Gluskonba and the Four Wishes
Gluskonba (Glooscap) offered four Abenaki men a single wish each. The first man wished to be powerful and rich, and was turned into a great pine tree — tall and strong, but rooted in one place forever. The second man wished to be feared by everyone, and was turned into a bear — powerful but alone. The third man wished to live forever, and was turned into a rock — eternal but without feeling or movement. The fourth man listened to the fate of the others and asked only for the wisdom to accept whatever Gluskonba gave him. Gluskonba blessed this man with a long, happy life, many children, and the