The lost giant and other American Indian tales retold; (1918) (14778563882)

Identifier: lostgiantotheram00higg (find matches)
Title: The lost giant and other American Indian tales retold;
Year: 1918 (1910s)
Authors: Higgins, Violet Moore
Subjects: Indians of North America
Publisher: Racine : Whitman
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries



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nd related to themall that had happened. They believedhis dreams were messages from theGreat Spirit, and from that time eachparticular herb of which the child haddreamed, was carefully gathered andstored away for use as medicine. Allthe old men declared that Waso wouldsome day become a great chieftain. 48 AMERICAN INDIAN TALES At last, for little Waso, came thetime when an Indian boy goes awayfrom his family and fasts and calls onthe Great Spirit to show him a visionof his future life and teach him howto live wisely and well. So the chief-tain built a little wigwam for Waso, atsome distance from the others, and theboy went to it, and began the solemnrites. That first night in his tent alone, hedreamed that the Great Spirit sent anew gift to his people, a food by means ofwhich it would be easier for them to liveand which would provide against daysof famine. This gift was called Man-dowmin and was to grow out of theblack soil. But the manner in whichhe should find it was not revealed to
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THE NEXT DAY THE YOUNG BRAVE APPEARED MANDOWMIN OF THE MAIZE 49 Waso and after he awoke he couldthink of nothing else but the mysterious gift. He fasted for three days in hislonely tent, sleeping at night on a bedof skins. The third day, weak fromlack of food, he looked out of hisdoorway at sunset, and saw a splendidyoung brave flying down from the sky.He was clad all in green and yellow,and a tuft of green plumes nodded onhis head. I am come, oh Little-Chieftain-Who-Loves-His-People, from the Great Spirit,said the stranger. He looks with favorupon you and your father the Chieftain,because you contend not with arrowsand spears, but seek only the good ofyour people. I have great news for 50 AMERICAN INDIAN TALES you. news of a wonderful gift from theGreat Spirit; but first you must wrestlewith me, as it is only by overcomingme that you may learn the secret. Now ^ aso was so faint and weakthat he swayed as he stood, but with-out hesitation he began to wrestle withthe mysterious stranger