The Most Feared Animal in the North Woods - The Dreaded Miji-Manidoo
In the deep forests of pine, birch, maple and willow in the great Minnesota wilderness. There is a story, believed by some, feared by all.
In a land of many predators, the black bear, wolves, cougar, wolverine, badger, bald eagle, hawks and the great horned owl, there is a creature that all fear.
It's torpedo type sausage shaped body, ripples with muscle. It tail is straight and long. Powerful hind legs, offset by stubby front legs that flank a massive chest. It's long soft ears pick up distant sounds. It's eyes cut through the darkness of night. It's nose can pick up a human smell a mile away. A long snout with vice like jaws that can crush whatever it locks on too.
Unlike most of the predators, it is short haired, even in the extreme winters of the north land. Ice water runs through it veins.
All of this, combined with unlimited courage, is a creature not to be crossed.
The predators of the great north woods cut it a wide berth.
The original people of the north, the Ojibwe, call it ''miji-manidoo'', simply, ''The Devil''.
Others call it by it's real name, The Dackel...
A mistake is made by many when seeing a Dackel for the first time is laughing and not taking is seriously. It looks like it was put together with left over parts and needs to go back to factory for addition repairs..
Make no mistake, few survive an encounter with the Dackel.
Now that you have the background of this scary creature, let me tell you what happened this morning at the Kavika wooden tipi.
At 5 am, Wiki the Warrior Wonder Wiener started barking and banging into the bedroom door, trying to get. out. This is very unusual for her, she sleeps in till 8am regularly.
I stumbled out of bed and opened the bedroom door. Wiki shot out like a rocket straight to the front door, barking and growling. It was then that I suspected that this was not a pee call.
At 5 am it's blacker than a well diggers ass in the Ozarks. Grabbing the flashlight I opened the door. Wiki was out in a flash. To the left side of the front porch is a small flower garden. Day lillies and azalea abound.
Annie was trailing behind, a back up in case one was needed. Annie, in her own right, is tougher than any Rez dog I've very meet. She's battled most everything that runs wild in the Ozarks including an epic battle with coyotes. (that's another story)
I shined the light around, but Wiki didn't need a light, she spotted it in the flower garden. She did a perfect swan dive off the porch into the jungle of flowers. All the while I was screaming, NO WIKI, thinking that it was a skunk or porcupine.
Annie, looked into the flower bed, sensing no danger she laid down. I shined the light into the abyss, and there it was...A armadillo rooting for bugs in the mulch. Wiki was ripping up flowers and was right in the face of the armadillo. Oh no Wiki, it's Amos our pet armadillo, but the Wickster knew different. About that time, Annie growled behind me and it scared the crap out of me, as I fell into the flower bed. All I was wearing were my Valentine Day Boxers and a Bass Pro Shop T-shirt. I was sure that a black bear was on the porch.
About this time, the armadillo headed out of the flower bed at warp speed, followed by the Drackel. As they raced across the lawn headed for a steep hill, I was yelling, Stop Wiki.
Finally Wiki stopped, as did who I thought was Amos. Amos rolled up in a ball and rolled down the hill...Oh no, there are coyotes and fox down there, Amos was in big trouble.
Wait, Amos lives under the porch on the other side of the house and has his own little garden there to root around in. I've never seen Amos venture to this side of the house. In a near panic, covered in mulch, bare foot, hair on fire, I headed to check the Amos dwelling. Stubbing toes, stepping on rocks I finally made it to the other side of the house, down on my hands and knees, which by the way were bloodied by now. I looked for Amos.
Since armadillos burrow into the ground, I had build a small wooden cover, kind of like a dog house without the floor, Amos goes in there and buries himself in the dirt and mulch. (he loves mulch)
There he was, when I shined the light into the Amos house, I could see his armored shell sticking up through the mulch. Thank goodness, Amos was safe.
Wait, I had left Wiki and Annie on the other side of the house, in the dark. Running back to the other side of the house, Annie was nowhere to be seen. Wiki was sitting on the porch, tail wagging, with that, ''Wasn't this fun'' look.
I had left the front door open and found Annie back in bed.
I had to get in the shower to get the mulch, dirt and assorted thingies off me.
I finally crawled back into bed, as Red rolled over and said...Did Wiki have to pee?
I buried my head under the pillow and said, please don't wake me till I'm damn good and ready to get out of bed.
That, my friends, was by Monday morning.
When you own a, miji-manidoo or Dreckel, life gets interesting.
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Make no mistake, many men have and many have died.
Another wonderful story, Kavika. Annie and Wiki make for great headline characters. Thanks for sharing another of your great tales........or is that tails. (grin)
Tales, tails what's the difference when it's a grand adventure.
Very true! And a great adventure it was! LOL
Dear Friend Kavika: You load sixteen tons of dog foods, and what do you get?
Another day older, and deeper in debt.
St. Levy don't call me cause I can't go.
I owe my neshumah (soul) to the local Hebrew Nat Store.
Tennessee Enoch Ford.
Not even Tennessee Ernie would mess with Hebrew National my friend.
Another day, another unforgettable adventure. LOL
Life is just a bowl of cherries Buzz...Just watch out for the pits.
OK is it me, or is the Dreckel, just a tad to cute to be a badass?
That's what I explained in the article. Don't mistake cute for a sweet little thing. They are the most dangerous beast in the north woods.
A real badass they are.
LOl......I can see why many wise men would be fooled!
Ha, happy that you understand how deadly a flying sausage can be Spike.
WOW!! Another spell-binding story. Very well done Prez!!
You don't know what spell binding is until your on your ass in Valentine boxer shorts in the flower bed Nona.
She is so brave!!! Face to face with a strange armadillo! Wow!
I do love little Wiki, the Miji-Manadoo! (sp?)
LOVED your story!
Spelling is good Dowser.
Wiki is a brave soul...LOL