Mondamin

Also known as: the friend of man · Role: spirit · First appears: V · Hiawatha’s Fasting · Part 1

In V · Hiawatha’s Fasting, on the fourth day of Hiawatha’s fast, Mondamin came to tell him his prayers had been heard and instruct him that struggle and labor would bring what he had prayed for. He challenged Hiawatha to wrestle, and their first bout continued until darkness; at Mondamin’s touch, Hiawatha felt new courage, life, hope, and vigor. Mondamin ended the bout and promised to return at sunset, then came back on the following days to wrestle again.

Before their final match, Mondamin told Hiawatha to bury him if he was defeated. Hiawatha overcame him, and in the sunset Mondamin lay dead; Hiawatha stripped and buried him as instructed. Before summer ended, maize grew from the grave, and Hiawatha recognized Mondamin in it, crying, “It is Mondamin! Yes, the friend of man, Mondamin!” In autumn, Hiawatha gathered the ripened maize, held the first Feast of Mondamin, and shared this new gift of the Great Spirit with the people.

Relationship record

Life events

• Mondamin came to Hiawatha, explained that his prayers were heard, and challenged him to wrestle.(V · Hiawatha’s Fasting · Part 1)
  • With: Hiawatha
  • “From the Master of Life descending, I, the friend of man, Mondamin, Come to warn you and instruct you, How by struggle and by labor You shall gain what you have prayed for. Rise up from your bed of branches, Rise, O youth, and wrestle with me!”
• Hiawatha wrestled Mondamin until darkness fell, gaining new courage, life, hope, and vigor.(V · Hiawatha’s Fasting · Part 1)
  • With: Hiawatha
  • “Faint with famine, Hiawatha Started from his bed of branches, From the twilight of his wigwam Forth into the flush of sunset Came, and wrestled with Mondamin; At his touch he felt new courage Throbbing in his brain and bosom, Felt new life and hope and vigor Run through every nerve and fibre.”
• Mondamin ended the first wrestling bout and promised to return the next sunset.(V · Hiawatha’s Fasting · Part 1)
  • With: Hiawatha
  • “‘’T is enough!’ then said Mondamin, Smiling upon Hiawatha, ‘But tomorrow, when the sun sets, I will come again to try you.’”
• Mondamin returned and wrestled Hiawatha again, and they continued their struggle until darkness fell.(V · Hiawatha’s Fasting · Part 1)
  • With: Hiawatha
  • “On the morrow and the next day, When the sun through heaven descending, Like a red and burning cinder From the hearth of the Great Spirit, Fell into the western waters, Came Mondamin for the trial, For the strife with Hiawatha;”
• Mondamin tells Hiawatha to bury him after their final wrestling match.(V · Hiawatha’s Fasting · Part 2)
  • With: Hiawatha
  • “You will conquer and o’ercome me; Make a bed for me to lie in, Where the rain may fall upon me, Where the sun may come and warm me; Strip these garments, green and yellow, Strip this nodding plumage from me, Lay me in the earth, and make it Soft and loose and light above me.”
• Hiawatha defeats Mondamin, who lies dead after their wrestling match.(V · Hiawatha’s Fasting · Part 2)
  • With: Hiawatha
  • “And before him breathless, lifeless, Lay the youth, with hair dishevelled, Plumage torn, and garments tattered, Dead he lay there in the sunset.”
• Hiawatha strips Mondamin and buries him as Mondamin had commanded.(V · Hiawatha’s Fasting · Part 2)
  • With: Hiawatha
  • “And victorious Hiawatha Made the grave as he commanded, Stripped the garments from Mondamin, Stripped his tattered plumage from him, Laid him in the earth, and made it Soft and loose and light above him”
• Maize grows from Mondamin’s grave, and Hiawatha recognizes Mondamin in it.(V · Hiawatha’s Fasting · Part 2)
  • With: Hiawatha
  • “And before the Summer ended Stood the maize in all its beauty, With its shining robes about it, And its long, soft, yellow tresses; And in rapture Hiawatha Cried aloud, ‘It is Mondamin! Yes, the friend of man, Mondamin!’”
• Hiawatha gathers the ripened maize, gives the first Feast of Mondamin, and shares the new food with the people.(V · Hiawatha’s Fasting · Part 2)
  • With: Hiawatha
  • “Then the ripened ears he gathered, Stripped the withered husks from off them, As he once had stripped the wrestler, Gave the first Feast of Mondamin, And made known unto the people This new gift of the Great Spirit.”

V · Hiawatha’s Fasting · Part 1

• enemies with Hiawatha “Forth into the flush of sunset Came, and wrestled with Mondamin;”
• recipient: Hiawatha “I, the friend of man, Mondamin, Come to warn you and instruct you, How by struggle and by labor You shall gain what you have prayed for.”
• pupil: Hiawatha “From the Master of Life descending, I, the friend of man, Mondamin, Come to warn you and instruct you, How by struggle and by labor You shall gain what you have prayed for.”

V · Hiawatha’s Fasting · Part 2

• enemies with Hiawatha “From the wigwam Hiawatha Came and wrestled with Mondamin.”

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Extracted from the original text of The Song of Hiawatha. Made with Rho MD.