Teihiihan | Cannibal Dwarves

The Teihiihan (or Cannibal Dwarves) are fearsome, child-sized humanoids from the folklore of Great Plains tribes (Arapaho, Cheyenne, Omaha, etc.), known for being bloodthirsty, incredibly strong, and cunning little cannibals who ambushed travellers and warriors, often depicted as having superhuman speed, wings, or a single eye, and despite their strength, were eventually defeated by allied tribes. 

Characteristics & Behaviour

• Size & Strength: Child-sized (around 2-3 feet) but with immense strength, capable of overpowering warriors.
• Cannibalistic: They had a ravenous hunger for human flesh, sometimes killing more than they could eat.
• Cunning & Vicious: They were dangerous ambush predators, though often portrayed as not very intelligent.
• Supernatural Abilities: Some legends mention invisibility, incredible speed, wings, or a single eye (cyclops).
• Cultural Significance: They were a significant threat in Plains folklore, existing as a cautionary tale of the unknown. 

Key Myths & Stories

• The Warrior's Trick: A famous story tells of a warrior captured by a Teihiihan who tricked the creature into revealing its relatives' hearts hanging nearby, allowing the warrior to kill them (and the captor) by piercing the hearts.
• Origin: Some myths say they were warriors from a previous life, resurrected as dwarves after dying in battle, valuing death in combat for the afterlife. 

Names Across Tribes

• Arapaho: Teihiihan (meaning "strong"), Hecesiiteihii ("little people").
• Omaha/Ponca: Gada'zhe.
• Shoshone: Nimerigar.
• Crow: Nunnupi. 

Their Demise

• Most accounts state that the Teihiihan were finally wiped out in a great war by an alliance of Plains tribes, including the Arapaho, ensuring their legend persisted as a fearsome memory.