Told by John York.
It was never known how Nanabush was born, only that he was working for
God for many years (York says 2,000 years, which is evidently his
expression to denote a very long time) looking after the world, such as
to regulate the weather, rain, snow, and other things.
Nanabush did have a wife once, but only one child which was a girl.
While living together he made up his mind to send his wife away to look
after the dead, those that died long years ago, where she is now.
The old man is here somewhere in the north. She looks after the dead
and he looks after the living. He will not die, nor will be sick, and
is the only man that will live as long as the world lasts. He never
works and always has plenty to eat, and lots of tobacco which he keeps
in a skunk-skin bag. (In those days skunks were as big as a big
Porcupine.) Nanabush is getting very grey sitting all the time smoking
his pipe.
If you look sometimes in the north sky you will see the sky white at
night. This is the time that Nanabush is poking his fire or making his
fire.
Note.—Nanabush is often referred to as “The Old Man.”