An orphan boy who lived with his grandmother made a good friend his own age in the little village in which they lived. The two of them went out looking for hickory sticks so that they could make themselves bird arrows. The orphan went out alone hunting, and captured a pigeon hawk nestling, which he turned into a pet. One day the boy put a pouch of tobacco around the hawk's neck, and shortly thereafter the bird disappeared. However, it soon returned, but without the tobacco. The boy tried this three more times, and each time the bird returned without the tobacco. In time the pigeon hawk grew to maturity and the orphan again put a pouch of tobacco around his neck, only now the boy told the hawk, "Thank you for staying with me all this time, but now that you are full grown you should be free to live your own life." So he set the hawk free, and it flew off never to return.

One day the orphan and his friend went out looking for dogwood to use in making real hunting arrows. The day was gray and rainy, and as they went through the brush, they became separated. Suddenly, out of the mist, the bad Thunders fell upon the orphan and carried him away to their abode. The friend searched the area in vain, and had to return home without his companion. Every day he went back searching for some trace of his friend, but every time he had to return without a clue as to his whereabouts.

In the spirit abode of the Thunderbirds, the Bad Thunders (Wakąjašišigera) staked the nephew to the floor of their lodge, binding him hand and foot. They were going to eat him, but they always waited until all the food in his stomach had passed from a captive before devouring him. They took the precaution of posting a guard over him to ensure that he would not escape. A pigeon hawk (kirikirisge) heard of the boy that the Thunders had talked so much about and went to see him for himself. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be the very boy with whom he had spent so many pleasant years and whose gifts of tobacco were fondly remembered. The hawk caught some pigeons and roasted them to perfection, putting the meat under his wings. He would go daily to visit the boy and he very carefully caused some of the meat to drop from his wings into the boy's mouth. The Bad Thunders began to suspect the pigeon hawk of foul play, since the boy's stomach should have been cleaned out long ago. When he showed up again the next day, they grabbed Pigeon Hawk and shoved him towards the exit. However, he deliberately lunged into the fire to singe himself. He cried out loudly to his older brother, Great Black Hawk, who was chief of the Thunders. The pigeon hawk stumbled to his brother's lodge, and the chief asked him, "What is the matter, little brother?" Little Pigeon Hawk told him all that had happened in his time on earth and that his benefactor was now being starved by the man-eating Thunders. Great Black Hawk was especially angry when he saw his brother's burns. So he went to the Bad Thunders and told them that hitherto he had held his tongue even though what they were doing was clearly wrong, but now that they had pushed one of their own into the fire, he would have to take the prisoner from them. This he did, and when they arrived at the lodge, Pigeon Hawk had roasted pigeons already prepared for his starving friend.

When the boy regained his strength, he made a bow and arrows and went hunting with Little Pigeon Hawk. Later, the boy shot his arrow at an animal, but the projectile fell down a well. When he retrieved it, he found that it had chalk on it. When the Thunderbirds heard of this, showed an unusual interest in some of the beavers and grizzly bears that the boy said he had seen. So they went out again, and this time the boy brought back a beaver which he had found in the chalk area. They were visible to mortals but were able to hide themselves from other spirits. After bringing back many such "beavers" and "grizzlies," the boy was held in high esteem by the Thunderbirds.

After a time, Great Black Hawk told his brother, "It is time that we returned your friend to earth. The Creator did not create him for this, and even though we have grown used to him, he must return to where he belongs." Great Black Hawk told the young man that he had been of great benefit to the Thunders, but that Earthmaker would not approve of his living there indefinitely. He then gave him a warclub and told him that he could make a copy of it before he descended to earth. Little Pigeon Hawk took him back to the same spot on earth where he had been abducted, and then returned to the heavens with the original Thunderbird Warclub.

That evening the orphan's friend again returned to the place where he lost his companion, and unexpectedly, there he stood. They were very glad to see each other again after so long a time. The orphan instructed his friend to go back to the village and tell some of the unmarried people there to prepare a lodge for him and to purify it with incense smoke from white cedar leaves. He was to instruct them furthermore, that they were to kill a buck to be eaten at the feast that he would be hosting, and that they would find this buck on the other side of the hill nearby. They did as they were told and soon found a large buck which they killed and prepared for the feast. The orphan appeared and invited all who wished to come to join him there. He told the assembled people at the feast of all the things that had happened to him in the spirit abode of the Thunderbirds. They feasted for four days, and on the fourth day he instructed them to kill four large bears for the final meal. When this was all accomplished, he announced that he and his friend were going to go looking about the country, which they all understood to mean that they were going on the warpath. Consequently, many young men came to join them in the warparty. They spent the day traveling, stopping at noon for lunch and before sunset to have dinner. After dinner, he told the men that he had been directed by many spirits, both of the air and of the earth, and that he knew he would have no difficulty in finding the village. Just as he had said, the next day they ran across a small village and killed everyone in it. The second day they wiped out another village, and the third day a third village was annihilated. At the end of the fourth day, when they had wiped out the fourth village, he announced that henceforth he would go on the warpath only to avenge an attack, or to attack enemies. [1]

Commentary: "he found that it had chalk on it." — the chalk found on the boy's arrow when it landed in a well tells us that the spirit animal was a Waterspirit, since they live in subterranean caves lined with white minerals.

Links: Thunderbirds, Black Hawks, Great Black Hawk, Pigeon Hawk, The Thunderbird Warclub, Waterspirits, Bird Spirits.

Stories: mentioning Thunderbirds: The Thunderbird, Waruǧápara, How the Thunders Met the Nights, Traveler and the Thunderbird War, The Boulders of Devil's Lake, Thunderbird and White Horse, Bluehorn's Nephews, How the Hills and Valleys were Formed (vv. 1, 2), The Man who was a Reincarnated Thunderbird, The Thunder Charm, The Lost Blanket, The Twins Disobey Their Father, The Thunderbird Clan Origin Myth, Story of the Thunder Names, The Wonáǧire Wąkšik Clan Origin Myth, Eagle Clan Origin Myth, Pigeon Clan Origins, Bird Clan Origin Myth, Adventures of Redhorn's Sons, Brave Man, Ocean Duck, Turtle's Warparty, The Daughter-in-Law's Jealousy, The Quail Hunter, The Twins Join Redhorn's Warparty, Redhorn's Sons, The Dipper, The Stone that Became a Frog, The Race for the Chief's Daughter, Redhorn Contests the Giants, The Sons of Redhorn Find Their Father, The Warbundle of the Eight Generations, Medicine Rite Foundation Myth, Origin of the Hočąk Chief, The Spirit of Gambling, Wolf Clan Origin Myth, Aračgéga's Blessings, Kunu's Warpath, The Orphan who was Blessed with a Horse, The Glory of the Morning, The Nightspirits Bless Čiwoit'éhiga, The Green Waterspirit of the Wisconsin Dells, Baldheaded Warclub Origin Myth, The Big Stone, The Origins of the Milky Way; mentioning Great Black Hawk: Baldheaded Warclub Origin Myth, The Chief of the Heroka, The Thunderbird, Waruǧápara, The Lost Blanket, The Medicine Rite Foundation Myth, Redhorn's Sons, The Nightspirits Bless Čiwoit'éhiga; mentioning black hawks: The Dipper, The Thunderbird, Partridge's Older Brother, The Woman who Loved her Half-Brother, Waruǧápara, Spear Shaft and Lacrosse, Morning Star and His Friend, The Coughing Up of the Black Hawks, The Animal Spirit Aids of the Medicine Rite, Keramaniš'aka's Blessing, The Race for the Chief's Daughter; mentioning hawks: Partridge's Older Brother, The Woman who Loved her Half-Brother, Waruǧápara, Holy One and His Brother, The Thunderbird, Old Man and White Feathers, Spear Shaft and Lacrosse, Creation Council, Wonáǧire Wąkšik Clan Origin Myth, The Race for the Chief's Daughter; about two male friends: Wazųka, The Four Slumbers Origin Myth, The Lame Friend, Worúxega, The Fleetfooted Man, Lake Wąkšikhomįgra (Mendota): the Origin of Its Name, The Spirit of Maple Bluff, Hare Kills Sharp Elbow; about journeys to and from Spiritland: The Four Slumbers Origin Myth, Ghost Dance Origin Myth II, The Resurrection of the Chief's Daughter, The Journey to Spiritland, The Medicine Rite Foundation Myth, The Lame Friend, Holy One and His Brother, Ghost Dance Origin Myth I, The Foolish Hunter, Waruǧápara, The Thunderbird, White Wolf, The Twins Get into Hot Water, The Two Brothers, The Lost Blanket, Earthmaker Sends Rušewe to the Twins, The Man who went to the Upper and Lower Worlds, The Petition to Earthmaker, Wears White Feathers on His Head, Buffalo Dance Origin Myth, Thunder Cloud Marries Again, The Shawnee Prophet — What He Told the Hočągara, Aračgéga's Blessings, The Blessing of a Bear Clansman, The Man Whose Wife was Captured; in which Waterspirits occur as characters: Waterspirit Clan Origin Myth, Traveler and the Thunderbird War, The Green Waterspirit of Wisconsin Dells, The Lost Child, River Child and the Waterspirit of Devil's Lake, Bluehorn's Nephews, Holy One and His Brother, The Seer, The Mulberry Picker, The Creation of the World (vv. 1, 4), The Sioux Warparty and the Waterspirit of Green Lake, The Waterspirit of Lake Koshkonong, The Waterspirit of Rock River, The Boulders of Devil's Lake, Devil's Lake — How it Got its Name, Old Man and White Feathers, Waterspirits Keep the Corn Fields Wet, The Diving Contest, The Lost Blanket, Redhorn's Sons, Įčorúšika and His Brothers, Great Walker's Warpath, White Thunder's Warpath, The Descent of the Drum, The Shell Anklets Origin Myth, The Daughter-in-Law's Jealousy, Snowshoe Strings, The Thunderbird, Hare Retrieves a Stolen Scalp (v. 2), The Two Children, The Twins Join Redhorn's Warparty, Earthmaker Sends Rušewe to the Twins, Paint Medicine Origin Myth, Waruǧápara, Ocean Duck, The Twin Sisters, Trickster Concludes His Mission, The King Bird, The Medicine Rite Foundation Myth, Great Walker's Medicine, V. 2, Peace of Mind Regained, How the Thunders Met the Nights, The Shaggy Man, The Woman who Married a Snake (?), Hare Secures the Creation Lodge, Ghost Dance Origin Myth I; mentioning pigeons: Pigeon Clan Origins, Thunderbird Clan Origin Myth V. 1, Waruǧápara, The Twins Disobey Their Father, The Lost Blanket, How the Thunders Met the Nights, Bird Origin Myth, Origin of the Hočąk Chief, The Creation Council, Hočąk Clans Origin Myth, The Creation of Man V. 2, Gottschall: A New Interpretation; about Bird Spirits: Crane and His Brothers, The King Bird, Bird Origin Myth, Bird Clan Origin Myth, Wears White Feathers on His Head, Old Man and White Feathers, The Thunderbird, Owl Goes Hunting, The Boy Who Became a Robin, Partridge's Older Brother, The Woman who Loved Her Half-Brother, The Foolish Hunter, Ocean Duck, Earthmaker Sends Rušewe to the Twins, The Quail Hunter, Baldheaded Warclub Origin Myth, The Hočąk Arrival Myth, Trickster Gets Pregnant, Trickster and the Geese, Holy One and His Brother (kaǧi, woodpeckers, hawks), Porcupine and His Brothers (Ocean Sucker), Turtle's Warparty (Thunderbirds, eagles, kaǧi, pelicans, sparrows), Kaǧiga and Lone Man (kaǧi), The Old Man and the Giants (kaǧi, bluebirds), The Bungling Host (snipe, woodpecker), The Red Feather, Trickster, the Wolf, the Turtle, and the Meadow Lark, Waruǧápara, The Race for the Chief's Daughter, Black and White Moons, The Markings on the Moon, The Creation Council, He Who Eats the Stinking Part of the Deer Ankle, Earthmaker Blesses Wagíšega (Wešgíšega), Hare Acquires His Arrows, Keramaniš'aka's Blessing (black hawk, owl), Worúxega (eagle), The Arrows of the Medicine Rite Men (eagle), The Gift of Shooting (eagle), Hočąk Clans Origin Myth, Wonáǧire Wąkšik Clan Origin Myth, The Hočąk Migration Myth, Blue Jay, The Baldness of the Buzzard, The Abduction and Rescue of Trickster (buzzards), The Shaggy Man (kaǧi), The Medicine Rite Foundation Myth (kaǧi), Spear Shaft and Lacrosse, Įčorúšika and His Brothers (Loon), Great Walker's Medicine (loon), Roaster (woodsplitter), The Spirit of Gambling, The Big Stone (a partridge), Trickster's Anus Guards the Ducks, The Fleetfooted Man, The Journey to Spiritland (v. 4) — see also Thunderbirds; mentioning pigeon hawks (kirikirisge): Spear Shaft and Lacrosse; mentioning the Thunderbird Warclub: Waruǧápara, The Thunderbird, How the Hills and Valleys were Formed, How the Thunders Met the Nights, The Medicine Rite Foundation Myth, cf. Baldheaded Warclub Origin Myth.

Themes: a young man grows up with one or more birds whom he loves very much: Partridge's Older Brother; a young man comes to own a very remarkable bird: The Red Feather; someone is abducted and led off into captivity: The Captive Boys, A Man's Revenge, Bluehorn's Nephews, Wears White Feathers on His Head, Įčorúšika and His Brothers, Bird Clan Origin Myth, The Man Whose Wife was Captured, Bladder and His Brothers, Bluehorn Rescues His Sister, The Boy who was Blessed by a Mountain Lion, The Green Man, Brave Man, The Chief of the Heroka, Šųgepaga, Hare Gets Swallowed, The Raccoon Coat, Wojijé, Wolves and Humans, The Woman Who Became an Ant, Thunderbird and White Horse, The Boy who Flew, Testing the Slave; a human joins up with the Thunderbirds: The Thunderbird, How the Thunders Met the Nights, Waruǧapara, The Daughter-in-Law's Jealousy, The Dipper; Thunderbirds capture a boy who is out looking for material with which to make arrows: Hare Acquires His Arrows; a human being physically travels to Spiritland without having died: The Resurrection of the Chief's Daughter, Ghost Dance Origin Myth II, Snowshoe Strings, The Thunderbird, Waruǧápara, How the Thunders Met the Nights, The Shaggy Man, He Who Eats the Stinking Part of the Deer Ankle, Buffalo Dance Origin Myth, Aračgéga's Blessings, The Blessing of a Bear Clansman, The Lost Blanket, The Twins Get into Hot Water, The Daughter-in-Law's Jealousy, The Petition to Earthmaker, The Boy who would be Immortal, Thunder Cloud Marries Again, Rainbow and the Stone Arch, v. 2, Trickster Concludes His Mission; the Thunders seek to eat a human being: Bluehorn's Nephews, Wonáǧire Wąkšik Clan Origin Myth, The Adventures of Redhorn's Sons, two boys (or young men) out cutting wood are attacked: The Four slumbers Origin Myth, The Lame Friend; good spirits try to intercede with bad spirit allies to save the life of a captured human: Įčohorucika and His Brothers; a mortal is returned to earth from the spirit village that he is visiting: Waruǧápara, The Thunderbird, The Shaggy Man, Buffalo Dance Origin Myth, He Who Eats the Stinking Part of the Deer Ankle, Snowshoe Strings, The Daughter-in-Law's Jealousy, White Wolf, The Foolish Hunter, The Petition to Earthmaker; a human has an easy time hunting something that the spirits find hard to get: He Who Eats the Stinking Part of the Deer Ankle, The Thunderbird, The Daughter-in-Law's Jealousy, Waruǧápara, How the Thunders Met the Nights; powerful spirits refer to strong animals by names denoting smaller and weaker animals: How the Thunders Met the Nights, The Twins Disobey Their Father, The Two Boys, Waruǧápara, The Thunderbird, The Lost Blanket, The Daughter-in-Law's Jealousy, Earthmaker Sends Rušewe to the Twins, Redhorn's Sons (cf. the inverse theme, Buffalo Spirits calling grass "bears" in, He Who Eats the Stinking Part of the Deer Ankle); a Waterspirit that has been killed for food is called a "beaver" by spirits: The Thunderbird, Waruǧápara, The Twins Disobey Their Father, Earthmaker Sends Rušewe to the Twins, The Daughter-in-Law's Jealousy, Bluehorn's Nephews; the Chief of the Thunders rewards a human with the Thunderbird Warclub for killing a Waterspirit: Waruǧapara, The Thunderbird; spirits bless a man with an artifact: Waruǧápara (warbundle, warclub), The Warbundle of the Eight Generations (warbundle, flute), The Blessing of a Bear Clansman (warbundle), The Thunderbird (warclub), Origin of the Decorah Family (drum), Paint Medicine Origin Myth (magical paint), Disease Giver Blesses Jobenągiwįxga (flute), Ancient Blessing (pot, ax, spoon).

Notes:

[1] Paul Radin, "Winnebago Tales," Journal of American Folklore, 22 (1909): 300-303. Told by Joseph LaMère, Bear Clan, in the summer of 1908.