GLUSKAP and MALSUM
DUEL
"Malsum tried to find out what could kill his rival [Gluskap] and in jest asked him what could kill him, adding that only fern root could cause his own death. Gluskap replied that an owl feather was the only thing that could slay him. So one evening Malsum took the feather of an owl's wing and used it in place of an arrowhead to shoot his brother. Gluskap fell dead but immediately after, by his great magic, he recovered.
Suspecting his brother's treachery he went into the forest and sat by a stream declaring that only a flowering reed would kill him. A toad hearing this hopped away and told Malsum the secret, asking for the power to fly. But Malsum refused to give the toad the power of flight, and said it would look silly with wings. To be revenged the creature hurried back to Gluskap and told him of his danger. Gluskap thereupon plucked a large rooted fern stem. With it he struck down Malsum and killed him, driving his evil magic below the earth. Malsum was unable to revive, he became a cruel and vindictive wolf." (Burland, 1985, pp. 57-58}
