

game was hard-fought, and at

and

faces.

The

ball.

and

Pm

it is.”

try to kill Turtle.

The The

the players swatted and

each other with their

the squirrel-gut

with no

Glous’gap predicted.

to pass just as

young men of Pictou did indeed

smashed

this twice

sticks,

vying for control of

Bruising blows landed on arms, legs,

players were

all

came running through the

battered and bloody as they

village.

When

they finally

reached the lodge of the chief, they began to crowd in on Turtle.

To escape them,

Turtle jumped, and the

jump

turned into a soaring leap that took him sailing high above the

wigwam. He landed 50

*

safely in the soft

snow on the

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

other side, just as Glous’gap said he would. Twice he did

angry

this as the

men

tried to crush

him by

their

and number, but the third time he got caught

There hung poor

poles.

ing from the

fire

weight

in the lodge

Turtle, dangling in the

smoke

ris-

below.

Glous’gap was seated inside the lodge, visiting with the

He

chief.

heard a commotion above and looked up through

the smokehole to see Turtle suspended there. “Grand-

Glous’gap called up to him.

father!”

Chief of the

into the Great

turtles!

“I will

You

now make you have

shall

many

descendents after you!” Turtle had no choice.

He just hung

there,

and Glous’-

He smoked him

gap smoked him

for a

over that

so long that his skin toughened into a

hard

on

fire for

good long time.

and the marks of that smoking can

shell,

turtles’ shells to this day.

Turtle’s intestines except for

he destroyed the

be seen

Glous’gap then removed

all

one short length of gut. Then

rest.

Turtle cried out in pain and

fear,

“Grandson, you’re

me!”

killing

But Glous’gap

replied,

“No, Grandfather! I'm giving

you

a long

life!

Now

you

will

fire

and no

feel pain.

You

will be able to live

water, wherever

gave thanks

The

still felt

at Glous’gap’s

him just

be able to pass through the

on land or

in

you choose.”

Mik’tjitj the Turtle

ing to

still

in time, for

scorched and sore, but he

words. All this power was com-

soon he would have need of it.

very next day, right before

all

the

young men of

Pictou were setting off on a hunt, Glous’gap said to them,

“There

is

one among you

who

will

come out

GLOUS’GAP AND GRANDFATHER TURTLE

far

*

ahead in

51

The young men

this day’s hunt.”

tain

smiled, each one cer-

all

he would prove to be the best hunter, and then they

headed into the

forest.

“Soon those men

Only Turtle

will seek

Glous’gap warned him.

He jumped up

Upon

lingered behind.

once more to take your hearing

this,

life,”

Turtle nodded.

and soared into another magical

flight,

He

passing high over the heads of the hunting party.

There

alighted deep in the forest, far ahead of the others.

he brought beside the

down

trail

on snowshoes.

he

a fine big

knew

When

moose, and he dragged

the other

men would moose

carcass,

ing his pipe and waving cheerily to them.

By

were cold and exhausted from their long

trek.

Turtle sitting there with his moose,

be following

came upon him,

the hunting party

there he sat, leaning back against the

over

it

this

smoking

smok-

time they

They beheld his pipe

and

looking so well-rested, and then they thought about the beautiful wife he had awaiting

him

at

home, and

it

all

drove them wild with envy. Together, they plotted once again to

kill

him.

Glous’gap had come along with the hunters, and he was getting ready to head back to Pictou. people’s hearts

it,

will build a bonfire

I

promise you will

feel

no pain.

the roasting doesn’t work, next they’ll threaten to

drown you. Beg and plead with them not and beseech them not

come

and throw

thinking to roast you. Grandfather, go along

with what happens, and

When

could read

and minds, so he took Turtle aside and

warned him, “These men you into

He

now

to think that

to

throw you

drowning

is

in the

to

do

it.

Implore

water until they

the one sure

method of

murdering you.” Then Glous’gap said goodbye to Turtle 52

*

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

and

set off back

Again,

toward Pictou.

happened

all

just as

Glous’gap had foretold.

Glous’gap had no sooner gotten out of sight than the

young men

built a raging fire

and tossed Turtle into

it.

Tired after his long exciting day, Turtle simply rolled over and went to sleep there at the heart of the flames.

When

the fire burned

down and

at last

men

heard him

call out,

astonished young

wood!

mighty cold night, and

a

It’s

he awoke, the “Bring more

have no desire to

I

freeze to death!”

Then

those

and began

men

to argue

snatched Turtle out of the spent

among themselves about what

fire

they

should do with him. “Let’s drown him,” said one fellow.

Hearing

this,

them, “Please,

my brothers!

thing but that! cliff,

Turtle began to

Chop me

whimper and plead with

Don’t drown me! Oh, oh, any-

me off a drown me in the

into bits, or toss

you wish, but please don’t

as

Of course,

the shore. Turtle

fought bravely, tearing up trees and clawing

him

use.

They paddled

a

the ocean. Certain

back to shore,

now

sight, far in the cold gray

that Turtle

forced

as

they

depths of

was dead, they canoed

rejoicing.

next day brought a sudden thaw, and the

men remained camped on slog their

it

long way from shore

and threw him overboard, and they laughed watched him sink from

but

at rocks,

The young men overpowered him and

into a canoe.

The

sea!”

they resolved to do just that, and they dragged

him kicking and screaming toward was no

high

way back

young

the shoreline, not wanting to

to Pictou

through

all

the slush and

melting snow. Around noon, one of them spotted some-

glous’gap and grandfather turtle

*

53

thing like a dot on a rock about a mile offshore.

kind of creature can that be?” the young selves,

men

and two of them volunteered to take

and investigate. The rock rose about and

waterline,

as

they drew close to

it,

“What

asked thema

canoe out

a foot

above the

they could see that

dot was none other than Mik’tjitj, Grandfather Turtle, by

no means drowned but sunning himself and enjoying the pleasant break in the weather.

up

to his rock

When

he saw them paddling

he was sure they were coming to recapture

him, and thus without so

much

as a farewell Turtle slipped

off his basking place into the cold salt water and

away. In

memory

endured,

all

that

of the captivity and the abuse Mik’tjitj

turtles slip

way whenever they Turtle

wife.

swam back

By shooting

that

themselves into the water in just see

someone coming.

to Pictou

again, since

was plain

it

still

lived happily

to

with his

to her that

all

was harmonious

that Turtle possessed

in

him

never dared to bother

them

he

have plenty of time for

and from that time on

The young men

their lodge.

and

moose he had proven

could provide well for her and telling stories,

swam

some

important magic. In the autumn Turtle’s wife bore him a son,

and

The Mik’tjitj

life

seemed very good.

following spring, Glous’gap dropped by to

and

his family.

the world to rights, but

He

had been busy

now he wanted

ther and his wife and their baby.

as usual setting

to see his grandfa-

While Glous’gap and

Turtle were sharing a pipe, the child suddenly began to

“Oh-wah! Oh-wah!” the

little

comfort

54

at a loss as to

his little son.

*

cry.

one shrieked. His mother

was off gathering wood, and Turtle was to

visit

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

how

“Don’t you

know what your own

child

saying?”

is

Glous’gap asked Turtle sternly

“Indeed

Grandson,” said Turtle with

don’t,

I

bewilderment of

new

a

father, “unless

perhaps he

ing the language of the spirits of the

which no one

else

“Humph,” at Turtle’s

speak-

the mous’i’gisk

,

retorted Glous’gap, feigning great surprise

bafflement.

ine that’s the

same

enough

plain

“It’s

he’s saying

to

me

‘Oh-wah! Oh-wah!’ and

‘oh’wahn, oh-wahn.’

as

haven’t forgotten that’s the

word

that he I

imag-

Surely you

egg in our language?”

for

holding the screaming child, Turtle’s face furrowed

with concern. “But Glous’gap,

where

is

the

knows.”

wants eggs, for

Still

air,

all

to find

any eggs,” he

I

don’t have the least idea

said.

“Well, try digging in the sand right around here, Grandfather.

Maybe some

So Turtle

will turn up,”

Glous’gap told him.

laid his little son

bearskin robe and begin to dig in his lodge.

his astonishment,

and he turned them over

sorts,

at

To

them.

He

looked up

grinned and winked

at

down carefully on a the warm sand around

he found in his

many

eggs of

hands and marveled

Glous’gap, but Glous’gap just

at

Then

him.

Turtle boiled one of the

eggs until the insides were soft and runny, and he fed his little son. Sure child’s

enough,

their

it

quieted the

mother soon got home, much

Ever since that

own

Glous’gap for

all

little

and

to

one, and the

sand to keep

Turtle’s descendents

the magic he

it

to Turtle’s relief.

day, turtles lay eggs in the

race going,

all

worked on

still

honor

their ancestor’s

behalf.

glous’gap and grandfather turtle

*

55

.

GLOUS’GAP AND THE

WATER MONSTER Wo din it atogagan

Glous'gapi

.

.

N THE EARLY DAYS when Glous’gap

I the very

first

Micmac

ple everything they well.

village,

he taught the peo-

needed to know

From him they

learned

created

how

in order to live

to stalk deer

and

how

to catch salmon,

wams and sew them which

how

and

to build fires

up wig-

set

clothing from buckskin. Glous’gap

plants were

good

showed

and pointed out

to eat,

which ones were poisonous, and others which could be

made

into medicines to heal their bodies

taught them the names of

all

He

the stars.

songs of great power and showed them

when

speak well

them the

art

of war and the

had

how

art

way

spirits.

He

taught them

how

they might

they met together in council.

they learned the proper

Creator and

and

He

taught

of keeping peace. From him

to

make

their prayers to the

one another. The people

to be kind to

the knowledge they needed, and they dwelt togeth-

all

er happily. All

Now stream.

was going

this first

well, just as

Micmac

village

was

built beside a

always flowed abundantly with pure icy water,

It

and the people were grateful

for

But one day

it.

ran dry. There was nothing but a

found

in the streambed.

when

the

autumn

Glous’gap intended.

autumn

little

it

suddenly

slimy ooze to be

“Perhaps the water will flow again

rains return,” the elders said, but

arrived the streambed only

when

became choked with

drifted leaves. In the springtime

when

and most brooks ran

stream remained a slug-

swiftly, that

the snows melted

gish trickle.

“What last

shall

we

do?” the people asked themselves.

At

young man

the elders counciled and decided to send a

northward toward the source of the spring to discover what he could.

The man they chose walked along streambed for a long time.

It

was

a dreary journey, for all

the leaves were sere and rattled in the breeze.

58

*

beside the

Dead

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

fish lay

No

rotting on the dry banks of the stream.

birdsong

brightened his steps and no squirrels scolded him from the

branches, for

the creatures had abandoned their old

all

homes and gone

in search

He

of water.

very lonely

felt

walking along those desolate banks.

At

the

last

man came

where he was

to a village

prised to see that the people were not like

had webbed hands and

for they

human

hearts like real

They

beings,

did not have

beings, either, for they were selfish

and unfriendly and did nothing into their midst.

feet.

human

sur-

to

welcome

the stranger

The man looked around him and

noticed

that in the village of the webbed-footed ones the stream

widened out just

a

little,

though the water was

and stinking. The man was very and asked

still

brackish

thirsty after his journey

to be given just a half-cup of that foul water.

“No, we

can’t give

you even

a single

drop unless our

great chief gives us permisssion,” the webbed-footed ones replied.

for

him

“He

a very great chief indeed,

is

and

all

the water

is

alone.”

“Just

where

is

this great chief of yours?” the

man

asked.

“Follow the stream further north, further north, further north” said the people of the you’ll

webbed hands and

did as he was told and walked along until he

spied something looming ahead of him.

with terror

as

Then he shook

he saw the great chief of whom the webbed

ones had spoken. This creature was as big

with a grinning mouth that stretched

His yellow eyes stared out of

mous

“and

be sure to come upon him.”

The man

ear.

feet,

his

as a

from ear

a mile

head

mountain,

like

to

two enor-

pine knots. His swollen body was covered with ugly

glous’gap and the water monster

*

59

warts. This creature

had made himself a huge burrow

source of the stream and reservoir.

Now

streambed.

He

dammed

are

to create a great

almost no water made

had

its

also fouled the reservoir

at the

man and

way

to the

and made

it

so

oily surface.

The

roared, “Little fellow,

why

poisonous that fetid mists hung above

monster glared

up

it all

at the

its

you here?”

The man gathered up

his courage

and

said, “I

come

from downstream, where our only brook has run dry because you are hoarding

all

the water.

us some, and please, while you’re at

making

it

The

so thick

it,

We need you to give would you

also stop

and muddy?”

creature only blinked and said with a deep

rum-

bling voice:

I don't care I don't care I don't care! For water for water

;

,

for water .

go elsewhere

The man and

all

said,

“We

really

need the water.

Our

the animals and plants are dying of thirst.”

But the monster only

replied,

Go away

Go away Go away! Just begone

60

*

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

children

!

begone

begone or Til swallow

swallow

swallow

you today

And

with that the monster opened his cavernous

mouth wide.

Inside his

maw

the

man

many

could see the

things the monster had already swallowed, bears and pine trees

and moose, even whole

blinked at the

man

a

few times, opened

At

flicked out his pale, sticky tongue. lost

every

last

Back

at

mouth, and

his

home he all

“We

told the people,

shall

do?” they cried.

fled.

are lost!

the water for himself, and if

we

man

poor

this the

swallow us whole, village and

“What

the monster

shred of courage, and he turned and

creature wants fight, he’ll

Then

villages!

This

we

try to

live

with-

all.”

“We

cannot

out water!”

Even from

afar,

Glous’gap could see the grieving

lage of drought-ridden people.

make

He

said to himself, “I

vil-

must

that stream flow again, so the people can have water.”

He covered his body with paint red as fresh heart’s blood. He hung two huge clamshells from his earlobes for earrings. He stuck a Glous’gap prepared himself for

battle.

hundred black eagle feathers on one

side

of his scalplock

He

paint-

ed bright yellow rings around his eyes, and then he

made

and

a

hundred white eagle feathers on the

himself twelve feet

tall

and screwed up

other.

his face into a fierce

glous’gap AND THE WATER MONSTER

*

61

mask of

anger.

He stomped

the ground and let out his

mighty war-cry, and earthquakes shook the Land of the

Then he snapped

Sunrise.

off a huge mountain with his

hand, and from that mountain he chipped himself off a giant flint knife sharp as a weasel’s tooth.

was

ple

when he appeared

them by bit

of

he

he strode upstream.

as

want water!” Glous’gap

“I

at last

Lightning played about him and eagles circled

ready.

above him

Now

his

told the

webbed-footed peo-

in their village.

He

so frightened

sudden presence that they brought him

muddy

Glous’gap said

from himself

water. as

“I’ll

get

more and better water!”

he dashed the ladle of

in distaste.

And

a little

stale

water away

so he continued upstream,

where he confronted the monster.

The

creature eyed Glous’gap and grumbled, “Little

man, what do you want?” Glous’gap hollered back,”I want good water and plenty

of it for

my people!” At

this,

the creature only laughed:

Ho-ho! Ho-ho! All the waters are mine All the waters are mine!

Go away! Go away

Or Yll kill you

today

“Slimy lump of mud!” shouted Glous’gap, and he

upon

his

enemy, and they fought

in a battle that

very mountains to their roots and set

swamps

shook the afire

lurid light.

62

*

fell

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

with

The

creature

opened

Glous’gap, but Glous’gap tallest pine, so

contain him.

huge

maw

made himself

to gulp

down

than the

far taller

even that gaping monster-mouth could not

Then Glous’gap drew from

flint knife,

and

belly open.

A

wound and

his

in

one swift motion he

torrent of

carved

a

his belt his great

the monster’s

slit

foaming water gushed from the

new path through

the dry land.

Glous’gap smiled to see the deep clear river rushing past the village of the people of the

the village of the

webbed hands and

Micmac, and onward

Ocean. Nevermore need anyone go

Once monster

in his

to the great Sunrise

thirsty.

mighty hand, and he squeezed, and

it

He

squeezed the belly-wound

mended, and he kept on squeezing

monster became very small, person’s

past

the waters were set free Glous’gap grasped the

squeezed, and squeezed. shut so

feet,

fist.

swamp where

Then it

little

until the

more than the

size

of a

he flung the creature into a nearby

leapt off into the cattails,

still

croaking

“Go away! Go away!” The greedy water-monster got squeezed right down into a bullfrog, and even now Bullfrog’s skin

is

wrinkled because Glous’gap squeezed him

so tightly.

glous’gap and the water monster

*

63

HOW THE SACRED

WAS BROUGHT TO THE MICMAC PIPE

Wodiriit atogagan Glous'gapi

U

SUALLY, Te’am

the

moose

.

.

.

eats only plants.

His very name comes from the Micmac words

Te’a’mous’e,

meaning he

time long ago

a giant

strips things off trees.

But one

man-eating moose began

to

destroy the villages of the

moose Glous’gap had the days

Micmac

made

accidentally

when he was busy

people. It was the very

too large back in

creating the animals,

and now

the people were paying dearly for Glous’gap’s mistake.

The

moose would suddenly appear when the

least

With

expecting him.

would crush wigwams

his

villagers

huge hooves, the great creature

to the left

and to the

right.

men, women, and children ran screaming from homes, the moose would snatch them up jaws and chew them to bloody

on the lost

people’s flesh. All

were

bits.

The

their ruined

in his

him

fat

elders

and medicine-

They

decid-

messenger to Glous’gap, the powerful

M’toulin or Spirit Warrior, to ask

massive

every village had

people held a council to determine what to do. a

When

That moose grew

afraid, for

beloved relatives and friends.

ed to send

were

him of

tell

their plight

and

to help.

Now when

people go to seek the help of Glous’gap,

they must prepare themselves for a long journey, for Glous’gap’s lodge

is

He may be camped middle of

in the

seldom to be found

on

in the

a reef off the coast or

a lake.

He may

same

on a pine

it

was

islet

be fishing on a sandy

beach or hunting in the deep woods. Wherever he usually takes

place.

no fewer than seven years

to find

is,

it

him, and so

for this messenger.

At

last,

the messenger found Glous’gap on the shores

of a blue lake ringed with pines. As he drew near the camp, a great

honking racket rose up.

It

Canada watch-geese, sounding

was Glous’gap’s flock of the alarm and warning

Glous’gap of a stranger’s approach.

66

*

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

Thanks

to his loyal geese, Glous’gap

welcome the messenger

warmed themselves by co,

into his

the

Glous’gap asked the messenger

a pipe

of tobac-

why he had come. He

listened carefully to the man’s story about

Micmac

to

wigwam. After they had

and shared

fire

was waiting

how

the

man-eating moose. Then

lived in dread of the

Glous’gap sighed and arose, saying,

“I

must

set things

right for the people.”

Glous’gap took up his maplewood bow, slung his quiver of magic arrows across his back, and led the messen-

down

ger

As they

beached.

paddled

to the lakeshore

in their

Now

set

where

his

white canoe was

out across the lake, Glous’gap’s geese

wake, honking farewell.

another remarkable thing about seeking Glous’-

gap’s help

is

though

this:

it

may

take seven years to find his

lodge, the return journey takes but seven days, no matter

how

far the seeker has traveled.

later

when

And

so

it

was only

a

week

the two paddled up to the messenger’s village.

big crowd of people lined the shore to greet

them and

A

fol-

lowed Glous’gap and the messenger to the clearing where the elders and medicine-people sat in council.

The

had more bad news

elders

to

tell.

In the seven

years the messenger had been gone, not only had the

moose continued a giant eagle,

to ravage the land, but a second monster,

had joined him! This eagle had taken

swooping down on people, snatching them up talons,

and carrying them off

where she them.

tore

them

in her

to his nest far to the west,

apart with her cruel beak and ate

The Micmac were

HOW THE SACRED

to

powerless against these monsters,

PIPE WAS

BROUGHT TO THE MICMAC

*

67

and even the bravest trembled and glanced nervously about as the elders told these terrible things to Glous’gap.

When

he had heard

council and said, “I have

Then Glous’gap body red

all,

the M’toulin stood before the

come

in

answer to your prayer.”

prepared for battle.

as blood,

He

which our people do only when they

preparing for the most desperate combat.

up

bow and

his

track the

moose

painted his whole

his quiver

Then he

With

gathered

of magic arrows and began to

inland. It wasn’t hard to pick

of the moose’s hoofprints was the

for each

are

up the

size

trail,

of a large

moose was heading

far-

After several days’ journeying, Glous’gap at

last

pond.

each great

stride, the

ther and farther west.

caught up to the monster. clearing, tree

He was

browsing on maple

standing in a large

leaves,

uprooting a whole

with each bite and laying waste to the beautiful

woodland. His dewlap was dripping with human blood,

and

all

about him on the floor of the clearing lay the

shattered bones of his victims.

would pause and

make

sure

sniff the

Now

wind

and again the moose

in his fiery nostrils to

no enemy was about.

Glous’gap crouched in the shelter of seed-pine and studied the situation.

He

a

gnarled old

didn’t see

how

he

could ever manage to get within shooting range of the

moose without the monster catching wind of him just then a cheerful voice at his feet said,

my

brother?”

It

was Gopher. From the

he had been watching Glous’gap “Perhaps,

68

*

little

size

“May

I

first.

But

help you,

safety of his tunnel

up the giant moose.

brother,” Glous’gap replied. “I need a

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

way

to sneak

up on that moose so

can get close enough to

I

shoot him.”

“Good!” Gopher exclaimed. “He’s always stomping around here and ruining you.

my

tunnels!

burrow right under where

I’ll

I’ll

be glad to help

he’s eating.

Will that

brother,” Glous’gap said,

and with

do?”

“Of

course,

little

made himself

that he

seven inches

Gopher’s tunnel. His

Gopher

led the way,

friend’s tail in order still

bow and

so he could

into

fit

arrows shrank as well.

and Glous’gap held on

tightly to his

not to get lost in the darkness. You can

see his handprint at the tip of Gopher’s tail to this day.

The burrowing seemed dank and

worked on

it

to take forever.

The

tunnel was

and the thick odors of wet loam and

airless,

mold made

leaf-

hard for Glous’gap to breathe. But Gopher

industriously, and at last he stopped and

declared, “This

Then he began

the place!”

is

and soon popped through air

tall

to dig

to the surface. Light

upward

and fresh

streamed into the tunnel, and Glous’gap was very glad

to be able to see again.

found themselves In

all

He

directly

and Gopher peered upward and

under the giant moose’s

he does, Glous’gap never

even though the shot looked monster’s underbelly.

He

acts rashly.

belly.

This time,

he carefully studied the

easy,

noticed that the animal was not

covered with the coarse hair of an ordinary moose.

monster moose’s hide looked

some other hard

stone.

trate that armor!

Gopher, the

little

HOW THE SACRED

as if

Not even

When

it

a

The

was made out of flint or

magic arrow could pene-

Glous’gap pointed this out to

animal scrambled out of the hole, shinnied

PIPE

WAS BROUGHT TO THE MICMAC

*

69

up one of the moose’s hind

all,

and

in

Now and

delicately that the

no time Gopher was

He was

heart.

moose never

safely

back

flinty

so agile

him

felt

at

in the hole.

Glous’gap nocked an arrow to his bow, took aim,

let fly.

spot

and gnawed away the

by the monster’s

hair in a circle right

and gnawed so

legs,

The

flashing arrow

went

straight to the bald

Gopher had made and lodged deeply

in the moose’s

very heart.

The moose

out a thunderous bellow that echoed

let

He

throughout the northern woodlands.

looked about in

searing pain until he spotted the tiny figures of Glous’gap

and Gopher cowering

up the ground with enemies.

north,

As

the

Gopher

in their hole.

Then he began

moose gouged an enormous furrow frantically

began tunneling

as the

to the

to the east.

moose plowed another giant

furrow, this time in a northerly direction,

ward

plow

his massive antlers, trying to get at his

Again earth flew wildly

Gopher

to

and once again

too switched directions, tunneling madly south-

huge

to escape the

antlers.

Glous’gap came right

behind Gopher, pausing only to shoot more arrows into the

doomed moose, mark

in his

until four arrows

mighty

up the ground,

until

face of the earth. freely

heart. Still the

he had made

But the

all

told

had found

moose went on plowing five vast

creature’s

gouges on the

blood was flowing

now, and soon he dropped to the ground.

dying breath, flecks of blood frothed from his at

long

last

he lay

as a weasel’s tooth,

*

With each

nostrils,

and

still.

Then Glous’gap drew

70

their

forth his great flint knife, sharp

and cut off the moose’s proud

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

antlers.

Leaving the meat for Gopher, Glous’gap said goodbye

and

his little friend

show

the people

antlers

on

the woods, a huge

him, and suddenly Glous’gap thousands of feet into the

he could

air,

shadow

over

fell

himself snatched up

felt

antlers

about the giant eagle.

all

to claim another victim.

and

Now

all!

Glous’gap

she had

come

She flew off westward toward her

planning to feed Glous’gap to her hungry

clifftop aerie,

baby

his shoulders so

what had become of their dreaded enemy.

As he loped through

had forgotten

of the

set off for the eastern villages

Micmac, carrying the

to

eaglets.

When

the eagle dropped Glous’gap into her nest,

Glous’gap sprang instantly to his

Using the fledglings.

antlers as a

The mother

war

feet.

club,

he began to beat off the

eagle circled back to help her

young, and Glous’gap took a mighty swing with the antlers

and crushed her

skull, killing her.

eagles so badly that

it

He

young

scared those

stunted their growth, and that

is

why

today there are no more giant eagles in our land.

Glous’gap climbed out of the nest and made his way

down

the

cliff.

At

its

foot he discovered the broken bones

and torn bodies of the many people off by the eagle.

The blood of the

who had been

carried

victims had soaked into

the ground and turned into a beautiful red stone. Glous’gap

picked up a piece of it and fashioned the sort

we

call

goundovSsen.

the red stone and

wrapped

it

Then he

it

into a pipe-bowl of

gathered up more of

up along with the

bundle he made from the carcass of the

eagle.

antlers in a

Once

again

he set off eastward, bringing the bundle back to the

HOW THE SACRED

PIPE WAS

BROUGHT TO THE MICMAC

*

71

Micmac

villages.

Upon

his return, the people

thronged to

when he showed them

greet him, and they marveled

and the red stone.

antlers, the eagle carcass,

“From now on you need never

fear the

moose

or the

Glous’gap told the people. “This red stone

eagle,”

the

blood of your ancestors. From

it,

you

will

make

is

pipes.

the

This

will carry

it

with

you wherever you go. The pipestem of white ash

is

your

pipe

sacred. It

is

is

your

altar,

and you

backbone. Tobacco shall be your offering, and the smoke your prayers prayers,

do

rising.

it

When

you and your

families.

what you pray ask

for,

wrongly,

it

this pipe to

manner and your

in a sacred

answered. If you use

you use

harm

Use the pipe

make your

prayers will be

will

wisely.

come back on Be

careful of

because you will get exactly what you

for.”

That giant

is

the story of

how Glous’gap conquered

moose and the giant

the sacred pipe to the

eagle

and

Micmac. The

in

North America, you can

moose made

truth of the story

them

is

map of

huge gouges the fran-

in the earth. Today, they are filled

water, and people call in the

see the five

the

doing so brought

written on the face of the land. If you look at a

tic

is

up with

the Great Lakes. Farther west,

southwest corner of Minnesota,

lies

the site of the

giant eagle’s nest, where the blood of our ancestors turned to stone.

Today

it is

called Pipestone National

and Native American peoples from

come

there for stone to

pipe Glous’gap

72

*

made

make

all

Monument,

across the continent

their pipes, just like the first

for us so long ago.

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

GLOUS’GAP AND PAINTED TURTLE Wodinit atogagan Clous gapi

L in

ONG AGO,

.

.

Glous’gap lived for a time

among

our people in a large village near Grand Lake,

what

was

.

is

now

the province of

a beautiful place

New

surrounded by

Brunswick.

tall

shade

It

trees.

Every morning the

women would sweep

the ground

around their lodges with pine or spruce boughs to keep the village clean.

In the neatest

wigwam of the whole

dwelled with Mrs. Bear,

whom

village

Glous’gap

he called Nou’goum’i, or

Grandmother. Our people say that Glous’gap was sent

among

way

us to teach us the right

be sure, Mrs. Bear was just generous old

like

woman who was

need and teaching the special things they

girls

which

to live,

and

to

him. She was a wise and

always helping out people in

and younger

women

all

the

needed to know.

In those days a

man

wigwam

the village in a

in

called Painted Turtle lived across

by himself.

all

He

didn’t have a

wife of his own, but he fancied himself quite the ladies’

man.

He would

flirt

him, and quite a few

with any

women

woman who would

did

judgment, because he was such talking fellow.

No

power

women, and

to lure

their sweethearts

made

doubt about

so, in spite

look

at

of their better

handsome and smooth-

a it,

Painted Turtle had the

thus he stole girls away from

and wives away from

their

husbands and

trouble for everyone in the village.

Finally the

whole town was

and jealousy and

fear

in such

an uproar of gossip

and broken hearts that Mrs. Bear said

to Glous’gap in exasperation, “You’ve got to

about that rascally Painted Turtle! thing done because of him.

do something

Nobody can

The men

get any-

won’t go out hunting

because they’re afraid to leave their wives alone in the lage with him,

and the

plants for food or

wood

they’re afraid he’ll follow

74

*

women

won’t go out to gather

for their

them

vil-

cooking

fires

into the forest

because

and practice

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

his wiles

on them. You were sent here and

learn to live happily its

up

to

you

at

to help the people

peace with one another, and so

to put a stop to this business!”

“All right,” replied Glous’gap, “I will.”

Drawing upon into a slender

and

full lips,

woman

young woman with long shining black

soft

brown

steaming by the

fire

eyes like a doe’s.

and walked with

encampment

until she

Painted Turtle. “Hello! Here

I

hair,

Then Glous’gap-

wooden bowl of corn soup

picked up a

across the

Glous’gap turned himself

his magic,

a lightly

came

that

was

swaying gait

to the lodge of

am,” she called out in a low

musical voice. “I’ve brought you a

gift!”

Painted Turtle sat as he always did, with the entrance

of his lodge wide open so he could spy on people pass-

flap

ing by.

Of course

and he was

come

he especially had his eye out for women,

a little flustered

to his lodge of her

His

calling to him.

by

own

this lovely stranger

accord and

now

“Come tried

in,”

stood outside

and he quickly

lustful heart raged,

began to scheme how he might best have

who had

his

way with

her.

he called out, once he’d decided on one of his

and proven methods of seduction.

Smiling

shyly, her eyes

downcast, Glous’gap-woman

stepped through the door of the birchbark-covered lodge. Turtle was lounging on his bed, leaning back against a log

and carefully painting each cheek and forehead.

made

Then he

maplewood

stick

his face.

He daubed

a red dot

on

a big red dot right in the center of his

parted his hair

down

and painted the part

he turned aside and spat into the

fire.

the middle with a

red, too. Suddenly,

His

spittle

turned

into a freshwater pearl-and-shell up'kous'un, or necklace.

glous’gap and painted turtle

*

75

“Go guest,

ahead, pick

waving

up!” said Painted Turtle to his shy

it

hand nonchalantly toward the gleaming

his

more where

necklace. “There’s plenty

came from!”

that one

Glous’gap-woman knelt and gingerly gathered up the necklace from the blackened stones that ringed the

went on

Turtle leg,

admire

plucked

matching

for a

it

,

or

wampum

from the

shell.

While Glous’gap-

and held

fire

When

he spat into the

it

to the light to

third time, a

fire a

of shell earrings appeared. “Those are for you

set

“And

dear,” said Turtle casually.

me

walk with

better to give you.

“Oh

This

Turtle busied himself painting a red line around

it,

his other leg.

my

again.

fire

magically turned into an iridescent choker

spittle

made of oul'nap'skouk

woman

around one

line

and when he was done he spat into the

time the

too,

broad red

to paint a

fire.

dear,

alone in the

I

I

in the

know

woods, all

I’ll

come

have something even

I

ought to go walking

woods with any man,”

woman. She looked longingly by their beauty.

only

the secrets of the forest!”

just don’t think

them over and over

if you’ll

said Glous’gap-

at the gifts

and turned

in her slender hands, as if

“My grandmother

says that

enchanted

is

how

girls

always get into trouble.”

“Look

me!”

at

commanded

Turtle, in a voice that sug-

gested his feelings were deeply hurt. “Don’t you think I’m

handsome? Don’t you gone to

all

you think trouble?”

like the

way

I

look,

now

the trouble of painting myself just for you?

a

man

like

He shook

me would his

head

ever try to cause a

a

woman

wrong impres-

sion of him.

*

Do

sadly, as if in disbelief that

Glous’gap-woman could have gotten such

76

that I’ve

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

“Well,

Glous’gap-woman

don’t know,” said

I

hesitantly,

turning the jewelry over and over in her hands.

still

Now

it

looked as though she were thinking about taking that walk in the

woods with Painted

Turtle after

all.

That

little bit

hesitancy was just what Painted Turtle was looking

now

he began to press her harder.

woman

this beautiful strange

show you

“I’ll

“Well,

woman

guess

I

it

sorts

The

insisted, taking her

let

into the

to get

by the

of things!”

will be all right,” said

meekly, and she

wigwam and

his

all

wanted

really

and

alone.

“Oh, come on, now,” he elbow.

He

for,

of

Glous’gap-

Painted Turtle lead her out of

shadows of the woods.

couple walked on for a long way, admiring the

mocassin-flowers and the ghostly white Indian pipes and all

the different kinds of

mushrooms

that Painted Turtle

pointed out growing in the leafy mulch of the forest

At

last

clearing.

The

just as if it

tree

were

“Here we sat

them

the path they were following led

down and

a

floor.

to a small

branches arched overhead and shaded

summer

are!”

brush-shelter.

exclaimed Painted Turtle happily, as he

leaned back against the broad trunk of a

He

patted the ground next to him.

me,

my little

“Come

sit

tree.

here beside

sweetheart!” he called.

Glous’gap-woman gazed wide-eyed around the clearing and then cautiously sat herself

down

little

beside

Painted Turtle.

He

isn’t this nice,

now?” he asked. Then he pretended

slipped his

arm around

yawn, and gradually he eased himself down lying flat

and take

on

it,

his back.

a little rest,

“Come

my

dear?

on,

why

until

not just

You must be

GLOUS GAP AND PAINTED TURTLE

*

“There,

her.

to

he was

lie

back

so very tired

77

after that

long walk!” he said in a soothing voice as he

stroked her shoulder.

Glous’gap-woman obediently

He drew

Turtle.

how

beside Painted

murmuring

her close to him,

about her beauty and

down

lay

in her ear

glad he was they could be alone

together in this romantic place just meant for the two of

them. Glous’gap-woman stared up

at

him

in

wonder,

as if

she were spellbound by his sweet talk. Painted Turtle closed his eyes dreamily

— and within seconds, he was

sound asleep and snoring! Glous’gap-woman was the one casting the stronger spell, and sure enough, she had

charmed Painted Turtle

into a deep slumber.

Then Glous’gap-woman

sprang up and looked about

until she spied a rotten log in the

The

the clearing. that can

kill if a

“Oh,

lay.

my

person

is

He

was

his eyes.

still

The

The

ants,

do

that!”

mumbled

angry

all

at their

over Painted

Turtle.

“You

tick-

very drowsy and could not seem to open

ants kept crawling over him,

can’t find

show you

it.

disturbed, began to crawl

their log in even greater

“You

the would-be lover sighed,

sweetheart,” and sleepily threw his arms

Turtle’s body. “Don’t le!”

where Painted

rolled the log over to

around the log and hugged

home being

edge of

many of them.

bitten by too

Out of his dreaming, little

at the

log was swarming with red ants, the kind

Glous’gap-woman Turtle

underbrush

numbers. “Lie

out about the secrets

I

swarming out of

still!”

he ordered.

brought you here to

you keep on tickling me!” and he began

if

to

thrash about.

By

this time, the ants

ing him.

At 78

that,

*

were angry enough to begin

bit-

Painted Turtle bolted upright and discov-

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

ered he had been hugging a rotten log.

started slapping

astonishment and looked wildly about for his

at the ants in

lovely

He

young companion. There

mighty Glous’gap, restored

in the clearing stood the

own

to his

form.

“Painted Turtle,” said Glous’gap sternly, “you’ve caused trouble for this village long enough.

crawl on your belly to pay for

going to leave

all

all

From now

on, you will

your wrongdoing, and I’m

your gaudy paint showing on you, too.

those fancy red dots and streaks, everyone will for

who and what you

And sponsible

so

it

know you

are!”

was that Glous’gap transformed that

young man

By

into the painted turtle

we

see

irre-

around

our ponds and streams today. Glous’gap did what his

grandmother bade him, and made things come out Ever

after,

when our young men behold

right.

the painted turtle

crawling on his belly and showing his bright red bodypaint, they

remember

that they

must not

act

toward

women as Painted Turtle did. Instead, they resolve to cherish women as sisters and friends, as cousins and aunts, as daughters and wives and mothers.

glous’gap and painted turtle

*

79

.

THE BOY IN THE BIRCHBARK BOX Wodiriit atogagan Glous'gapi

G

LOUS’GAP upon

a

many

hunting camp

There he found wrong,

in his

a

man and

my friends?” he

travels

.

.

once happened

far in the

north woods.

his wife grieving.

asked.

“What

“Why do you weep

is

so?”

The

couple looked at each other in despair and then

turned to Glous’gap. “Our son has run away,” they told him. “He says he hates resents everything

we

us,

ask

him

his very

to do, even

go hunting!

to gather firewood or to lot in life

and despises

and deplores the way we

Glous’gap puzzled about

He

treat

when

little

good

only

him.”

this, especially

and indeed

parents,

it is

says he hates his

learned the boy was only twelve winters old. hate these

He

name!

his

when he

How could

whole

life,

he

with so

knowledge of the world?

“Where

is

your son?” Glous’gap asked. “In what direc-

tion did he set off?”

“We know

is

go,” the father sighed. “All

that he’s gone, and he’s taken a

new

arrows, the

him, and

him

didn’t see

my

canoe.

only child, and

We

we have

can’t

bow and some

mother

just

think what to do!

He

pair of mocassins his

tried so

we

made is

our

hard to love him well and

bring him up right.”

Glous’gap stayed with the heartbroken family

all

that

night to console them, but by the time the sun rose from

beneath the earth on the following morning he realized the only way to ease their pain would be to bring their son safely

home

to

them.

Stepping outside the wigwam, Glous’gap drew one of his arrows

from

bow, aimed

it

He nocked that arrow to his and let it fly. Of course it was a

his quiver.

skyward,

magic arrow, and he knew that whatever direction that

would be the way the boy had

fled.

the arrow’s unswerving arc until he

M2

•

it

took,

Glous’gap ran after

came

to the place

ON THE TRAIL OF ELDER BROTHER

where

had

it

again, once

did this

snatched

more following

many

up and shot

it

times until he began to

and shooting

it

aloft

unerring path. Glous’gap

its

Soon he was outrunning

arrow.

it,

one with the

feel at

catching

it

in midair,

forth again without once breaking his

it

His power was mounting, and he could sense the

stride.

boy’s trail

the

He

fallen.

growing warmer. By

camp of the

nightfall,

he was

far

from

sorrowful parents.

“Where’s that boy gotten

to,

answer came because the dark therefore Glous’gap asked

eh?” he said aloud. But no itself

has no voice, and

no more.

For seven days Glous’gap tracked the youngster, stopping every night to

rest.

In

that time he

all

camp

or a footprint or even a

hope.

He knew

fire. Still,

saw no sign of a

he did not give up

arrow would guide him

his

true,

and he

resolved to be patient.

Meantime, what had happened

He was

voyaging

he spied an old

far

man

down

The boy

him from

canoe

when

the bank.

you going?” the elder

called.

did not want to be pinned down, so he

answered evasively. replied.

are

runaway boy?

river in his stolen

hailing

“Tamtalin? Where

to the

“I’ve

paddled

“And you, nigsgamitj

,

my

a far distance,”

grandfather?

he

Have you

traveled far?”

“Oh,

Now,

I’ve

come

a ways,” said the old

the boy did not

kindly grandfather

who

know

it,

man.

but this was really no

stood there before him, doddering

about in his worn moccasins and smiling his brokentoothed smile. Oh, no

THE BOY

IN

—

it

was none other than the witch

THE BIRCHBARK BOX

*

83

many shadowy

Poug’tjin’skwes herself in one of her

and she was out that day

more power

to gain

to capture another victim in order

wicked

for her

“Do you have room

in

sorceries.

your canoe for an elder

me?” wheedled Poug’tjin’skwes, sounding

man you

could imagine.

direction. Besides,

guises,

“We seem

to be

two on the paddles

like

like the nicest old

going in the same

will

make

for better

time, eh?”

The boy had close to the

to

admit that was

embankment

true,

so the kindly old fellow could

climb into the kwi’den. But as soon into the canoe,

all

his

old-man

into tatters at his feet,

boy

and he pulled up

as the elder

disguise

seemed

The

away

to fall

and Poug’tjin’skwes appeared

as a slavering she-hag.

to the

and

sorceress reached out

him with her gnarled hand. She clutched

seized

stepped

the star-

youngster by the wrist and sang an incantation that

tled

caused him to shrink until he was no bigger than her

thumb. Then she caught him up and popped him into the of small birchbark box

sort

the lid

down

When boy’s left

we

maggak and fastened

call a

tight.

the

boy shrank so

abruptly, the moccasins the

mother had lovingly sewn and beaded

for

him were

standing empty, side by side on the floor of the canoe.

“Oh

ho!

I

get

skwes cackled gift!”

she

“Thank

new moccasins as she

mocked

out of

reached for the

as she slipped

you, thank you, noutjitj

,

this, too!” Poug’tjin’-

pair.

“Oh, what

a fine

them on her bony

feet.

my grandchild!” Then

snatched up the maggak flipped opened the ,

lid,

she

and

peered inside. All the terrified boy could see was one enor-