Why The Loon Calls : A Micmac-Passamaquoddy Indian Legend

Citation preview

Why the LOON

Milliken Publishing

Company

• St.

Louis, Missouri

WHY THE LOON CALLS A Micmac-Passamaquoddy Indian Legend Retold by Ellen M. Dolan

Milliken Publishing Company, St. Louis, Missouri

COPYRIGHT © 1987

-

MILUKEN PUBLISHING CO.

All rights

reserved.

am Tenskwatawa,

the storyteller. Come and sit around the campfire to listen. This tale is told by the Micmac and Passamaquoddy tribes. It is the story of a great hero and his friend the loon. I

Long ago the Great mighty hero

Spirit sent a

to his people.

His name was Gluskap. His totem was a white owl.

I ^

t

^

At that time, animals and birds could speak just as people They talked to Gluskap because he was their friend. The Great Spirit had told the hero to hunt only for food. And so he did. The animals knew this, so they listened as he taught.

did.

Gluskap taught the hunters to use bows and arrows. He showed them how to track an animal in a hunt. **The Great Spirit has given you animals for food and clothing. Do not take more than you need," said the mighty Gluskap.

In the villages,

Gluskap also taught tribes the ways of peace. "You should fight only to defend your lives or villages. You should be friends to other tribes of the land."

m

Gluskap took people out into the fields. He showed them how to grow food. Then they would not go hungry when meat was hard;

aays passed ana uiuskap was The people were learning the ways of the Great Spirit. le

Gluskap went

all

around the lake

to visit the tribes.

One day as he walked, he "Gluskap! Gluskap!"

heard,

"Kwimu, Brother Loon, it is good "I could not find you on my

to see you," said Gluskap.

visits to the birds."

have been on the other side of the lake," said Kwimu. "You could not hear me because I have no song. The robin has a song, and even your owl has a call. I have nothing like that." **I

8

"Listen, then,

You

and

I

will give

my messenger.

you a

call of your

own. be our signal."

This call will Gluskap made a lovely sound. "No bird has as fine a call as mine," said Kwimu. "1 will go now and practice it well." will

be

-f

rr^.

Gluskap went back

to his

came

him. "We are gentle animals, but others have better grass to eat. And people hunt us for food. They take our skins to wear." "It is the way of the forest," said Gluskap. "The Great Spirit has made this plan." In the forest, the deer

10

work. to talk to

The deer did not like to hear this. They no longer tried to live in peace.

They fought over grasslands and water holes. They would not listen to Gluskap, and this made him

sad.

11

The animals began to come to Gluskap more and more. They were not happy about anything.

They wanted him work and care.

"My

12

\^^J \

to

make

their hves free from

cannot be done," said Gluskap. They were angry and turned away from him. friends,

it

The villagers did not take care of their fields. They no longer wanted to work for food.

Small animals stole the food and hid

it

in the forest.

They took much more than they could

n

use.

Now the villagers were a:ngry. They followed the animals into the forest. Hunters killed many and brought the meat back to the village.

Much

of the

meat would

spoil.

had more than they could

use.

The hunters,

too,

Gluskap showed the people how to smoke the meat. Then it would not spoil. There would be food for the time of the snow moon. "This food can be saved," said Gluskap. "But you must learn to take only what you need."

15

am

tired of listening to Gluskap. He is always telling us what to do," said a villager. "And what not to do," said another. "I

"We should send him away." 16

The white owl went

Gluskap. "You have taught all creatures the ways of the Great Spirit. They will not listen and soon will break your heart." Gluskap then saw that the owl was right. The animals in the forest began to fight and growl. to find

17

18

The people of the woods fought each other. They kept all their lands and extra food. They would not share what they had with others.

Gluskap was very sad. He went once again

to the villagers.

He tried to show them what was happening. They were losing their peaceful way of life. But the villagers only laughed and drove him away. 19

Gluskap went deep into the forest to call on the Great *'0 Father of All," he said, "I have failed you.

And have I

20

Spirit.

failed the creatures of the land.

They have heard my words, but have not understood them."

The Great

Spirit looked into the heart of his hero. He saw his great sadness

and understood.

//

Gluskap had done his best

The Great

Spirit called

him

to teach the to

ways

\

of peace.

a place of rest and happiness. 21

Gluskap went

to the lake

and sent out the spec

"Wliat can he asked.

I

to

Kwi

_

The loon came

quickly. do to help you,

ial call

Gluskap^

^

YOU must be my messenger. -Tell all the animals and people

come to~me here. Go quickly, for do not have

to

I

much

tim(

.\-:*

Kwimu He

flew into the night sky. went from camp to forest to village with

his message. The loon called

all

creatures to the lake.

this time, Gluskap?" asked a villager. *Be quiet," said Kwimu. "Listen to the words of the hero." *My friends, I must leave you," said Gluskap. 'The Great Spirit has called me to return to him."

'What

is it

have tried to teach you the ways of peace. But you have not understood. I hope that someday you will. Good-bye, my friends. It is time for me to go." "I

Sadly Gluskap rowed away into the darkness. 25

26

Soon the people and animals could no longer see him. They turned to speak to each other. But they found that they could not. Only creatures of the same kind could understand each No longer could birds talk to deer or to the villagers.

other.

went back to the fields. But they did not turn away from their selfishness. Soon they no longer remembered Gluskap or his words. He was just a name in stories told by the old ones In time the people

in the tribe.

V >'

S

27

Only Kwimu, the loon, remembered his friend. Each day he called across the lake for Gluskap. And so it is today. The loon still sounds his message. "Come back, mighty Gluskap, and teach this land the ways of peace."

28

Vocabulary again always angry

fought

animal(s)

friend(s)

another anything

around arrows

bows brother

brought clothing creatures

darkness defend

followed

listen

robin

forest

listened listening

rowed sadness

gentle

loon losing

selfishness signal

Gluskap

lovely

skins

good-bye grasslands growl

message messenger

speciad

Micmac

happening happiness heard

mighty

spoil storyteller

owl

tale

Passamaquoddy

taught

peace

Tenskwatawa

peaceful people practice quickly quiet

totem

vHlage(s)

remembered

vlllager(s)

return

vlsit(s)

heart hero

hungry

drove extra

hunters

failed

laughed

father

learn learning leave

fields

fight

30

Kwimu

spirit

tribe(s)

understand understood

...............

.,...,,.

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The Ugly Duckling* Peter Rabbit* Little Red Riding Hood* Hansel and Gretel*

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Paul Bunyan Drakestail Jack and the Beanstalk

Aladdin and the Magic

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Why the Loon

Snow Queen

The Coming of the Sun The Leaves of Autumn The Robin's Re^ Breast

Casey at the Bat The Nightingale

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