Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/13

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THE FIGHT OF THE WITCHES.
5

strong that "Humming-bird" could not get out of the cave, but was beaten back again and again. Therefore the Giant Witch bade "Thought" summon "Culloo." In an instant the great bird was at his side, and made such a strong wind with his wings at the mouth of the cave that the power of the whirlwind was destroyed.

Hassagwāhq' now began to despair, for but one witch remained to carry on the contest, and that was "Wabèkèloch," the "Wild Goose," who was very quiet, though a clever fellow, never quarreling with any one, and not regarded as a powerful warrior. But the great chief had a dream in which he saw a monstrous giant standing at the mouth of the enemy's cave. He was so tall that he reached from the earth to the sky, and he said that all that was needful to destroy the foe was to let some young woman entice him out from his lair, when he would at once lose his magical power and might readily be slain.

The chief repeated this dream to "Wabèkèloch," ordering him to obey the words of the giant whom he had seen. The "Wild Goose's" poohegan was "Mikumcress," a "fairy," who speedily took the shape of a beautiful young woman and went to the mouth of the cave, where he climbed into a tall hemlock tree, singing this song as he mounted:

"Come to me, young man,
Come listen to my song,
Come out this lovely night.
Come out on this fair mount.
Come, see the leaves so red,
Come, breathe the air so pure."

The Giant Witch heard the voice, and coming to the mouth of the cave he was so fascinated by the music that he left his home and saw a most lovely girl sitting among the branches of a tree. She said to him: "W'litt hoddm'n, natchi pen equlin w'liketnqu'hemus,"—"Please, kind old man, help me down from this tree." As soon as he approached her, Glūskap, the great king of all men, sprang from behind the tree, threw his stone hatchet or "timhegen" at him, and split his head open. Then, addressing him, Gluskap said: "You have been a wicked witch, and have destroyed many of the chief