Mishipeshu, the Underwater Panther
Mishipeshu, the Great Lynx, is one of the most powerful water beings in Ojibwe mythology, ruling the depths of Lake Superior from his home on Michipicoten Island. He has the head and paws of a giant cat but is covered in scales with dagger-like spikes along his back and tail. He is the master of all water creatures, including snakes, and can cause storms that capsize canoes and drown the unwary. Mishipeshu is the eternal opponent of the Thunderbirds who rule the skies. In one story, four Ojibwe warriors traveled to Mishipeshu's island home to take copper, but his eerie voice surrounded them an