MALLERY. ] MYTHS OF THE MICMAC. 471 
Fig. 655, another specimen of the same class, refers to one of the tales 
about At-o-sis, the Snake, who was the lover of a beautiful Abnaki 
woman. He appeared to her from out the surface of a lake as a young 
hunter with a large shining silvery plate on his heart and covered with 
brilliant white brooches as fish are covered with scales. He provided 
her with all animals for food. The bow attached to the semi-human 
head in the illustration may refer to this expertness in the chase. The 
head of the female figure is covered or masked by one of the insignia of 
rank and power mentioned in Chap. x1, Sec. 2. She became the 
mother of the Black Snakes. ; 
Fig. 656, from the same locality, shows simply a crane, and a woman 
who bears in her hand two branches; but this is a sufficient indication 
of the tale of the Weasel girls, who had come 
down from Star-land by means of a diminish 
ing hemlock tree, and flying from Lox had 
come to a broad river which they could not 
cross. But in the edge of the water stood 
motionless a large crane, or the Tum-gwo-lig- 
unach, who was the ferryman. ‘Now, truly, 4 
this is esteemed to be the least beautiful of all #16. 656—Myth of the Weasel giris. 
the birds, for which cause he is greedy of good words and fondest of 
flattery. And of all beings there were none who had more beav’s oil 
ready to annoint every one’s hair with—that is to say, more compli- 
ments ready for everybody—than the Weasels. So, seeing the Crane. 
they sang: 
Wa wela quis kip pat kasqu’, 
Wa wela quis kip pat kasqu’. 
The Crane has a very beautiful long neck, 
The Crane has a very beautiful long neck. 
“This charmed the old ferryman very much, and when they said: 
‘please, grandfather, hurry along,’ he came quickly. Seeing this, they 
began to chant in chorus sweetly as the Seven Stars themselves: 
Wa wela quig nat kasqu’, 
Wa wela quig nat kasqu’. 
The crane has very beautiful long legs, 
The crane has very beautiful long legs. 
“Hearing this the good crane wanted more; so when they asked him 
to give them a lift across he answered, slowly, that to do so he must be 
well paid, but that good praise would answer as well. Now they who 
had abundance of this and t») spare for everybody were these very 
girls. ‘Have I not a beautiful form?’ he inquired; and they both 
cried aloud: ‘Oh, uncle, it is indeed beautiful!’ ‘And my feathers?’ 
‘Ah, pegeakopchu.’ ‘Beautiful and straight feathers, indeed!’ ‘And 
have I not a charming long, straight, neck?’ ‘Truly our unele has it 
straight and long.” ‘And will ye not acknowledge, oh maidens, that 
