The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-03
OLD KING TURTLE.
A LEGENDARY MYTH WHICH NATU-
RALlSTS OFTEN RUN ACROSS.

| Many Hav,, Seen tho King, but Nobody Has
Thornbush, Whose Daddy Was "Purty
Nigh Killed by the Tortle.n
havc travelled for years up and down
our river and know oveIy nook and cornor
of our meadows and swanps. Thore Is
not creek valley that have not trodden
nor little brook that I have not traced,
anu about no ono of these places, great or
small, have 1 ever been lucky enough to
sec an extraordinary turtle, and yet If
cnancod to meet with some ono of our local
hunters or fishermen have seldom failed
TO hear tho legend of King Turtle. heard
1t almost 90 years ago and heard the Same
story within week. 1t is an account of
so prominent and patriarchal q creature
that 1t Is proper to uso capitals. No COM
monplaco chclonian this, but king
among them. 1 find there Is practically
no difference in tho narration, whether
told by tho octogenarian who has retired
from tho Hold or by tho active hunter of
to-day. AS In tho wider spread myth of
tho hoop snake, every one of my informants
has seen the king, but nobody has captured
him.
Tho story, told mo scores of times by MS
many mon and In tho Same way, has one
feature that makes it possibly of Value to
tho folklore student. Tho narrator has al.
ways escaped actual molestation, being
moroly robbed of his hooks and lines, and
his father or some acquaintance older than
he has run Il creator risk from still clos
or encounter. All this of course places
King Turtle among our myths. 1t will
readily DO soon to DO too realistic story
not to mako very vivid impression on
tho mind of n boy, and ho, firmly believing
III the croature's existence, will certainly
ronow In his own experiences. aided by
fear and imagination oil that ho has heard
from his eldcrs.
Thus runs tho legend rs last told mo by
an old man of tho meadows: 1 found old
Thornbush sitting in sheltered nook,
dreaming tho morning hours away in tho
delightfully."- warm winter sunshine. ASH
approached no looked up, nodded, and
then looked away over tho broad expanso
OF lowlnnds and tho shining river TINT
sparklod rs 1t hurried by it's VOL wooded
shores. Although was unnoticod beyond
tho most formal recognition, 1 sat down
near him without breaking tho silonco for
few moments, and then vontured to ask
him of what no was thinking.
"Of other timos than these, lad, when
tho country wasn't so worn out" no re-
piled, and continuing after brief pause,
there's nothin much left now but tho
bare ground. No huntin, flshin or goin
after tortlcs. 1t was as much fun as work
when l was lad, and no comm back
empty handed neither
was glad tho old man mentioned 'tuor-
ties, " for thought Immediately of tho old
story and asked him If ho had over caught
q king turtle.
"Kotch himr' no exclaimed. "Why,
Id there's only one, and nobody over
ketchcd him. I've seen him, though"
Then, won't you please tell mo when
and whoro?" asked.
Old Thornbush looked at mo with an
uncomfortably searching glance, as if to
determine why asked, and thon re-
marked:
at was we'll on to 40 years ago. was
down Mt tho big bond o. tho creek, where
tho olms hang over tho water, baitin snap
per hooks, and 1 heard, all o. u sudden,
a-hissin and splashin ahead o. mo, and,
lookin up. l SEQ King Tortlo stantin up
like, In the water, and starin right at mo-
His head was biggor'n my fist, and his
eyes showed all tho fro that was in 'em.
was more'n taken back, for suro, and
most fell out o. tho boat, and whom /
looked again seen his shell, big rs the
bottom of Il waShtub, floatin on tho water,
and then it sunk. knowed it was no use
settin hooks, but somehow 1 went on,
kind O. dazcd like, and then started for
homo, but my boat wouldn't move. l
showed an oar into tho mud, and it was
sort o. jorkod to ono sido and Just missed
goin overheard. Then I knowed what
was up. Old King Tortlo was a-kecpin
me. got weak rs kitten, when, all O.
sudden, the boat shot up stream, and
whom elected my senses I set to rowin
fast as my arms would lot me''
is that ALP" asked, for tho old man
stopped talking suddenly and looked stead
fnstly in tho direction of which he had
been speaking, for tho old Gins on the
creek shore were plainly in Wow, and /
could SOC, in Imagination, all that ho do.
scribed.
"Ain't it enough" no asked and thon
went on as if there had boon no interrup
ton. 81 wont next morning to tho place,
and there wasn't hook on any o. nv
lines and not many o. thom. Every one
was cut off clean. I was fool to leave
ON, but somehow thought I must, and !
think King Tortle sort o. charms you like
sarpint docs littlo bird. Well Just as
was gittin out u the place tho old tortIc
camo up out o. the water, but not a-look-
in as ho did afore. He sort O. grinned.
with his mouth wide open, and there was
my hooks and bits o. lines hung round his
chops like an old mans beard"
why didn't you shoot him?" asked.
Hadn't no gun with mo for ono thing
and wouldn't "a dared anyway. Why,
lad, hos bullet proof, course, and no man
In his senses Is goin to monkey with King
Tortlo If Eo knows it," And old Thornbush
gave me look of mingled contempt and
scorn for asking such silly question.
did not realize at the timo tho force OF
the conviction in tho old mans mind as to