For decades, Chief Lelooska and his family of artists carved traditional masks and totem poles in Ariel, Washington and brought the masks to life with Chief Lelooska's traditional Kwakiutl tales, robes, dances and drumming. Crowded into their traditional cedar plank house at night in the light of the flickering fire, the performance always opened with the ten-foot tall carving of Tsonoquah blowing eagle's down over the audience, each person hoping that an elusive piece of floating down would land on them and bring luck.
http://lelooska.org/
Tsonoquah c. 2/09/2022 Cecilia A. Eng
The Timber Giant, Tsonoquah, had shaggy hair so black
She was collecting children in the basket on her back
Hungrily she set it down and peeked in with a yawn
She found one small child alone was left -- the other children gone.
Tsonoquah let out a roar. She raged at her lost feast.
Of all the missing children, this one seemed the very least.
“‘Twas you who cut this hole out of the basket which was mine!
You may be just a morsel but upon you I shall dine!”
“At least I helped my friends escape, by now they’re safely home”
“There is no safe,” the giant roared, “There’s nowhere I can’t roam!”
Then she saw the child had earrings made of abalone shell
And as they sparkled, Tsonoquah demanded them as well.
“Just let me go,” the child said, “And I’ll give them to you
See them shine beneath the sun in pearl, green and blue.”
“I’ll gnaw your bones,” howled Tsonoquah, “And take them when you’re dead.”
“But you can’t wear them when your ears aren’t pierced,” the child said.
“You speak the truth,” the giant growled, “E’er I can stop to sup
“You’ll have to pierce my ears at once, then I can eat you up.”
“A stone maul and two stakes I’ll need -- if you can bring them here
Lay back your head where I can reach to pierce each giant ear.”
The child drove a stake through ear and earth with one strong pound
The second stake went deep and pinned the giant to the ground
While Tsonoquah lay helpless, the child ran to her head
And crushed it with the COLD stone maul and Tsonoquah was dead!
@janeg Feb 2022
Size and intelligence are in inverse proportion I guess. I love the way you tell such tales with musicality.
@wylddandelyon Feb 2022
I really like this. A good hero tale, and I think a good homage to Chief Lelooska and his family of artists and dancers.
@gmcgath Or perhaps being so stupid comes with being a child-eating monster? If so, good thing!
@bethkille Feb 2022
Love the drum beat. Very cool the way you put this story to melody!
@gmcgath Feb 2022
At the next to last verse I was thinking, "No, Tsonoquah, don't be that stupid!" It seems to come with being a giant in a folk tale.