The Legend of Kitch-Iti-kipi

Book excerpt: Kitch-iti-kipi (The Big Spring) is one of Michigan's most popular tourist attractions. Many folk tales exist about this natural wonder found deep in the woods of the Upper Peninsula. Many of those stories were admittedly made up by John I. Bellair, a local businessman in the 1920s, in an effort to attract more visitors to the area. But what is the authentic Native American legend of Kitch-iti-kipi?The story in this book has been passed down orally in the author's Native American family for more than one hundred years. Although Natives seldom write down their folklore, the author's great-great-aunt actually did write this legend in a published booklet which was found when she passed away in 1969. That booklet was the author's inspiration for this book.The Legend of Kitch-iti-kipi reads like a Native version of Romeo and Juliet. In it, the deep love between a handsome brave and a young maiden drives a powerful chief to act out his jealousy. The results are tragic for all three!