Wawenock Myth Texts from Maine Forty-third Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1925-26, Government Printing Office, Washington, 1928, pages 165-198

A collection of oral narratives recorded from the last known speaker of the Wawenock dialect offers a rare glimpse into a once‑thriving coastal tribe of New England. The material includes a creation saga featuring Gluskα̨be´, a shape‑shifting transformer who fashions the world and challenges the Creator, as well as episodes where animals and plants engage in spirited contests that shape the landscape. Interwoven with these myths are explanations of culturally important items such as wampum and a lively drinking song that reveal the everyday rhythms of community life.

The editor provides phonetic notes and free translations, making the stories accessible while preserving their original cadence. Listeners will encounter a hunter’s encounter with the spirit Bmule´, an exchange that bestows a magical boon, and vivid descriptions of the tribe’s historic territory along Maine’s bays and rivers. Together, the myths and commentary paint a respectful portrait of a people whose voices endure through these treasured verses.