Tawny Owl was a great and good warrior known for his bravery and honesty. As he stood on the summit of a high mountain, gazing over the world, he chanted a low song to the Great Spirit asking Him for help.
Tawny Owl’s people hunted buffalo and white-tailed deer, fished in nearby streams, and ate the roots and berries that grew along the rocky paths in the forest. But, the buffalo were beginning to grow scarce, the streams were drying up, and the roots and berries were withering along the trail. They needed a new home where there would be plenty of food for the buffalo and many streams for fishing.
The great warrior had traveled over the whole country looking for a new home for his people. As he prayed, the Great Spirit appeared before him, richly clad in white buffalo skins and beautifully beaded moccasins. In his belt was a silver tomahawk.
“My son,” said the Great Spirit, “you have been good to your people and just in your dealings. For many moons I have watched you travel over the mountains, and I have been pleased. This silver tomahawk will lead you to the home you are seeking. Where you find this tomahawk, you will find a new home for your people.” With these words he threw the silver tomahawk off the high mountain into the world.
Tawny Owl set forth immediately to find the silver tomahawk and found it sticking out of a far hillside. As he came nearer, he found himself in a beautiful green meadow surrounded by snowcapped peaks and tall, straight pines. The deer and buffalo were plentiful and there were many berries and roots. Tawny Owl thanked the Great Spirit for leading him to such a beautiful place.
As the years passed, Tawny Owl and his people lived happily in the beautiful meadow. They hunted in the forests and fished in the streams. To help the young remember the story of the silver tomahawk, they built a great campsite over the place where Tawny Owl had found it.
Many years later, a lodge was built on the same campsite. Today, Girl Scouts come to camp in Tomahawk Lodge each year, and the legend of Tawny Owl and the silver tomahawk lives on.