Algonquin Legends of New England by Charles Godfrey Leland
page 45 of 357 (12%)
page 45 of 357 (12%)
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Then with a push of his bow against her head he sent her off into deep water. And the Whale rejoiced greatly. But ere she went she said, "Oh, my grandson, _K'teen pehabskwass n'aga tomawe_?" (P.). "Hast thou not such a thing as an old pipe and some tobacco?" He replied,-- "Ah yes. You want tobacco, I behold you." So he gave her a short pipe and some tobacco, and thereunto a light. And the Whale, being of good cheer, sailed away, smoking as she went, while Glooskap, standing silent on the shore, and ever leaning on his maple bow, beheld the long low cloud which followed her until she vanished in the far away. In a Passamaquoddy tale of Pook-jin-skwess the Witch, the Clams sing a song deriding the hero. The words are:-- "Mow chow nut-pess sell Peri marm-hole wett." These words are not Indian, but they are said to mean,-- You look very funny with your long hair streaming in the wind, And sailing on a snail's horn. The large Clams sing this in a bass voice, the small ones in falsetto. The gypsies say that a Snail, when put on a pie, utters four cries, or squeaks; hence in Germany the Romany call it _Stargoli_: that is, |
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