Long ago, when the air was pure and fresh and the wild animals were as plentiful as the stars in the night sky, the Chippewa Indians roamed the sparkling shores of a lake which is now known as Lake Superior. A favorite legend of the tribe was the story of a young boy who longed to prove his worth and, in doing so, lost his best friend.

Little Squirrel was a quiet boy who was often scorned and ridiculed by older boys. Poor Little Squirrel had no friends except for an abandoned kitten he had found and named Tekwa. One day, Little Squirrel decided to prove to everyone he wasn't the weak little boy they thought. When Little Squirrel thought no one was looking, he silently darted down to the lake shore where his father's beautiful birch-bark canoe lay. Little Squirrel picked up Tekwa in one arm and a spear in the other, jumped in and carefully pushed away from shore. Before long, Little Squirrel glimpsed an enormous trout beneath the water's surface. He plunged his spear and, in doing so, overturned the canoe. Little Squirrel swam furiously and finally managed to right the canoe. However, his relief quickly turned to dread when he realized Tekwa was nowhere to be seen. He frantically searched the waters and beaches, but with no luck. Eventually, after days of searching, he was forced to the sad conclusion that his only friend drowned.

Months passed and Little Squirrel's grief lessened. One day, he happened to pass the spot where his canoe had tipped and his beloved Tekwa had disappeared. As Little Squirrel's mind drifted back to that fateful day, he noticed a reed-like plant poking up out of the exact spot where Tekwa had been lost. He realized the plant in the water resembled the tail of a cat! According to the Chippewa, this reed-like plant continued to mutiply over the years. Today, cattails can be found near virtually all bodies of water in the midwest. Whenever the Chippewa see a cattail, they remember Little Squirrel and his lost friend ... Tekwa. 1