The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-01-18

them tell in their own language the
stories and legends of bygone days.
Not the least interesting of these was
the story of "Nanabozho," immortal
lied by the poet Longfellow under the
name of "Hiawatha." There are some
slight differences between the story
told by the Chippewas and that pub
lished 10 the world by the poet, though
the main points are the same. The
legend is purely a Chippewa one,
handed down from father to son, and
in the classic poem referred to every
Indian name and every Indian allu-
sion in stric.iy Chippewa. with the
exception Of the names of the hero and
heroine. "Hiawatha" and "Minne-
haha," which are Sioux Indian names,
the two persons being known to the
Chippev as as "NanaboZho" and "Wau
bahkeezis," What Mr.. Longfellow's
idea was in thus depriving the Chip
pewas of their due honor can only be
surmised Probably he thought the
names sounded more romantic or more
euphonious.
According to the Chippewa version,
Hiawatha-or Nanabozho, R3 I shall
henceforth call him-was born on the
prairies of Manitoba. His mother
died at his birth, and he was reared
! by his grandmother, old Nokomis.
When he reached full mani God his
grandmother one day called him to
enemy, one who had done lis mother
great injury, and that it was his
solemn duty to find that man and kill
him. To aid him in the accomplish
ment OF that act she presented him
with pair Of minjekahwinun, or magic
mittens, and a pair of mocassinun, or
magic shoes. All that night Mana
bozho pondered over the old squaw's
story, and before the sun had arisen
he was well on his way to the west.
The magic shoes enabled him to cover
milo at every step, SO that it was not
long before he found himself at the
foot of the Rocky Mountains. Gazing
ny and down the rugged peaks he
espled his enemy. Keewaydin, away
to the northeast, perched upon one Of
the Hottest SUBMITS. With stately
tread Nanahozho forced his way to the
foOt Of the mountain height and in q
great voice recited to Keewaydin the
wrongs done his mother, ending with
his own fixed determination to avenge
those wrongs by killing him. Kee-
waydin responded in mocking tones
and told Nanabozho to "kill away"
whereupon Nanabozho, with the aid of
the magic mittens, seized u huge rock
and hurled it at Keewaydin, but he re-
PEELED it with one puff of his breath,
and it fell, crumbling into dust at his
feet, Then Keewaydin, angered al
Nanabozho's act, tore up tree by its
roots and cast it at Nanabozho with
terrific force, but the latter warded
of the blow with his mittened hands,
and the tree turned to finder wood at
his touch.
When the two braves thus found
that neither could hurt the other,
they formed contract of peace and
Nanabozho returned to his grand
mothers wigwam. Long and anx.
iously had the old woman watched
for his return snd when he announced
to her the failure of his mission she
became exceeding angry. Gliding
him for his want OF courage to pro
long the struggle with Keewaydin
Nokomis told him that for seven days
and nights he must remain upon the
banks of the Tahquahmenon River
abstaining from food and drink dur
ing that time as a penance for hi
failure to carry out her wishes. Lone
! and dreary was his lonely vigil besid,
tho dark waters OF the TahQuahmenon
and often he felt like rebeling agains
the orders of his grandmother, but h.
bravely stood the ordeal
, A relief to the monotony of the oc
, casion came at last. It was on tn
fifth evening of his enforced fast, a
the sun was nearing the western hori
zon, that Nanabozho's attention wa
attracted by the approach of
stranger coming toward him from til
east. He was a man of magnificen
figure, tall and squarely built, ev
, IDENTIFY one of tribe OF giants. Hi
} feathers, banket and mocassins wer
) all in yellow, presenting startlin
|. appearance, to say the least. O
nearing Nanabozho he spoke to hi
and said his name was Mundahmir
; or 'The Yellow Man." and that h
, had wandered afar from the wigwan
of his people. He then invited Nan
bozho to wrestle with him, but IL
, young Chippewa demurred, right
y, thinking that he would be like Chi
!. in the hands of giant Howeve
. after considerable persuasion, Nan
bozho reluctantly consented to wre
tie. A few brief struggles and Nan
- bozho found himself PROSTATE upt
: the ground. On arising to his fe
= he discovered that the Yellow NJ;
=, had mysteriously vanished. Not
sign of him anywhere, not even
q footprint by which he might
- trailed.
= All that night and tue next d
u Nanabozho pondered over the stran
visit and wondered what it could pr
It tend. That evening, at about t
same hour, Nanabozho was awestru
to see the form of Mundahmin aga
appearing from the east. After t
customary greeting the Yellow NJ
ST again invited Nanabozho to wrest
but, remembering his experience
re the previous evening, he decline
However, the persuasive tones
ta Mundahrlin overcome his scrupl
- aad soon he found himself ags
sprawling upon the ground, and
nj visitor vanished, as into thin air
Here was condition of affa
v. certainly mystifying, if not startli,
Who was this stranger and what co,
his repeated visits mean? At last
bright idea entered Nauabozh
mind--the magic mittens'
IF the Yellow Man comes back