The Maid of the Mist is the name of the amazing ship that everyone wants to ride when they visit Niagara Falls. Beyond that fact there is an American Indian tale. A story of a proud and loving people committed to their own, to the land that surrounds them and to the Gods they served to keep them safe.
One of the gods that inhabited the lands was Hinum, the god of thunder. He resided in a cave behind the great falls. To appease this God, the tribes living along the Niagara River regularly sent canoes laden with fruits, vegetables, and flowers over the falls as gifts of thanks to Hinum and his children. This practice was carried on for a long time until it seemed that the God of Thunder was no longer satisfied with these sacrifices.
Many of the Indians in several different towns became sick and even died without explanation. The Indians discovered that after the burials, the graves were desecrated and the bodies and souls of their loved ones were devoured during the night. They wondered what else they could do to please Hinum. It was decided to sacrifice the most beautiful maiden of the tribe once a year along with the traditional gifts that they had been sending.
It so happened that the most beautiful maiden of the Indian tribe one year was Lelawala, the daughter and only daughter of Chief Eagle Eye. The Indian Chief allowed preparations to be made but was unable to participate. On the day of her sacrifice, Lelawala was adorned with a white deerskin robe and a beautiful garland of wild flowers around her head. She bravely stepped out of the white birch canoe filled with fruit and flowers and vegetables and game and headed for the mighty falls. When she reached the top of the fall, her father, Chief Eagle Eye, caught up with her in her own canoe and they dove over the falls simultaneously.
Hinum’s two sons walked through a thick mist directly in front of the falls and seized Lelawala in their arms. They both wanted her very much and took her to the shelter of the cave. Lelawala never forgot why she had fallen over the falls, which was to find a way to save her people from her death. She promised one of her brothers that she would tell him what was happening to the tribe and how she could stop it.
The younger brother was forced to divulge that a large evil snake appeared from the bottom of the river once a year and poisoned the town’s water. After the death of the Indians, the snake reappeared at night and ate the remains.
Hinum allowed the maiden to be carried in spirit by her two sons to her village to explain the deaths and illnesses and what to do to stop them from continuing. Lelawala told the tribe that she should only drink spring water and when the big evil snake came back they would kill her with all her weapons.
During the next visit to the Indian village, the snake was attacked and tried to return to its hiding place. He was almost across the river when his head got stuck on the rocks on the other side and his tail got caught on the other side. In his pain and anguish, he twisted into a horseshoe from end to end and died there.
Lelawala returned to the cave and lives there with the God of Thunder and his two sons protecting his people.