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The indigenous Native American tribe known as the Illini has handed down the following legend regarding a giant flying creature usually known as the Piasa Monster Bird:
Long, long ago, when only animals walked the earth, Storm-bird lived in a cave by the river. His cave was lined with the bones of buffalo victims. He would swoop down upon a buffalo herd and drive his terrible claws into the fattest one, carrying it off to his cave.After our people arrived upon the earth, Storm-bird captured one of our warriors. From that day on, he was a threat to our whole tribe--men, women, and children. A loud roar and a flapping sound signalled that Storm-bird was coming out of his cave. Everyone agreed that something must be done to destroy the monster, but what?
Ouatoga was our great Chief of the Illini. He announced to our people that he was determined to find a way to kill the beast. As part of their tribal ritual, he withdrew in solitude to fast and seek a vision. He prayed to the Great Spirit to reveal a way to conquer the Storm-bird.
When Chief Ouatoga returned, he directed all of our people to hide in their tepees. He then dispatched his chosen warriors to the brush surrounding an exposed point of land, directly opposite the cave of the Storm-bird.
Dressed in his Chiefs warbonnet, Ouatoga took his stand upon the point of land, without weapons. Storm-bird could see the Chief. It began to roar! Eyeing our Chief with clenched teeth, it opened its huge weblike wings and charged at the Chief!
Ouatoga stood his ground, chanting his death song! Instantly, the hidden warriors let go their arrows with sharp, pointed flints. The Storm-bird was struck from all sides with a hundred arrows and fell dead!
To honour Chief Ouatoga and in remembrance of the event, a sculpture of the flying Storm-bird was carved into the cliffside and painted by the Illini tribe a long time ago, an exact replica of the terrible beast.
the Wanderling's Journey
OTHER THUNDERBIRD LEGENDS:
OBJIWA, THUNDERBIRDS, AND BIRCH TREES
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