Contribution to Passamaquoddy Folk-Lore | Page 9

winds, made the mosquitoes.[19]
[Footnote 19: In this manner he obtains his revenge. Dr. Boas tells me

he has heard a similar story of the origin of the mosquitoes on the West
Coast.]
Leland, in his version of this story, represents the Black Cat as identical
with Glooscap,[20] and the Sable as a boy who had a flute by which he
could entice to himself all the animals. The story of the sticks is similar,
but the cutting up of the serpent is not mentioned. He says that Black
Cat, who is preparing his arrows, and will return and destroy all, is
Glooscap, who in another story kills the Snake, cuts him in fragments,
and invites all the animals to eat him. The Turtle, the grandfather
(adopted), arrives last, and only gets the blood for his share.
[Footnote 20: Mrs. Brown writes me that the Black Cat referred to is
not identical with Glooscap. "There were very many of these
mythological personages," she says, "who were able to do things as
wonderful as Glooscap, but they were not of his nature. He worked for
good, they for selfish purposes."
Mr. Leland's work exhibits throughout want of exactness in recording
just what the Indians told him. It is in deductions and explanations that
error is liable to arise. A story made up from the recital of several
Indians is likely to exhibit their attempts to explain doubtful parts of the
story.]
A STORY OF LEUX.
A story of the old time. In winter, while travelling, Leux met a number
of wolves, which were going in the same direction that he was. At
nightfall the old wolf built a fire and gave Leux supper. He gave him
skins to cover himself while he slept, but Leux said that the fire was so
warm that he did not need or wish a covering. At midnight Leux awoke
and was almost frozen with cold. The next morning Leux was obliged
to part with the wolves.[21]
[Footnote 21: It would seem, from Leland's account, that the wolf
admired Leux greatly because he cared so little for the cold or their
care.]

The old wolf said, "How far are you going?" Leux answered, "Three
days' journey." The wolf said then, "I will do for you the very best
thing I can. I will give you three fires, one for each night." The wolf
told him to gather some dry wood, put it in a pile, jump over it, and it
would burn.[22]
[Footnote 22: It was possible that the wolf gave him some charm or
medicine with which to accomplish this.]
Leux parted from the wolf, and as soon as he was out of sight he
thought he would try to make a fire as directed by the wolf, remarking
that he did not think it would burn. So he gathered some dry wood,
made a little pile, and jumped over it, as he had been directed. The
wood was ignited, as the wolf had predicted, much to the surprise of
Leux. Leux then put out the fire. After walking a short distance he
kindled another in the same way. This he put out as before, and at noon
tried again, kindling the fire as before and putting it out immediately
after. Now when night came Leux made a camp and collected a pile of
good dry wood and jumped over it, as he had done previously, and as
he had been directed by the wolf. But this time the wood did not burn.
He repeatedly jumped over the wood, but in vain. The wood gave off a
cloud of smoke, but no blaze appeared. That night it was bitter
cold,--so cold that Leux was nearly frozen to death.[23]
[Footnote 23: The above story is told substantially as here given by
Leland, but with many additions. The source from which Leland
obtained his account is not given. The account which I give is from
Noel Josephs. In Leland's account Leux froze to death.]
One day two young girls (in Leland's account the two girls are weasels)
were walking along, and k'Cheebellock came to them and carried them
to his home in another world high up in the sky. The girls became
homesick in the strange place, and every day they longed more and
more to get back to the earth. Every day they cried for their homes. At
last k'Cheebellock offered to carry them back to the earth, and took
them up to transport them to their native land. But k'Cheebellock's
wings were so large that he could not get to the ground on account of
the high trees. So he left them in the top of a very high hemlock in the

midst of the forest.[24]
[Footnote 24: Notice, also, that the thunder-birds were not able to
approach