On the Trail of Elder Brother

Book excerpt: Native American tales about Glous'gap, an Algonquin hero, presented for the first time in a comprehensive cycle, retold and illustrated by Native authors. Stories of Glous'gap, the embodiment of the Great Spirit, are told by the many Algonquin tribes of North America--from the Dakotas through New England, and south to Delaware. Among them is the Micmac of Maine, Quebec, and the Maritime Provinces. Since the seventeenth century, anthropologists have listened to Micmac storytellers and recorded their tales. Finally, here is a book devoted entirely to Glous'gap's adventures, told to us firsthand in the traditional Micmac versions by two Micmac authors. On the Trail of Elder Brother follows Glous'gap during the time he lived among the Micmac. When he arrives, the earth is barely formed. Glous'gap helps to shape it and populate it with creatures and plants. He teaches his people the right way to live, and how to live together harmoniously in the natural world. He battles the monsters who threaten them--a water-hoarding monster, a fearsome lake serpent, a giant bird of prey, and an evil sorceress, among them. By the time he leaves, the world has become a more settled place. With their pipe-smoking whales, irascible porcupines, witches, and the like, these stories are wondrous and magical. But they are also wise, immersed in what it means to be fully human in a fragile world. The sixteen accompanying pen-and-ink drawings enhance their appeal. Every reader, from the uninitiated to the specialist, will fall under the spell of this powerful, joy-filled volume.