Sebastian Rale-A Maine Tragedy of the Eighteenth Century: The Tradition of Pamola page 93-98 John Francis Sprague Boston, Mass. Printed by the Heintzemann Press 1906 The Tradition of Pamola The following is the legendary tale of Pamola, who was the great Evil Spirit or devil of the Penobscot tribe: Several hundred years ago, while a Penob- scot Indian was encamped eastward of Mount Katahdin in the autumn hunting-season, a severe and unexpected fall of snow covered the whole land to the depth of several feet. Being unpro- vided with snowshoes, he found himself unable to return home. After remaining several days in the camp, blocked up with drifts of snow, and seeing no means of escape, he thought that he was doomed to perish. In despair he called several times in a loud voice upon Pamola. Finally, in response to his despairing cries, Pa- mola made his appearance upon the mountain. Taking courage upon beholding him, the In- dian offered to him a sacrifice of oil and fat, which he poured and cunsumed upon burning coals from the camp. As the smoke was ascend- ing, Pamola was descending, but as the sacrifice was consumed when the spirit was only half way down the mountain, the Indian took more oil and fat and repeated the sacrifice till Pamola arrived at the camp, where the Indian gladly welcomed him, saying: " You are welcome, partner." Pamola replied, " You have done well to call me partner; because you have called me by that name you are saved, otherwise you would have been killed by me. No Indian has ever called on me and lived, having always been devoured by me. Now I will take you on the mountain, and you shall be happy with me." Putting the Indian upon his shoulders, Pamola bade him close his eyes, and in a few moments, with a noise like the whistling of a powerful wind, they were inside of the mountain. Here in a comfortable wigwam, furnished with abund- ance of venison, and with all the luxuries of life, lived Pamola with his wife and children. Pamola gave the Indian his daughter to wife and told him that after one year he might re- turn to his friends on the Penobscot, and that he might go back to the mountain at any time that he pleased to see his wife, and remain as long as he wished; but he must not marry again, for if he should he would be at once transported to Mount Katahdin) with no hope of ever more going out of it. At the end of the year the In- dian returned to Oldtown and related all that had happened to him in Mount Katahdin, and the circumstances through which he got into it. At first he refused all the Indians' persuasions to marry again, but at last they prevailed upon him to marry. Upon the morning after his marriage he mysteriously disappeared, and as nothing more was heard from him, they felt sure that he had been taken by Pamola into Mount Katahdin. Filled with consternation, the Indians con- ceived a great fear for this evil spirit. One young Indian woman, harder to be convinced than the rest, constantly persisted in refusing to believe even in the existance of Pamola, unless she saw him with her own eyes. It happened that one day while she was on the shores of the Lake Ambocticus, Pamola appeared to her and reproached her with incredulity. Taking her by force he put her on his shoulders, and after a few moments' flight, with a great whistling of wind, they were in the interior of the mountain. There she remained for one year and was well treated but was got with child by Pamola. A few months before her confinement Pamola told her to go back to her relatives, saying that the child that was to be born of her was to be great, and would perform such wonders as to amaze the nation. He would have the power to kill any person or animal by simply pointing at the object with the forefinger of his right hand. Hence, that the child was to be watched very closely till the age of manhood, because many evils might follow from that power. But when the child grew up he would save his nation from the hands of its enemies, and would confer many benefits on the people. If she should be in need of any assistance, she had nothing to do but to call upon Pamola in any place she might be, and he would appear to her. He warned her not to marry again, for if she should remarry both she and the child would be at once transported into Mount Katahdin forever. He then put her on his shoulders in the same man- ner as he had done in taking her up to the mountain, and left her on the shore of Lake Ambocticus. Returning to Oldtown, she related all that had happened to her, and also that she had seen in the mountain the Indian who had been taken away by Pamola. The child was born and she took great care of him. Several times she called upon Pamola, who always made his appearance to her in re- sponse to her summons. When in want of ven- ison, either in the woods or in the river, she had but to take the child, and holding his right hand she stretched out his finger and made it point out a deer or moose, and it at once fell dead. So also in a flock of ducks, she made the child's finger single out one of the flock, which likewise fell dead. The child grew and was the admiration and pride of all. It happened one day that while he was stand- ing at the door of the wigwam, he saw a friend of his mother's coming. He announced it to her, and at the same time with the first finger of his right hand he pointed at him and the man immediately fell dead. This fact caused great consternation, not only in the mother of the child, but also in the entire tribe, who looked on him as a very dangerous subject among them. Everybody fled from his company and even from his sight. The mother called on Pamola and related to him what had happened, and also the fear and consternation in which she and the entire tribe were. Pamola told her that he had already commanded her to watch the child, be- cause the power conferred on him might pro- duce serious evils. He advised her to keep the child altogether from society till the age of man- hood, as he might be fatal with many others. The Indians wanted her to marry, but she re- fused on the ground of it being forbidden by Pamola, who was her husband, and in case of marriage, she and the child would both be taken up to Mount Katahdin. The Indians prevailed upon her, however, and she married; but on the evening of the marriage-day, while all the Indians were gathered together in dancing and feasting for the celebration of the marriage, both she and the child disappeared forever. 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