The Story of Hiawatha, Adapted from Longfellow

In Short

This volume presents Winston Stokes’s prose adaptation alongside Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s famous epic poem. It recounts the life of Hiawatha, a legendary Ojibway leader gifted with superhuman strength and wisdom. Raised by his grandmother Nokomis, Hiawatha embarks on daring quests, slays treacherous spirits, secures peace among neighboring tribes, and teaches his people essential arts like agriculture and picture-writing. Blending folklore, tragedy, and seasonal myth, the work has endured as a foundational piece of American literary mythology that captures the majestic spirit of North American forests and Indigenous lore.

The Story

The narrative begins with the establishment of the world’s natural forces, detailing how Mudjekeewis wins the title of the West-Wind after stealing the sacred Belt of Wampum from the Great Bear. His son, Hiawatha, is raised by his grandmother Nokomis on the shores of Gitche Gumee. As Hiawatha grows into manhood, he gains unmatched hunting prowess, magic deer-skin mittens that can crush rocks, and enchanted moccasins that allow him to travel a mile in a single stride. Upon learning that his father abandoned his mother to die of heartbreak, Hiawatha journeys westward to confront Mudjekeewis, resulting in a fierce battle that culminates in a peaceful reconciliation and a pledge that Hiawatha will rule his people.

Seeking the prosperity of his nation, Hiawatha undergoes a solemn fast, during which he wrestles Mondamin and brings forth Indian corn to sustain his people. He constructs a miraculous birch-bark canoe that moves by thought alone, and with the aid of his immensely strong companion Kwasind, he clears the river channels. Hiawatha avenges his ancestors by battling Megissogwon, the deadly Pearl-Feather magician who spreads disease and fever from the marshes.

With peace secured, Hiawatha travels to the land of the Dacotahs to woo the lovely Minnehaha. Their union is celebrated with a magnificent wedding feast filled with music from the singer Chibiabos and spirited dances by the mischievous Pau-Puk-Keewis. To ensure his nation’s heritage is preserved, Hiawatha invents picture-writing, painting symbols on birch bark to represent the Great Spirit, life, death, and human thought.

Tragedy eventually strikes the peaceful village. The envious pygmy spirits, the Puk-Wudjies, plot against the giant Kwasind and slay him by striking his vulnerable crown with pinecones. Meanwhile, the instigator Pau-Puk-Keewis wreaks havoc in the village, leading Hiawatha on a relentless hunt. Pau-Puk-Keewis transforms first into a giant beaver and then into an oversized brant bird, but Hiawatha ultimately tracks him down and destroys his physical forms.

Darker days fall upon the land as a harsh winter brings devastating famine and illness. Despite Hiawatha’s desperate prayers, Minnehaha succumbs to the famine, leaving him heartbroken. As time passes, the allegory of Spring defeating Winter unfolds, signaling the arrival of white settlers. Recognizing that his earthly mission is complete, Hiawatha bids a solemn farewell to Nokomis and his people, embarking in his birch canoe into the fiery sunset toward the Blessed Islands of the Hereafter.

How It Unfolds

A heroic origin and quest Young Hiawatha displays miraculous hunting talents and learns the secrets of the forest creatures before setting off to confront his father, Mudjekeewis. Their dramatic clash on the western mountains ends with his father granting Hiawatha a noble destiny to lead his people.

Building and clearing the realm Hiawatha crafts a swift, self-navigating birch canoe using nature's raw gifts, from cedar boughs to fir tree pitch. Together with his extraordinarily powerful friend Kwasind, he clears the riverbed of boulders and snags to make navigation safe from the mountains to the bay.

A celebration of peace Hiawatha weds Minnehaha, bringing the community together for a grand wedding feast featuring rich foods and songs from Chibiabos. The flamboyant Pau-Puk-Keewis entertains the crowd by executing his famous Beggar's Dance in elaborate, ermine-trimmed attire.

The hunt for the troublemaker After Pau-Puk-Keewis disrupts the village with gambling and defiance, Hiawatha pursues him relentlessly through the wilderness. The elusive rogue uses magical shapeshifting to become a king beaver and later a gigantic brant, but Hiawatha corners and slays each monstrous form.

Grief and final departure Following a catastrophic winter that claims the life of his beloved Minnehaha, Hiawatha mourns her loss deeply by her grave. Recognizing the changing times and the coming of new people, he boards his magical canoe and sails away into the glowing sunset toward the realm of the spirits.

The People

• Hiawatha: The central hero, possessing magical attire and vast wisdom. He seeks to protect and enlighten his people, facing powerful spirits and personal tragedy before departing for the spiritual realm.
• Nokomis: Hiawatha's grandmother, who nurtures him, teaches him forest lore, and guides him through his life's major milestones and trials.
• Mudjekeewis: Hiawatha’s father and ruler of the West-Wind. After battling his vengeful son, he becomes a proud mentor who urges Hiawatha to perform great deeds for mankind.
• Minnehaha: Hiawatha’s beloved wife, known as Laughing Water. She brings joy and domestic harmony to the village, but her tragic death during a severe famine leaves Hiawatha in profound grief.
• Pau-Puk-Keewis: A handsome, vanity-driven mischief-maker and gambler who defies Hiawatha. He continually evades capture through magical transmigrations before meeting his ultimate demise.
• Kwasind: Hiawatha’s loyal friend and the strongest of all mortals. He uses his incredible strength to assist Hiawatha, but falls victim to a plot orchestrated by the envious Puk-Wudjies.

In Its Own Voice

"So Hiawatha went into the forest all alone with his bow and arrows, and because he knew the language of the wild things he could tell what all the birds and animals were saying to him."

Hiawatha sets out into the wilderness as a young hunter, guided by his unique ability to understand the forest's creatures.

"He took his different colored paints, and began to draw strange figures on the bark of the birch-tree, and every figure had some meaning that the red men would always remember."

Seeking a way to preserve his culture's wisdom for future generations, Hiawatha invents the art of picture-writing.

"Four nights they kindled a fire on her grave, so that her soul might have cheerful light upon its journey to the Blessed Islands..."

Following the sorrowful death of Minnehaha, Hiawatha ensures her spirit is guided safely on its passage to the afterlife.

What It's Really About

At its core, the text explores the harmony between humanity and the natural world, alongside the inevitable cycle of growth, loss, and cultural transition. Hiawatha represents an ideal figure who uses strength not for tyranny, but to invent civilizing tools—such as agriculture, navigation, and written history—that bring unity and peace. The narrative also grapples with the inevitability of change, contrasting the enduring beauty of nature with human mortality. Through its allegorical battles against illness, harsh winters, and mischievous spirits, the story highlights the resilience required to endure life's hardship, ultimately offering a bittersweet meditation on legacy and departure as old eras give way to new ones.

Why Read It Today

This volume offers a compelling dual experience for readers interested in folklore and classic poetry. By pairing Winston Stokes's accessible prose adaptation with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s original verse, the book provides both an engaging narrative arc and an opportunity to appreciate the famous trochaic meter that made the poem legendary.

Readers will enjoy the vivid depictions of nature, the rich world-building, and the heroic, mythological quests. While modern readers should approach the text mindful of its early 20th-century romanticized framing and period attitudes toward Indigenous lore, the story's core themes of love, grief, community, and reverence for the earth remain deeply resonant. It stands as a captivating, accessible journey into one of the most celebrated epics in American literary history.