Glooscap the great chief, and other stories - ElectricCanadian.com

LEGENDS OF GLOOSCAP 285
he turned to the last Indian. "And you?
What would you have f he asked.
"
Now this Indian was a fine looking young
brave, vain of his good looks. And he said,
"I would like to live a long time, and never
grow old."
"
"You have asked a hard thing, said Glooscap,
shaking his head, "yet
we will see what
can be done."
The next day Glooscap took the four men to
a hill, which they had not noticed before. It
was very rocky and sandy, and hard to climb.
There were no trees, and the sun shone there
from morning until night. Glooscap stood be
fore the man who had asked to live a long time,
and clasped him around the waist. Then he
lifted the astonished Indian from the ground,
and set him down again, and passed his hands
over his body, twisting him as he did so.
When Glooscap removed his hands, the In
dians saw that their companion had been
changed into an old, gnarled cedar tree, with
limbs growing out rough and ugly all the way
from the ground.
i l
There, said Glooscap. I cannot tell how
long you will live, the Great Spirit alone can
tell that. But I think that you will not be likely
to be disturbed for a long time, as no one will
have reason to cut you down ; you are unfit for
any purpose, and the ground about is of no