The legend of the eagle owl, the bird of echo and solitude

La légende du grand-duc, l'oiseau de l'écho et de la solitude


In the time of the first peoples, there lived the eagle owl , an owl with magnificent wings and a cry so loud it could drown out the wind and thunder. The eagle owl was proud of this power and used it to drown out the voices of the other animals during councils, convinced that his truth was the only one that mattered. The fox could not tell of his tricks, the beaver could not share his building lessons; everything was drowned out by the arrogant hooting of the eagle owl.

The great mind , weary of this tumult where wisdom could not be expressed, decided it was time for the Grand Duke to learn the value of silence. He removed him and placed him on the peak of the highest mountain, where the air is so cold and thin that it cuts the throat.

The eagle owl, alone, tried to utter its cry. The frozen air muffled its voice, and the icy wind ruffled its feathers. When it finally managed to make a sound, it was not followed by other voices, but by a clear echo , cold and perfectly identical to its own, bouncing off the snow-covered rocks.

Day after day, he cried out his anger, his fear, his loneliness. Each time, the mountain echoed his own voice back to him. He then realized that he heard nothing new, that his words carried no wisdom, but only the echo of what he already carried within him. He understood that by covering for others, he had prevented himself from growing.

One night, under the starry sky where the spirits of the aurora borealis danced, the great horned owl no longer cried out. He listened to the silence of the mountain, and in that silence, he heard for the first time the whispers of the rock and the song of the stars.

Finally humbled, he uttered a gentle call, filled with a sincere question. This time, the echo returned, but it was different: richer, deeper, tinged with the wisdom of heaven and the humility of silence.

The great spirit then allowed the grand duke to descend, but gave him eyes to see in the night , for true wisdom is often revealed in darkness, where one is alone with oneself. His cry, henceforth, is no longer a cry of pride, but a reminder to humankind: to find the truth, retreat to the mountain of your heart and listen to the echo of your own soul.

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This legend is a reminder of the power of symbols present in every indigenous creation.

Creations inspired by the spirit of legends

Each piece is handcrafted on the Nitassinan by the Ilnu craftsman Dave Verreault-Thisselmagan.

Handmade Indigenous Dreamcatchers

Indigenous dreamcatchers

Protection • Dreams • Guidance

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Indigenous talking sticks made of leather and wood

Talking sticks

Wisdom • Respect • Transmission

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Handmade Indigenous Ceremonial Drums

Indigenous Drums

Rhythm • Ceremony • Connection

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Foire aux questions

1. Why did the great spirit exile the grand duke to the mountain?
The Grand Duke was exiled to teach him humility and listening. He had been drowning out the voices of others through arrogance, and was placed where he could only hear the echo of his own voice, forcing him to become aware of his own emptiness.
2. What does the echo of the mountain represent in this legend?
The echo represents inner truth or the mirror of the soul. As long as the Grand Duke shouted out of pride, the echo only reflected his anger back to him. It was only when he shouted a sincere question that he heard an echo enriched with the wisdom of heaven.
3. What lesson does the eagle owl convey to humans with its new call?
The Grand Duke teaches that true wisdom is not found in external noise or aimless speech, but in silence, solitude, and introspection, where one can listen to the honest echo of one's own heart.