SOME WABANAKI SONGS. 5 



out of his reach, he stood on the Point of Rocks, and watching the receding vessel, sang 

 these words : — 



" My parents think Ihey can separate me from the girl 1 love; 



We have vowed to love each other while we live. 



Their commands are vain : we shall see each other while the world lasts. 



Yes! let them say or do what they like; we shall see each other while the rocks stand." 



When the parents of the girl arrived at Deer Island and pitched their wigwam by 

 the beautiful shore, the twilight lay on the bay. The girl looked back at the village that 

 she had left, and seeing her lover, she sang: — 



" Here I sit on thi.s point, whence I can sec the man that I love. 



Our people think that they can sever us ; but we shall see each other while 



the world lasts. 

 Here shall I remain, in sight of the man that I love." 



And there the lovers remained in sight of each other. 



Until about forty years ago they were both visible. One of the rocks — that which 

 represented the young brave, called by the natives W'skiUiges — resembled a man with a 

 hood over his head. The French christened it the " Friar's Head." The opposite rock — 

 called Peelsquiss by the natives — was not unlike a woman. Unfortimately for the loving 

 pair, Peelsquiss was tumbled over into the bay by white men. Wskitages, however, 

 remains a solid rock on Campobello Point to this day. 



The two songs which follow — one of which is embedded in a tale — are, like the 

 preceding legend, entirely apart from that class of "Wabauaki compositions to which Mr. 

 Leland has given so mitch prominence in his " Algoncjuin Legends." They are in no 

 wise connected with the traditions of the Northmen, nor are they indebted for their 

 simple and touching beauty to either the French or the English settlers. "Belle," as an 

 attribute of the love-lorn maiden, rescued, after mysteriotts dream-warning, by her faithful 

 lover, would seem to be borrowed from the former. But the substance and the style of 

 both love ditties are distinctly aboriginal. 



Story, with Song. No. 1. 



In a Walianaki village, on the shore of a beautiful lake, lived a young man who was very brave 

 ijnd verj^ handsome. Many girls of the tribe had tried to win his heart but failed. For, when quite 

 young, he had promised to marry Belle Arselik. 



One day two girls visited him, and asked him if he would take one them for his wife. The 

 young man refused them both, and told them lie had already promised to marry Belle Ai'selik. 

 These girls thought that, if they could dispose of her, they might win him yet. So they planned to 

 take her to a distant island and leave her to starve. They protended great friendship for her and invited 

 her to have a sail, and they would visit the beautiful islands. Unsuspectingly she went with them. 

 They told stories and sang songs, still paddling further away. After a time, Belle Arselik grew 

 uneasy and begged them to go back home; but they did not listen to her, and landed on a lonely 

 island, saying: " We will build a fire." When Belle Arselik went to pick up some fire wood, the 



