Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-01-25
FOLK LORE OF THE DIGGER INDIANS.
The Legend of tho Little Red Man and
the Home of the Bad Spirit.

The legend of the Little Red Man is.
like most of the stories of the Diggers,
somewhat incomplete, but it resem bles
so closely the stories that have been
handed down by our own juvenile
writers of the past have thought best
to relate it in my own way, as the
pigeon English of the Indian is not
easily understood.
Many long years ago the captain of
the Pamblo tribe lay very sick in his
wickiup. In vain did the medicine
man brew his herbs, apply his fomen-
tations, beat his tomtom and make his
rattle. The fever could not be checked,
and the old man sank steadily. All
the tribe mourned, and there was much
feasting and self-torture. but the bad
spirit that had sent the fever could not
e appeased.
One night the Captains Youngest
daughter had dream; there appeared
to her the little Red Man, who told her
that he was the bad spirit who had
sent the fever, but that if she would
follow him he would give her an herb
which, when stepped in water, would
heal the sick. She arose and followed
him, and after a great many hours of
tramping across the hills and valleys
they came to mighty gorge where
the wonderful fever plant" grew.
The Little Red Man plucked the herbs
from the rocks, gave them to her, and
told her to hasten back to her faith
1t was only a dream, but the
could not forget it, and the next
she left the camp and endeavored |,
nd l,a kar
herbs. For several days she sought in
vain, and then as she was about to re-
turn she heard a voice whisper Fol
low" and saw the footprints of man
| forming in the sand before her. She
obeyed the voice and followed, and her
invisible guide led her to the gorge
where grew the healing herbs. She
| put forth her hand to pluck them, when
a voice cried "Stop!" and the Little Red
Man stood before her.
You must not touch the herbs now"
he SAID, "but follow me. This is the
second time you have seen me. Now
you shall see the home of the bad
| spirit. Follow"
Again she followed, for she feared
the Little Red Man and was anxious
! to please him. They entered the
gloomy gorge, where all was as silent
as death; where the birds, and bees, and
| flowers were of stone, and came to a
mighty cavern, the walls and roof of
which were covered with glittering
crystals that flashed forth all the colors
of the rainbow. In one corner of this
lonely cavern was a little spring that
sparkled and sang with enhancing
melody. The Little Red Man turned
to her and said:
This is the home of the bad spirit
that sent the fever to your father. l
am he. l can save your fathers life,
but you must promise that when you
have taken the herbs to him YOU will
return to me, drink of the singing
spring, and remain with me forever"
But the Captains daughter was
frightened. The Little Red Man was
old and hideous, and very bad spirit.
She fed from him and returned to her
home. and as she entered her fathers
tepee the old Captain turned his face to
the wall and died. And unto this day
the Diggers believe that the Little Red
Man lives in a wonderful cavern some
where in the coast range and sends
sickness upon them because the Cap
taln's daughter would not drink of
the singing spring and remain with
him forever. -SaD Francisco Erans-
liner