A Chippewa Legend
From Maine and Nova Scotia to the Rocky Mountains, Native American stories tell of the Great Serpent, once regarded as “a genuine spirit of evil.” The legend of the Great Serpent intertwines with the story of the Great Flood, a narrative shared across many cultures.
Nanabozho (Nuna-bozo, accented on “bozo”) is a hero celebrated in countless tales among the Chippewa Indians, who historically inhabited the shores of Lake Superior, in what are now Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ontario. One day, after returning to his lodge from a long journey, Nanabozho noticed the absence of his young cousin who lived with him. He called out the cousin’s name but received no response. Searching the sandy ground for tracks, he was alarmed to discover the trail of the Great Serpent, realizing that his cousin had been captured by this formidable foe.
Determined, Nanabozho grabbed his bow and arrows and set out to follow the serpent’s trail. He traveled past a great river, climbed mountains, and crossed valleys until he arrived at a deep, murky lake now known as Manitou Lake, Spirit Lake, or the Lake of Devils. The serpent’s trail led him to the water’s edge, where he saw the Great Serpent’s lair at the lake’s bottom, filled with evil spirits—monstrous beings that resembled spirits and served their sinister master. The Great Serpent coiled menacingly around Nanabozho’s cousin, its head blood-red, fierce eyes glowing like fire, and its body covered in hard, glistening scales of every color.
Vowing revenge for his cousin’s fate, Nanabozho commanded the clouds to disperse. The clouds vanished, and he ordered the winds to cease, which they did. With the air over the lake still, he appealed to the sun, saying, “Shine over the lake with all your fierceness. Make the water boil.” His plan was to draw the Great Serpent into the shade of the trees lining the shore, where he could ambush his enemy.
After issuing his commands, Nanabozho transformed himself into a broken stump of a withered tree, positioning himself where he believed the serpents would seek shade. The winds stilled, the air grew stagnant, and the sun unleashed its oppressive heat. Eventually, the lake bubbled and churned as the serpents sensed the disturbance. As one serpent emerged from the water, the others followed, eager to find shade.
When they glimpsed the broken stump, suspicion arose among the serpents, aware of Nanabozho’s cunning. One serpent slithered up, entwined its tail around the stump, and attempted to pull it into the depths. Nanabozho held his breath, nearly crying out as the serpent’s tail brushed against him, but he remained silent. The serpents continued, and the Great Serpent gracefully glided onto the forest’s edge, wrapping its coils around the trees, while one serpent stayed near the shore, vigilant for any sign of Nanabozho.
Once the serpents were resting and the guard was distracted, Nanabozho stealthily nocked an arrow, aimed for the heart of the Great Serpent, and released it. The arrow struck true. The serpent’s howl echoed through the mountains, startling wildlife from their hides. Together with its terrified companions, the Great Serpent plunged into the lake’s depths.
In their wrath, the serpents ripped apart the body of Nanabozho’s cousin, pieces rising to the surface, white against the water. The Great Serpent, wounded and knowing death was imminent, and its companions summoned the lake’s waters to surge and crash onto the shores with the roar of thunder. A great flood arose, sweeping over the land, inundating the trails of Nanabozho and carrying rocks and trees along with it. Atop the highest wave, the wounded Great Serpent glared ferociously, its hot breath mingling with that of its enraged companions.
Fleeing from the surging waters, Nanabozho thought of his people. He raced through the villages, shouting, “Run to the mountaintops! The Great Serpent is angry and flooding the Earth! Run! Run!” The people gathered their children and sought refuge on the mountains. Nanabozho pressed onward, eventually reaching a high peak beyond Lake Superior, where he found many who had managed to escape the floodwaters rising over valleys, plains, and even the tallest hills.
As the waters continued to rise, all mountains were submerged except for the one where Nanabozho stood. He gathered timber and constructed a raft, allowing the men, women, and animals with him to embark. Almost immediately, their mountaintop vanished as they floated atop the waters.
Days passed, and finally, the flood began to recede. The survivors on the raft soon glimpsed the treetops of mountains, followed by the mountains and hills, then plains and valleys. When the waters receded completely, the remaining people learned that the Great Serpent was dead and that its companions had returned to the lake of spirits. They remain there to this day, too fearful of Nanabozho to emerge again.
