Meeji-geeg-wona

Also known as: the Gray Eagle · Role: eldest young falcon · First appears: The Six Hawks; or, Broken Wing

Meeji-geeg-wona, the Gray Eagle, was the eldest young falcon and the only nestling whose feathers were strong enough to leave the nest. He quieted and fed his younger nestmates until, after a short time, he broke a wing while pouncing on a swan. Though he told his brothers not to let his injury stop their journey south, they chose to stay with him: “we will not forsake you; we will share your sufferings”. They carried him to a hollow tree and stored food for winter.

In due time Meeji-geeg-wona recovered and repaid their care by teaching them about hunting. The next day he went with Peepi-geewi-zains to help him confront Ko-ko-ko-ho, the owl who had taken his duck; Meeji-geeg-wona seized the owl and carried him home, where he and his brother advised him, tended his wounds with herbs, and released him. When the two nestmates returned from the south, the family was reunited, and each bird soon chose a mate and flew away.

Relationship record

Life events

• Meeji-geeg-wona assumed responsibility for quieting and feeding his younger nestmates.(The Six Hawks; or, Broken Wing)
  • With: the young brood
  • “Meeji-geeg-wona, or the Gray Eagle, the eldest, and the only one whose feathers had become stout enough to enable him to leave the nest, assumed the duty of stilling their cries and providing them with food, in which he was very successful.”
• Meeji-geeg-wona broke one of his wings while pouncing on a swan.(The Six Hawks; or, Broken Wing)
  • “he, by an unlucky mischance, got one of his wings broken in pouncing upon a swan.”
• The nestmates abandoned their migration and chose to stay and care for their wounded brother.(The Six Hawks; or, Broken Wing)
  • With: the nestmates
  • “we will not forsake you; we will share your sufferings; we will abandon our journey, and take care of you, as you did of us, before we were able to take care of ourselves.”
• The nestmates carried Meeji-geeg-wona to a hollow tree and stored food for winter.(The Six Hawks; or, Broken Wing)
  • With: the nestmates
  • “They sought out a hollow tree to winter in, and contrived to carry their wounded nestmate there; and, before the rigors of winter set in, they had stored up food enough to carry them through its severities.”
• Meeji-geeg-wona recovered from his wound.(The Six Hawks; or, Broken Wing)
  • “Meeji-geeg-wona in due time recovered from his wound”
• Meeji-geeg-wona accompanied Peepi-geewi-zains hunting to help him overcome the owl that stole his prey.(The Six Hawks; or, Broken Wing)
  • With: Peepi-geewi-zains
  • “‘Well! don't despair, brother,’ said Meeji-geeg-wona. ‘I now feel my strength perfectly recovered, and I will go out with you to-morrow,’”
• Meeji-geeg-wona seized the owl that had claimed Peepi-geewi-zains's duck and carried it home.(The Six Hawks; or, Broken Wing)
  • With: Ko-ko-ko-ho
  • “He was about wresting it from him, when Meeji-geeg-wona came up, and, fixing his talons in both sides of the owl, flew home with him.”
• Meeji-geeg-wona advised the owl and then released him.(The Six Hawks; or, Broken Wing)
  • With: Ko-ko-ko-ho
  • “So, after giving him good advice, and telling him what kind of herbs would cure his wounds, they let the owl go.”
• The two nestmates returned from the south, reuniting the family; each bird soon chose a mate and flew away.(The Six Hawks; or, Broken Wing)
  • With: the two nestmates Peepi-geewi-zains
  • “They were the two nestmates, who had just returned from the south after passing the winter there, and they were thus all happily reunited, and each one soon chose a mate and flew off to the woods.”

The Six Hawks; or, Broken Wing

• siblings with Peepi-geewi-zains “Brothers,” he said, “an accident has befallen me, but let not this prevent your going to a warmer climate.”
• recipient: Peepi-geewi-zains “To make it last the better, two of the number went off south, leaving the other three to watch over, feed, and protect the wounded bird.”
• pupil: Peepi-geewi-zains “Meeji-geeg-wona in due time recovered from his wound, and he repaid their kindness by giving them such advice and instruction in the art of hunting as his experience had qualified him to impart.”
• enemies with Ko-ko-ko-ho “He was about wresting it from him, when Meeji-geeg-wona came up, and, fixing his talons in both sides of the owl, flew home with him.”

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