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 NO. 3

��PENOBSCOT TRANSFORMER TALES

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��Woodchuck answered, "Far out on a big island in the water. Grasshopper raises tobacco; but he won't share it, he is so stingy; and, be- sides, he is a great dangerous magician." "I am able to distribute it," said Gluska'be to his grandmother. Then he built a canoe; and when it was made, he pushed it off with his foot. Its first glide was as far as he could see. 1 It did not go fast enough, this canoe. So he made another, and pushed this off, jumped in, and it went twice as far, "two looks." This was not enough. Again he made one, jumped in, and pushed it off. This went "three looks." Then he laughed. Then by a magic wish he wished Grasshopper to leave home, so that he could secure his tobacco. When he arrived at Grasshopper's place, sure enough, he was gone. Then Gluskp'be took it all, even what was growing in the fields, got into his canoe, pushed it off, and returned. He said to his grandmother, "I have brought tobacco. Never again will it be scarce." And they rejoiced. Then, while they were talking, Grasshopper came paddling up. He shouted, and said, "You have stolen all my tobacco!" Gluska'be went out to meet him. "It is true," said Gluska'be, "I have taken all. The reason is, that in the future our descendants too may enjoy it. You do not do well to begrudge tobacco. You raise so much, that you cannot enjoy or use it." Replied Grasshopper, "Please give me seeds, so that I may raise what I need!" "No," said Gluska'be, "I will not give you seeds, but I will give you as much as you need for your lifetime. I give you sufficient for life. Now open your mouth!" Then he put some tobacco in his mouth. "Now you have your share." Then he took Grasshopper and split the back of his coat, and said, "From now on you shall have wings. Fly away, you have your share!" (The grass- hopper has his tobacco in his mouth, and he chews and spits it all the time, as may be seen by picking him up.)

1 "One look," a unit of distance.

��6. GLUSKA'BE FIXES THE RIVERS ' AND FALLS

Gluska'be udr'lan o"kamas-al' nr"kwup' Glusk/be said to his grandmother, "Now,

no"kami nagwr'lawi'wali'"tun dantc grandma, I shall search out and prepare for

go'sa'snawak 2 we'dji- a.da' sak-a"- our descendants, 2 so that not hard*

hedi-hedik' w elmauzo'ldrdit ni'k'a'ni times they will have while they live in the future.

ni-"kwup' nabo-'sin ndabana - 'wr"tun Now I leave, I will inspect

si-'bual na'ga nagwa'sabe'mal ni'"kwup'tc rivers and lakes. Now also

nsi-'pkHa no"kami ke'nuk mo'zak I shall be a long time, grandma, but don't

nsa'hi-'katc nubo - 'sin oma'dje'bian masr' worry." Then he left, he began paddling, all

ubi-t'hi-'tanal si-'bual sa'Tjkade'tagwegil he entered the rivers which emptied into

so'beguk uda'banawi'" tonal nada-'ma the ocean, he inspected them. Then where

sa - 'gi - k'e uli'"tun e'lami ba'n'tagwr'kek difficulties were he fixed it going among the river> fall places,

we'dji'tc a'da ado'dji sak'a"hedi'hi'dik' w so that not ever so hard times they would have

o"sas - a' ni-'ka'n'i masi'a"tc be'dji his descendants in the future. And all even

wunr'ganal 3 ugr'zi'mosi'kte'manal we'dji the carrying places * he cleared out for

wulau'das'ak mala'm'te pe - 'sagwun

good path place. Then one

si-'bu bi't'hr'bret nabo-'nak udu't river he paddled into. Then he placed his canoe,

2 This implies that people were always in existence somewhere.

3 A "carry" is the land separating two navigable pieces of water.

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