Little Bird sighted his arrow on a huge trout that was swimming lazily in the afternoon sun. It's rainbow of colors flashed off it's side as the rays of the sun pierced the waters of Spirit Lake.

As the tribe known far and wide as the Seneca, sat around the wigwam one cold winter morning, all listened as the old men of the tribe told stories of past wars and personal conquests. All, that is except Little Bird. Now Little Bird was the son of White Eagle, one of the greatest warriors to be born of the Seneca nation. But one day he went to "Spirit Lake" and never returned. Little Bird as was the custom was adopted by White Eagle's brother, Stone Face. Stone Face had suffered a stroke early in his manhood and his face froze in a frown that never melted. Many of the tribe believed that he had angered the gods in some way and the Great Spirit had punished him in that manner.

Try as he might Little Bird could not stop thinking about his father. Many times he had taken him on hunting trips and taught him the ways of the forest. How to prepare a camp for himself and when finished return the site so that no one could even tell that he had been there. How to hunt for food to satisfy his hunger and never to waste the resources that the Great Spirit had given to them.

One day Little Bird and his uncle Stone Face crossed the white snow-covered mountains they traveled for three suns, through forests and valleys teeming with game. They traveled continuously stopping only to chew a mouthful of parched corn or to drink from a clear brook which seemed to always be present on their left side. When questioned why they did not stop and kill some food and make camp, Stone Face always responded with "Soon my son soon".

Ahead in the distance they heard but could not see the waterfall. As they rounded a bend in the trail at the end of the valley they viewed the most beautiful waterfall either of them had ever seen. "Now?" asked Little Bird, hunger gnawing at his belly. "Soon my son soon" said Stone Face. As they approached the base of the falls, they both noticed that there was no way to proceed further. A sheer vertical cliff of polished granite faced them on all sides. So smooth, there was not a single crack to mar the surface. Little Bird stood there transfixed by the greatness of what stood before him. "Now" said Stone Face. Still amazed Little Bird did not hear his uncle. Several times he called his name. Finally he reached out and gently touched his adopted son's shoulder. As Little bird turned to face his uncle the look of pure amazement was still on his face.

Stone Face tried to smile, mostly at the memory of how he and his brother White Eagle had looked when they first gazed upon the sight before him and Little Bird. As they made camp, Little Bird kept asking his uncle, why they had come to this place. True it was very beautiful and there was plenty of game to be found, but just why were they here. "This place" began his uncle "is the run-off from Spirit Lake".Looking up as far as they could see the water shot over the edge of the cliff. There were giant eagles soaring high above them. "Here" continued his uncle, "Your father and I and our father and our fathers father and fathers before us gained our stature as a brave." "How did you do that?" asked Little Bird. "We have gazed upon the face of Spirit Lake and have taken a drop of the rainbow from the body of the waters." "How did you get up there?" asked Little Bird as he pointed to the shear vertical cliffs. "Is there a ladder or a path somewhere I cannot see?" "That my son is your test, find your way to Spirit Lake".

Little Bird walked from one end of the cliff to the other, no break could be found, he dove into the water and swam behind the falls themselves. Still no way to proceed. Puzzled he questioned his uncle as to how he was supposed to get to the top. All his uncle would tell him was to remember his namesake. Puzzled, Little Bird lay on the sandy shore of the pond below the falls and gazed up upwards to the top of the falls. His eyes saw the great eagles soaring high above. One in particular was quite large, in fact much larger than the others. Suddenly out of the corner of his eye he saw a large rabbit scamper across the meadow. He watched in fascination as the eagle dove from its lofty height and impaled the rabbit in it's talons and swooped up again and landed on the top of the cliff. Little Bird now knew what he must do.

When the moon was high in the heavens, Little Bird got up from his mat, gazing at his uncle sleeping beside him. Today I will gaze on the surface of the Spirit Lake. Proceeding to the meadow he dug a hole just big enough for him to squat. This he covered with branches and wet grass. Finally he tied a string to the hind foot of a fat rabbit he had trapped earlier that day.

The sun was now halfway to its peak, and Little Bird was suffering from hunger and cramps in his legs. He was extremely sleepy because he'd worked all night and he'd been in the hole since sun-up. Finally he heard the sound and he prepared. It got louder and louder, the sound of a great rushing wind and the heart piercing scream, that only a eagle makes when he kills his prey. As the eagle swooped down to grab the rabbit, Little Bird grabbed the legs of the great bird just above the talons. Hoping that the eagle would think that the rabbit was exceptionally large, Little Bird held on. Higher and higher soared the eagle, seemly unaffected by the additional weight. Little Bird looked down and his uncle looked like an ant far below. As the eagle cleared the top of the cliff, Little Bird let go. Almost too quickly because he had to really scramble to safely hold on. As he stood up and looked around, before him was the most beautiful lake he had ever seen, now came the second part of his test, where do I find a drop of the rainbow. He walked completely around the lake, not finding a clue to his question. Finally stopping and sitting on a large rock overlooking a deep pool he pulled some parched corn from his pouch. As he knelt to moisten the kernels a giant rainbow trout surged from the water and swallowed the corn right from his hand. He dropped another kernel into the water and again it was gobbled up. As the fish turned away the sun flashed across its' body. A brilliant show of rainbow colors filled Little Birds' eyes.

Poised now above the mighty fish, with the sun in front so as not to cast a shadow, Little Bird raised his bow and pulled back the arrow fully to where the knock of feathers touched his ear. He kicked another kernel into the water and again it was taken, a beautiful side shot presented itself, still he waited. Again and again he waited, till finally he lowered his bow. How could he deprive the Spirit Lake, the resting place of his ancestors of this truly a drop of the rainbow. Why this fish might even be one of his ancestors, possibly even his own father. Now, however a bigger problem presented itself how to get back down to where his uncle waited and what to tell him when and if he got there.

Walking toward the cliff edge, he saw the same eagle dozing in the afternoon sun. Without thinking about the consequences he lept on the eagle's back and held on ready to fight if he needed to. To his surprise however the mighty eagle simply spread his wings and stepped off the edge of the cliff and glided down the face of the wall. Gently he landed on the same sandy shore and allowed Little Bird to dismount from its back. It then took off and again soared to its lofty perch. Exhausted from his adventure Little Bird felt the warmth of the sun and the warm sandy shore and fell asleep on the ground. "Little Bird, Little Bird, my son wake up, it is time to return to our village." Stone Face shook his shoulder till he was fully awake. "Oh uncle," began Little Bird "I know how to reach Spirit Lake, I was there I . . ." as he started to tell the story his uncle stopped him. "Today my son your name shall be Wise Owl for you have obtained the wisdom of Spirit Lake, and yet Stone Face thought to himself; you've been sleeping here all day long...

As they departed for the long trek homeward, they heard the shriek of the mighty White Eagle. Stone Face waved and said softly "Yes, brother your son has the wisdom of the owl and the courage of the eagle."