Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-04-10
THE WHITE DEER.
An Interesting Indian Legend of the
Delaware Valley.

Delaware Valley.
The superstition as to the fatal con-
sequences of killing n white deer, the
belief in which seems to be deeply
rooted in the minds not only of the un-
educated backwoodsmen but OF many
persons of high intelligence throughout
the Delaware river counties of New
York and Pennsylyania-illus of
which was given in the story of the
ROhrbocher case-is of Indian origin,
and was received from the tribes then
populating the valley by the early
white settlers, whose descendants have
inherited it, and fostered it even to this
late day. The Indians believed that a
white deer, rare even in those primi-
tive days, was sacred, and bore q
charmed life. Among the legends that
have been handed down from ancient
Indian times is one that especially i'm
pressed the pioneer jewellers along
the Delaware, and which is still sol
EMMY told to curious inQuirers by
credulous guides, and is regarded as
IN especial favorite in the vOluminOus
repertory of the valleys folklore.
AS the legend goes, q young Indian
loved the daughter of an Indian chief,
whose tribe was powerful, and whose
proves was the one great theme of
, aboriginal song and story. The young
Indian was one of the braVest of all
braves, and the hero of many battles.
He was beloved beyond the chief of the
tribe, and his popularity had aroused
feeling of bitter enmity toward him in
the breast of the Indian ruler. But the
daughter loved the young warrior, and
so deeply were the affections of the
people fixed upon their idol that the
chief dared not to do which he fan
would have done-order the removal
of his daughters lover and his rival in
the affections of the tribe by the toma-
hawk. The young Indian had sued for
the chiefs sanction of his union with
the princess again and again, but in
vain. But his popularity grew greater
IN the tribe, and each day added some
deed of courage to the record of his
achievements until the chiefs hatred
of him was merged into alarm, for he
feared the day was rapidly approach
ing when his own great name would
be held as naught, as compared with
that of the youth. That the career of
this youth must be checked the chief
saw plainly, and one day the crafty
ruler bethOught him of plan whereby
that end might not only be secured, but
the destruction of his rival be encom-
passed as we'll. He sent for the young
warrior, and caused the lovers heart
to leap with joy by telling him that
paternal pride had relented, and that
the great chief would consent to the
union of his daughter to his humble
subject. But he instantly added the
condition that the union could not be
consummated until the lover should lay
at the door of his chiefs Wigwam the
body of q white deer. Until this was
done the subject of the marriage must
never again be mentioned, under pain
of death OF Punishment. In this con-
dition the Indian lover read his doom,
for, said he, was it not easier to pierce
the hunters moon with an arrow than
to bury fatal shaft in the sacred white
deer's heart? And so he lowered no
more about the wigWam of his dusky
mistress, but wooed with more than
wonted ardor the peril of the warpath
and the chase, adding new luster to his
name, and to his tribe greater glory.
But the chiefs hatred and jealousy
grew apace. Feeling that the young
braves love for the Indian princess
would spur him to any deed of daring
or sacrifice, the chief summoned him
once again to his wigwam. The great
sorcerer of the tribe was present. Ma
ture had no mysteries that were not to
him as an open book. No talisman
could prevail against the magic of his
art. Yet his mortal heart had gone
forth to the daughter of MS chief, whom
the young brave loved. She had re-
pulsed his suit, and her father had re-
buked the sOrcerer for his presump-
ton. And the magician had sworn re-
venge.
At the second conference the chief
repeated the conditions upon which he
would give his daughter to the young
warrior. and beckoned the sorcerer to
his side. The sorcerer placed in the
lovers hand an arrow, made from the
long, straight stalk of the swamp-fag,
and tipped with a barb of silver. This,
he said, speeding from the bow Of one
courageous enough to single out a white
deer for his aim, would prevail against
the charm that made all other shafts
fall harmless, and find the sacred hart
as vulnerable as that of the commonest
in the herd. The lover placed the ar
row in his culver. If it were greater
than the charm that guarded the life
of the white deer, he said, he would
Law of ba foot of his chief ond