How Glooscap Conquered His Enemies
Once, in the long ago, the Great Chief Glooscap lived on an island called Aja-lig-un-mechk.
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“How Glooscap Conquered His Enemies” from Glooscap the Great Chief, and Other Stories; Legends of the Micmacs by Emelyn Newcomb Partridge, 1913
Once, in the long ago, the Great Chief Glooscap lived on an island called Aja-lig-un-mechk. With him were many Indians, who had the names and natures of animals and birds; and who had the power to take the form of these animals and birds when they wished. All of these Indians had magical power, but they were not so powerful as the Great Chief. So they were jealous of him; and at last they determined to go away and leave him alone, and to take with them little Marten and the grandmother, who lived with Glooscap. They thought that if they left him alone on the island he would soon die,—for they did not know the power of the Master.
They waited until Glooscap went into the forest on a long journey. Then they made everything ready, and stole away to the canoes. But just then Glooscap came back out of the forest, and saw that the grandmother and Marten were gone. He followed their tracks to the shore. There he saw Winpe, a mighty sorcerer, his greatest enemy, pushing off with them in a canoe. They were still near the shore, and Glooscap called loudly to the grandmother: “Noogumee, send me back my dogs.'' These dogs were very small, no larger than mice. The grandmother took a small wooden dish, and put it into the water, and placed the dogs upon it, and they floated back to the shore. Glooscap took up the dogs, and put them into his pocket, and returned to his wigwam; and his enemy, Winpe, paddled away across the water with Marten and the grandmother.
A long time passed, but Glooscap did not pursue his enemy. Some say that it was three months; some say, seven years. Why he did this no one knows. Perhaps it was so that he could gain greater power; perhaps he had other work to do; perhaps he wished to let his enemies suffer. But when the right time came, the Great Chief took his dogs and went down to the shore. He stood and looked far out to sea, and then he began to sing a magic song. It was the song that all the whales obeyed. He watched, and soon a small whale arose far off in the sea. He had heard the Great Chief's call, and he came swimming to him. When the whale was close to the shore, Glooscap rested one foot upon the whale's back to try his weight; but he was very heavy, and the whale sank down in the water.
“You are not large enough,” said the Great Chief. “Return to your home in the ocean”
Then Glooscap sang his magic song once more. Soon there came Bootup, the largest whale in all the ocean. Glooscap stepped upon her back, and she bore him swiftly away over the sea.
Now as Bootup sped across the ocean she began to think that if she went so fast she might run upon the shore, or come to a place where the water was shallow, and she could not get out again. This was just what Glooscap wanted her to do.
As Bootup came near the shore she kept asking Glooscap whether he could see the land. But Glooscap always answered: “No.''
Then Bootup would go on again as fast as she could. But soon Bootup saw clam shells under the water, and she was more afraid than ever. She called out:
“My grandson, does not the land show itself in the distance like a bow-string?''
“We are still far from land," said Glooscap. So she went on, until the water was so shallow that they could hear the clams singing.
Now these clams were enemies of Glooscap; and they were singing to Bootup, urging her to throw him into the sea and drown him. She could not understand what they said, so she asked Glooscap:
“My grandson, what are the clams singing?”
“They tell you to hurry me on as fast as you can," said Glooscap. So Bootup swept on through the water, thinking that the clams were urging her to hurry:—until all at once she found herself high and dry on the shore. Then she was terribly frightened, and she began to cry out:
“Alas, my grandchild, you have been my death. I shall never again swim in the sea.”
And Glooscap answered:
“Do not fear, Noogumee.''
He gave one push of his bow against the great whale and she was sent far out to sea. Then Bootup was glad once more. She lighted her pipe, and went sailing happily home, smoking as she went.
Glooscap now began to search for the trail of Winpe and Marten and the grandmother; and after a long time he came to a deserted wigwam, and there he found a small birch-bark dish, which had belonged to Marten. Glooscap examined it, and saw that it had been there for seven years—although some say it was only three months. So by this he knew how long Winpe had been away from this place. The Great Chief followed the trail eastward and found another deserted wigwam, where Winpe had been. Near this wigwam there was a wretched lodge, and in it a poor, helpless-looking old woman, doubled over with age. She was really an artful sorceress, Glooscap's deadly foe, who was determined to kill him. The Great Chief knew this at once. The old woman asked him to help her, and Glooscap pretended to do everything she asked, but while he busied himself in the lodge, he put her into a deep sleep by his magic, and went his way.
Soon the sorceress awoke, and when she found that she had been outwitted, and that Glooscap's contempt for her was so great that he had scorned even to destroy her, she was furious; and in her rage, she pursued him, determined to be avenged.
The Great Chief was in no danger, and therefore he had no fear. He carried in his bosom his two little dogs. These dogs were no larger than mice, but they could immediately assume the size and fury of the largest animals. As soon as the sorceress came near him, Glooscap took the little dogs from his pocket, and said to them:
“When I command you not to growl, spring upon her, and the more loudly I call you off, the more furiously must you tear her."
When the sorceress saw the little dogs take on their giant forms, and heard their fierce growls, she was frightened and shrank back from them.
“Call off your dogs!" she shouted.
The Master called out to the dogs to be quiet, but the more he shouted, the more furious they became. They rushed at the sorceress, and destroyed her.
Glooscap now journeyed on until he came to the top of a high mountain. In the distance he saw a large wigwam, where two old wizards, who hated him, lived. These wizards had two daughters.
When the wizards perceived by their magical power that the Great Chief, the enemy of all evil-doers, was near, they sent their daughters out to meet him. They gave them strings of bear's meat to put around his neck—as was the custom—but this was magical meat which, once around his neck, would have strangled him to death.
When Glooscap saw the maidens coming to meet him, he knew who they were, and what their intentions were. He gave his dogs the magical word, and let them go. As soon as they began to growl at the sorcerers, Glooscap commanded them to be quiet, saying:
“These maidens are my sisters.''
But the dogs rushed on, and tore them to pieces.
Glooscap took the magical meat that was intended to kill him, and went to the wigwam; and looking in at the door, he threw it around the old man's neck. Then he went on, leaving the sorcerer strangled by the magical meat.
Then Glooscap made his way toward the shore; but he must travel over a mountain where there was a narrow pass, guarded by a Kookwes, a terrible giant. This Kookwes managed to entrap all who passed, whether man or beast.
When he saw Glooscap approaching, he said: “Now I shall have a capital dinner.” Glooscap gave his dogs the magical word, and went boldly into the pass to face the Kookwes. The Kookwes rushed at Glooscap to kill him, but the dogs with a bound seized the giant by the throat, and killed him.
The Great Chief knew that he had now destroyed all the sorcerers that beset his way, and that he must next attack Winpe, the greatest enemy of all. He set out once more upon his journey, and soon reached the sea. He followed along the shore, stopping at the old camping places of Winpe. He always examined the little bark dishes that were left behind, and these told him that he was rapidly gaining upon his enemy.
Soon he came to a place where Winpe had crossed the water. The Great Chief stood upon the shore, and sang his magical song which the whales obeyed. At once a whale answered his call, and carried him swiftly across to the other shore. Glooscap hastened on, and followed along the shore until he found that he was but a three days' journey behind his enemy, the terrible sorcerer, Winpe.
Again he must cross the water; and again he sang the magical song which the whales obeyed. A great whale appeared, and soon carried him safely to the other side. Glooscap now came to the place where Winpe had camped the night before. Then he hurried, speeding over the ground with mighty strides, and before long he overtook his old housekeeper, weak and tottering with hunger and abuse. She was carrying Marten on her back, for he was so weak that he could walk no farther. Winpe and his family were far ahead, but the grandmother did not dare to try to escape, for she feared the power of the wicked sorcerer.
Marten, who had his face turned backward, was the first to spy Glooscap following them.
“My elder brother, help us! Give us food!”' he called.
“The Chief is not here," the grandmother said sadly, “We left him far, far, behind."
Marten soon caught another glimpse of Glooscap, and called again for food. The grandmother looked back this time, and when she saw the Master, she was so overjoyed that she fainted. When she became conscious, Glooscap stood beside her. She began to weep, and to tell him how cruel Winpe had been to them.
“Think no more of it,” said Glooscap; “They will soon have their punishment."
They travelled along together until they came to the place where Winpe was camping, and then Glooscap said to Marten:
“I will hide here, and when Winpe sends you for water, make it unclean. And then when he scolds you, throw the baby into the fire and run to me."
Marten did just as Glooscap told him. He put mud and filth into the water, and when Winpe saw it, he said:
“Horrors! What terrible water! Go and get some that is clean."
Marten tossed the baby into the fire, and ran as fast as he could toward the place where Glooscap was hiding, calling out:
“Nsesako! My elder brother! Come and help me."
Winpe pursued him, vowing vengeance, crying exultingly:
"Your brother cannot help you. He is far, far away, where we left him; and though you burn the world, I will seize you and kill you."
On ran Marten with Winpe close behind him, until they came almost to Glooscap 's hiding-place. Then the Great Chief sprang up and stood before Winpe.
The sorcerer stopped short, and challenged Glooscap to fight. Then he stepped back, and summoned all his magical powers. He grew larger and larger, until his head almost touched the clouds. Glooscap did not move, but he, too, began to put forth his magic; he grew larger and larger until he towered above Winpe, and his head reached far above the clouds into the clear sky.
When Winpe saw this, he said: ''You have conquered and killed me,”
Glooscap, scorning to fight Winpe or strike him, touched him lightly on the head with the end of his bow, and the wicked sorcerer fell down dead.
Partridge, Emelyn Newcomb. Glooscap the Great Chief, and Other Stories; Legends of the Micmacs. Sturgis & Walton, 1913.
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