Malecite tales / by W.H. Mechling.

  • Mechling, W. H.
Date:
1914
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Malecite tales / by W.H. Mechling. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    When the people heard this, they cried out, “We must kill him wherever he is. That was a clever trick to appear to be afraid of drowning. We should have known better than to try to drown him.’’ So they went down to the water to hunt for him, but he was not there. They went all along the shore in their canoes, and several girls who were going along the shore found him. He was lying on his back and sunning himself on a rock. The men rushed ashore and found him, and all between his legs was fly-blown. The white spots are still visible. They seized him and said, '‘You won’t escape us this time,” and they handled him roughly. He remonstrated but they replied, “You are not going to kill any more of our chiefs.” Turtle said, “Why did not your chief come before me like a man, so that I could tell that he was a chief? He came like a bird and I could not tell what he was.” “No,” said they, “you can’t give us any excuse.” So they took him into their hall, where they held their councils. While they were holding council, Gluskap and his brother arrived. Gluskap said to Mikumwesu, “Uncle is in a bad state. It is all my doing that he has been doing this. I wanted him to kill the chief, so that I could have some fun with him. But we will not let him know that we are present till he is suffering under torture. Perhaps the people will let us know what is going on.” After they had held council over Turtle, they started to torture him by burning him with fire-brands. They wished to drag him through the fire. He begged them to stop, but they would not. Finally some of them said, “Why do we not call Mikumwesu, so that he can come up and see the fun.” So they went down and informed him. And Mikumwesu said that he would go up and see the fun. As they were going up, Gluskap said to his brother, “I told you they would let us know.” When they came to the spot where they were torturing Turtle, Gluskap did not recognize his uncle, who was all covered with ashes. This, however, was only feigned, for he did know him, but thought it best to say it was a wooden plate. Just as they were going to throw the Turtle again into the fire, he spoke up and said, “Don’t throw me into the fire again.” When Gluskap heard him speak, he laughed and said, “Why, is that you, uncle?” Gluskap walked up to him and, just by willing it, he turned the Turtle into a man, and lo and behold!
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