Week 10 Story: Great Plains: The Indian Who Wrestled The Ghost

The Story that I will be retelling is Great Plains: The Indian Who Wrestled the Ghost.

Beginning

Johnny had grown up often hearing the stories about how ghosts like to haunt the woods at night and sneak upon unsuspecting victims before killing them. Johnny and his girlfriend Madison would frequently go out to the woods on the Choctaw reservation and spend the nights out there.  They never came across any ghosts and were always convince they did not exist.   One day when he was 18, Johnny decided that he would join the army. Madison was not happy at this fact but understood that he felt like he should protect his country.  Eventually, he went to bootcamp at Camp Tyrion and was eventually shipped off to Iraq to fight a war and to serve his country.  After 3 years abroad Johnny was eventually discharged and sent home.  When he got back, he saw that everything had changed. Once he arrived on the Choctaw reservation, he noticed that his longtime girlfriend was nowhere to be found.  He went from house to house asking if anyone had seen her and no one could tell him where she was.  At the very last house that he came to the people there said that she had gone into the woods one night a couple weeks ago and had not been seen since. Johnny asked if anyone had gone looking for her and the people said they had but they were chased out of the woods by ghosts. Johnny determined to get his girlfriend back grabbed his grandfather’s sword and some gear then set off for the Woods. As Johnny made his way through the woods, he kept hearing weird noises as night fell.  Eventually Johnny stopped to rest by a big oak tree, and all around him he weird whispers and chatter but no one was there.  At once he knew the stories that he and Madison had heard as children were true. As Johnny was about to close his eyes, he saw in the darkness the shape of what looked like an old man, but he was just bones and some flesh. Half of his face was missing, and Johnny was instantly concerned, but paid little attention.  The old man wandered toward him saying, “May I please get some help, I cannot see in this dark.”

The Wresting Match of a Lifetime

When Johnny saw the Old man wandering toward him, he offered him help.   The old man replied, “You have helped me enough by providing me with a bride.”  Johnny was confused by what they man mean and with an evil look in his eye the old man described how he and the other ghosts had kept an eye on him and Madison when they used to come into the woods. When the old man saw her come into the woods alone, he knew he must have her for himself, so he kidnapped her. Johnny, became filled with rage and yelled, “Where is she you bastard!” The old man smirked and said, “If you can beat me in a wrestling match you shall have her back.” Johnny accepted and got into a fighting stance ready for whatever the old man was going to do.  The old man charged with lighting fast speed and jumped behind Johnny.  Johnny was caught by surprised by the speed and when he trying to wrestle to old man to the ground he was also surprised by the strength of this ghost. Johnny and the old man wrestled for what seemed like hours with no one gaining an advantage.  Johnny eventually started to wear down and all seemed lost.  All of the sudden the sun started poking through the trees and the old man backed away. He was afraid of the sunlight because it would weaken him and make him vulnerable. Johnny sensing this, attacked fast and furious with a renewed strength.  He eventually got the old man in a choke hold and was able to move him into the sunlight. As soon as the old man hit the sunlight his legs buckled and Johnny found himself on top, having won the wrestling match.  The old man screamed in agony as he knew he had been beaten fair and square. Johnny let the man go and asked him where Madison was.  The old man pointed at the biggest tree in the forest and said, “There.” He then proceeded to fade into the depths of the woods.  Johnny ran over to the tree and saw a small door and opened it.  Inside, asleep on a small bed was Madison.  Johnny woke her up and they both shared a tearful embrace. As he guided her out of the woods, he told her about what had happen and then they shared their experiences with the reservation.  A few years later they were both married and then proceeded to have children.  They made sure to always tell their children to respect the woods no matter what.

Native American in the Airborne. (NA)

U.S. Depart of Defense. Source: National American Heritage Month

Authors Note:  This story was originally told with the Indian man coming across two different ghosts, but they were not described in detail. I felt that focusing on the old man was more important since they were the two that wrestled.  Also, the I wanted to give the character a name and give him a significant other so that it would be relatable to the reader.  In the original story the main character had to wrestle the old ghost s that he could vanquish his enemy.  I thought it was better to have him go try to save his girlfriend instead of killing because that seemed sort of random to me. Also, I wanted to give Johnny a little more backstory and make him seem more human than in the original story.

Bibliography: Gibbs, Laura. Great Plains: The Indian Who Wrestled The Ghost. Great Plains: The Indian Who Wrestled The Ghost.