A
Chickasaw legend states that the name originated from a prince of a Chickasaw tribe inhabiting the present
West Tennessee, who was born with a deformed foot and walked with a rolling motion, so was nicknamed Kolopin
, meaning Reelfoot. When he became chief, Reelfoot determined to marry a
Choctaw princess, but her father would not permit it. The
Great Spirit warned Reelfoot that if he attempted to kidnap the maiden, his village and his people would be destroyed. Reelfoot disobeyed the Spirit, and seized the princess by force and carried her to Chickasaw territory, where he arranged a marriage ceremony.
In the middle of the ceremony, the Great Spirit stamped his foot in anger, causing the earth to quake, and the Father of the Waters raised the
Mississippi River over its banks, inundating Reelfoot's homeland. The water flowed into the imprint left by the Spirit's foot, forming a beautiful lake beneath which Reelfoot, his bride, and his people lie buried.
[16].