The morning call., 1893-07-09
CORN, TOBACCO AND BEANS.
Legend Told by Iowa Indians Regard
ing the Origin of the Three.

Among the many curious myths and ira
ditions Of the Saukee and MusQuakee In
dians of Iowa, none are more singular
than the combination legend which relates
the story of the origin CT corn. tobacco
add beans. The story, as told by Colonel
Davenport 0he founder of the city
OF the same name) by the head chief of
the allied tribes and reproduced by the
ST. Louis Republic. is as follows: In a
time many moons past the Indians ate
only meat and roots. Two mighty hunters
were one day sitting by fire on the
grea. prairies roasting their meat (veni-
SOM when they were greatly astoniSheG
to see beautiful sQuaw descend from a
many-tintei evening cloud which was
hanging over the west and alight upon the
smooth sward near by. The first idea til at
struck the hunters was that she was one
OF their ancestors who had taken upon
herself the task Of acting as guard an
angel, and that if she had made the trip
from the "happy hunting grounds" as
they verify believed she had, she must be
burgry, tired and cold.
She did not attempt to approach the
fire, however, and said nothing until she
had been approa cned by ono OF the
hunters, who proffered her good-sized
slice of the steaming venison. Before &C
ground without moving her feet from the
srot where they had first come in con-
tact with the earth. While in the act
of seating herself the hunter noticed
that both hands fell helplessly at her
sides, making great indentations in the
soft earth. As sa0n as she recovered
from what appeared to be q fantng
fit, resulting from overfaiigue, she most
graciously accepted food, ate of 1t, and al
most immediately started upon her return
trip to the ciouds-n0t, however, until she
had promised to reward the hunters for
their kindness. Preparatory to her leave
taking she informed her generous friends
that II they would return to that very spot
in one year they would find their reward
in waiting. Upon returning to camp the
hunters related the story of their wonder
full adventure with 1.-The Lady OF the
Clouds" and told of the promised reward.
all of which was accepted with tauntS and
jeers.
During the following year they were
laughed at so often when reference was
made TO the reward" or The Woman OF
the Clouds" they were all but deferred
from making journey in search OF full
| fllment of the promise. Finally. in order
| not 10 be subjects to ridicule for thu whole
village, they pretended to make hunting
excursion in another direction and then
made detonr by way of the spot where
| they had met the vision OF the SKIES.
A wonderful surprise was in waiting.
| The spot where the specter sat while eat
| ing the roast venson was overgrown with
| tobacco: where her right hand had rested
| when it fell seemingly helpless TO the
ground corn had sprung up in all profu-
sion, and 10 the indention made by the
| left hand upon the same occasion beans
had grown and we're then hang
! ing in multitude OF brown and
golden clusters. Where the feet of
The Woman Of the Clouds" first
| touched when she aiighted before the
astonshed hunters a year previous two
| springs of water were gushing fortb-nne,
cold and sparkling. watered the Indian