Amy Copeland
This is one of my favorite stories. It shows that mermaids’ race, religion, and culture are just as varied as humans’. Plus, it demonstrates the incredible power of love. So sit back and prepare yourself for a ride on an emotional rollercoaster.
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A long time ago, in the fertile land of the Ottawa Indian tribe, there lived a beautiful little Indian girl. She was named Stardust, because she was so captivated by the celestial heavens. She prayed with all her might to the Great Spirit to be taken into the mystical night sky where she could wander among the stars. The Great Spirit granted her wish and, for a short time, Stardust was happy. The stars were very lovely to gaze upon, but they could not tell stories, share hugs, or play games, for they were not living beings. Stardust soon became lonely and longed to return back to earth.
The Great Spirit once again heard her plea, but instead of returning her to land, he cast her into the deep river. Her brown arms became speckled with blue and pink scales and her legs morphed into a long fish tail. The Spirits of the Flood adopted the girl as their own child and dubbed her Starfish. Starfish lived contentedly beneath the green waters. Some days, she roped and rode wild seahorses from dawn until dusk. Other times, she entertained herself by weaving beautiful blankets of seaweed for her driftwood dolls. Though Starfish seemed at home underwater, the Spirits of the Flood knew that her true place was on land with her people. Since their own powers were not great enough, they entreated the Great Spirit this boon. He answered that Starfish could become human again if she found true love.
While Starfish was sleeping, the Spirits of the Flood placed her in an old Ottawa warrior’s canoe. Finding the young mermaid, the warrior was initially shocked. However, he was a very kind and lonely man, so he raised the girl as his own daughter. With the power of his fatherly love, she began to resemble a human more strongly with each passing day. Eventually, she was disguised entirely as a normal Indian girl, but she continued to behave like a mermaid. The majority of her time was spent swimming in the river.
One summer day, while Starfish was taking a dip in the cool river, she spied a handsome Adirondack Indian boy fishing from a canoe. Shyly, she tried to hide her self behind a small waterfall. However, it was too late. The boy had spotted her. He introduced himself as Rain Cloud, and his peaceful nature caused Starfish to relax. They spent the entire day playing in the water and chatting beneath the weeping willows. When the sun was setting, Rain Cloud said he had to return home, but he asked to see her again the next morning. Before leaving, he leaned over and placed a soft, tender kiss upon Starfish’s lips. Starfish wept tears of joy, for she knew that her human soul had been wholly restored.
But, the next day came and passed, and Rain Cloud did not show up at their riverside meeting place. So distraught was Starfish that she threw herself back into the river and became a mermaid once again. What Starfish did not know was that the Ottawa and Adirondack Indian tribes were enemies, and Rain Cloud’s chief had forbidden him to ever seeing her again.
Many moons later, the men of the Adirondack tribe traveled down the river on a hunting trip. While Rain Cloud paddled the long canoe, he silently prayed to the Great Spirit to allow him to be with Starfish. Suddenly, the Spirits of the Flood, seeking revenge for Starfish’s pain, created a tremendous current that overturned the canoe. The Adirondack men were pulled down to their watery graves. However, as Rain Cloud touched the water, his legs were transformed into a long fin and he became a merman. Reunited, Rain Cloud and Starfish lived happily together beneath the green river waters.
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Author's Note: This story is based on an old Ottawa tale. I changed the character’s names from Menanna and Piskaret, but left their personalities the Same. Additionally, I described Starfish’s activities in much greater detail. The original story begins with the warrior discovering Starfish, who then briefly relays her past. However, I told the events in chronological order. Furthermore, I altered the ending slightly. In the original story, the Great Spirit turns the Adirondacks into eagles. Also, in the original story, Starfish protects Rain Cloud from drowning, but he is not transformed into a merman. I chose to include this story because it shows another culture’s perspective on mermaids.
| Bibliography Story Title: Menanna and Piskaret Book Title: Sea Enchantress, the Tale of the Mermaid and her Kin Authors: G. Benwall & A. Waugh Year Published: 1961 Story Link Image Information: "Indian Mermaid" by Chloe Hedden, 2002. Image Link |
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