# The Folk-Lore Journal/Volume 4/Fight of the Witches

THE FIGHT OF THE WITCHES.
[Translated from the oral original of the Pussamaquaddy dialect, by Abby Langdon Alger.]
MANY, many long years ago, there dwelt in a vast cave in the interior of a great mountain, an old man who was a "Kiawahq' mtèoulm," or a Giant Witch.
Near the mountain was a big Indian village, whose chief was named "Hassagwāhq',"' or the Striped Squirrel. Every few days some of his best warriors mysteriously disappeared from the tribe, until Hassagwāhq' became convinced that they were killed by the Giant Witch . He therefore called a council of all the most powerful magicians among his followers, who gathered together in a new, strong wigwam made for the occasion. There were ten of them in all, and their names were as follows:—"Quābit," the Beaver; "Mosque," the Wood-worm; "Quāgsis," the Fox; "K'tchî Atosis," the Big Snake; "Agwem," the Loon; "Kāsq'," the Heron; "Mūin," the Bear; "Lox," the Indian Devil; K'tchīplāgan," the Eagle; and "Wābèkèloch," the Wild Goose.
The great chief Hassagwāhq' addressed the sorcerers, and told them that he hoped they might be able to conquer the Giant Witch, and that they must do so at once if possible, or else his tribe would be exterminated. The sorcerers resolved to begin the battle the very next night, and to put forth their utmost power to destroy their enemy.
But the Giant Witch could foretell all his troubles by his dreams, and on that self-same night he dreamed of all the plans which the followers of Striped Squirrel had formed for his ruin.
​Now all Indian witches have one or more "poohegans," or guardian spirits, and the Giant Witch at once despatched one of his poohegans, "Little Allum-oosett," the Humming-bird, to the chief Hassagwāhq', to say that it would not be fair to send ten men to fight one; but if he would send one magician at a time he would be pleased to meet them.
The chief replied that the witches should meet him in battle one by one; and the next night they gathered together at an appointed place as soon as the sun slept, and it was agreed that Beaver should be the first to fight.
The Beaver had "Sogalun" or "Rain," for his guardian spirit, and he caused a great flood to fall and fill up the cave of the Giant Witch, hoping thus to drown him. But the Giant Witch had the power to change himself into a "Segnapp Squ' Hm," or Lamprey Eel, and in this shape he clung to the side of his cave, and so escaped.
The Beaver, thinking that the foe was drowned, swam into the cavern, and was caught in a "k'pagūtihigan," or beaver-trap, which the Giant Witch had purposely set for him. Thus Beaver, the first magician, perished.
The next to try his strength was "Mosque," or the "Wood-worm," whose poohegan is "Fire."
The "Wood-worm" told him that he would bore a hole into the cave that night, and bade him enter it next day and burn up the foe. He went to work, and with his sharp head, and by wriggling and winding himself about like a screw, he soon made a deep hole in the side of the mountain. But the Giant Witch knew very well what was going on, and he sent the "Humming-bird" with a piece of "chee-qwā-qu'-seque," or punk, to plug up the hole, which he did so well that the "Wood-worm" could not make his way back to the open air, and when Fire came to carry out his orders the punk blazed up and destroyed "Mosque" or the "Wood-worm," and thus perished the second sorcerer.
The next to fight was "K'tchī Atosis," the "Big Snake," who had "Amwess," the "Bee," for his poohegan. The Bee summoned all his winged followers, and they entered the cave in a body, swarming ​all over the Giant Witch and stinging him till he roared with pain; but he sent "Humming-bird" to gather a quantity of birch-bark, which he set on fire, making a dense smoke which stifled all the bees.
After waiting some time, the "Big Snake" went into the cave to see if the Bees had killed his enemy; but he was speedily caught in a dead fall which the Giant Witch had prepared for him, and thus perished the third witch.
The great chief, Hassagwāhq', was now much distressed at having lost three of his mightiest magicians without accomplishing anything, but, however, seven more still remained.
The next witch to fight was "Quāgsis," the "Fox," his poohegan being "K'sīnochka," or "Disease," and ho commanded him to afflict the foe with all manner of evils. He was soon covered with boils and sores, and every part of his body was filled with aches and pains. But he dispatched his guardian spirit, the "Humming-bird," to "Quiliphirt," the God of Medicine, who gave him the plant "Kikaywīh-bisūn," and as soon as it was administered unto him he was immediately cured of all his ills.
The next to enter the list was "Agwem," the "Loon," whose poohegan was "T'kayon," or "Cold." Soon the mountain was covered with snow and ice, the cave was filled with cold blasts of wind, the frost split the trees and cracked asunder the huge rocks. The Giant Witch suffered horribly, but did not yield. He tried his magic-stone, and heated it red-hot, but so intense was the cold that it lost its power and could not help him.
Allumovset's wings were frozen and he could not fly on any more errands, but another of the master's spirits, "Lithustrāgan," or ​"Thought," went like a flash to "Sūwesseii," the south wind, and begged him to come to the rescue.
Luckily the warm south wind began to blow around the mountain, and the cold was forced to vanish from the scene.
The next to try his fate was "Kāsq," the "Heron," whose guardian spirit was "Chenco," or the giant with the heart of ice, who quickly went to work with his big stone hatchet, chopped down trees, tore up rocks, and began to hew a great hole in the side of the mountain, but the Giant Witch now for the first time let loose his terrible dog "M'dassmūss," who barked so loudly and attacked Chenco so fiercely that he was driven away in alarm.
The next warrior was "Mūin," the "Bear," whose poohegans were "Petargun," or "Thunder," and "Pessarquessok," or "Lightning." Soon a tremendous thunderstorm arose which shook the whole mountain, and a thunderbolt split the mouth of the cave in twain: the lightning flashed into the cavern and nearly blinded the Giant Witch, who was now terribly frightened for the first time. He yelled aloud with pain, for he was badly burned by the lightning. The thunder and lightning redoubled their fury, and filled the place with fire, much alarming the foe, who hastily bade "Humming-bird" go and summon "Haplebembo," the big "bull-frog," to his aid. The "bull-frog" soon appeared, and spat out his huge mouth full of water, which nearly filled the cave, quenching the fire and driving away Thunder and Lightning.
The next to fight was "Lox," the "Indian Devil." Now "Lox" was always a coward, and when he heard of the misfortunes of his friends he cut off one of his big toes, and when "Striped Squirrel" called him to begin the battle he excused himself, saying that he was lame and could not go.
Next in order came "K'tchīplāgan," the "Eagle," whose poohegan was "Applausumbressit," the "Whirlwind." When he entered the enemy's abode in all his fury and frenzy and noise, the Giant Witch awoke from sleep, and instantly "K'plāmūsūke" lost his breath and was unable to speak, but he made signs to the "Humming-bird" to go for "Culloo," the lord of all great birds, but the whirlwind was so ​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 ​Hassagwāhq's best warriors. Now speak yet once again and tell what you have done with the bones of your victims." The Giant Witch replied that in the hollow of the mountain might be found a vast heap of human bones, which was all that remained of what was once the noblest warriors of Striped Squirrel's time.
When he was dead, Glūskap summoned all the beasts of the forest and all the birds of the air to assemble and devour the body of the Giant Witch.
Then Glūskap ordered the beasts to go into the cave and bring forth the bones of the dead warriors, which they did. He next commanded the birds to take each a bone in his beak and pile them together at the village of Hassagwāhq'.
He then directed that chief to build a wall of large stones around the heap of bones, to cover them with wood and make "equnāk'n," or a hot bath.
Then Glūskap set the wood on fire, and began to sing his magic song: soon he bade the people heap more wood upon the fire, and pour water on the heated stones. He sang louder and louder and faster and faster until his voice shook the whole village, and he ordered the people to stop their ears lest his voice should kill them. Then he redoubled his singing, and the bones began to move with the heat, and to sizzle and smoke and give forth a strange sound. Then Glūskap sang his resurrection song in a low tone: at last the bones began to chant with him; he sprinkled on more water and the bones came together in their natural order and became living human beings once more.
The people were amazed with astonishment at Glūskap's power, and the great chief Hassagwāhq' gathered together all the neighbouring tribes and celebrated the marvellous event with the resurrection feast, which endured for many days, and the tribe of chief Hassagwāhq' were never troubled by evil witches for ever afterwards.