Indians of North America; Indians of North America -- Folklore
He went the whole length of the village, and at last he saw a wigwam
with a bearskin hanging over it. A kind old squaw came out of this
wigwam and brought food to him, and spread out skins for his bed. The
old man felt very sick. He told her what plants to gather in the woods
to make him well.
The squaw gathered these plants and did as he told her with them; the
sores on his feet were healed and he was better very soon. She promised
not to forget the secret of the healing plants.
In a few days he was taken with a fever; again he told the old squaw
what plants and leaves to go out and gather for him. She did so, and it
was not long before he was well. She promised again not to forget what
she had learned.
Many times he fell sick; each time it was with a new sickness. Each
time he told the squaw what to find that would heal him. The squaw
learned more than all her nation knew of medicine.
One morning the old man told her that he had come to her village just
to teach the people the secrets which she now knew. No one had welcomed
him but the Bear band.
The old man said: “I am going away from this people now. I came to do
them good. No one but you would show kindness to the stranger. When you
see the sun again, you will find a young hemlock tree growing by the
door of your wigwam. It will grow taller than any tree that you or your
tribe have seen.
“This will show that the Bear tribe is the greatest. All the tribes
shall come to the Bear tribe for help in sickness. You will show them
the plants, roots, and leaves that can heal their sick people.”
When the old man was done talking he went out of sight. No one has ever
seen him since that morning. The Bears have become strong, and their
warriors are very brave. Their medicine men can do more than the
medicine men of other tribes.
Arranged from Powell’s Report.
XVIII. MONDAHMIN, WHO GAVE THE CORN
(Chippewa)
A manitou lived alone in the land. Wunaumon was his name. He was brave.
All the animals feared him. He was a great hunter and the son of
Menabozho.
Wunaumon walked all the day through a great woods. When he came out of
the woods he saw a great prairie; it was wide, like a lake of land.
Wunaumon saw trees on the further side of the prairie.
“I will see what is in that forest,” he said. His steps were long, and
he was soon almost across the prairie.
Wunaumon stopped like a deer that is startled. He was not afraid, but
he saw a strange sight. A stranger came out of the forest across the
prairie. He came to meet Wunaumon.
“Where are you going?” said the stranger. Then he lifted a pipe of
peace, and Wunaumon took it. They were friends now.
The stranger was short. He had a red feather in his scalp lock. His
coat was stiff and shiny. He did not wear deerskin. They sat down on
the prairie. They smoked the pipe of peace.
“I am very strong,” said Wunaumon. “How strong are you?”
“I am strong as a man,” said the stranger.
“My name is Wunaumon; what is yours?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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