The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-03
AN INDIAN LEGEND
A Long, Low Butte and Story From
Red Mans History.
1T WAS A DRAGON ONCE
But When the Coyote Smote IL on
Tender Spot IL Melted Away
and Formed a Lake OF
Large Area. .'.s

Mlssoula, Dec. 2.-On the left of the
wagon road that leads from the Jocko
Indian agency to Ravalh, about six
miles from the agency, is a long. low
butte, which rises abruptly from the
plain. There is nothing particularly at
tractive about this elevation, and moth
ing about 1t that would cause the trav-
eler TO notice IT especially. unless he
were told the old Indian legend which
concerns 1t. Then there attaches to II
THAT peculiar interest which always
surrounds objects of historical or le-
gendary Importance.
Many moons ago. so runs the Indian
story, this butte was a huge dragon,
terrible IN aspect and mighty In pow
er. The whole beautiful valley of the
Jocko was his and he levied tribute
from all creatures who came that way.
In this way the monster hourished, and
as the moons rolled by, became more
awful, and his demands more exacting.
Vain was all resistance to his will.
Naught could Withstand his terrible
might. To conquer and subdue him by
force was impossible. So often had 1t
been tried in vain that the inhabitants
OF the mountains and valleys round
about despaired of Kidding themselves
Of the monster. .n
Bolder and fiercer the dragon became
as repeated victories made him proud,
until 'alt length the beasts who dwelt in
the mountains and valleys saw that
they must either rid themselves of
this terrible monster or else leave the
country They did not like to do this.
as the valleys were beautiful and the
mountains furnished them with homes
and hunting grounds. So they called
a council and all of the belSts of the
mountain and the forest and the val
ley assembled. The crafty coyote, the
swI6t-running wolf. the powerful lion,
the sturdy cat, the gentle deer, the
lordly elk and the mighty bear were
all present with the lesser beasts, the
rabbit, the fox and the gopher. The
eagle wlas there. also. and the hawk,
the goose and the other birds.
For many days they took counsel
together as to how they could conquer
the dragon and at length the coyote
planned thus for them: While the bear,
the elk. the deer and the eagle, with
the lesser birds and beasts made pre-
tense of attacking the monster by
force. as all other attempts against
him had been made, the wolf and the
coyote would come up behind him and
Stay him. This plan was carried out
forthwith and the coyote, stealing
stealthily up behind the dragon, found
a vulnerable spot and dealt the death
blow.
That was the end of the dragons
life. The moment the blow was struck
he melted away into great lake which
submerged the whole valley. Only his
bones remained which formed an ISL
and in the vast body of water and, as
the lake dried up, the island be-
came the butte which now re-
mains as a monument to the cunning
of the coyote. In support of the truth
of this crude legend the red men point
to the water lines on the butte and
the foothills around the valley. How
could these have been made If there
was no lake there and how could a
lake have been formed in the mount
aims, except by the melting of the drag
on's BODY? F-