A woman named Nokomis falls from the moon down to Earth and gives birth to a daughter, Wenonah. When Wenonah is older, the West Wind Mudjekeewis comes to her and leaves her with a son, Hiawatha. After Wenonah dies from grief for her lost love, Nokomis is left to raise Hiawatha. She teaches him about the world and stories of how things in nature came to be. Hiawatha becomes a brother to the animals that live around them. One of Nokomis’ friends, Iagoo, makes a bow for Hiawatha and asks him to bring back the antlers of a red deer. Hiawatha shoots the deer and brings it back for everyone to feast on. Nokomis and Iagoo make Hiawatha a cloak from its fur.

Hiawatha grows into a strong and wise young man. He has two special items: magic mittens, with which he can break rocks into pieces, and magic moccasins, with which he can take a mile with every step. As he grows, he asks Nokomis about his parents and learns the truth about his mother’s death. He goes to Mudjekeewis seeking revenge. After Hiawatha and his father speak about Mudjekeewis’ other sons and about Hiawatha’s mother, Hiawatha attacks his father and they fight for three days.