But she was proud and high-tempered, and, what
was worse, a great witch, but nobody knew it. She wanted the young man
to marry her, but he was very busy getting ready for the fall and
winter hunt, and had no time to attend to such a thing; and told her so
very plainly.
Yes, he must have been very plain with her, for she was very angry, and
said to him, "You may go; but you will never return as you went." She
meant that, he would be ill or changed. He gave no heed to her words;
he did not care for her nor fear her. But far away in the woods, far in
the north, in midwinter, he went raging mad. The witch had struck him,
when far away, with her magic.
He had with him an elder brother, a great brave, a very fierce man. He,
not being able to do aught else, did the most desperate thing a
Wabanaki Indian can do. He went down to the river, and sang the song
which calls the _Weewillmekq'_.
"We que moh wee will l'mick,
We que moh m'cha micso,
Som'awo wee will l'mick!
Cardup ke su m'so wo Sawo!"
I call on the Wee-will-l'mick!
I call on the Terrible One!
On the One with the Horns!
I dare him to appear!
It came to him in all its terrors. Its eyes were like fire; its horns
rose. It asked him what he wanted. He said that he wished his brother
to be in his right mind again.
"I will give you what you want," said the Weewillmekq', "if you are not
afraid.
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