" This they never do as regards their
own ancient traditions. When Mrs. Le Cool said that she "had heard"
that some were to be taken up into _good_ heavens, she declared,
in her way, that this was what Christians said, but that she was not so
sure of it. The Northeastern Algonquin always distinguish very accurately
between their ancient lore and that derived from the whites. I have often
heard French fairy tales and Aesop's fables Indianized to perfection, but
the narrator always knew that they were not _N'Karnayoo_, "of the
old time."
Glooskap is now living in a Norse-like Asa-heim; but there is to come a
day when the arrows will be ready, and he will go forth and slay all
the wicked. Malsum the Wolf, his twin brother, the typical colossal
type of all Evil, will come to life, with all the giant cannibals,
witches, and wild devils slain of old; but the champion will gird on
his magic belt, and the arrows will fly in a rain as at Ragnarok: the
hero will come sailing in his wonderful canoe, which expands to hold an
army. Thus it will be on
"That day of wrath, that dreadful day,
When heaven and earth shall pass away,"
with all things, in blood and death and fire. Then there will come the
eternal happy hunting-grounds.
If this was derived from Christian priests, it must be admitted that it
has changed wonderfully on the way.
Pages:
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159