Chapter IV

HOW KULÓSKAP NAMED THE ANIMALS, AND DISCOVERED
THAT MAN WAS THE LORD OF THEM ALL

[_Passamaquoddy_]

_Wut ktagʾnodʾmul uch Kulóskap._[16]

This is an ancient tale of the Lord,
Told ’mid the tales of the spirit time,
How the Master of Beasts and Men
Was born in the Sunrise land,
The land of the Wabanaki;
Though other traditions tell
That he came from across the ocean
In a great stone canoe,
A barque which was all of granite,
Covered with trees for masts.
When the great Lord of All,
The Chief of Beasts and Men,
Descended from this ark,
He went into the land
Of the Wabanaki,
The children of the Light;
And calling all the Beasts
Gave unto each a name:
Unto the Bear, Mūūin;
And as he gave it, asked:
“Oh Bear, what would’st thou do,
If thou should’st meet a man?”
To which Mūūin replied
Simply and honestly:
“I fear him and should run.”
“Well spoken,” said the Lord,
“Man should be feared by all.”

Now at that time, Miʿko,
The Squirrel, was as great,
Or, some say, far more great
Than even the Northern Bear;
So the Lord Kulóskap
Took Miʿko ’neath his hands,
And softly smoothed him down;
And as he felt the touch
Miʿko grew less and less,
And dwindled until he
Was what we see him now.
Howbeit in later days,
Miʿko was Kulóskap’s dog,
And, when the Master willed,
He oft grew large again
Touched by the Master’s hand,
And slew his fiercest foes.
But, being asked what he
Would do if chased by Man,
Miʿko at once exclaimed:
“I would climb up a tree
As fast as legs could run.”

“Well answered,” said the Lord,
“And therefore, I ordain
That from this day henceforth
Thou and thy kind at large
Shall ever dwell in trees.”

The Moose was standing by,
Intently looking on,
With great, soft, staring eyes,
Attending to it all
With deepest interest.
Calling then Kchi Mūs,
Big Moose, the Master said:
“But say what would’st thou do
If thou should’st meet with Man?”
“In faith,” replied Kchi Mūs,
“I’d canter through the woods
Fast as my legs would fly.”
“Well spoken,” said the god,
“So shalt thou ever live
In shade and forests wild.”

The Beaver being asked
What he would do, replied
That he would seek a stream
Ere he would face mankind.
So the great Lord perceived
That of all creatures born
Who walked upon the earth
The first and best was Man. L.

FOOTNOTES:

[16] This I will tell you about Kulóskap.

=Canto Second=

THE MASTER’S KINDNESS TO MAN