Gendenwitha

Gendenwitha (also spelled Gendewitha) is a mythological character represented by the Morning Star in Iroquois mythology. [cite book
last = Alexander
first = Hartley Burr
authorlink = Alexander Hartley Burr
title = North American Mythology
publisher = Kessinger Publishing
date = 2003
pages = 26] Her name means "It Brings the Day." Gendenwitha was originally a beautiful maiden who was loved by Sosondowah, a great hunter held captive as a guard by Dawn. Dawn transformed Gendenwitha into the Morning Star after Sosondowah attempted to make her his bride.

Sosondowah and The Legend of Gendenwitha

Sosondowah was a greatly skilled hunter who was captured by Dawn when he pursued a Sky-Elk up into the heavens. [Citation
last1 = Olcott | first1 = Frances Jenkins
last2 = Richardson | first2 = Frederick
title = The Red Indian Fairy Book for the Children's Own Reading and for Story-tellers
publisher = Houghton Mifflin Company
date = 1917] Dawn commanded him to spend eternity guarding the door of her lodge in the sky. From his post, Sosondowah caught sight of Gendenwitha as she stood by a river, and fell in love. During Spring, Sosondowah escaped from Dawn while she was sleeping and entered the heart of a bluebird in order to visit his beloved. Gendenwitha, not knowing the true identity of the bluebird, welcomed Sosondowah as a sign of Spring. Sosondowah escaped from Dawn again during Summer, and entered the heart of a blackbird. Again he visited Gendenwitha at the river, and was greeted as a sign of Summer. During Autumn, Sosondowah escaped once more, this time in the body of a giant nighthawk. He swooped down to the river and took Gendenwitha up to the lodge in the sky to make her his bride. Dawn, angry at the defiance of Sosondowah, transformed Gendenwitha into a star and put her on Sosondowah's forehead so he "must long for her throughout all time without attaining her." [cite book
last = Alexander
first = Hartley Burr
authorlink = Alexander Hartley Burr
title = North American Mythology
publisher = Kessinger Publishing
date = 2003
pages = 26]

ee also

*Iroquois mythology
*Sosondowah

References

External Links

* [http://www.goddessaday.com/native-american/gendenwitha Gendenwitha entry on Goddessaday.com]
* [http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/native_american-mythology.php?deity=GENDENWITHA Gendenwitha article on Godchecker.com]