The Legend of the Flowerpots
The legend tells
of Shining Rainbow, a princess of the Ottawa tribe, and Bounding Deer, a
prince of the Chippewa, enemies of the Ottawa. The two met while the
tribes were on peaceful terms at the beautiful Saugeen River near
Southampton. They soon fell in love but it was not a love without
complications. Not only were they from different tribes, but Shining
Rainbow's father had promised her to a warrior from her own tribe. War
again was also looming between their people.
So one night in
the Moon of the Strawberries (June), Bounding Deer pushed his canoe away
from the shore at Saugeen for the last time. The fact that it was the last
time did not worry him for in the centre of his graceful canoe sat Shining
Rainbow and she was leaving her people forever. The canoe slipped like a
slim, swift bird through the waters. Pursuit was inevitable. For hours
Bounding Deer's paddle rose and dipped in the moonlight and when the moon
had made the shadows short, they were within sight of Manitoueses. This
was a sacred Island off the mainland of the
'long-point-that-juts-out-into-Lake Huron', as the natives of the Bruce
Peninsula called it. This was the home of the lesser devils and of Little
Spirit, and of a thunder bird egg. No Indian who had set foot on this
island ever returned.
Pausing, they
listened to the quiet, and for a moment Shining Rainbow thought she heard
paddles behind her. Looking, she saw far behind, three large canoes - and
the moonlight gleaming on twenty paddles!
They had little
chance to out race the three canoes so Shining Rainbow offered to throw
herself over the side of the canoe and swim back to meet her fate allowing
her lover to escape. He would not listen to her. "It might be that the
Little Spirit would have more pity on us than your brothers" he said.
Shining Rainbow agreed, so when they saw that their pursuers would not
fail to take them, they turned straight to shore.
No sooner had the
bow of Bounding Deer's canoe touched the shore when giant waves lifted the
other canoes and a deafening crash rang across the waters. When the canoes
were steadied again, they saw that the island had been split in two! There
on the shore were the petrified figures of the two they had followed. The
Little Spirit had once again spoken to his people!
