# Ong (Washoe folklore)

The Ong is a mythical creature from Washoe (Wašiw) folklore, described as a giant bird with an eagle-like body, a warrior's face, and wings longer than the tallest pine trees. The Ong was believed to inhabit the waters of Lake Tahoe (Wašiw: Da ow aga), preying on those who wandered too close. According to legend, it carried its victims to its nest at the center of the lake, where they were never seen again, until being defeated by a clever Washoe warrior.

## The story of the Ong

The Ong is a creature from Washoe mythology, said to haunt the waters of Lake Tahoe (Wašiw: Da ow aga). The Washoe feared the Ong, believing it preyed on those who wandered too close, dragging them to its nest in the center of the lake where they would be consumed. The myth states that no weapon could pierce its tough feathers and scales, making it nearly invincible.

### Description

In some traditions, the Ong was said to be a massive reptilian bird; in others, it had the body of an eagle, the face of a warrior, and wings longer than the tallest pine trees. Its wing beats could create strong winds, bending debeleš (trees) along the shore. The bird's webbed feet and nest at the center of the lake allowed it to trap animals, trout, and people swept into the currents. The Washoe believed that anything caught in the lake's pull would be carried to the Ong's nest. Those who drowned were thought to be taken by the Ong, their bodies never recovered.
To avoid being captured by the Ong, the Washoe took care not to travel, hunt, or fish alone. The Ong's wing beats were so powerful they could bend trees near the shore whenever it flew by. Despite its great strength, the Ong was described as cowardly, attacking only lone individuals and avoiding groups or people in camps.

## Washoe/Wašiw Tribe Legend

As told by the Washoe Tribe, Ong was a giant man-eating bird that nested in the middle of Lake Tahoe on a spire that rose from the water.
One day, the Ong captured a Washoe man and carried him to its nest. Fortunately, the Ong had another victim first, allowing the captive time to observe the creature. He noticed that the Ong closed its mešəmeš (eyes) when chewing. Using this, he devised a plan. Every time the Ong opened its dunem (mouth), he threw several paçaga (obsidian arrowheads) inside. By nightfall, the Ong had fallen ill.
A storm raged through the night, and by morning, the creature was dead. The Washoe man plucked one of its massive feathers and used it as a boat to return to shore.

## Other interpretations

Several variations of the Ong legend exist. One version published in Sunset Magazine (1905) and later referenced by Nevada Magazine differs from the Washoe oral tradition by adding a romantic subplot. In this account, a young Washoe warrior named Tahoe seeks to prove his bravery to win the hand of Nona, the chief's daughter. Unlike traditional versions, where the Ong is an unseen predator, this version describes Tahoe deliberately attracting it by praying on a cliffside. The Ong emerges from the lake and seizes him, lifting him into the air. Tahoe ties himself to its leg with a leather thong to prevent being dropped. Each time the creature opens its mouth, he throws poisoned arrowheads inside, weakening it until it crashes into the lake. Believed lost, he later returns at dawn, riding the Ong’s wing back to shore alongside Nona. This version presents a decisive defeat of the Ong.
Another version states that after the Ong captured a Washoe man, it carried him to its nest. The captive observed that the Ong closed its eyes while chewing, allowing him to secretly throw paçaga (obsidian arrowheads) into its mouth. By nightfall, the Ong had fallen ill, and after a storm raged through the night, it was found dead by morning.
Though the Ong is defeated in all versions, some legends claim its nest remains at the bottom of Lake Tahoe, claiming that is why the bodies of those who drown in the lake are rarely recovered.