The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-09-07
THE YOUNG CHIEF
AND HIS MAGIC BOX,
A Romantic Legend Told Among the
Micmack Indians.
BY EDGAR pENFIELD.

A grand old forest stretched for miles
upon miles over the land. The ma
jesty of its shade was broken by glim-
mers OF sunshine, which darted hither
and thither through leafy branches,
and touched them into gold as Midas
finger might. The glades were alive
with the songs and the chatter ofmany
kinds of birds and animals, and rivers,
and falls, and brooks, and lakes, glided
and rushed, and babhled, and smiled,
in the otherwise hushed wilderness.
By and by there came a tribe of In
dians to one lovely spot, mighty chief
with all lis household. They erected
lodges and roamed the hills and the
forest, bringing home game and pros
pering in all they did.
Other tribes became thei- neighbors,
some friendly, many hostile, and fierce
battles were fought, and the great chief
was sometimes defeated, but generally
he was victorious.
Seven sons inherited their fathers
courage aud strength, and six Of them
went with him on all expeditions,
while the youngest, only lad as yet,
stayed in the wigwam with his moth
er and helped her TO work.
But gradually the eldest brother be
came cross aud domineering, and the
youngest bore the brunt Of his dis
pleasure. Soon he began to punish the
child, Withholding his proper allow
anee Of food, and in other ways i'll
treating him.
So time went by till the boy could
stand it no longer; and asking his
mother to make him bow and arrow,
aud thirty pair of moccasins, he left
his home.
On starting out he shot the arrow
straight from the bow, running in the
direction it fell. This he continued 10
do till he outran the arrow, and arriv-
ed at the spot where it would fall while
yet it was ia the air. So he wandered
on all day, and had travelled very far.
In the evening the iather and the
brothers returned and the eldest son
was indignant and angered when he
learned that the youngest was no long
er there to serve him. He determined
to set out and find him and bring him
home, but he waited for the morning.
Z He started early and travelled all day,
following the boys tracks, and rested
over night. This he did for hundred
DAYS, and only at the end Of that time
did he see any sign Of his brothers
having rested or built q Sre. Indeed,
he had come in one hundred Gays only
as far as the boy had travelled in one
day. So in despair he returned home;
but we will follow the younger brother.
BY means OF the magic arrow he
travelled so fast, that he was soon many
kingdoms away from his home. One
day he met an old man whom he ae-
costed:
"Whither away, old father, and
whence come you? | have travelled for
long distance, and seek my fortune
in the world"
s-You have travelled long distance?
Your journey is nothing TO mine, for |
started when 1 was as young as you
are, and now ! am old; and / have
never stopped travelling. | come from
a land that you can never reach"
So spoke the aged traveller; but the
lad only laughed as he said:
II should ike 10 see the land you
come from, and l shall journey TIL 1
reach it,
afhal you can never do" answered
the old one; bat the boy only laughed
again.
Then, seeing that the old mans
moccasins were worn, he offered him a
new pair, which were gratefully ac-
eepted. AS they We're parting the
stranger said:
.'Here, take this box; it may help
you in your traveI-n
And the young Indian lad, taking
the box, which had cover, slipped it
into his pouch and went on his way.
When evening fell he lighted fire
aud cooked some game that his arrow
had enabled him TO obtain. Then,
sitting down TO rest, he felt the box in
his pouch, and wondering what il con-
tanned he slipped of the cover.
Wonder Of wonders! What did he
behold There within the box was
the figure Of a tiny man, dancing away
FOR dear life, and showing in his actions
the fatigue that he felt from his exer-
tions.
"Hsllol Who are your" the boy.
cried.
The moment the light struck the
little man. he stopped dancing, and
looking up he said:
"Well, what now? What do you
want OF me?''
Then he understood what the box
xas for. Here Was a manitcu. god
from the spirit world, and all he had
TO do vas 10 command it aud it would
,bey hisevery word With joy in his
heart he cried out:
ss,r.la me fo the land whenoa The