Native American Legends
Big Eagle Cave Mystery
A Winnebago (Hotcâk) Legend
Three boys went out hunting, but never returned. A war party was
sent out to track them, and followed their tracks into a cave. As
each member of the war party descended into the cave, he disappeared.
The last man heard a death song coming from the cave, a melody that
he had never before encountered.
Tcaxcepxedega, Big Eagle, chief of the tribe returned with many
men, but every time his men descended, no matter what precautions
were taken, the first man in line would always disappear at a certain
point in the descent. The eerie song was once again heard.
One day a boy appeared leading a blind man who was completely white.
The boy appeared to be one of those who was lost, but he claimed
to have come from another tribe to the northwest. The man became
noted as a great healer. At the request of the chief, he looked
into the matter of the cave. He and the boy descended. As they disappeared,
the song of death became louder. Finally
the man emerged alone, and embarked on a canoe that sailed away
across the lake. Later some adventurers descended into the cave,
despite its fearful reputation, and found there a chamber with a
single giant empty throne, and laying about it face down, the bones
of all the men who had descended into the cave.
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