An old man,
so old that he was all white, came to meet them. Then he, taking a
short stick, bade her dance. He began to sing, and as he sang she gave
birth, one by one, to twelve serpents. These the old man killed in
succession with his stick as they were born. Then she had become thin
again, and was in her natural form.
The old man had a son, Badawk, the Thunder, and a daughter,
_Psawk-tankapic_, the Lightning, and when Thunder returned he
offered to take her back to her own people, but she refused to go.
Then the old man, said to his son, "Take her for your wife and be
good to her." So they were married.
In time she bore a son. When the boy could stand, the old man, who
never leaves the mountain, called him to stand before him, while be
fastened wings to the child. He was soon able, with these wings, to
make a noise, which greatly pleased the grandfather. When a storm is
approaching, the distant rumbling is the muttering thunder made by the
child, but it is _Badawk_, his father, who comes in the dark cloud
and makes the roaring crash, while _Psawk-tankapic_ flashes her
lightnings.
In after days, when the woman visited her people, she told them that
they never need fear the thunder or lightning.
AT-O-SIS, THE SERPENT
_How Two Girls were changed to Water-Snakes, and of Two Others that
became Mermaids._
(Passamaquoddy.
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