Myths and Legends of British North America/Thunder (Wyandot)
THUNDER
Wyandot
HENQ was one of seven brothers. They all played together—oh, a long time ago—but Henq always made the others sorrowful. He was very strong. He smashed everything. If he laid his hand on a pole of the lodge, the lodge would fall to the ground.
At last his brothers said, "Henq is too strong. We are not safe." So they made a plan.
One day the brothers said, "We will go hunting." So they started off in their canoes to an island far away. They began to hunt. Henq and one of his brothers went up into the island. Then the others jumped into their canoes and paddled away. The brother said to Henq, "Go up farther into the woods and wait for me." And Henq did so. Then that brother got into his canoe and paddled away.
Henq waited a long while. He heard no one. Then he came down to the shore and saw his brothers far away in their canoes. He lifted his great voice and called to them. His voice was so strong and so loud it made the air shake. He said, "Will you take me back?" They said, "No."
So Henq stayed on the island. Sometimes he raises his voice to call to his brothers, and ask them how they are getting along. He always makes the air shake. Henq roams around the island, in the spring and summer; but in the winter he sleeps. When there is thunder in winter, the Wyandots say, "Henq is turning over. Something has broken into his sleep."