--- title: Opening, part 17 — Kulóskap the master, and other Algonkin poems · full text with trees · page 2 description: Opening, part 17, «Kulóskap the master, and other Algonkin poems»: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: “Fly!” he cried, “For our foes are coming! --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/17/page/2/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Kulóskap the master, and other Algonki…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/) / Opening, part 17 # Opening, part 17 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/17/) **2** Taking the Leaf in her bill, the Red Bird Flew through the forest among the branches To the great tree which grew secluded In the safest place in all the mountain.[60](../../60/ "tree and pragmatics") On its topmost branch they built a wigwam; Bad little Indians never came near them Hunting for birds with their bows and arrows, Nor the wicked whirlwind looking for leaves.[61](../../61/ "tree and pragmatics") There they lived and were perfectly happy, Nothing but kind words passed between them, Only kind words and favorite songs.[62](../../62/ "tree and pragmatics") \[65\][63](../../63/ "tree and pragmatics") Leaves like men are never contented, When all’s for the best they never know it; So it came to pass that Mĭpis one morning Saw far away in the pleasant sunlight A land of beautiful lakes and mountains, Lovelier far than the place they lived in; And felt in his heart an earnest longing To wander away.[64](../../64/ "tree and pragmatics") So he said to the Red Bird: “Look, my dear, at that beautiful country\![65](../../65/ "tree and pragmatics") There we are sure to be perfectly happy: I can no longer live here on the mountain!”[66](../../66/ "tree and pragmatics") Taking the Leaf in her little bill, The Red Bird flew over rock and river, Till she came to the beautiful country; Again on a tree they built their wigwam, And Squʿtes sat and sang on the branches: The little Indian boy Monimques Never had heard such beautiful singing, Never beheld such wonderful feathers; Amazed he stood for a while and listened, Then bending his bow let fly an arrow.[67](../../67/ "tree and pragmatics") Down fell the Red Bird, sorely wounded, And proud of his prey the boy ran homeward.[68](../../68/ "tree and pragmatics") Then another foe came rushing after, Aplasemwesit the Little Whirlwind, Seeing the Red Leaf soon he seized it, Took it in triumph unto his grandsire The mighty Storm; when the chief beheld it, “This,” he said, “is no common capture, This is the Leaf of the Leaves, my grandson\![69](../../69/ "tree and pragmatics") He shall not die.[70](../../70/ "tree and pragmatics") I will keep him a prisoner: He has come from afar.[71](../../71/ "tree and pragmatics") We must guard him with care.”[72](../../72/ "tree and pragmatics") Greatly the Storm Chief fears the Mountain Who stops the wind in its wildest flight.[73](../../73/ "tree and pragmatics") That night there came a dream to Kʾmûsomsʾn And he learned that the Leaf had been taken prisoner, By Aplasemwesit and kept as captive.[74](../../74/ "tree and pragmatics") Waking in anger he called to his son: “Go to the chief of the storms and tell him To send me the Leaf!”[75](../../75/ "tree and pragmatics") His son departed And when he came to the mighty Whirlwind Said: “Give me the Leaf\![76](../../76/ "tree and pragmatics") Else, ere the evening All of our tribe will be on the war path.”[77](../../77/ "tree and pragmatics") Gladly the Whirlwind gave up his captive, And the son of the Mountain carried him home.[78](../../78/ "tree and pragmatics") Soon the Leaf was safe in his wigwam On the great tree.[79](../../79/ "tree and pragmatics") He lived in sorrow, And when the notes of a bird came ringing Out of the forest, his grief was greater; His life was gone with the Little Fire, And the fire of his life was all in ashes.[80](../../80/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus it fared with the beautiful Red Bird; When the old Monimques beheld her, Long he was silent, then said: “My grandson\![81](../../81/ "tree and pragmatics") This is truly no common capture\![82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") Well it is that thou didst not kill it\![83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") Let the bird live in peace in our wigwam\![84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") But take good care lest it escape!”[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") Day after day the Red Bird grew better And soon her color was as bright as ever, Until one morning when least expected, Her voice broke forth like a brook into sunshine.[86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") These were her words: “Could the Wind but hear me, I should not long be kept a captive, Soon he would carry the news to the Mountain\![87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") Soon the Mountain would send a warrior, Soon the warrior would give me freedom\![88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") Soon I should be with the Leaf again!”[89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") As the old Monimques heard her singing: His heart at the words grew weak with fear: “Truly it was a bad beginning That ever my grandson shot this singer, And truly, ’twould have a woful ending, If the Mountain should learn she is here\![90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") It is madness to keep her a captive, But certain death if we let her go free!”[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") While he thought it over his grandson returned Bringing a burden of birds of the forest, And little singers who live by the rivers: And when they were cooked, and the chief had eaten, Down by the fire he lay on a bear skin, Smoking himself into silent sleep.[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") The door was closed, nor was there a crevice Through which the Red Bird could creep to freedom When all at once she thought of the opening Through which the smoke from the fire ascended Ever upward so densely pouring Nobody deemed she would dare to pass it.[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") As the head of Monimques drooped on his shoulder And as the pipe stem dropped from his fingers And as the little Wʾnagʾmeswuk The tiny fairies who tap the eyelids, Soothed him into deepest slumber, Softly the Red Bird rose and taking A birchen bucket, filled it with water.[94](../../94/ "tree and pragmatics") Dipping her wing in the water she sprayed it Little by little upon the fire; Little by little the fire, like Monimques Sunk to sleep, and the bright red flame Lay down to rest in the dull gray ashes.[95](../../95/ "tree and pragmatics") Out of the smoke-hole, in careful silence Flitted Squʿtes, and when far from the wigwam, In the fresh air and the beautiful sunshine, Heard other song-birds far beneath her.[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") As she went flying over the forest, Leaving death behind, with love before her, She had never been half so happy.[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") And what was her joy when she reached the mountain And saw from afar on the great tree rising A bright Red Leaf which shone in the sunset; Straight was her flight as that of an arrow, Fast as an arrow, when she beheld him.[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") And the Red Leaf leapt as if smit by an arrow, When all in an instant her arms were round him.[99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") Then without an instant’s warning All his darkness was turned to daylight, And the Red Wing burst into tears of rapture.[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") It was long ago, even in the morning Of the first moons that this all happened; Trees had not mouldered as yet in the valleys, To the cold depths of many a river Fishes as yet had not found their way, And all the secret roads of the forest Had not been learned by the bear or woodchuck; But even then the Squʿtes and Mĭpis Lived all the summer upon the mountain, Sung in its shadows and shone in the sunshine Still as of yore they are singing and shining; And so it will be while the mountain is there.[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") L.[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") FOOTNOTES:[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") \[64\] Long ago on the big mountain lived the happy little leaf.[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") \[65\] In the original Indian-English version this line is given as--“Only kind words and popular songs.”[105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") V[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") THE BLIND BOY[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") A VERY OLD SONG[108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") \[\_Passamaquoddy\_\][109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") \_Nit neke epit pʾiche nitwechi moskesits Poskaniknikok mechinechik etli-poskʿnot.[110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") \_\[66\][111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/17/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/17/) - next →: [Opening, part 18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/18/) - ↑ back to [Kulóskap the master, and other Algonkin poems](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/)