Algonquin Legends of New England | Page 9

in which it pleased the giant Gargantua to come into the world. The
Armenians believe that Christ was born through the right side of the
Virgin. The Buddhists say the same of Buddha's birth. (Heth and Moab,
London, 1883.) Another and as I believe the correct account declares
that Malsum the Wolf was born from his mother's armpit.] And as they
planned it so it came to pass. Glooskap as first came quietly to light,
while Malsumsis kept his word, killing his mother.

The two grew up together, and one day the younger, who knew that
both had charmed lives, asked the elder what would kill him, Glooskap.
Now each had his own secret as to this, and Glooskap, remembering
how wantonly Malsumsis had slain their mother, thought it would be
misplaced confidence to trust his life to one so fond of death, while it
might prove to be well to know the bane of the other. So they agreed to
exchange secrets, and Glooskap, to test his brother, told him that the
only way in which he himself could be slain was by the stroke of an
owl's feather, [Footnote: There are different readings of this incident. In
Mr. Band's manuscript the alleged means of Glooskap's death is
described as being a cat-tail flag (haw-kwee-usqu', Passamaquoddy),
while a handful of bird's down is the bane of Malsum the Wolf. The
termination sis is a diminutive, here meaning the younger.] though this
was not true. And Malsumsis said, "I can only die by a blow from a
fern-root."
It came to pass in after-days that Kwah-beet-a-sis, the son of the Great
Beaver, or, as others say, Miko the Squirrel, or else the evil which was
in himself, tempted Malsumsis to kill Glooskap; for in those days all
men were wicked. So taking his bow he shot Ko-ko-khas the Owl, and
with one of his feathers he struck Glooskap while sleeping. Then he
awoke in anger, yet craftily said that it was not by an owl's feather, but
by a blow from a pine-root, that his life would end.
[Illustration: Glooskap killing his brother the wolf]
Then the false man led his brother another day far into the forest to
hunt, and, while he again slept, smote him on the head with a pine-root.
But Glooskap arose unharmed, drove Malsumsis away into the woods,
sat down by the brook-side, and thinking aver all that had happened,
said, "Nothing but a flowering rush can kill me." But the Beaver, who
was hidden among the reeds, heard this, and hastening to Malsumsis
told him the secret of his brother's life. For this Malsumsis promised to
bestow on Beaver whatever he should ask; but when the latter wished
for wings like a pigeon, the warrior laughed, and scornfully said, "Get
thee hence; thou with a tail like a file, what need hast thou of wings?"
Then the Beaver was angry, and went forth to the camp of Glooskap, to

whom he told what he had done. Therefore Glooskap arose in sorrow
and in anger, took a fern-root, sought Malsumsis in the deep, dark
forest, and smote him so that he fell down dead. And Glooskap sang a
song over him and lamented.
The Beaver and the Owl and the Squirrel, for what they did and as they
did it, all come again into these stories; but Malsumsis, being dead, was
turned into the Shick-shoe mountains in the Gaspe peninsula.
For this chapter and parts of others I am indebted to the narrative of a
Micmac Indian, taken down by Mr. Edward Jock; also to another
version in the Rand MS. The story is, in the main-points, similar to that
given by David Cusick in his History of the Six Nations, of Enigorio
the Good Mind, and Enigonhahetgea, Bad Mind, to which I shall refer
anon.
It is very evident that in this tradition Glooskap represents the Good
principle, and Malsumsis, the little wolf,--that is the Wolf who is the
Younger, rather than little or small,--the Evil one. Malsum typifies
destruction and sin in several of these tales. He will arise at the last day,
when Glooskap is to do battle with all the giants and evil beasts of
olden time, and will be the great destroyer. Malsum is the Wolf Fenris
of this the true Indian Edda.
For a further comment on this birth of the twins and its resemblance to
a passage in the Edda, the reader is referred to the notes on the next
chapter.

How Glooskap made the Elves and Fairies, and then Man of an Ash
Tree, and last of all, Beasts, and of his Coming at the Last Day.
(Passamaquoddy.)
Glooskap came first of all into this country, into Nova Scotia, Maine,
Canada, into the land of the Wabanaki, next