--- title: Opening, part 4 — Kulóskap the master, and other Algonkin poems · full text with trees description: Opening, part 4, «Kulóskap the master, and other Algonkin poems»: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: Now ere they were born, The two a council held That they might decide How they would be born. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/4/) [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 4 # Opening, part 4 Opening, part 4 of «Kulóskap the master, and other Algonkin poems»: the whole text, 135 sentences and 2547 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/4/page/2/) Now ere they were born, The two a council held That they might decide How they would be born.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") And Kulóskap said: “I shall be content If I may come to life Even as others come.”[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") But Malsum, the Wolf, Said: “Just as you will; But I am too great E’er to see the light As common creatures do; I will burst to light Rending everything E’en through death to life.”[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") So it came to pass Kulóskap, the Lord, Came in peace to light; Malsum kept his word, And the mother died.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") So the two grew up, Till one day the Wolf, Who knew that both were given Strange mysterious lives Charmed ’gainst everything Save one concealèd death, Asked of the elder what His hidden bane might be?[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the wise Kulóskap Thought how when he was born Malsumsis in his pride Had slain his mother; And he said: “If Wolf knew The secret of my life, That life would soon be o’er.”[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") And therefore he agreed To tell Malsum the Wolf The secret of his death, If he the younger born Would tell him in return The secret of his own.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") Therefore the elder said, To test his brother’s truth: “The feather of an owl Is the one thing on earth Which e’er can end my life.”[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") In sooth, this was a lie Although no evil one, And yet from uttering it Kulóskap got his name Which means the Liar, or, As Indians mean the word: A wise and crafty man.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") And then it came to pass That in the after-days Kwâbîtsis the son Of the Great Beaver, or As others tell the tale Miʿko the squirrel, or else The very devil himself Who dwelt within his heart, Tempted Malsum to slay His brother Kulóskap; For in those early days All men were wicked--all Lived but in evil deeds.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") So Malsum took his bow And, stealing through the woods Into his dark retreat, Shot Koʿkoʿkhas, the owl, And with his feathers struck Kulóskap while asleep.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") Up leaped the Lord enraged, Yet even in his wrath He spoke right craftily: “Thou ever evil One\![12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") Thou murderer of all\![13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") Know that no feather can E’er take my life. ’[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") Tis by A pine-root and a blow That I am doomed to die, By that, and that alone.”[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") So on another day When both together went A-hunting in the woods Kulóskap laid him down To sleep upon the leaves Where all was very still; Then Malsum, ever bent On evil and on death, With a great pine-tree root Smote with his giant strength His brother on the head.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") Up leapt the Lord again Unharmèd as before, And drove the Wolf away, Away in bitter scorn, Away into the woods.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Then sitting by a brook He saw the flowering rush, Or cat-tail, in the stream-- Of all the plants on earth The weakest, softest thing-- And said unto himself, Although he spoke aloud: “What soul would ever dream That in that plant abides The secret of my death?”[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") The Beaver who lay hid Deep down among the reeds.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") Heard what the Lord had said, And hastening to Malsumsis Told him the whole.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") For this Malsum had freely sworn To give the Beaver aught Or all that he might wish.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") But when the Beaver asked For wings, that he might fly Even as pigeons do, Malsum replied in scorn, And laughing from his heart: “Thou with a sorry tail Like any rugged rasp, What need hast \_thou\_ of wings\![22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") Mud-scraper\![23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") Get thee gone!”[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") In a bitter rage Forth the Beaver ran, Ran by night and day, Till he found the Lord, Kulóskap the Wise, Unto whom he told All that he had done, Sorrowing that he Had so evil been, Sorrowing that he Had ever heard and told The secret of his life.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") Then in sorrow too, And yet in anger grim, Up the Lord arose, Rose all in his might, And plucking up a fern, Sought in the deep dark wood For Malsumsis the Wolf: And having found him there Smote him a single blow; Down fell the demon dead.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") Then Kulóskap sang a song, Lamenting for the dead; Though ever unto him He had so evil been, And as a bitter foe Had sought to end his life; Sung over him a song, Then homewards went his way.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") L.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") FOOTNOTES:[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") \[13\] This is an ancient story of Kulóskap which they told long ago.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") II[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") THE CREATION OF MAN AND THE ANIMALS[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") \[\_Passamaquoddy and Micmac\_\][33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") \_Kulóskap nitamk naga nit kʾchi pechies Yut kilun kʾmʾt-kinansnok.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") \_\[14\][35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") Kulóskap was first, First and greatest, To come into our land-- Into Nova Scotia, Canada, Into Maine, into Wabanaki, The land of sunrise, or light.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") There were no Indians like us, Here in those early days; Only far in the West Lived red men strange and wild.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") First born were the Miʿkumwessuk The fairies of the forest, The Wʾnâgʾmeswuk, elves, The little men, dwellers in rocks.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus it was Kulóskap the Great Made man: He took his arrows And shot at a tree--the ash, Known as the basket-tree.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") From the hole made by the arrow Came forth new forms, and these Were the first of human kind.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") And so the Lord gave them a name Meaning “those born from trees.”[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") Kulóskap the Lord of Light Made all the animals.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") First, he created All of giant size; Such was the beginning.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he said to Teâm, the Moose, Who was tall as the Kiwaʿkw, The colossal giant of the mountain, The awful king of the forest, The lord of the roaring river: “What wouldst thou do, Teâm, Shouldst thou see man a-coming?”[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") Answered the monstrous Teâm, “I would tear the trees down on him.”[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the Lord Kulóskap Saw that the Moose was too strong; So he made him smaller and weaker So that the Indians could kill him.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") Even so with the Squirrel Who was as large in those days As the great wolf in our time; “What would you do, Sâkskadu?”[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") Asked the Lord of Beasts and Men, “If you should meet an Indian?”[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") “I would scratch up trees by their roots That they might fall upon him.”[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") Answered the Squirrel undaunted.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") “Thou also art far too strong,” Replied the mighty Master; So he smoothed him down in his hands, And, as he was smoothed, the Squirrel Grew ever smaller and smaller, Till he was as we see him now.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he asked the Great White Bear: “And thou, Kʾchî Mūʾūin\![52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") What wouldst thou do if ever A man should come in thy way?”[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") And the Bear replied: “I would eat him.”[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the Master bade him go And live among rocks and ice, Very far away in the North, Where he would see no Indians.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") And there he is ever in snow.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") So Kulóskap the Great, Lord of all things that are, Did question all the beasts, Changing their size or strength, Or measuring out their lives, According to their answers.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") He took the Loon for his hunter To serve him as a dog; But the Loon was often absent, Not to be found when wanted; So he took in his place two Wolves, One black, the other white; And these wild dogs are his messengers Who bear to him tidings of all.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") Many years ago, Yet still within our time, Very far to the North, An Indian in his canoe Was about to cross a bay To a distant place; When, just before he launched, There came in haste a stranger Followed by two great dogs, Who asked to be taken over.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") “You may come,” replied the Indian, “Come over the bay and welcome, But what will you do with your dogs?[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") For we cannot take them with us!”[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/4/page/2/) - ← previous: [Opening, part 3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/3/) - next →: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/4/page/2/) - ↑ back to [Kulóskap the master, and other Algonkin poems](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/)