Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-04-24
LEGEND OF FROG ROCK.

On the west shore OF Lake Tennis
camingur, about ten miles north of
the Hudson Bay company's post, there
rises from the lake a prrciplce, per-
pendicuiar and abrupt. "A wall of solid
rock. of the Huronian formation. with
a horizontal cleavage, ON the face of
which are tn be found occasional
lodges, formed by theaction of the frost.
Among the Indians this Is known AS
The Frog Rock aud the following
legend will probably throw some light
on the origin Of the name.
suppose that IN the whole world
there is not found a more omnivorous
being than an Indian. | should have
said ''omni-carnivorous, for his Is es-
sentially a meat diet. He eats bear,
beaver, lynx, fisher, fox, marten,
mink, muskrat, mice, otter, porcupine,
squirrels. in fact every animal that
runs One would think that he would
draw the line at skunk. but no, he
looks upon skunk, properly skinned
and cooked, as "A delicacy. However,
he has his weak point; lac draws the
line at frogs. They seem 10 be with
linn forbidden fruit, his tastes having
probably evolved the Introduction.
The evolution of customs and laws lisa
constant contest be .ween cause and eff
feet.
Many wears ago there lived at Malta
waganinguc AN Indian named kod-
leesh. He was . wild, harum scarum
young fellow wlp did not particularly
observe the law, laid down 10y tie old
men of the trlb regarding the "modus
vlvends' He vas n Liberal. and had
the audacity h. despisc the customs of
his ancestors customs sanctioned by
ancient observance. He would not
treat the skulls of the bears which he
slew with tie Difference due 10 AN ami
nal that claimed distant relationship
with himself. nor would he throw the
bones of hi beaver into the water. but
would give them 10 his dogs, a sacri-
leglous otfense. and une worthy Of aw-
full punishment.
TWAS prophesiedo f this young nan
that evil would befall him. The Mani
tou would not allow hesacred i%njunc-
tions put upon his people 10 be thus
openly ignored without rctribution
following the offender. and the wise
men shook their heads with an oracu
lar "kisll, meaning colloquIally
Hold on. while the old come
talked as old womendO. and magnltied
the i'll doings of the young man 10 such
an extent that more than half the In
dian maidens of the tribe were in love
with him.
But Kodjeesh cared for none Of
these things, nor did he care for the
dusky maidens who admired So much
wickedness, for his heart had gone
out to the lovely Bebaybickouse, who
was, if possible, more lively than HIM
self, and very hard to catch. Before
her he would dance in a very taking
manner, aud should she happen To be
dancing with him he would swing
her with such violence that she would
almost come To the ground. But V e
this violent courtshlp failed TO make
an impression on the obdurate Bebay-
bickouse, In vain did he ply the gilt
terlng paddle with a graceful flourish
as he seut his swift running canoe
through the foaming rapids until, half
Ind by the rushing waters, he would
appear to her as if riding on the back
of a mighty ''kenoshie' thc strong
swimming pike, or at times, most
reckless. when he knew that she was
watching him with admiration,
mounting on the gunwales uf his fra
gle craft, would lac run arapid, stand
ing up with an air of ]unconcern as if
he were walking on the shore. But
still the bard hearted Bebaybickouse
would not listen to his suit until,
driven To desperation, he one day ad.
dressed her thus;
''BebayDickouse, what is there that
can do to win your loye!'
You cannot win my love" she
said; you have not heart enough"
Try me he answered. Il would
dare anything; | would even eat a
frog.
Eat frogs them" answered Bebay,
bickOusc. You dare not"
"Kish, said Kodjecsh, and he went
forth determined 10 eat the first frog
he met.
That day he was hired to take letters
to the trader in charge Of Temiscamin-
que, which IN those days was a trad
ing post Of the North west company's.
The journey is a long one, but Kod-
ieesh did not feel it, for his heart was
light. Bebaybickouse would soon be
his, and the thought made him glad.
The season was far advanced and ii
was not until he reached Temiscamin-
que lake that lie saw "A single frog.
Here, however, as he was padding
close to the shore at the foot of the
mighty rock, described above, he saw
sitting ON "A ledge in the rock, close 10
the water, a fine, fat, phlegmatic look.
ing frog.
"Ah-hah." he cried, here is the very
frog that | was looking for and which
] will eat 10 win my Bebaybickouse,'
saying which he cautiously approached
and with his paddle sent the unsus-
pecting bactrician sprawling into the
water. He then picked it up and Sc
Letting the first convenient place 10
land, he went ashore, lit a lire, and
for the first time in his life was able
TO appreciate the delicate flavor of
frog.
'Men.o-pi-gan' Gt tastes NICE, he
muttered 10 himself; my ancestors
were fools, and Bebaybickouse is not 20