The Enchanted Lake

Westward from the headwaters of
Oconaluftee river, in the wildest
depths of the Great Smoky mountains,
which form the line between North Carolina
and Tennessee, is the enchanted lake
of ATAGA'HI "Gall place".
Although all the Cherokee know that it is there,
no one has ever seen it,
for the way is so difficult that only
the animals know how to reach it.
Should a stray hunter come near the
place he would know of it by the whirring sound
of the thousands of wild ducks flying about the lake,
but on reaching the spot he would find
only a dry flat, without bird or animal
or blade of grass, unless he had first
sharpened his spiritual vision by prayer
and fasting and an all-night vigil.
Because it is not seen, some people think
the lake has dried up long ago, but this is not true.
To one who had kept watch and fast through
the night it would appear at daybreak as a
wide-extending but shallow silent of purple water,
fed by springs spouting from the high cliffs around.
In the water are all kinds of fish and reptiles,
and swimming upon the surface or flying overhead
are great flocks of ducks and pigeons,
while all about the shores are bear tracks
crossing in every direction.
It is the medicine lake of the birds and animals,
and whenever a bear is wounded by the hunters
he makes his way through the woods to this lake
and plunges into the water,
and when he comes out upon the other side
his wounds are healed.
For this reason the animals keep
the lake invisible to the hunter.