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Native Languages of the Americas:
Pequot and Mohegan Indian Legends

This is our collection of links to Mohegan and Pequot folktales and traditional stories that can be read online. We have indexed our Native American legends section by tribe to make them easier to locate; however, variants on the same legend are often told by American Indians from different tribes, especially if those tribes are kinfolk or neighbors to each other. In particular, though these legends come from the Mohegans, the traditional stories of related tribes like the Mohican and Wampanoag are very similar.

Enjoy the stories! If you would like to recommend a Mohegan legend for this page or think one of the ones on here should be removed, please contact us and let us know.

Important Mohegan Mythological Figures

Click on each character's name for more detailed information about his or her role in Mohegan mythology.

Konchi Manto: This means "Great Spirit" in the Mohegan-Pequot language, and is the Mohegan name for the Creator (God.) In most contexts just Manto (the Spirit) is used. Konchi Manto is a divine spirit with no human form or attributes (including gender) and is never personified in Pequot or Mohegan folklore. The name is pronounced similar to kawn-chee mun-doh.

Maushop (also spelled Moshup and other ways.) Maushop is a giant who is the culture hero of the Mohegan, Pequot, and Wampanoag tribes (sometimes referred to as a "transformer" by folklorists.) His name is pronounced moh-shup or maw-shup. Moshup shares some similarities with other Algonquian heroes such as the Wabanaki Gluskap and the Ojibwe Wenabozho.

Squant (also spelled Squannit and other ways.) Moshup's wife. According to most legends, she is a Little Person (often the leader or medicine woman of the Little People) and has great magical powers.

Makiawisug (also spelled Makiaweesug and other ways.) These are the Little People of the Mohegan and Pequot tribes. They can be dangerous if they are disrespected but are generally benevolent nature spirits.

Hobomock (also spelled Hobbamock or other ways): The manito (spirit) of death. A destructive, often evil being usually in opposition to Cautantowwit. After the introduction of Christianity, Narragansett people frequently identified Hobbomock with the Devil. He was also sometimes known as Chepi, Chipi or Cheepie, meaning "ghost."

Chahnameed (also called Big Eater.) Chahnameed is a trickster character who lies, cheats, is greedy, and basically acts completely inappropriately by Mohegan-Pequot standards-- often in the most amusing possible way. Stories about him are usually humorous in nature.

Mohegan Indian Folklore

*Brothertown Indian Legends:
    Several legends from the Brothertown Mohegans of Wisconsin.
*Moshup the Giant * Moshup * Maushop and the Circle of Life:
    Wampanoag and Mohegan legends about the giant protector Moshup.
*The Little People or Makiaweesug * Makiawisug, the Little People:
    Stories about the Little People of the Mohegans.
*The Story of Chahnameed's Wife * Big Eater's Wife:
    Mohegan and Pequot legends about the marriage and death of Chahnameed.
*Chahnameed Squeezes the Stone * Chahnameed the Glutton Wins the Eating Match:
    Two Mohegan folktales about Chahnameed playing tricks on people.
*Legend of the Haimoni Stone:
    Pequot legend about a mythical prehistoric culture.

Recommended Books on Mohegan Mythology

Spirit of the New England Tribes:
    Collection of Wampanoag, Narragansett, and Mohegan legends and traditional stories.
Makiawisug:
    Illustrated children's book telling a traditional story about the Little People of Mohegan folklore..
Turtle Island: Tales of the Algonquian Nations:
    Anthology of legends from the Pequot, Montauk and other Algonquian tribes.

Additional Resources

 Mohegan traditions and symbols
 Books of Native American legends
 Native American religions
 Indian tribes of Connecticut
 Eastern Woodland Indians
 Algonquian Indians
 Mohegan history
 Indians website



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Learn more about the Mohegan tribe.
Learn more about the Pequot tribe.



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