There was a village of Indians; everyone, indeed, was a Blackcat. One,
however, the cleverest and bravest, goes off every day; he takes along
his bow and arrows, axe and knife; he kills moose and bear; to the poor
man he gives; he fed the poor. When he returns, they approach him to ask
him where is what he has killed.
When he tells them, then they go off; their toboggans they fetch along;
then they load them with meat. This is Pogumk the chief; his father
(was) a bear. Pukjinskwes the witch was a she-Blackcat. Woman or man she
becomes according as she wishes, but in these days she is a man. Then
she being evil; she hates the chief. A long time she considers how she
can punish him and take away his place.
One day when they prepare what they have, they go to travel. Pukjinskwes
says to the chief; "Come with me; we shall go to gather eggs;" they go
in a canoe. Again they canoe still farther. Then they come to an island.
When they land, while he gathers eggs viz., Pogumk (Kuloskap),
Pukjinskwes then leaves him, going off in the canoe and she begins to
sing: "I leave Pogumk on the island; now I am chieftain."
Then she comes to the village. In the morning all go to the woods; not
one is left; he only who is worth most (?) (is not there). At night they
camp. Every day they expect their chief. So then Pukjinskwes is chief.
On the thirteenth day the chief remembers his friend the fox who is a
wizard or magician. Then he sings; the fox hears him, although he is far
off. So he starts and goes to the island. When he finds the chief, at
that time Pogumk cannot go (swim) far. The fox says to him that he will
take him to the main-land; that they will go together by water. The fox
says: "Close your eyes and seize my tail; do not fear; quickly we shall
finally reach land."
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