How Summer Came to Eastern Canada
     Many years ago, Indian people were created. Some chose to live in Eastern Canada. It was about this same time that Old Man Winter decided to settle in among the Indian people. He moved down from the far north and brought his cold weather with him. Before Old Man Winter moved in, Eastern Canada had been a lush and beautiful land. There were green trees growing, colorful flowers
blooming and green grass covering the hillsides. But once he moved in, the once-green land became white from frost and ice.
    Soon, nothing grew. The Indian people began to die from the cold, and many others went hungry. The people asked their creator, Glooskap, to help. After listening to their plight, he decided to try his magic powers and send Old Man Winter away. Glooskap went to visit the place where Old Man Winter lived. The
giant home, where he lived, was very beautiful. It was covered with white snow and ice, which glistened in the moonlight. Old Man Winter heard Glooskap and welcomed him inside. As soon as he entered, Old Man Winter cast a spell on him. Old Man Winter then told Glooskap stories of ancient times when the entire world was covered with ice and snow.
   Glooskap, being somewhat hypnotized, forgot his reason for coming to Old Man Winter's home. He became drowsy and fell asleep. Glooskap dreamed that winter disappeared, and the lush green lands came back. He slept for six months and then awoke. As he was waking up, Loon appeared and said to him, "There is a land where it is always warm. It is the land of your dreams. It is far south from here. There is a queen who rules there. Her name is Summer, and her powers are greater than Old Man Winter's. You must go there and bring her back. This is the only way you can save your people."
     Glooskap knew what he must do. He traveled to the ocean and called for his friend Whale. "Friend Whale, you must help me, for I must take a long journey to the Land of the South." Whale replied, "I will be happy to do the favor, Glooskap. Hop on my back, and we will start our trip now. "
     Whale and Glooskap traveled many days heading for the Land of the
South. Soon they began to smell the sweet fragrance of flowers, and
Glooskap knew their journey would soon come to an end. "Start swimming closer to shore. I think we are near our destination, " Glooskap told Whale. As they got closer to shore, Glooskap slipped off Whale's back and swam to shore. He waved goodbye to Whale and thanked him for his help.
     Once on shore, Glooskap found a road and began to follow it. As he walked along, he noticed how beautiful the countryside was. Flowers grew alongside the road. Trees were tall and green, and many were in blossom, sending out sweet fragrances. Wherever he looked, the land was growing. "Such a wonderful land, " he thought to himself.
     Soon he came to a-garden grove, and as he approached, he heard sweet voices raised in song. He saw young maidens dancing and singing around someone. As he got closer, be saw the strongest and most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He asked an old woman standing next to him, "Who are these maidens, and who is it they are dancing around?"
     "The maidens are the Fairies of our land. They represent our flowers, the sunshine and the warm light. The one they are dancing around is our queen. Her name is Summer," the old woman replied.
     Glooskap knew he had found the queen that Loon had told him about. He began to sing a magic song and then asked Queen Summer to come to his home and help him save his people. She agreed, and soon they were on their way to Glooskap's homeland.
     After many days of travel, they reached their destination. Everything was asleep from the cold winter spell. Summer and Glooskap approached Old Man Winter's home just as he was coming outside. He was overjoyed to see them, thinking he could cast them with a spell and keep them forever. As he started to cast his spell, Queen Summer, too, began to cast one over the land. Her powers were too great for Old Man Winter's, and soon the land began to change. The snow began to melt. New leaves and grass began to- appear. Life, once again, began
to return to the earth.
     Old Man Winter began to cry as he saw his world melting away. Queen Summer felt sorry for him and decided to make an agreement. "I would like to stay here forever," she said, "but I can't. I must return to my own land. Let us make an agreement. I will live here for one half the year and during this time, you will live in your home in the North. I will rule while you are away. When I return to
my own homeland, you may return and rule for the other half of the year."
     Old Man Winter had to agree to her suggestion as his power was no match for Queen Summer's. To this day, Summer rules half the year, and Winter rules the other half in Glooskap's country. And this is how Summer Came to Eastern Canada.
"How Summer Came to Eastern Canada" is a Micmac legend from Canada.