--- title: XXVII. the Star That Never Moves — Wigwam stories told by North American Indians · full text with trees description: XXVII. the Star That Never Moves, «Wigwam stories told by North American Indians» by Mary Catherine Judd: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: (Algonquin) --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg73136/52/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [Wigwam stories told by North American…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg73136/) / XXVII. the Star That Never Moves # XXVII. the Star That Never Moves XXVII. the Star That Never Moves of «Wigwam stories told by North American Indians» by Mary Catherine Judd: the whole text, 50 sentences and 655 words. 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(Algonquin)[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") In one tribe of the Algonquin Indians the story is told that the North Star is the eye of Keneu, which is their name for eagle.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") It was also the name of a warrior of their tribe.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") He had won his name by his great feats of bravery; his eyes never grew dim with sickness nor pain; he had never shown fear.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") When he was taken prisoner by his enemies in war, he had, unarmed, run the gauntlet; he had escaped when all the strong men of his enemies had stood in two lines striking at him as he ran between the lines.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Keneu had run into the wild forest, which he had never crossed before.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") He made himself a war club of metikomeesh.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") Its seeds are set in wood cups.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") The black bear, or Mukwa, feeds on the nuts when they fall.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") The war club was strong and heavy.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") Keneu crossed the wild forest; he found his own village.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") He sought out the wigwam of the girl with whom he had played when they were children.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") When Keneu stood at the doorway of her father’s lodge, her father met him and gave him food.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") Keneu told his story and all believed him, and he asked for the maiden; he had thought of her welcome when he should come to his home.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") “Memainggwah the butterfly,—where is she?” asked Keneu.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") “She walked the Pathway of the Spirits alone one moon before Keneu came,” said her father; and the mother wailed a mourning cry from the place where she sat.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") “Keneu the war eagle will find Memainggwah.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") His wings are stronger than the wings of the butterfly.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") Keneu will go back into the wild forest.”[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") The warrior, who had so bravely fought his way through bands of men and hidden ways of thick trees, gave the war cry like an eagle, then bounded back into the wilderness.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") No one saw him again as Keneu the warrior.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") The father of Memainggwah, when crossing a marsh one night, was followed by a dancing light as large as half the moon when it is overhead in the sky.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") The dancing light seemed to call out to him.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") He heard it say: “I am Keneu.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") The Great Spirit has said that I shall find Memainggwah, but not for many moons.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") Come to this place and seek for me.”[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") The father of the maiden went again to the soft marsh land.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") This time tiny lights flitted all about him.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") Singing, humming, whirling, they seemed to fill the air.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") Wawwawtaissa, little fire-birds, the Indians call them.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") One of the little living fires came and lit upon his arrows.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") It sang: “Watch for me.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") I shall go to Memainggwah soon.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") The eye of Keneu the war eagle will shine through the blue of the Great Lodge.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") You will see Keneu near Mukwa in the sky.”[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") When three moons had gone the father saw a new light in the sky.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") It was where Keneu had said.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") He took his great peace pipe and offered smoke to the new star.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") The star never changed its place.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") It shone like the eye of a war eagle.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") There it has been through hundreds of moons.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") It is the eye of Keneu.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") He is happy, for he has found Memainggwah.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") She waited for him halfway on the Bridge of Souls, made by the stars which are a white pathway to the Happy Hunting Grounds.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") White men call this star near Mukwa the Great Bear, the North Star.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") It never stirs from its place in the north.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") This star helps lost men to find their way back to the trail.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") An Indian in his canoe at night can watch this star and know which way to go.[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") Keneu knew what it was to seek the lost.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") While the North Star shines there is hope for those who wander in the forest or on the wide lakes.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [XXVI. the North Star](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg73136/51/) - next →: [XXVIII. Trapping in the Happy Hunting Grounds](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg73136/53/) - ↑ back to [Wigwam stories told by North American Indians](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg73136/)