--- title: Opening, part 18 — Kulóskap the master, and other Algonkin poems · full text with trees · page 2 description: Opening, part 18, «Kulóskap the master, and other Algonkin poems»: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: There was a woman, long, long ago, She came out of a pit In which dead people were buried; She made her home in a tree; She was dressed in leaves; --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/18/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 18 # Opening, part 18 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/18/) **2** And truly this was like The casting oil on fire, And men and women all Were raging to inquire About the mystery, And ask the wife herself Who might her husband be?[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") Though everybody knew In all the country round.[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") And though it had been said That life and death and all Hung on her telling naught.[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") Though what were life or death To any woman born, Likewise to many a man, Compared unto the joy Of learning that which is None of their business-- And tattling it abroad?[105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") And so they pressed her sore, Still teasing her to tell, And giving her no rest As fools are wont to do.[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") Until one day, enraged, She thought: “This passes strength And I’ll bear it no more.[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") Truly my lord was right, These people are too vile, Too petty and too mean, For subjects to my son, He ne’er shall lead them on To glorious victory\![108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") They are not of the kind To make a mighty race: With them it shall be o’er!”[109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") And as they still kept on Tormenting, teasing her.[110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") She spoke and said: “Ye fools\![111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") Who fain would kill yourselves By your own folly, ye Mud-wasps who sting the hands Which fain would pluck you forth When drowning in the pool.[112](../../112/ "tree and pragmatics") Why will ye trouble me To tell you what ye know?[113](../../113/ "tree and pragmatics") When ye keep asking me ‘Who my boy’s father was?’[114](../../114/ "tree and pragmatics") Can ye not plainly see Katahdin in his brows?[115](../../115/ "tree and pragmatics") Now it shall be indeed To your great woe and pain, And abject misery, That ever ye did ask Of what concerned you not.[116](../../116/ "tree and pragmatics") So now from this day forth, Ye all may feed yourselves; For now my boy no more Will lend his help to you.”[117](../../117/ "tree and pragmatics") So she arose and went Her way into the woods And up the mountain side, Leading her little son; And from that day and hour Was seen on earth no more.[118](../../118/ "tree and pragmatics") And since that time our tribe With all the Indian folk Who once might have become A great and glorious race, Have dwindled down into A very little folk.[119](../../119/ "tree and pragmatics") For when our minds grow small And gossip is our god, We must diminish too.[120](../../120/ "tree and pragmatics") Truly it had been wise For them of olden time, And for us too, indeed, Could they have held their tongues.[121](../../121/ "tree and pragmatics") L.[122](../../122/ "tree and pragmatics") FOOTNOTES:[123](../../123/ "tree and pragmatics") \[67\] Long ago an Indian girl was walking on Katahdin and she felt very lonesome.[124](../../124/ "tree and pragmatics") VIII[125](../../125/ "tree and pragmatics") THE PARTRIDGE AND THE SPRING[126](../../126/ "tree and pragmatics") \[\_Passamaquoddy\_\][127](../../127/ "tree and pragmatics") \_Uskitap iaqu bamose kʾchikok Etuchi nodak metetaguak kequ pichikok.[128](../../128/ "tree and pragmatics") \_\[68\][129](../../129/ "tree and pragmatics") A man was walking the woods When he heard afar a noise As of footsteps beating the ground.[130](../../130/ "tree and pragmatics") With a cry as of merry singing; So he sought to find the people; ’Twas a week before he found them.[131](../../131/ "tree and pragmatics") ’Twas a man and his wife a-dancing About a tree; on its summit There sat a great Raccoon, And by their constant treading They had worn a trench in the ground-- Yea, in it, up to their waists.[132](../../132/ "tree and pragmatics") And when the stranger in wonder Asked of them, “What are you doing?”[133](../../133/ "tree and pragmatics") They answered that being hungry They were trying to fell the tree, And bring it down by dancing.[134](../../134/ "tree and pragmatics") The stranger said to them: “Know ye not that another, A newer and better way Of felling trees more quickly, Has come into the land?”[135](../../135/ "tree and pragmatics") They asked him how it might be.[136](../../136/ "tree and pragmatics") Then, while they greatly wondered, Taking his axe, he showed them How to cut down trees in a hurry; But made it a condition That when the Raccoon should be taken They might have his meat and eat it, But the pelt should be his portion.[137](../../137/ "tree and pragmatics") So, when the tree had fallen, And the game became their booty, The woman tanned the skin Which was strangely large and glossy And gave it to the Indian Who took it and went away.[138](../../138/ "tree and pragmatics") Then afar in a path in the forest He met with another man, And was greatly amazed at the sight, Because the other was bearing A very large birch wigwam, A dwelling with many rooms.[139](../../139/ "tree and pragmatics") He never had seen the like, And at first was in a fright, But the man, putting down the house, Burst into a fit of laughter, And shook him by the hand, Seeming in faith to be A downright honest fellow.[140](../../140/ "tree and pragmatics") Then, while they smoked and laughed, The man of the house beheld The skin which the other bore Of Espuns, the Raccoon, And said with curious air: “\_He kekw nit?[141](../../141/ "tree and pragmatics") \_” “What have you there The skin of magic power?”[142](../../142/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the other answering told How he met the man and his wife Who danced around the tree: Whereat the man of the house Offered to buy the skin At any price at all, And offered the house for it.[143](../../143/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the other looked it through And truly he was amazed To find how many rooms Were all contained in it, And what a wondrous store Of furniture and arms And kettles and the like Were stored in every room.[144](../../144/ "tree and pragmatics") “But oh and alack,” he cried, “I could never carry this house As you do, on your head.”[145](../../145/ "tree and pragmatics") “You can do it with ease,” replied \_Pilowî wʾskichin\_, That is “the stranger man;” “Just put it on your head.”[146](../../146/ "tree and pragmatics") He tried and found it as light As a \_kchi bʾsnŭd\_, or A basket made of birch.[147](../../147/ "tree and pragmatics") And so he went his way, Bearing the magic house Lightly upon his head, Till he came to a hard-wood ridge In which was a bubbling spring; And here he said: “I will live.”[148](../../148/ "tree and pragmatics") So searching he found a room In which there was a bed; A better he ne’er had seen, All covered with the skin Of a snow-white northern bear.[149](../../149/ "tree and pragmatics") So he laid him down to sleep.[150](../../150/ "tree and pragmatics") In the morning when he awoke What was his wonderment To see above his head, All hanging to the beams, Good food of every kind, All dainties known to man.[151](../../151/ "tree and pragmatics") For there were venison, Bear hams and many ducks, Buckets of maple sugar, Others of cranberries, And many golden ears Of drying Indian corn.[152](../../152/ "tree and pragmatics") But as in his delight He stretched out both his hands To grasp the tempting food, The bear-skin, melting fast, As water ran away-- For it was but the snow Which all the winter long Had gathered o’er his nest.[153](../../153/ "tree and pragmatics") And as he stretched his arms, Lo! they were changed to wings\![154](../../154/ "tree and pragmatics") And up he flew to the food, Which was the early buds Of the birch on which they hung.[155](../../155/ "tree and pragmatics") He was in truth himself A Partridge who had been Wintering beneath the snow, And who in joy came forth To greet the pleasant spring.[156](../../156/ "tree and pragmatics") L.[157](../../157/ "tree and pragmatics") FOOTNOTES:[158](../../158/ "tree and pragmatics") \[68\] A man was walking in the woods and he heard something far off.[159](../../159/ "tree and pragmatics") IX[160](../../160/ "tree and pragmatics") LOX, THE INDIAN DEVIL[161](../../161/ "tree and pragmatics") \[\_Passamaquoddy\_\][162](../../162/ "tree and pragmatics") \_Laks uskiehinwi Wahant Nekŭm mechikit wesis kchikok.[163](../../163/ "tree and pragmatics") \_\[69\][164](../../164/ "tree and pragmatics") Lox the Wolverine, Is of all the beasts of the forest Crafty and most ferocious, Cunning and utterly given To every kind of mischief.[165](../../165/ "tree and pragmatics") In all the world of the wood There is none so utterly evil, And therefore he is called By right, the Indian Devil.[166](../../166/ "tree and pragmatics") Now it happened on a time, That Lox, or the Wolverine, Who had many a time been killed, And as often rose from the dead By his sheer force of will-- The one great gift he had-- Found himself down in luck, Yea, very deeply down.[167](../../167/ "tree and pragmatics") Crossing in bitter winter A wide and dismal region Very poorly supplied For travel of any kind, The cold wind blew like knives, Snow fell with sleet and frost, And hail and pelting rain All in bad company Came on him all in one.[168](../../168/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/18/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/18/) - next →: [Opening, part 19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/19/) - ↑ back to [Kulóskap the master, and other Algonkin poems](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/)