The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

IT WAS TRADITIONAL THAT EACH INDIAN BRAVE MAKE A FAST OF SEVEN DAYS
AND NIGHTS UPON REACHING MANHOOD. ONE YOUNG MAN, CALLED WUNZH
CAME FROM A PARTICULARLY POOR VILLAGE. BEFORE MAKING HIS FAST,
WUNZH PRAYED TO THE "GREAT SPIRIT" FOR HELP.
THE FIRST NIGHT AS WUNZH SLEPT, HE DREAMT HE WAS TALKING TO THE
GREAT SPIRIT. HE ASKED THE GREAT SPIRIT TO SEND FOOD FOR HIS VILLAGE
WHEN HE AWOKE, HE WAS VERY HUNGRY SO HE WENT FOR A WALK THROUGH THE
WOODS, ONCE MORE PLEADING TO THE GREAT SPIRIT.
THE SECOND NIGHT WUNZH DREAMED THAT A YOUNG MAN DRESSED IN GREEN
AND YELLOW VISITED HIM. THE YOUNG MAN TOLD HIM HE WAS SENT FROM
THE GREAT SPIRIT TO SHOW WUNZH HOW TO HELP HIS PEOPLE. FIRST, THOUGH
,WUNZH MUST BATTLE WITH THE YOUNG MAN. WUNZH FOUGHT UNTIL HE WAS
EXHAUSTED AND THE YOUNG MAN LEFT. FOR TWO NIGHTSTHE YOUNG MAN
VISITED HIM AND THEY FOUGHT. ON THE THIRD DAY THE YOUNG MAN TOLD
WUNZH THAT THIS WAS THE LAST DAY HE WOULD COME. IF WUNZH COULD THROW
HIM, THE GREAT SPIRIT WOULD TELL HIM HOW TO HELP HIS PEOPLE.
WUNZH THREW HIM AFTER MUCH FIGHTING. THE YOUNG MAN INSTRUCTED HIM
NOT TO EAT THE FOOD HIS FATHER WOULD BRING ON THE SEVENTH DAY OF
HIS FAST. HE ALSO INSTRUCTED WUNZH TO KILL HIM AND PUT HIM INTO
THE GROUND.
"YOU MUST REMEMBER WHERE YOU PUT ME AND WATER ME EVERY TIME THE NEW
MOON COMES UP. THEN I WILL COME ALIVE."
WUNZH DID AS HE WAS INSTRUCTED. HE FAITHFULLY WATERED HIS FRIEND
AND SAW A GREEN PLANT SPRING UP. THE PLANT TOLD HIM NOT TO TELL
ANYONE ABOUT IT UNTIL THE YELLOW CAME
ONE DAY THE YELLOW CAME. WUNZH CALLED IT "MON-DAW-MIN" AND LED HIS
PEOPLE TO IT. MONDAWIN IS INDIAN CORN AND THIS TELLS OF ITS ORIGIN.

Where learned: ILLINOIS ; CHICAGO

James Callow Keyword(s): WRESTLING

Date learned: 00-00-1970

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