ONHDAGWIJA – The moose goddess. Onhdagwija wandered the forests interacting with and looking after the animals she ruled over. The most prominent myth featuring her depicts her falling in love with an Iroquois hunter. She assumes human form and begins preparing acorn bread for him in his temporary bark cabin while he is off hunting during the day.
The hunter is curious about who is doing this and “stakes out” his cabin one day after pretending to go off on the hunt again. He catches Ohndagwija doing cooking and cleaning chores for him and she reveals her true identity to him. She promises to be his lover, to make acorn bread and other meals for him and to ensure that he catches large amounts of game. In return the hunter had to promise not to marry and never to reveal that she was helping him.
Years go by and the couple have children together but ultimately the hunter yields to one of the many women throwing themselves at him because of his hunting prowess so Onhdagwija and the children turn back into moose and disappear into the forest forever.
FOR MY ORIGINAL LIST OF FIFTEEN IROQUOIS DEITIES CLICK HERE: https://glitternight.com/2013/01/28/the-top-fifteen-deities-in-iroquois-mythology/
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Balladeer's Blog 
I like this fable – I have never heard it before
Appreciate what you have always ❤️ it can be taken away in a second
Did I understand it right? ✌️
Always good to hear from you. Yes, you understood it right, but there’s also the angle of ingratitude since he went back on his word to the one who had provided him with everything. There are also themes which anticipate the Woman of the Snow in Kwaidan plus that tale’s variations both before and after.
Thank you 😊
I know this well, even though I have never heard the fable before… I do love this story and lesson ❤️
Very interesting! Cool post! Peeks my interest ✌️
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Have a great weekend!
Thanks! You too! Stay safe ✌️
You do the same!
Obviously this is where the Scottish saying “there’s a moose in the hoose” comes from….sorry, couldn’t resist & probably doesn’t cross the pond too well; all joking aside, genuinely fascinating. I was drawn to it because ‘moose’ is my nickname for my eldest daughter, but not because she has a great yearning to cook and clean !
I like that saying! And it transfers well enough, I guess. Glad you enjoyed the myth!
You handle goddesses better than any other man whose work I’ve read.
Thank you.