--- title: Opening, part 6 — Kulóskap the master, and other Algonkin poems · full text with trees · page 2 description: Opening, part 6, «Kulóskap the master, and other Algonkin poems»: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: And at the word they went Flying at fearful speed Adown the mountain side, And ever faster still As if to headlong death. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/6/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 6 # Opening, part 6 · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/6/) **2** \[19\] This is oddly like the declaration of the Beaver Killer in The Hunting of the Snark, in fact, it is almost identical with it.[46](../../46/ "tree and pragmatics") But the Rand MS. in which it occurs was written many years before the latter work appeared.[47](../../47/ "tree and pragmatics") III[48](../../48/ "tree and pragmatics") KULÓSKAP AND THE FOOL[49](../../49/ "tree and pragmatics") \[\_Micmac\_\][50](../../50/ "tree and pragmatics") \_Kes saak: Nigumaach ut Agunudumâkun Klûskâbel.[51](../../51/ "tree and pragmatics") \_\[20\][52](../../52/ "tree and pragmatics") “Of the old times the tale is, A story of Kulóskap,” Unto whom there went full many When they heard that all could have Whatever they desired; And truly he gave them all Whate’er it was they asked for, But whether they got their wish Depended on the wisdom Which they showed when it was won.[53](../../53/ "tree and pragmatics") Now the Master liked it not If, when he had plainly told What it was that one must do, That man should double on him Or quibble, or disobey.[54](../../54/ "tree and pragmatics") So then it came to pass That a certain fool of the kind Who never can do aught Without a twist or a turn In his own peculiar way, Went a long journey to ask A favor of the Lord.[55](../../55/ "tree and pragmatics") His trials were many and sore; He came unto a chain Of mountains exceeding high, In a dark and lonely land Wherein no sound was heard; And the ascent was hard As climbing a slippery pole.[56](../../56/ "tree and pragmatics") And the going down Or descent on the other side Was more ungrateful still, For ’twas all a precipice With broken, crumbly edge Which overhung a gulf; Yet it was worse beyond.[57](../../57/ "tree and pragmatics") For there the road led on Between the hideous heads Of two great serpents, which Did almost touch their lips, And darted terrible tongues At those who went between.[58](../../58/ "tree and pragmatics") And yet again ’twas worse When the way passed under a wall, The awful Wall of Death Which hung like a dreadful cloud Over a dismal plain, Rising and falling at times; Yet when, no one could know.[59](../../59/ "tree and pragmatics") So those who were beneath When it fell and struck the ground Were ever crushed to death.[60](../../60/ "tree and pragmatics") Yet he escaped all this And came to the Master’s home Where he was well received, And dwelt for many days; And when the Master asked What ’twas that he would have?[61](../../61/ "tree and pragmatics") He answered, “If my Lord Will give me a medicine Which will cure me of every ill, I shall be well content.”[62](../../62/ "tree and pragmatics") And he asked for nothing more.[63](../../63/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the Master gave to him A little package, and said: “Herein is that which thou seek’st But I charge thee solemnly That thou lettest not thine eyes Behold what is therein, Till thou shalt have reached thy home.”[64](../../64/ "tree and pragmatics") So he thanked the Lord, and left.[65](../../65/ "tree and pragmatics") Yet he was not far away Ere he longed to open the gift, And test the medicine, And still more the Master’s truth.[66](../../66/ "tree and pragmatics") And so he said to himself: “If this be all deceit, It was very shrewdly planned, To bid me not open it Until I should be at home.[67](../../67/ "tree and pragmatics") Tush\![68](../../68/ "tree and pragmatics") If the medicine Is really what I required It cannot lose its power.[69](../../69/ "tree and pragmatics") In truth I will test it now.”[70](../../70/ "tree and pragmatics") So he opened it--when lo\![71](../../71/ "tree and pragmatics") All that which was therein Fell to the ground and spread As water, everywhere, And then like a summer mist As quickly melted away.[72](../../72/ "tree and pragmatics") So when he returned to his home He was mocked by one and all.[73](../../73/ "tree and pragmatics") FOOTNOTES:[74](../../74/ "tree and pragmatics") \[20\] This is a story about Kulóskap of long ago.[75](../../75/ "tree and pragmatics") IV[76](../../76/ "tree and pragmatics") THE THREE BROTHERS WHO BECAME TREES[77](../../77/ "tree and pragmatics") \[\_Passamaquoddy and Micmac\_\][78](../../78/ "tree and pragmatics") \_Nequt nikt nsapihioak udelabasinia unachihonamihánia Kelhosilichil naga omsnamnia eli-bawatmotit uch negum.[79](../../79/ "tree and pragmatics") \_\[21\][80](../../80/ "tree and pragmatics") There were three brothers, who Had made the pilgrimage To seek the Lord of Life, And win their wishes.[81](../../81/ "tree and pragmatics") One Was wondrous great and tall, The tallest in the land; Of this he was right proud, For he was one of those Who slyly put soft clay Into their moccasins That they may be admired By folk of lesser size, And win the love of squaws.[82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") And his hair was plastered up To stand on high, and on The summit of it was A very long turkey tail; But what this man desired Was to be taller still.[83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") The second brother asked That he might ever live Where he might behold the land And all the beauty of it, And do naught else save rest In peace forever more.[84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") And the third one asked to live Unto a great old age, And ever be in health Till he should pass away.[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") Now when they came to the isle They found three lodges there, And in two of them were men Who are not spoken of In any of the tales Which I have ever heard: In one dwelt Kulpujot-- A wondrous one indeed\![86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") For there is not a bone in him, Yet every spring and autumn He is “rolled over with hand-spikes” By order of the Lord; And this is what his name Means in the Micmac tongue.[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") In the autumn he is turned Over towards the West, But in spring towards the East; And the meaning of it all Is the seasons of the year As they follow in their course.[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") He with his breath alone Can sweep all armies forth, And with his looks alone Perform most wondrous things; This means what weather can do With sunshine, frost and ice, Which are felt in everything.[89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") And in the other dwelt Kuhkw, which in Micmac means, The Earthquake.[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") This great man Can pass beneath the ground, And make the mountains shake, And tremble by his power.[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") Now when the Lord had heard What it was that they desired, He bade the Earthquake come And put them with their feet Fast planted in the ground.[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") And when ’twas done, the three At once were turned to trees; To pines, as one tale tells, Or cedars, as some say; In either case each man Received what he required.[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus, he who would be tall Became exceeding great, For his head rose o’er the wood Even as a giant pine; Nor was the top-feather forgotten; It waves in the wind to this hour.[94](../../94/ "tree and pragmatics") And on a summer day Who listens in a pine wood, May hear the trees a murmuring In the soft Indian tongue All of the olden time: (“\_Î nĭl etuchi nek mʾkilaskîtap Î nĭl etuchi nek mʾkiluskíjin\_”) “Oh, I’m such a great man\![95](../../95/ "tree and pragmatics") Oh, I’m such a big Indian!”[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") And the second brother, who wished To remain in peace in the land, So stays, for while his roots Are in the ground he \_must\_ do so; And the third, who fain would live To the end in perfect health, Unless they’ve cut him down Is standing as of yore.[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") FOOTNOTES:[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") \[21\] Once there were three brothers who went to see the Lord of Life and get their wishes from him.[99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") V[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") KULÓSKAP AND THE WISE WISHERS[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") \[\_Micmac\_\][102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") \_Kes saak; kes saak.[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") \_\[22\][104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") All of the olden time.[105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") Now when ’twas noised abroad That whoever sought the Master Could obtain the wish of his heart, There were three men who said: “Let us seek the Lord and see If this be truly so.”[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") So they left their home in the spring When the bluebird began his song, And walked till the autumn frosts, And then into the winter, Ever steadily onward Till the next midsummer came; And being in a forest They found a winding path Which they followed till they came To a very beautiful river Which led to a great fair lake; And still they kept to the path, Yet where it failed, the trees Were blazed, or the bark removed On the side of the trunk, but ever Opposite to the place Where the wigwam or village lies Towards which the pathway leads, So the mark can aye be seen As the traveller goes to the goal, But not while leaving it.[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/6/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/6/) - next →: [Opening, part 7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/7/) - ↑ back to [Kulóskap the master, and other Algonkin poems](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg78673/)