The Nun'Yunu'Wi (

Cherokee The Cherokee (; , or ) people are one of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, they were concentrated in their homelands, in towns along river valleys of what is now southwestern ...

: "dressed in stone"; also known as Stone Coat) is a being of

Cherokee mythology Cherokee spiritual beliefs are held in common among the Cherokee people – Native Americans in the United States, Native American peoples who are Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands, Indigenous to the Southeastern Woodlands, and tod ...

. Nun'Yunu'Wi is described as a human-like being with a skin as hard as stone, which no weapon can pierce. It carries a magical cane which points out victims and has other magical powers. It is described as a powerful sorcerer or

medicine man A medicine man (from Ojibwe ''mashkikiiwinini'') or medicine woman (from Ojibwe ''mashkikiiwininiikwe'') is a traditional healer and spiritual leader who serves a community of Indigenous people of the Americas. Each culture has its own name i ...

. It devours human beings, interacts with spirits, and can control people's minds. According to the myth, the Nun'Yunu'Wi was led by its cane to a village. However, the village had been warned in advance by a hunter who had spotted the creature in the mountains. The

warned the villagers that, though the monster would be very difficult to kill with weapons, it could not bear the sight of a menstruating woman. So seven such women were assembled and placed in front of the village. After the monster had seen them all, it was weakened so much that it could not move. The medicine man then burned the creature, and its remains contained a great jewel and lumps of red paint.

References

* Myths of the Cherokee. James Mooney, 1889. Cherokee legendary creatures {{NorthAm-myth-stub