Therefore Glooskap arose in sorrow and
in anger, took a fern-root, sought Malsumsis in the deep, dark forest,
and smote him so that he fell down dead. And Glooskap sang a song over
him and lamented.
The Beaver and the Owl and the Squirrel, for what they did and as they
did it, all come again into these stories; but Malsumsis, being dead,
was turned into the Shick-shoe mountains in the Gaspe peninsula.
For this chapter and parts of others I am indebted to the narrative of
a Micmac Indian, taken down by Mr. Edward Jock; also to another version
in the Rand MS. The story is, in the main-points, similar to that given
by David Cusick in his History of the Six Nations, of Enigorio the Good
Mind, and Enigonhahetgea, Bad Mind, to which I shall refer anon.
It is very evident that in this tradition Glooskap represents the Good
principle, and Malsumsis, the little wolf,--that is the Wolf who is the
Younger, rather than little or small,--the Evil one. Malsum typifies
destruction and sin in several of these tales. He will arise at the
last day, when Glooskap is to do battle with all the giants and evil
beasts of olden time, and will be the great destroyer. Malsum is the
Wolf Fenris of this the true Indian Edda.
For a further comment on this birth of the twins and its resemblance to
a passage in the Edda, the reader is referred to the notes on the next
chapter.
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