From the day he was born in the late 1800s, Willie Canes father knew he was special.

Willie was taught to trap and hunt in the Tensaw River Delta of South Alabama and became well known for his skills. He was a strong man with a reputation of having no fear and knowing the ways of the swamp. Like the popular stories Jeramiah Johnson and Grizzly Adams, this story is of a young man that learned life the hard way.

Willie’s close friends and companions

Willie had one close friend Sam Calhoun and some animals that kept him company.

The prophecy and love

One day a gypsy told him of things to come, even of his desires for a woman that also lived in the delta. Molly Bell, a neighbor, captured his heart as he did hers. Molly left the swamp for the city, leaving Willie alone with no reason and a broken heart—that was until she returned.

The story’s themes

The story is full of history, excitement, mystery, and love.