2 How Glooskap Found Summer

Long ago, it grew very cold. Ice and snow covered the land.

Fires could not keep people warm, and corn could not grow.

Glooskap,the leader of the people,had to do something.

Glooskap traveled far to the north.

Everywhere he looked was cold and white with snow. He came to a house made of solid ice where a giant named Winter lived.

Winter greeted Glooskap and invited him inside his house.

Winter began to tell stories of the time when he ruled the Earth. Soon Glooskap fell asleep under Winter's spell.

But Glooskap's messenger,Tatler,woke him.

“Wake up, Glooskap!” said the bird. “In the south, you will find a woman who can defeat Winter,” said Tatler.

Glooskap traveled far to the south. He came to a land where it was warm and sunny.

Grass grew and flowers bloomed in the beautiful land.

Glooskap saw spirits dancing in a circle.At the center of the circle was Summer. She wore a crown of flowers in her long brown hair.

Glooskap asked Summer to come north with him.

She followed him to Winter's house of ice. Winter invited them in and asked them to sit down. He began to tell stories again.

But Winter's spells could not capture Summer.She began to chant her own spell, and sweat ran down Winter's face.

“I am stronger than you,” said Summer.

“You must leave this land and thaw your icy breath,” she said.

Winter wept,and his tears became rivers of melted snow and ice.The corn grew, and flowers bloomed again.

Summer told Winter, “You will have your own land in the north. It will always be winter there. You may come and visit other lands for part of the year.But in the spring,I will drive you out.”

Since that day, Winter has ruled for part of the year. But every spring, Summer drives him away.

Sometimes it seems as if winter will never end. But Summer is stronger than Winter. Spring will always come.