The herald., 1895-02-10
THE BREAD WOMAN
Shoshone Legend of EARLY
Civilization
Cromwell
Galpin.

cromwell memory OF the days where
of she speaks the Town
Galpin. Dwellers still paint upon
the walls of the estufas the
figures Of the wasp, the squirrel and the
dove, giving due donor to insect, beast
and bird whose good offices made posi-
BILE the earliest civilization of the Arid
Southwest.
Very long ago. before men dwelt in
towns and before the beasts and birds had
lost the power of speech, men and women
came down out of the north seeking
home in pleasant country; and find
ing place where was no ice in winter
and much game during all the year, they
passed.
Afterward there came some dry years.
Grass did not grow and food beasts dis
appeared; in all the country round about
there was very little to eat.
Of them that sought food was one
scarcely yet woman, and that one so
slow of foot almost the babes outstripped
her. But En-dow the Fat was very dill
gent, quick of ear and sharp of sight,
and she ever brought at night to
the place of sleeping, beans of the mes
quite or acorns or roots fit to eat, more
than any other save a strong man full OF
knowledge of mountain and of plain.
The days passed slowly. Many died of
hunger, and with them that remained
hunger abode by day and by night, max
ing all the time miserable.
En-dow whom none now called fat, be-
cause much fasting had made her skin
hang as a garment about her shrunk
form, at sunset sat on the hillside,
where the muddy remnant of a mountain
stream trickled between two great rocks
lying near together.
What was the way to the people of her
tribe she knew not, for she had wandered
since the dawn and the pinch of hunger
being sharp she had failed to note the
way she had taken.
A wasp with slender waist and bright
blue wings alighted near the water, and
gathering little wet clay rolled it into a
ball
Thou art alive" said En-dow to the
wasp. Wherefore may | not eat thee. !"
She reached forth her hands and catching
the wasp between her curved palms, soon
felt the insects sting.
"Whe-e-p' said En-dow, in pain and
anger. Then she opened her palms.
1.-THE women of the tribe of Shoshones,
she said to the wasp, love man who
strikes hard with his ak of flint, think
ing of those he loves, though death be
sureand near. Thou hast made thy fight
boldly with what weapon thou hadst. Go
thou to them that love thee" And the
wasp flew away.
AS Endow sat silent a gray squirrel
came down the hill, carrying little
branch in his mouth; for of nuts there
were none left in all that country. The
squirrel went but slowly being by hun
to pass the woman. But En-dow saw him
and again stretching forth her hand, held
the squirrel fast.
"Knew the way to go" she said, thy
thin body should be a little food for
them that love, but for mine own need
thou shalt not suffer; as it is with me so
with thee-others yet more hungry wait
thy coming. Go thy way" And the
squirrel, released, crept slowly away to
hole in the ground.
En-dow heard little sound at her side.
Turning she saw near her blue dove.
very good to eat. The thin hand was
thrust forth quickly, and the. dove lay
painting in her grasp. The bird struggled
feebly and En-dow saw that it could not
fly because it had fallen into that desert
spring wherefrom flows pitch, but no
water. The heart of the bird beat against
the hand of the girl its crop was empty
but its body was plump.
Thou are not yet so hungry as |,
said En-dow to the bird She washed the
soiled feathers in the water of the spring.
Thou hast no weapon at all wherewith
to fight" she whispered, land the power
of flight was taken from thee. Hast thou
a mate whom thou lowest and nest
wherein thy young ones are crying for
thy coming? Fly thou to them" and the
dove flew away.
Then it was well with En-dow that she was
quick of hearing; well also was it that
she was quick of sight, and very well that
when she had heard and seen she thought
quickly and delayed not at all to act; for
she heard football which had escaped
ears less sharp and saw what in the
gathering darkness had not been recog-
form of the great bear of the mountains,
than which no other beast that is hath
more dreadful teeth, nor awful claws,
nor such rcsistless strength.
En-dow ran quickly between the
rocks lying close together, and the
greatness of his body The girl lay still,
shivering with fear, and also with cold,
for she lay in the water of the stream
that ran between the rocks.
When the night was somewhat spent,
En-dow heard small voice. 81 am
IZu-tZu, the mud-wasp, SAID the voice.
Because thou vert merciful | will tell
thee a thing good to know; With clay
and water well mixed together a little
wall may be builded, and the water that
chills thee be thereby turned aside"
En-dow mixed together clay and water,
and built Herewith little wall which
turned aside the water of the stream.
She lay down in a dry place.
This thing my people will be glad to
know" she said.
The bear climbed upon the rocks, and
with hts tremendous claws tore away soil
and fragments of rock, coming, there
fore, somewhat nearer to the girl.
As En- dow trembled in fear of the death
that seemed near, she heard voice
small, yet greater than the voice of the
mud-wasp.
Il am Qu-ch, the ground squirrel, =
said the voice. Because thou hast
shown mercy, | will tell thee thing
good to do: Dig in the ground on which
thou Hest and thou shalt find safety from
the claws of the bear. -
With all hor siren th En-1ow dug using