"Many moons ago on the northern shore
of this beautiful lake there lived a great chief, Wonaton,
renowned for his great courage in war, and for the beauty
of his fair daughter, Mineola. She had many suitors, but
refused them all. One day, Adiwando, the young chief of
a hostile tribe to the south, hearing so much of the fair
Mineola, paddled across the lake and fearlessly entered
the village of his enemies. Her father happened to be away
at the time, and admiring his courage, the rest of the Indians
did not harm him. Before long, he and the Indian maid were
desperately in love with each other. Wonaton, on his return
was exceedingly wroth to find the chief of the enemy in
his camp and a suitor for the hand of his daughter, that
he immediately raised his tomahawk to kill him. "Mineola,
rushing in between them, pleaded with her father for the
life of her lover, and finally succeeded in reconciling
them. After the wedding ceremony, the whole tribe accompanied
the two in their canoes half-way across the lake. The sky
when they started was overcast and the waters black, but
just as they were about to turn and leave them, the sun
came out and the waters sparkled around the canoe of Mineola
and Adiwando." "This is a good omen" said
Wonaton, "and hereafter these waters shall be called
Winnipesaukee, or "Smile of the Great Spirit".
