Post by Okwes on Apr 14, 2008 13:10:16 GMT -5
Gluscabi and the Wind Eagle - Penobscot
Gluscabi and the Wind Eagle Long ago, Gluscabi lived with his grandmother,
Woodchuck, in a small lodge beside the big water. One day Gluscabi was
walking around when he looked out and saw some ducks in the bay. "I think it
is time to go hunt some ducks," he said. So he took his bow and arrows and
got into his canoe. He began to paddle out into the bay and as he paddled he
sang: Ki yo wah ji neh yo hey ho hey Ki yo wah ji neh Ki yo wah ji neh But a
wind came up and it turned his canoe and blew him back to shore. Once again
Gluscabi began to paddle out and this time he sang his song a little harder.
KI YO WAH JI NEH YO HEY HO HEY KI YO WAH JI NEH KI YO WAH JI NEH But again
the wind came and blew him back to shore. Four times he tried to paddle out
into the bay and four times he failed. He was not happy. He went back to the
lodge of his grandmother and walked right in, even though there was a stick
leaning across the door, which meant that the person inside was doing some
work and did not want to be disturbed. "Grandmother," Gluscabi asked, "What
makes the wind blow?" Grandmother Woodchuck looked up from her work.
"Gluscabi," she said, "Why do you want to know?" Then Gluscabi answered her
just as every child in the world does when they are asked such a question.
"Because," he said. Grandmother Woodchuck looked at him. "Ah, Gluscabi, "
she said. "Whenever you ask such questions I feel there is going to be
trouble. And perhaps I should not tell you. But I know that you are very
stubborn and would never stop asking. So, I shall tell you. If you walk
always facing the wind you will come to the place where Wuchowsen stands."
"Thank you, Grandmother," said Gluscabi. He stepped out of the lodge and
faced into the wind and began to walk. He walked across the fields and
through the woods and the wind blew hard. He walked through the valleys and
into the hills and the wind blew harder still. He came to the foothills and
began to climb and the wind still blew harder. Now the foothills were
becoming mountains and the wind was very strong. Soon there were no longer
any trees and the wind was very, very strong. The wind was so strong that it
blew off Gluscabi's moccasins. But he was very stubborn and he kept on
walking, leaning into the wind. Now the wind was so strong that it blew off
his shirt, but he kept on walking. Now the wind was so strong that it blew
off all his clothes and he was naked, but he still kept walking. Now the
wind was so strong that it blew off his hair, but Gluscabi still kept
walking, facing into the wind. The wind was so strong that it blew off his
eyebrows, but he still continued to walk. Now the wind was so strong that he
could hardly stand. He had to pull himself along by grabbing hold of the
boulders. But there, on the peak ahead of him, he could see a great bird
flapping its wings. It was Wuchowsen, the Wind Eagle. Gluscabi took a deep
breath, "GRANDFATHER!" he shouted. The Wind Eagle stopped flapping his wings
and looked around. "Who calls me Grandfather?" he said. Gluscabi stood up.
"It's me, Grandfather. I came up here to tell you that you do a very good
job making the wind blow." The Wind Eagle puffed out his chest with pride.
"You mean like this?" he said and flapped his wings even harder. The wind
that he made was so strong that it lifted Gluscabi right off his feet, and
he would have been blown right off the mountain had he not reached out and
grabbed a boulder again. "GRANDFATHER!!!" Gluscabi shouted again. The Wind
Eagle stopped flapping his wings. "Yes?" he said. Gluscabi stood up and came
closer to Wuchowsen. "You do a very good job of making the wind blow,
Grandfather. This is so. But it seems to me that you could do an even better
job if you were on that peak over there." The Wind Eagle looked over toward
the other peak. "That may be so," he said, "but how would I get from here to
there?" Gluscabi smiled. "Grandfather," he said, "I will carry you. Wait
here." Then Gluscabi ran back down the mountain until he came to a big
basswood tree. He stripped off the outer bark and from the inner bark he
braided a strong carrying strap which he took back up the mountain to the
Wind Eagle. "Here, Grandfather," he said, "let me wrap this around you so I
can lift you more easily." Then he wrapped the carrying strap so tightly
around Wuchowsen that his wings were pulled in to his sides and he could
hardly breathe. "Now, Grandfather," said Gluscabi, picking the Wind Eagle
up, "I will take you to a better place." He began to walk toward the other
peak, but as he walked he came to a place where there was a large crevice,
and as he stepped over it he let go of the carrying strap and the Wind Eagle
slid down into the crevice, upside down, and was stuck. "Now," Gluscabi
said, "it is time to go hunt some ducks." He walked back down the mountain
and there was no wind at all. He waited till he came to the tree line and
still no wind blew. He walked down to the foothills and down to the hills
and the valleys and still there was no wind. He walked through the forest
and the fields and the wind did not blow at all. He walked and walked until
he got back to the lodge by the water, and by now all his hair had grown
back. He put on some fine new clothing and a new pair of moccasins and took
his bow and arrows and went back to the bay and climbed into his boat to
hunt ducks. He paddled out into the water and sang his canoeing song: Ki yo
wah ji neh yo hey ho hey Ki yo wah ji neh Ki yo wah ji neh But the air was
very hot and still and he began to sweat. The air was so still and hot that
it was hard to breathe. Soon the water began to grow dirty and smell bad and
there was so much foam on the water he could hardly paddle. He was not
pleased at all and he returned to the shore and went straight to his
grandmother's lodge and walked in. "Grandmother," he said, "what is wrong?
The air is hot and still and it is making me sweat and it is hard to
breathe. The water is dirty and covered with foam. I cannot hunt ducks at
all like this." Grandmother Woodchuck looked up at Gluscabi. "Gluscabi," she
said, "what have you done now?" And Gluscabi answered just as every child in
the world answers when asked that question, "Oh, nothing," he said.
"Gluscabi," said Grandmother Woodchuck again, "Tell me what you have done."
Then Gluscabi told her about going to visit the Wind Eagle and what he had
done to stop the wind. "Oh, Gluscabi," said Grandmother Woodchuck, "will you
never learn? Tabaldak, The Owner, set the Wind Eagle on that mountain to
make the wind because we need the wind. The wind keeps the air cool and
clean. The wind brings the clouds that give us rain to wash the Earth. The
wind moves the waters to keep them fresh and sweet. Without the wind, life
will not be good for us, for our children, or our children's children.
Gluscabi nodded his head. "Kaamoji, Grandmother," he said. "I understand."
Then he went outside. He faced in the direction from which the wind had once
come and began to walk. He walked through the fields and through the forests
and the wind did not blow and he felt very hot. He walked through the
valleys and up the hills and there was no wind and it was very hard for him
to breathe. He came to the foothills and began to climb and he was very hot
and sweaty indeed. At last he came to the to the mountain where the Wind
Eagle once stood and he went and looked down into the crevice. There was
Wuchosen, the Wind Eagle, wedged upside down. "Uncle?" Gluscabi called. The
Wind Eagle looked up as best he could. "Who calls me Uncle?" he said. "It is
Gluscabi, Uncle. I'm up here. But what are you doing down there?" "Oh,
Gluscabi," said the Wind Eagle, "a very ugly naked man with no hair told me
that he would take me to the other peak so that I could do a better job of
making the wind blow. He tied my wings and picked me up, but as he stepped
over this crevice he dropped me in and I am stuck. And I am not comfortable
here at all." "Ah, Grandfather , Uncle, I will get you out." Then Gluscabi
climbed down into the crevice. He pulled the Wind Eagle free and placed him
back on the mountain and untied his wings. "Uncle," Gluscabi said, "it is
good that the wind should blow sometimes and other times it is good that it
should be still." The Wind Eagle looked at Gluscabi and then nodded his
head. "Grandson," he said, "I hear what you say." So it is that sometimes
there is wind and sometimes it is very still to this very day. And now,
kespeadooksit--the story ends.
Gluscabi and the Wind Eagle Long ago, Gluscabi lived with his grandmother,
Woodchuck, in a small lodge beside the big water. One day Gluscabi was
walking around when he looked out and saw some ducks in the bay. "I think it
is time to go hunt some ducks," he said. So he took his bow and arrows and
got into his canoe. He began to paddle out into the bay and as he paddled he
sang: Ki yo wah ji neh yo hey ho hey Ki yo wah ji neh Ki yo wah ji neh But a
wind came up and it turned his canoe and blew him back to shore. Once again
Gluscabi began to paddle out and this time he sang his song a little harder.
KI YO WAH JI NEH YO HEY HO HEY KI YO WAH JI NEH KI YO WAH JI NEH But again
the wind came and blew him back to shore. Four times he tried to paddle out
into the bay and four times he failed. He was not happy. He went back to the
lodge of his grandmother and walked right in, even though there was a stick
leaning across the door, which meant that the person inside was doing some
work and did not want to be disturbed. "Grandmother," Gluscabi asked, "What
makes the wind blow?" Grandmother Woodchuck looked up from her work.
"Gluscabi," she said, "Why do you want to know?" Then Gluscabi answered her
just as every child in the world does when they are asked such a question.
"Because," he said. Grandmother Woodchuck looked at him. "Ah, Gluscabi, "
she said. "Whenever you ask such questions I feel there is going to be
trouble. And perhaps I should not tell you. But I know that you are very
stubborn and would never stop asking. So, I shall tell you. If you walk
always facing the wind you will come to the place where Wuchowsen stands."
"Thank you, Grandmother," said Gluscabi. He stepped out of the lodge and
faced into the wind and began to walk. He walked across the fields and
through the woods and the wind blew hard. He walked through the valleys and
into the hills and the wind blew harder still. He came to the foothills and
began to climb and the wind still blew harder. Now the foothills were
becoming mountains and the wind was very strong. Soon there were no longer
any trees and the wind was very, very strong. The wind was so strong that it
blew off Gluscabi's moccasins. But he was very stubborn and he kept on
walking, leaning into the wind. Now the wind was so strong that it blew off
his shirt, but he kept on walking. Now the wind was so strong that it blew
off all his clothes and he was naked, but he still kept walking. Now the
wind was so strong that it blew off his hair, but Gluscabi still kept
walking, facing into the wind. The wind was so strong that it blew off his
eyebrows, but he still continued to walk. Now the wind was so strong that he
could hardly stand. He had to pull himself along by grabbing hold of the
boulders. But there, on the peak ahead of him, he could see a great bird
flapping its wings. It was Wuchowsen, the Wind Eagle. Gluscabi took a deep
breath, "GRANDFATHER!" he shouted. The Wind Eagle stopped flapping his wings
and looked around. "Who calls me Grandfather?" he said. Gluscabi stood up.
"It's me, Grandfather. I came up here to tell you that you do a very good
job making the wind blow." The Wind Eagle puffed out his chest with pride.
"You mean like this?" he said and flapped his wings even harder. The wind
that he made was so strong that it lifted Gluscabi right off his feet, and
he would have been blown right off the mountain had he not reached out and
grabbed a boulder again. "GRANDFATHER!!!" Gluscabi shouted again. The Wind
Eagle stopped flapping his wings. "Yes?" he said. Gluscabi stood up and came
closer to Wuchowsen. "You do a very good job of making the wind blow,
Grandfather. This is so. But it seems to me that you could do an even better
job if you were on that peak over there." The Wind Eagle looked over toward
the other peak. "That may be so," he said, "but how would I get from here to
there?" Gluscabi smiled. "Grandfather," he said, "I will carry you. Wait
here." Then Gluscabi ran back down the mountain until he came to a big
basswood tree. He stripped off the outer bark and from the inner bark he
braided a strong carrying strap which he took back up the mountain to the
Wind Eagle. "Here, Grandfather," he said, "let me wrap this around you so I
can lift you more easily." Then he wrapped the carrying strap so tightly
around Wuchowsen that his wings were pulled in to his sides and he could
hardly breathe. "Now, Grandfather," said Gluscabi, picking the Wind Eagle
up, "I will take you to a better place." He began to walk toward the other
peak, but as he walked he came to a place where there was a large crevice,
and as he stepped over it he let go of the carrying strap and the Wind Eagle
slid down into the crevice, upside down, and was stuck. "Now," Gluscabi
said, "it is time to go hunt some ducks." He walked back down the mountain
and there was no wind at all. He waited till he came to the tree line and
still no wind blew. He walked down to the foothills and down to the hills
and the valleys and still there was no wind. He walked through the forest
and the fields and the wind did not blow at all. He walked and walked until
he got back to the lodge by the water, and by now all his hair had grown
back. He put on some fine new clothing and a new pair of moccasins and took
his bow and arrows and went back to the bay and climbed into his boat to
hunt ducks. He paddled out into the water and sang his canoeing song: Ki yo
wah ji neh yo hey ho hey Ki yo wah ji neh Ki yo wah ji neh But the air was
very hot and still and he began to sweat. The air was so still and hot that
it was hard to breathe. Soon the water began to grow dirty and smell bad and
there was so much foam on the water he could hardly paddle. He was not
pleased at all and he returned to the shore and went straight to his
grandmother's lodge and walked in. "Grandmother," he said, "what is wrong?
The air is hot and still and it is making me sweat and it is hard to
breathe. The water is dirty and covered with foam. I cannot hunt ducks at
all like this." Grandmother Woodchuck looked up at Gluscabi. "Gluscabi," she
said, "what have you done now?" And Gluscabi answered just as every child in
the world answers when asked that question, "Oh, nothing," he said.
"Gluscabi," said Grandmother Woodchuck again, "Tell me what you have done."
Then Gluscabi told her about going to visit the Wind Eagle and what he had
done to stop the wind. "Oh, Gluscabi," said Grandmother Woodchuck, "will you
never learn? Tabaldak, The Owner, set the Wind Eagle on that mountain to
make the wind because we need the wind. The wind keeps the air cool and
clean. The wind brings the clouds that give us rain to wash the Earth. The
wind moves the waters to keep them fresh and sweet. Without the wind, life
will not be good for us, for our children, or our children's children.
Gluscabi nodded his head. "Kaamoji, Grandmother," he said. "I understand."
Then he went outside. He faced in the direction from which the wind had once
come and began to walk. He walked through the fields and through the forests
and the wind did not blow and he felt very hot. He walked through the
valleys and up the hills and there was no wind and it was very hard for him
to breathe. He came to the foothills and began to climb and he was very hot
and sweaty indeed. At last he came to the to the mountain where the Wind
Eagle once stood and he went and looked down into the crevice. There was
Wuchosen, the Wind Eagle, wedged upside down. "Uncle?" Gluscabi called. The
Wind Eagle looked up as best he could. "Who calls me Uncle?" he said. "It is
Gluscabi, Uncle. I'm up here. But what are you doing down there?" "Oh,
Gluscabi," said the Wind Eagle, "a very ugly naked man with no hair told me
that he would take me to the other peak so that I could do a better job of
making the wind blow. He tied my wings and picked me up, but as he stepped
over this crevice he dropped me in and I am stuck. And I am not comfortable
here at all." "Ah, Grandfather , Uncle, I will get you out." Then Gluscabi
climbed down into the crevice. He pulled the Wind Eagle free and placed him
back on the mountain and untied his wings. "Uncle," Gluscabi said, "it is
good that the wind should blow sometimes and other times it is good that it
should be still." The Wind Eagle looked at Gluscabi and then nodded his
head. "Grandson," he said, "I hear what you say." So it is that sometimes
there is wind and sometimes it is very still to this very day. And now,
kespeadooksit--the story ends.