Wawenock Myth Texts from Maine / Forty-third Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1925-26, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1928, pages 165-198

by Frank G. Speck

GLUSKΑ̨BΕ´ THE TRANSFORMER

A

GLUSKα̨Bε´ CREATES HIMSELF AND COMPETES WITH THE CREATOR

1. 1. yuwe´dji·
   2. From this
2. 1. mαdjα̨be´gəsit`
   2. is the beginning
3. 1. Gluskα̨bε´
   2. Gluskabe.
4. 1. nenawa´
   2. Then he
5. 1. debe´ldak
   2. “The Owner”[47]
6. 1. wa`wali·bα̨de
   2. when he made
7. 1. ntami·senα̨bal`
   2. first man
8. 1. ni·nawayu´
   2. then now
9. 1. ki·
   2. of earth
10. 1. peyαnα´k
    2. left over,
11. 1. gi·zi·hα̨´t
    2. when he made
12. 1. yuli´l
    2. this
13. 1. senα̨ba´l`
    2. man
14. 1. ni·wudji·´
    2. from that
15. 1. nitci·husi´n
    2. he created himself
16. 1. Gluskα̨bε´
    2. Gluskabe
17. 1. yu·
    2. this
18. 1. ki·
    2. earth
19. 1. peyαnα̨·zi´k
    2. left over
20. 1. ki·yu´
    2. this earth
21. 1. gi´zi·begi·hadα̨zu`
    2. which had been sprinkled,
22. 1. ni·wet·e´k
    2. that is why
23. 1. mliksαnα´o
    2. he was so strong
24. 1. ni·waida´
    2. so well
25. 1. Gluskα̨bε´
    2. Gluskabe
26. 1. kizi·n´əgwi·tciwəli·hozu`
    2. was able to form himself;
27. 1. negani·´
    2. then
28. 1. ubα´bmα̨dabi`n
    2. he moved about in a sitting position;
29. 1. ni·debelda´k`
    2. then “The Owner”
30. 1. umαlhi·nawα´·n
    2. was astonished;
31. 1. ni·udi·łα´n
    2. then he said,
32. 1. “tαni·´
    2. “How
33. 1. wəda´t·e
    2. happened now
34. 1. yugədayi´n”
    2. here you be?”
35. 1. ni·udi·´łəgun
    2. Then he said,
36. 1. “a´ida`
    2. “Well!
37. 1. ni·´wədji·
    2. because
38. 1. nidji·hosi´n
    2. I formed myself from
39. 1. ki·´yu
    2. this earth
40. 1. peyαnəmα´n
    2. left over from
41. 1. nta´mi·
    2. first
42. 1. se´nα̨bε
    2. man
43. 1. gizi·h´at”
    2. that you made.”
44. 1. ni·udi·´łəgun
    2. Then he was told
45. 1. debe´ldamli·dji`l`
    2. his “Owner,”
46. 1. “gamα´dj´i·
    2. “Very
47. 1. kəmαlhintato´`”
    2. you are wonderful.”
48. 1. udi·´łəgul
    2. He was told
49. 1. “nəmαlhi·´ntato`
    2. “I am wonderful
50. 1. e´ligizi·begihalihα`n.”
    2. because you sprinkled me.”
51. 1. nega´
    2. Then
52. 1. ni·udi·łα̨gu´n
    2. he was told
53. 1. “nəgadji·´
    2. “Accordingly
54. 1. kiuse´nena`
    2. we shall roam about
55. 1. nikwα̨bi·´”
    2. now.”
56. 1. ni·we´dji·
    2. So
57. 1. mαndji·hi·di´t
    2. they left
58. 1. ni·wəda´kwαŋk·i·`na
    2. then they went up hill
59. 1. wadjuwa´l`
    2. a mountain,
60. 1. ni·gizi·
    2. then after
61. 1. uski·´dji·we`
    2. they reached the top
62. 1. wadjo´k
    2. of the mountain
63. 1. nebla´
    2. while
64. 1. tα̨ławe·´
    2. so
65. 1. ubma´tawᴐ̹·bina`
    2. they gazed about open eyed
66. 1. tani·´lαnawage`
    2. so far
67. 1. owewi·wαniwi·´
    2. round about
68. 1. ni·una´mi·tona`
    2. they could see
69. 1. nəbəs·a´l`
    2. lakes,
70. 1. si·bua´l`
    2. rivers,
71. 1. si·biwi·´
    2. and
72. 1. abazi·a´l`
    2. trees
73. 1. məsi·´wi
    2. all
74. 1. el`ka´mige`k
    2. how the land lay,
75. 1. ki·
    2. the earth.
76. 1. ni·dəbe´lda`k
    2. Then “The Owner”
77. 1. udi·´łαn
    2. said,
78. 1. “ki·nayu´
    2. “Behold here
79. 1. eli·mαlhi·´ntatowα̨`
    2. how wonderful is my work,
80. 1. msi·´wi
    2. all
81. 1. ngi·zi·dəhα̨´damən[48]
    2. I created by my wish of mind
82. 1. pe´mkamige`k
    2. the existing world,
83. 1. sobe´k`ᵂ.
    2. ocean,
84. 1. si·bua´l`
    2. rivers,
85. 1. si·bui·nəbə´s·a`l`”[49]
    2. river lakes.”
86. 1. ni·udi·´łαn
    2. Then he said
87. 1. Gluskα̨ba´l`
    2. to Gluskabe,
88. 1. “ki·aba´
    2. “What might you
89. 1. nəgədli·´bəgwatu´n?”
    2. have caused to be created?”
90. 1. ni·udli·hα̨zi·teməgu´n
    2. Then finally he replied
91. 1. yuli´l
    2. this
92. 1. Gluska·ba´l`
    2. Gluskabe,
93. 1. “nda´ba
    2. “Can not
94. 1. nindli·´bəgwa
    2. I cause anything
95. 1. tawu`n[50]
    2. to be created
96. 1. ni·nawa´
    2. yet
97. 1. ke´gwi·ba
    2. something perhaps
98. 1. gizi·uli·´tawu`n”
    2. I can make?”
99. 1. ni·udi·´łan
    2. Then he said,
100. 1. “a´ida
     2. “Well!
101. 1. ngizi·hα̨ba´
     2. I can make him perhaps
102. 1. kə´səlαmsα`n.”
     2. the wind.”
103. 1. ni·debelda´k
     2. Then “The Owner”
104. 1. udi·´łαn.
     2. said,
105. 1. “nega´
     2. “Then
106. 1. wuli·hya´
     2. make it
107. 1. tanegədli·´bəgwatu`n
     2. what you can do
108. 1. si·biwi·´
     2. even
109. 1. ta´ni·gədotsani·`n.”
     2. according to your power.”
110. 1. negeła´
     2. Then surely
111. 1. ni·uli·ha´n
     2. then he made him
112. 1. gəsəlαmsαnu´l`
     2. the wind.
113. 1. madje´lαmsα´n
     2. The wind rose
114. 1. ni·gwi·kwaskwaiwi·´
     2. then sufficiently
115. 1. aləmi·gəslαmsα´n
     2. the wind coming up
116. 1. ni·askwa´
     2. and then
117. 1. eləmi·gəslamsα´k
     2. so hard it blew
118. 1. ni·abazi·a´k
     2. then the trees
119. 1. aləmi·α̨bə´djəgelke`
     2. torn out by the roots
120. 1. elαmso´genα̨`.
     2. blew over.
121. 1. ni·debe´ldak
     2. Then “The Owner”
122. 1. udi·´łαn
     2. said
123. 1. Gluskα̨ba´l`
     2. to Gluskabe
124. 1. “teba´t`
     2. “Enough!
125. 1. gizi·nami·tu´n
     2. I have seen
126. 1. elsani·a´n
     2. how powerful you are
127. 1. tet·a´tci·
     2. and now
128. 1. eli·bəgwatəwα̨´n.”
     2. what you can do.”
129. 1. ni·dəbe´ldak
     2. Then “The Owner”
130. 1. udi·damə´n
     2. said,
131. 1. “nega´ni·a
     2. “Now, I
132. 1. α̨zi·daiwi·´
     2. in return
133. 1. noli·ha´n
     2. I will make him
134. 1. kəzəlαmsα´n”
     2. the wind.”
135. 1. negeła´
     2. Then surely
136. 1. ni·mα´djegəslαmsα`n
     2. the wind rose
137. 1. α̨zi·daiwi·´
     2. in return
138. 1. ni·edudlαmsα´k
     2. then it blew so
139. 1. alni·gelnα´ kwi·hi·di·`t`
     2. (?)
140. 1. ni·ga
     2. then
141. 1. ni·edudlαmsα´k
     2. it blew so
142. 1. ni·wədu´kskα̨dəbelαmsoge`n
     2. then it blew his hair all tangled up on his head
143. 1. wa
     2. that
144. 1. Gluskα̨bε´
     2. Gluskabe
145. 1. ni·gadawi·´
     2. then he wanted to
146. 1. e´nawiptα`ŋk`ᵂ
     2. smoothe it down
147. 1. wədəpkwana´l`
     2. his head of hair
148. 1. nimzi·wi·´
     2. then all
149. 1. me´tlαmsα`n
     2. it blew off,
150. 1. ni·nda´tαmα
     2. then not
151. 1. wədəpkwana´l`
     2. his head of hair
152. 1. nimsi·´wi·
     2. all
153. 1. me´tlαmsα`n
     2. it blew off
154. 1. ni·t·a´tci·
     2. and now
155. 1. ume´tα̨begəzi´n
     2. ends
156. 1. notlo´kα̨ga`n.
     2. my story.

[47] The “Owner” of the Universe, synonymous with God.

[48] A common concept among the Indians; freely “by wishing a thing into existence.”

[49] Or si·bi·wi·´ nəbə´s·a`l` “also lakes.”

[50] Denoting more “to make complete.”

B

THE TURTLE INSULTS THE CHIEF OF THE BIRDS; GLUSKABE HELPS HIM TO ESCAPE; MOUNTAINS ARE CREATED; AND AGAIN TURTLE ESCAPES BY GETTING HIS CAPTORS TO THROW HIM INTO THE WATER, BUT IS FINALLY KILLED