The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1891-11-13
HORNED TOAD AND CLINT.
The MOqui Indian with Good Heart
Saved His People.

This is one of the legends of the Mo
gu. Indians:
Long time ago, when the mesa was
much higher than it is now. and wher
the corn could grow anywhere on the
| plains, there were no Indians but the
Moquis, and they owned all the country
and all the horses and sheep from the
mountains on the north to the great
river on the south. There were no enc.
mics who could draw the bow against
the Moquis. But one time after q
heavy rain the giants came up out OF
holes in the ground and troubled the
Moquis. For a long time nothing could
be done with them. They not only
killed the Indians, but they ate them
For many years they devastated every
portion Of the country and they were
so strong that nothing could be done
against them. They were so tall they
could see all over the mesa.
One time there was king in the
country who offered thousand horses
and the most beautiful woman in the
tribe to the young man who would de.
liver his people from the giants. All
his life the young man fought and
prayed, but the giants grew stronger,
always killing the very best men and
the verp handsomest women and eating
them. Then that king died, and be.
cause no other chief could conquer the
giants the people would not have an.
other Ring. And all the people wept.
| Now there was a young man whose
heart was good and who wanted to
make an end of the giants. One time
he was going down the mesa path with
another Indian who was bad. They
saw horned toad lying under rock
from the mountain, and it was crushing
the life out of the horned toad.
''Help me roll away the stone" sand
the good Mogui I'VE will save the
horned toad"
No" said the bad Indian "ITe is
not worth saving. He is only a horned
toad" And he laughed and went away.
But the good Indian, whose name was
LolCmi, put down his spear and worked
many hours lifting the rock, and just
before the sun went down he had rolled
it away and saved the life of the horned
toad. Lolomi was about to 90 away
when a voice came to him from the
ground and asked him if he wanted to
kill the giants. SO Lolomi said he aid,
but he did not know who had asked
him. Then the horned toad said:
81 am able to help you. DO as l say
and you will never have any more
giants. You have a good heart. Here,
take my horned crest and put it on for
helmet"
But it is so small l will lose it in my
hair" said Lolomi.
Yet put it on" said the horned toad.
And when Lolomi had taken the crest
from the hands of the horned toad and
put it on his head he found it grew
quickly untiLait covered all his head,
and nothing Gould break it or no spear
could drive through it.
Take my breastplate," said the
horned toad.
but it will not cover more-A than a
thumb nail, said the Indian. =
"Yet take it, replied the horned
toad. And when Lolomi had laid it
against his breast it grew until it COW
cred all his bosom and arms and throat.
and no arrow in all the world coul d
pierce it.
Now take the scales from my eyes, q"
said the horned toad. And Lolomi took
them, and when he put them on he was
light as an eagles feather but he could
not be hurt by anything.
go up on the mesa and wait" said
The horned toad, and when you see a
giant go straight up before him. Look
at his eyes and he will go backward.
Walk toward him and turn him SO
that he shall go to the highest point on
The mesa, and he will walk off back
ward. And it will kill him"
So Lolomi went up on the mesa and
waited, and all the people gathered
about him. But Il giant came and they
all ran. But he walked straight
toward the giant and was not afraid.
And the giant shot an arrow against
him and threw spear against him anG
ne was not hurt. But the giant walked
backward, for he was afraid of Lolomi
in the strange armOr. And LOlomi
walked toward him and guided him to
the highest point of rocks and he fell
backward to the plain, very far below,
and he was dead.
So Lolomi killed many giants because
they all walked backward away from
him, and the people hcaped rocks upon
them. And that place is called the
Giants fall to this day. Then the old
men of the tribe made Lolomi king and
gave him the most beautiful woman in
the tribe for his wife. And he was the
best king. So that the Moqui still says
"Lolomi'' in kindly greeting to the
stranger and always will till the giants
come again. Herald.