If you’re looking for a spooky tale to tell around the next campfire, one of the most terrifying Smoky Mountain legends of all time is Spearfinder! Known to local tribes as U’tlun’ta, Cherokee for “the one with the pointed spear”, this witch was described as having skin made of an impenetrable stone and one long finger sharpened to a deadly point on her left hand. With this sharpened appendage, she cut effortlessly into the flesh of her victims to extract a bloody prize! Here are more details about the Spearfinder legend of the Smoky Mountains:
Appearance of Spearfinder
While Spearfinder was typically in the form of an elderly figure shrouded in a cloak of leaves and rocks, she could also change her appearance to trick her targets into their demise! It is said that her stone skin was formed from stones of the Chilhowee mountains, and it could not be penetrated by arrows or other weapons. Her mouth was also often stained with the blood of livers that she had eaten from her victims. Since Spearfinder was made of stone, she sounded like thunder while walking and crushed rocks into the ground when stepping on them.
Sinister Sounds of the Forest
Another one of the top things to know about the Spearfinder legend of the Smoky Mountains is the sinister sounds that she made while in the forest! Her alluring voice was carried by the natural breezes of the Smokies, and often she was heard singing her favorite song, “Uwe la na tsiku. Su sa sai. Liver, I eat it. Su sa sai. Uwe la na tsiku. Su sa sai”.
Her haunting chant echoed her love for livers through the mountains, sending shivers down the spines of all who heard it. Those wise enough would seek shelter and wait until her voice and thundering footsteps disappeared!
Master of Disguise and Deception
Spearfinder was a master of disguise and deception, shapeshifting to deceive her victims! For the children of the local Cherokee tribes, she’d take the form of a lost tribe elder to earn their trust. When she got close enough, the legend says that she would stroke the child’s hair and lull them into a deep sleep before striking with her sharpened finger. In one swift motion, the liver would be extracted from their body, and the blood from the organ added to the permanent red stain around her mouth.
Death of Spearfinger
According to Cherokee legend, local tribes tried to kill Spearfinger for years, but her stone skin kept her protected from every attempt. Of all things, her fate changed with the arrival of the tsi-kilili, a tiny bird also known as the Carolina chickadee. Cherokee warriors set a trap for the witch, and she fell into a hidden pit, but arrows from the warriors broke on impact from her stone skin.
Before Spearfinger could escape, the tsi-kilili flew down and perched on the tip of the witch’s spear finger, revealing that her heart was in the tip of her finger. The warriors aimed at the newly discovered appendage, piercing it with the well-forged tip of an arrow and ending Spearfinger’s reign of terror over the Smokies!
More Legends of the Smokies
The legend of Spearfinder is just one of the many sinister stories that you’ll discover when learning about the Smoky Mountains! If you’re looking for some more campfire tales of terror, check out these Smoky Mountain ghost stories and legends!
