The Great Slave

Zane Grey's story, "The Great Slave" is a story most likely based on the South Slavey people's folkore.  It tells of a great indigenous leader names Sienna and his love for a Cree maiden named Emihiyah.  The South Slavey people live on the southern shore of Canada's Great Slave Lake which was named for them.

In the story, Sienna and his people are forced into slavery by the Cree Indians.  History tells us that the Slavey people were, indeed, enslaved by the Cree for many years.  There is no evidence that Zane Grey ever visited Great Slave Lake.  However, in 1908 he penned a collection of stories about his friend, Buffalo Jones, called The Last of the Plainsmen.  In the book, two chapters are dedicated to Jones' adventure at Great Slave Lake. 

In 1923, "The Great Slave" was one of an anthology of Grey stories published as Tappan's Burro and Other Stories which can be read by clicking here.

To read the original story as published in a single issue of The Ladies Home Journal including wonderful art, click on the link to the left entitled "One Edition."