Thunder
Mountain
Some time ago, when a young
boy reached the age to be revered as a man, he was given a quest. There is
a special and magical place within the Port Alberni mountain ranges, called
Thunder Mountain. This is the home of the supernatural, all powerful, Thunderbird.
It was a young man's mission to go find the cave which the Thunderbird called
his home. He would know this cave by very specific "tell-tale" signs
within the cave. First, the cave would be very large with a very wide opening.
Second, inside the cave there would be a coiled woven cedar rope that has
turned to stone. And at last, behind that petrified coiled rope would be many
bones of different species of whales. This would be the closest a mortal human
could get to a Thunderbird. It was a timeless rule that no human could see
a Thunderbird in its true form. Although, the Thunderbird did transform into
human form at times to help mankind. This was the only way a young warrior
could partially experience the life of a supernatural. To this day, no man
has found such a cave and no man goes to look for it anymore. Yet, for our
people, so long as the mountain range is in existence so will be the legend
of Thunder Mountain.