Free Maid of the Mist by Colin Bateman Page A

on the banks of the Great Niagara. Her father was Chief Eagle Eye and her mother Najaka. You . . .' and he turned suddenly and prodded Corrigan, 'have seen her and you know that she is beautiful.' He removed his finger and closed his eyes again. 'She was young, full of fun and energy, and she wanted above all things to be married to her true love Sahonwadi . . .'
    Sahonwadi. Sahon . . .
    'A father never likes to lose his daughter, but Chief Eagle Eye knew that Sahonwadi was not only the bravest warrior of the tribe but also the brightest. And that he would look after Lelewala, and also be guided by her. So he gave his blessing to the marriage. Sahonwadi busied himself making their bridal canoe. Lelewala could not wait for the day that she would become his wife, and dreamed of bearing his children.
    'But as the wedding drew near, a great sickness arrived in the village and soon many were dying. The young, the old, the warriors, so many were struck down by it. The tribal elders knew that they had to try and appease the great God Hinum so that he would take away the evil. A canoe was loaded with the finest foods the tribe could gather and it was sent over the Falls as a gift to Hinum. But it was not enough. Still the tribe continued to die. The witch doctors put on their masks and rolled their bones and after many hours they spoke in one voice: "The great God Hinum wants more! A great sacrifice must be made!"
    'So it was that Chief Eagle Eye journeyed to Ta Wa Sentha, the holy place where Gitchi Manitou once spoke to his people. Chief Eagle Eye built a great fire and called on the Thunderbird to answer his prayers. After much time the Thunderbird came to him and told him what the sacrifice to Hinum must be.
    'Heavy of heart, Chief Eagle Eye returned to the village and told the elders what the Thunderbird had said, and it was agreed that it would be done.
    'The next day was Lelewala's wedding. She was getting ready in the longhouse when her father came to her and told her what the Thunderbird had said. He said he could not order her to sacrifice herself, but that it must be of her own free will. Lelewala was distraught, but she knew that she must do what the Thunderbird had said if the whole tribe was not to die. One life was nothing. She also knew that she must do it before Sahonwadi found out, because he would surely stop her. He was young still and in time would find another wife.
    'Chief Eagle Eye led Lelewala to the water's edge, to the wedding canoe. There the village had gathered and there were many tears. She said goodbye to her father and mother and climbed into the wedding canoe. She rowed out into the river.
    'Sahonwadi, preparing for his wedding on the edge of the village, saw Lelewala set out into the dangerous current and raced into the village. Only then did he learn of what had been decided. Lelewala heard him scream and looked back to see him climbing into another canoe; she cried to him to go back, but he would not listen. Soon they were both caught in the current and racing towards the edge of the Falls.
    'He almost caught her. Near the end she reached out to him, and he to her, and their fingers almost touched, but then the mighty Niagara took her, and took him. And in their dying, the village was saved. The great sickness vanished.'
    The old man opened his eyes, looked from Madeline to Corrigan, and then behind Corrigan. Corrigan turned as well and was surprised to find that the elderly sports fans at the bar had gathered about them, enthralled by the old Indian's story. Even the barman, leaning back against a stack of beer crates, looked as if he might be about to shed a tear.
    'And she told you all this?' Madeline said, and her question seemed to break the spell. The old guys' faces suddenly became animated again.
    'Great story, old fella,' one of them said as he turned back to the bar.
    'Jeez,' said another, 'would you go over the Falls after your wife?'
    'You've met her, wouldn't you?'
    'You're damn right