the Red Swan

Role: daughter of a magician; wife of Odjibwa · First appears: The Red Swan · Part 1

One day in The Red Swan · Part 1, Odjibwa shot the Red Swan in the neck with a magic arrow, but she flew away. In The Red Swan · Part 3, the third old man (Red Swan legend) told Odjibwa that the Red Swan was the daughter of a magician and would be his reward if he recovered her father’s scalp of wampum, which warriors had deceived the magician into giving up and were carrying from village to village.

In The Red Swan · Part 4, the young magician gave his sister to Odjibwa, saying, “she is my sister, treat her well; she is worthy of you.” The Red Swan travelled with Odjibwa as his wife, and in The Red Swan · Part 6 their union was consummated.

Relationship record

Life events

• Odjibwa shot the Red Swan with a magic arrow, piercing its neck, but it flew away.(The Red Swan · Part 1 · 📍 a lake)
  • With: Odjibwa
  • “The second came still closer; as he took the last arrow, he felt his arm firmer, and drawing it up with vigor, saw it pass through the neck of the swan a little above the breast. Still it did not prevent the bird from flying off”
• The third old man told Odjibwa that the Red Swan was the daughter of a magician.(The Red Swan · Part 3)
  • With: the third old man (Red Swan legend)
  • “This Red Swan you are following, is the daughter of a magician”
• Warriors deceived the magician into giving up his scalp of wampum, which they now carry from village to village.(The Red Swan · Part 3)
  • With: the magician (Red Swan legend)
  • “The warriors' coming for it, was only a cheat, and they now are constantly making sport of it, dancing it about from village to village”
• The third old man said the Red Swan would be Odjibwa's reward if he recovered the magician's scalp.(The Red Swan · Part 3)
  • With: Odjibwa
  • “whoever is the fortunate one that succeeds, will receive the Red Swan as his reward.”
• The young magician gave his sister, the Red Swan, to Odjibwa, who took her with him.(The Red Swan · Part 4)
  • With: the magician (Red Swan legend) Odjibwa
  • “‘Take her,’ the young magician said; ‘she is my sister, treat her well; she is worthy of you, and what you have done for me merits more. She is ready to go with you to your kindred and friends, and has been so ever since your arrival, and my good wishes go with you both.’”
• Odjibwa and the Red Swan travelled together as husband and wife.(The Red Swan · Part 4)
  • With: Odjibwa
  • “She then looked very kindly on her husband, who now bid farewell to his friend indeed, and accompanied by the object of his wishes, he commenced retracing his footsteps.”
• Odjibwa and the Red Swan consummated their union.(The Red Swan · Part 6)
  • With: Odjibwa
  • “a firm and happy union was consummated between Odjibwa, or him of the primitive or intonated voice, and the Red Swan.”

The Red Swan · Part 1

• enemies with Odjibwa “Still the swan remained, moving around and around, stretching its long neck and dipping its bill into the water, as if heedless of the arrows shot at it.”

The Red Swan · Part 3

• parent: the magician (Red Swan legend) “This Red Swan you are following, is the daughter of a magician, who has plenty of everything, but he values his daughter but little less than wampum.”

The Red Swan · Part 4

• siblings with the magician (Red Swan legend) “she is my sister, treat her well; she is worthy of you, and what you have done for me merits more.”
• married with Odjibwa “She then looked very kindly on her husband, who now bid farewell to his friend indeed, and accompanied by the object of his wishes, he commenced retracing his footsteps.”
• benefactor: the second old man (Red Swan legend) “Their reception there was the same as at the first; he also gave them a present, with the old man's wishes that they would be happy.”
• benefactor: the first old man (Red Swan legend) “Their reception there was the same as at the first; he also gave them a present, with the old man's wishes that they would be happy.”

The Red Swan · Part 5

• married with Odjibwa “The chief's daughter then only stole a glance at the present, then at Odjibwa and his beautiful wife; she stopped working, and remained silent and thoughtful all the evening.”

The Red Swan · Part 6

• married with Odjibwa “Thus ended the contest between the hermit's sons, and a firm and happy union was consummated between Odjibwa, or him of the primitive or intonated voice, and the Red Swan.”

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Extracted from the original text of The Myth of Hiawatha, and Other Oral Legends. Made with Rho MD.