Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1888-08-29
Mgistellanepns &eadina.
For the Yorkyille Enquirer
THE GIANT OF THE MOUNTAINS
A South Carolina Indian Legend.
BY M'DONALD FURMAN.

| tommy SmytnerS was lad OF sixteen,
who lived in the upper part of South Caro-
lima, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Noun
tains. He delighted to hunt and fish, and
his greatest desire was to see the Giant of
the Mountains, who was huge monster
line of North and South Carolina. This
mountain giant had once been a chief of
the Cherokees, and had proved himself so
brave that the Great Spirit had made him
mighty giant and blessed him. The
giants name was Sapona. After the Great
Spirit had blessed him, he left the Indians
and made his home among the rocks.
The white man came and the Cherokees
moved away, but SapgBe remained in the
mountains. No white man had ever seen
him. It was also claimed by the old hite
people who lived near Tommy, that Sa-
pona was not only giant, but wonder
full magician also. Some men said that it
was known fact that during the RevOlu-
tion white girl of fourteen, named Seris-
So Harrison, angered 8 chief of the Chero-
KEGS, who prayed to Sapona to visit ven
geance upon her, and the Indians after
wards said the giant tied the girl to a tree,
and taking strip of bear skin, he drew it
you turn into hideous BEAR" and poor
Serissa was instantly changed into bear.
The old men would solemnly tell Tommy
this story and would add that Serrissa
was still rambling about in the mountains
in the shape of bear, and that they had
sometimes caught a glimpse of her.
1t was an unusually warm July day, and
Tommy had caught long string of fine
mountain trout. He started home and
soon came to mountain stream, which he
had often thought must be enchanted. The
waters fell over the stones, and in doing so,
they sang mournful song. Near the falls
stood sharp rock, shaped like q human
head, and sometimes Tommy noticed it
shaking. Once he saw a thing which
made his hair stand on end, for there
gushed out oft two streams ofWater which
resembled tears. Tommy examined the
rock with the most minute care, but he
could not find out how the water got in
side.
When Tommy reached the stream, as he
was going home, he felt tired so putting
his trout on the ground, he rolled up his
sleeves and bathed his arms and face. He
became strangely sleepy, and throwing
he was soon fast asleep. When he opened
his eyes it was dark. He heard song
which was sung in such sad tone, that
before he knew it, the tears were running
down his cheeks. He listened attentively
and found that the song came from the
stream. The words of the song evidently
belonged to the Indian language. Sud-
denly the ground trembed. Tommy felt
that the rock was shaking. He put his
hand on it and found water falling from 1t.
Next he heard a mighty roar, the light
ming flashed in the heavens and our young
friend saw near him huge bear, so large
and ugly that he trembled when he saw it.
What was that terrible noise coming over
the mountains? When the sound reached
them, the rock shook more violently, the
stream sang in louder and sadder tone,
and the bear growled-ses loudly and sor-
rowfully that it made Tommy's blood run
cold to listen. He began to feel as if he
would rather be away from there. A
strange light, no bigger than grain of
corn, appeared upon the mountain top. 1t
increased rapidly in size, and in few
minutes the whole mountain was as light
as day. Tommy stared, for there stood an
Indian of enormous stature, which Tom
my guessed at once was Sapona. Our hero
would have fled, but if he ran, he feared
the giant would kill him, so he remained
where he was. Sapona Qor he it was)
came to the stream and said carelessly,
"What do you want noW?"
"Turn me back into Nequassee," an
swered the stream.
Twill not" said Sapona in voice Of
thunder.
The bear crouched at the giants feet.
He regarded it with a smile of pity and
exclaimed:
"For five minutes, become girl again !"
The bear skin dropped off, and there
stood pretty girl. Tommy admired
pretty girls and he rushed to Serissa. Sa-
pona was surprised to see boy, for he
hadn't mott ed Tommy. He said to him: /:
"Boy, what do you Want?'
Tommy turned to the giant and boldly
answered.:
"That is none of your business"
This answer enraged the giant to such
bled. Raising his foot, he kicked Tom
my and said:
Become enchanted"
Tommy felt himself flying through the
air. His amazement cannot be imagined.
He had a pair of wings, anda neck which
had grown many yards in length. His
body was shaped like that of horse.
Soon TOmmy's amaZement was changed
into terror, as he thought about his future.
He flew for many days. Finally becoming
wearied, he flew down and lit on the
ground. Two men ran to him, and uttered
loud shouts of astonishment. Tommy was
as surprised to see them as they were to
see him. They were most singular look
ing men; were dressed in gowns and their
hair hung in long plaits. Tommy soon
saw that they were Cinnamon. Before the
poor boy could collect his thoughts, the
men took a strong rope and tied it around
his neck, then tied him to tree. Tom
~ fo h,,t o1o hn o,,1l nr,11y
move few yards. One Chinaman ran
long sword. He approached Tommy.
Raising the sword, he-bfought it down
upon Tommy's neck, whose head flew off,
and yet, strange to say, he was not dead.
Two powerful wings grew out of his head.
A body like that of snake grew to it, and
Tommy flew away. The Cinnamon fell
in fear. Tommy arose higher in the air.
He flew until he again became weary and
he lit on a mountain of ice which was
floating about in the sea. He saw nothing
but water, with here and there large blocks
of ice floating about. He felt tired, and
though the air was bitter cold, he deter
mined to rest for while, but soon he was
startled by growl, and something bit his
tail. He glanced around and was much
frightened to see large white bear eating
his tail. Tommy flew into the air, with
the bear hanging to his tail. He flew
manymiles, and at the thought of his un-
happy condition he shed bitter tears;
here he was tired down, and yet he had to
fly. The bear felt awfully heavy, hang
ing on his !ail, and poor boy, who, in
South Carolina, would recognize him, with
his human head, snakes body and eagles
wings.
While Tommy was flying, he passed
over a military encampment. The SOL
diers were struck dumb with amazement
at the queer looking object. One of them
suggested that cannon be fired at it.