the Wild Boy

Also known as: He-who-grew-up-wild / I'nage-utasûñ'hi / Wild Boy · Role: I'nage-utasûñ'hi, He-who-grew-up-wild; the boy who sprang from the blood of the game · First appears: Myth 3 · Kana'ti and Selu: The Origin of Game and Corn · Part 1

Long years ago, soon after the world was made, the Wild Boy sprang from the blood of the game that Selu had washed at the river. The little boy saw him come out of the water and reported that he called himself “my elder brother.” Kana'ti and Selu seized him and took him home, where they kept him until they had tamed him. They discovered his magic powers and named him I'nage-utasûñ'hi, He-who-grew-up-wild; he remained wild and artful, leading his brother in mischief.

A few days later, the brothers opened Kana'ti’s game enclosure, letting the animals and birds escape. After Selu’s secret way of producing corn and beans was revealed, the boys killed her, and corn sprang from her blood. Kana'ti then sought the Wolves to kill the boys, but the Wild Boy overheard the plan and warned his brother; together they trapped and killed nearly all the Wolves. They later gave strangers seven grains of corn and instructions for growing it.

After traveling a long time, the brothers found Kana'ti and agreed to travel with him. They escaped cannibals when lightning struck them dead, then found Kana'ti and Selu sitting together at the end of the world. After staying with their parents for seven days, the brothers went to the Darkening land. Later, when hunters could find no game, messengers summoned the Thunder Boys from the far west. They sang in the townhouse, bringing deer out of the woods, taught the people the seven deer-calling songs, and returned to the Darkening land.