The Legend of Maxinkuckee  

On the shores of Maxcinkuckee,
Far away from any white man,
Was a tribe of Indians living,
Fierce in war, so none came near them.
Now among these people staying,
Was a young man, none more daring,
Fished and hunted in this region,
In this lake of clearest water,
Maxinkuckee - sandy bottom.
Uncas was the name they called him,
Swift of foot as is the red deer,
Skilled in fighting as the panther.
He was fishing one cool morning,
In his lightest boat of birch-bark,
When he saw a stranger angling
For the fish that bite so quickly,
Seven pound bass that p ull so strongly.
Now what right had this bold stranger
To the fish which swam in schools there,
Or the game which staid around there?
So with war-shoop and derision,
Paddled forth, they found each other.
Whirling round their heads their hatches,
With their knives in belts all loosened
For the fray which was approaching.
Where was this, when did it happen,
All this fighting and confusion?
Northward far in Maxinkuckee,
In this lake of clearest water,
Swarm the fishes so good to eat there,
That to look upon a fish-hook
Makes you mouth begin to water,
For this playground of the perches,
Fought brave Uncas with the stranger.
And the people on the hillside
(Where is now the Culver cottage)
Were a foriegn tribe of Indians
And their hopes were with the stranger.
"Pauguk! Pauguk! Moskeenoska!"
Give him death and us the perches.
"Mudway-auska"! came the ramble
From the people on the west shores;
"Save the Kegoo for us, Uncas;
Save for us the little fishes!"
Fought they first with hatchets sharpened.
Fought they fiercely with each other.
Uncas' shoulder now cut open.
Showed the muscles of the tiger
Rent and bleeding in the water.
Then with move as quick and sudden
As the dart of bass to cover.
Sunk his knife in to the handle
In the other's heart beside him;
Took the stranger's scalp back with him
To his wigwam in the forest.
Se we call the place they fought in,
Call the place where Uncas conquered,
Aubeenaubee - little fishes.

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