Multnomah Falls Oregon

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The Legend >>There are reportedly various Native American legends that explain the creation of Multnomah Falls, but one in particular is the most often related.The story concerns the union of a beautiful, young maiden from the Multnomah tribe with a young chief of the nearby Clatsop tribe. After their marriage was complete, the two tribes were joined in harmony and celebration, but the Great Spirit suddenly became angry and decided to unleash a vicious disease that quickly spread throughout the population.
As the tribe elders gathered to try and understand the Great Spirit's anger, an old medicine man stepped forward and spoke of a prophecy that he had been told as a young man. He had been told that the day would come when the people would become sick due to the anger of the Great Spirit. The only way to appease his anger was for a young maiden to climb to the high cliff and throw herself upon the rocks below as a sacrifice. The tribe was consulted and informed of the prophecy, but they decided to die honorably rather than sacrifice one of their own.
The recently married maiden considered saving her people, but given her happiness over her recent marriage, she wanted to live. However, the young Clatsop chief too became ill and she realized that the only way for him to live was for her to offer herself in sacrifice to the Great Spirit. At night, she snuck away from the village and climbed to the high cliff that overlooked the rocks. Fearing her sacrifice would be in vain, she pleaded for a sign from the Great Spirit, which was quickly granted when the moon rose into the night sky. The young maiden then jumped and sacrificed her life for her people.
When the village awoke the next day, they were stunned to find that the sickness had passed and those that had been ill were suddenly healthy again. They immediately suspected that a sacrifice had been made and discovered the young maiden missing. The people then traveled to the rocks below the high cliff where they found the young maiden's body. The grief stricken father quickly prayed to the Great Spirit for a sign that his daughter had been welcomed into the land of the spirits and just then, water began flowing off the high cliff in a spectacular waterfall. Today, the water continues to fall in honor of the young maiden's sacrifice.
The Haunting
Interestingly enough, the story of the young maiden's sacrifice is often cited to explain strange activity at Multnomah Falls to this day. Depending on the source, the accounts of a haunting at Multnomah Falls can vary. There are stories that under the right conditions, the face of the young maiden is visible in the water of the Upper Falls. Still other versions suggest that the presence of the beautiful, young maiden can be felt or seen on occasion. Reportedly, she returns in the wintertime and stands to one side of the falls, dressed completely in white, to look upon the place she made her sacrifice to save her people.