With all his immense originality Glooskap had
a number of "old Joes," of which he never seems to have tired. One was
the inexhaustible dish, and another the giant skunk set upon end to salute
his visitors, and this of the canoe was probably the commonest of all.
He is a true Indian divinity, shining like the lightning and striking
only when there is a storm, but appearing like the Aurora Borealis, or
even the Robin Goodfellow-Will-o'-the-Wisp at others.]
Thereupon the young man promised most faithfully that he would indeed
return the canoe, and with this they got them ready for the journey.
But when they came to the bay there was no canoe, and they knew not
what was to be done. But Glooskap pointed to a small island of granite
which rose amid the waves, and it was covered with tall pine-trees.
"There is my canoe!" said he; [Footnote: Another standard "piece of
witt" with the incorrigible joker. Glooskap's "floating island" was
served up as a dessert to all guests, and I doubt not that if the
double meaning of the word had been known to him, they would have had
that too.] and when he had taken them unto it, it became a real canoe,
with masts, and they set sail on it, rejoicing.
So they came in time to a very large island, where they drew up the
canoe and hid it in the bushes. Then they went forward to seek for
people, and found a village in which dwelt the chief who had the
beautiful daughter, in seeking whom so many had lost their lives.
Pages:
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108