Dakota Datebook: Indian legend in N.D.

Once upon a time, a tale emerged about a young Chippewa boy, born to a prominent chief, who fell into the hands of the Sioux tribe. Instead of seeking a ransom for his release, the Sioux decided to use the boy as a pawn in their raids against Chippewa bands. They believed that Chippewa warriors would refrain from attacking if their chief's son was in harm's way. This arrangement lasted for eight years, during which the boy appeared to lose all connection to his own tribe.

One fateful morning, Sioux Chief Iron Heart woke up to a shocking discovery. His daughter, promised in marriage to a noble warrior, had eloped with the young Chippewa during the night. Learning of this betrayal, the spurned warrior adorned himself with war paint and embarked on a mission for revenge.

The lovers were caught on a hill near Medicine Lake, now situated in Eddy County. There, young warriors prepared for a battle over the affections of the beautiful maiden. Armed with dirk knives, the two combatants engaged in a fierce fight, resulting in both of their untimely deaths. Heartbroken, the maiden found her way to the shores of Devils Lake. On the high bluffs overlooking the south shore of the lake, she donned her finest light deerskin dress, sang a hauntingly beautiful love song, and mourned the loss of her lover. After several days of grief, she climbed Battle Ax Hill, her hair flowing in the wind, and threw herself into the waters of Devils Lake from a height of about two hundred feet.

According to legend, every year on October 27, a mermaid is said to appear and linger in the waters of the lake for a few hours before vanishing once more until the following year.

Legends often blur the lines between reality and fiction. Indeed, on a date in 1900, Mr. J. M. Mulvey stumbled upon the skeletons of two young men near Medicine Lake, each accompanied by a dirk knife. On early autumn days, some claim to hear the melancholic love song of the maiden from across the bay at Fort Totten. Perhaps, amid the morning mist, one might catch a fleeting glimpse of a figure playing along the shore, or maybe it's just the white foam of waves crashing against the rocks beneath Battle Ax Hill.

Dakota Datebook written by Jim Davis.