XVIII. MONDAHMIN, WHO GAVE THE CORN
(Chippewa)
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 [[134]]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?”
“We will wrestle. If you throw me, I will tell you my name. You will win much from me if I fall. Let us try our strength.”
Wunaumon stood up on the prairie. He was very tall and strong.
“Come, Red Feather,” he said.
“That is not my name,” the stranger answered. “If I fall, you shall know my name. You shall have a great gift. You must conquer me. The gift is for all your people.”
It was morning when the two began to wrestle. They were both very strong. One could not make the other fall. They had no more breath. They stopped and began again. They did this many times. It was a great battle.
The sun began to go down. Wunaumon thought that the sun was ashamed to see his weakness. Wunaumon put his feet very hard on the ground. He grew very fierce. His arms were strong like the legs of a bear. There was a great noise. “Red Feather, I have made you fall,” said he; “what is your name?” [[135]]
“My name is Mondahmin. My body is my gift to you. Cover me with the fine dust where we have wrestled. Come to this place often. You will see me again. I will bring gifts out of this prairie to your people.”
Wunaumon covered Mondahmin. He went into the forest and waited one moon. He came back to the place of wrestling. Two green feathers were waving in the air above the little hill he had made. A voice like singing came out of the green plumes.
“This is the corn, the gift of Mondahmin. Watch this plant and take the seeds to the tribe that lives nearest you. Tell them to make a feast to Mondahmin in the Moon of Fruits.”
Wunaumon took the corn in the month of fruits. He told the tribe to keep the feast. The gift of Mondahmin was good. It saved the people from hunger.
Schoolcraft. [[136]]
