Imagine if, though you were a warrior, you lived with an unbearable fear of death; so much so that every time you looked upon the dead you saw your own face. Well you might find yourself having some peculiar thoughts, such as that if you killed more of your enemies their lives would be added to yours and you'd be able to avoid death for a very long time. Eventually, however, you'd probably also realize that even the greatest warriors of your tribe died as soon, and often sooner, than other men; and then you would really be in a pickle.
This is how it was for one warrior of the Micmac tribe of Nova Scotia, Canada, "in the days of the people who are gone," or so this legend begins. Distraught with consternation, this warrior took himself on a visit to the oldest man in the village and beseeched him to impart the secret of life. The toothless old coot wheezed with laughter. He explained that a man's life is as from sunrise to sunset. "I have lived no longer than a butterfly. Even Glooskap himself, I expect, will not evade death."
Glooskap ? of course! So our warrior rushed off to see Glooskap. Even rushing, it took him seven days to journey to the mountain where Glooskap had his pad in a cozy wigwam, where he lived with his mother, Grandmother Bear, and his brother, Little Marten. When he arrived they were just preparing the evening meal and he was invited to share it with them. He saw a single fleshless bone dropped into the pot, then only moments later a thick and delicious stew was served from it! And even after all four of them had eaten their fill, yet the pot remained full.
Next, the anxious moment ? the man who was afraid of death asked, "Is it true that you give people whatever they ask?" To which Glooskap smiled, and replied that he was asked for many things and that he always gave what he could. And what did this visitor wish to have? "Life! A life that will never end!"
Glooskap said that this was impossible: everybody must die. Even Glooskap himself must one day die; even Grandmother Bear and Little Marten. Probably, after all else has died, even death will die.
Not good news to our fearful warrior. Quite in desperation now, he pleaded, "If you can't make me immortal, can you at least make it so that I will live longer than any man has ever lived?" After some further persuasion, Glooskap agreed to do this.
The next morning, after they had again eaten from the pot that was never less full, the two of them went down the mountain and got into a canoe and Glooskap paddled them across the great water to a rugged, rocky island where no people or animals lived. Once ashore Glooskap traight-away threw his arms around the man, lifted him up, and then put him back down. "And now it is done," he announced. "Your wish has been granted."
At that very moment the man realized that he had been changed into a large cedar tree with a tangle of gnarled and twisted branches. He was speechless. "I can't say precisely how long you will live," Glooskap said to him, "but it will surely be for longer than any man ever has. No one visits this island ? you will not be cut up for firewood ? and you are now strong enough to withstand any storm that comes along. Yes, you are going to live long and long."
With that, Glooskap launched the canoe and paddled away. And the cedar tree that had been a warrior stood utterly still in astonishment.
Now imagine that if, though you were a cedar tree, you had once been a man and retained a man's ability to think upon things: you'd have many centuries to come at this situation from every conceivable angle. And that would be that.
Peter Kohler is a hermit and an organic gardener who also enjoys exploring the deep roots of human culture. You can write to him at [email protected]
