In which this story illustrates how the world actually works

Gluskape and the Baby (Abenaki)

A long time ago they say the hero Gluskabe was proud of the things he had done. He had done many great things. Gluskabe bragged to everyone about his great deeds.

One day he bragged to an old woman who did not believe him. 

"I am Gluskabe the great one," he said.  “No one can defeat me.”

"Uh huh," said the old woman. "Are you sure this is so? I know of someone that can beat Gluskabe."

"Who is this person?" said Gluskabe. "Where does this person live?"

"Ahh," said the old woman. "If you go to the place of the white stone, you will find this mighty one. This mighty one is called Dzee Dzeez, which means “the baby."  That is the one who will defeat you.”

Gluskabe walked to that village.  Gluskabe went to that lodge. A woman was sitting in front of that lodge.

Gluskabe said to her "I am looking for Dzee Dzeez."

"Ahh," said the woman. "Yes, this is where he lives, and you are lucky he has just woken up from his nap. You can go inside and see him."

So Gluskabe went into that lodge. There in the lodge, sitting on a blanket, was a little baby.

Gluskabe was a great hero.  He had no children.  He did not know about babies. 

He sat down and looked at the baby. The baby looked back. And then the baby began to do what babies do: he rolled over on his back and began to play with his toes.

"Ahh," said Gluskabe "This is a challenge. I can do this as well you can." And Gluskabe rolled over on his back, pulled off his moccasins and began to play with his toes also.

Now Dzee Dzeez pulled his foot to his mouth and began to suck his toes.

"Ahh," said Gluskabe, “You are a great opponent, but I can do the same thing." With some effort, he managed to get his foot up to his mouth and began to suck his toes.

Next, the baby looked around for something else to do. There on the floor was a little toy. It was a small stuffed turtle made of skin. The baby picked up that toy and began to play with it.

Gluskabe watched and then he looked around for a toy that he could play with. But there were no other toys in the lodge.

Gluskabe snatched that little stuffed turtle away from Dzee Dzeez. "I can play with this as well as you can." 

Gluskabe began to play with that little toy turtle.

But the baby was not happy. Dzee Dzeez began to cry. "Waaaaaaaaaaaaahuh," the baby cried.

Gluskabe said "I have a war cry too," and he cried out, “Waaaaaaaaaaa, Waaaaaaahuh.”

But the baby cried louder and louder, and louder. “Waaaaaaaaaaaaa. Waaaaaaaaaaaa, Waaaaaaaahuh.”

So loudly did the baby cry that it hurt Gluskabe's ears.

Gluskabe was in despair. "STOP CRYING!" he said. But the baby would not stop. Gluskabe covered his ears.  

"You have defeated me," he said. "You are more powerful!" But still the baby would not stop crying.

Then, through the door of the lodge walked that woman.

She picked the baby up and held the baby to her shoulder.  She patted him on his back, rocking him back and forth and singing a little song that Abenaki mothers have sung to children for a long time:

“Way oh way Dzee Dzeez. Way oh way oh Way oh way Dzee Dzeez, Way oh way ooh.”

Her song said “Rock a bye my little baby- Rock in your cradle board on the tree branch. Rock in the cradle board and fall asleep.”

Dzee Dzeez fell asleep.

Gluskabe tip toed very quietly from the lodge. But as he did so he smiled.

 To himself he said "Ahh. It is true that Dzee Dzeez defeated Gluskabe.  But the mother has defeated the baby."

And that is how that story of Gluskabe goes. 

Readers are welcome to forward the link to this page, copy/paste the text, re-tell this story over the campfire or the watercooler, and otherwise help it move out into the world.  Please remember that it came to you from Haiku Farm, with love.