Bisbee daily review., 1903-05-17
A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE INDIAN
 LEGEND.

 and building fire near the south edge of the mesa. Squat;ei around this fire was the story teller, an old Indian. Frank, the interpreter, and myself. The fire was just big enough to illum- mate our three faces, while squatteo in the semi-darknesS, in a circle around us, were some forty or fifty other Indians. From time to time the old Indian would either put an other stick on the fire, or push one in that was further burned. At times in telling the story he would hiss out his words, and his eyes would blaze when he recited about the wrongs done to his people. and at other times his voice would be low and soft. One could almost hefr tear in it. l almost knew the story before it was repeated to me, and how the old man would watch Frank while he was repeating it, although he un- derstood never a word.
 "A long time ago our people occu- pied all of this country south ot here. Their villages were everywhere; they were good people; they were happy; they increased in numbers; they were not warriors. neither were they hunt CTS, but they planted the corn and melon, and the Great Spirit was good to them. Their crops were abundant, and they hungered not. But after time they were greatly troubled by bad Indians who came from the south and made war on them, destroying their villages and their crops, and killing our people. Our people were good people, not warriors. Their bows and arrows were made but to hunt the rabbit and the bird. They were mere children's playthings com pared with those of the bad Indians Little by little they were driven far ther north. abandoning their fields and villages. Their wives and children cried for food, but there was none. They hungered much. At last they came to a high range of mountains. These they crossed, but the bad In dians did not follow them over the mountains, and again they raised crops, and were happy, and they hun gered not. At this time they were ruled by a chief, good man, wise in counsel. He had a good heart, and was loved by all of his people. This good chief was the father of son and seven daughters. When the youngest daughter grew to womanhood, she was the most beautiful woman that ever lived. Her hair was black as the crows wing, eyes like the stars, teeth winter than our whitest corn, a walk like an antelope. She was wor- shiped and loved by all of our people, and the pride of her father, but great sorrow came upon them. The brother wanted his young sister for a wife. He would not listen to the counsel of his father and the wise men, who told him that should he take his sister for a wife. the Great Spirit would be an gry, their crops would fail, and sick ness would fall among them. Twice did the son try to steal his sister and take her to the camp of the bad In dians. So his father banished hin from among our people. The sor went over the high mountains anC joined the bad Indians, who were camped on the other side.
 Before this the good chief had SC cured the services of Hump Total (Stone Jacket, with his antelope witt all eyes, who would tell him when thu bad Indians were coming, to guard th' trail on top of the mountains. Whel the son would try to cross, with tn bad Indians, to get his sister, Tuml Totan would beat them back, killini many of them. But the son with hl bad Indians never quit trying to eros the mountains, and the antelope, iron always watching, became exhauste his bad Indians, came up and klle Hump Totan and his antelope. The then came down the mountain, kllle A number of our people and carrie of the seven sisters. Again our pec ple were compelled to flee farthe north. The brother took his beautifu sister into the camp of the bad II dians. and made her his wife, and ou people mourned much, and the goo chief. her fathers, heart was sor' The beautiful sister bore childre from her brother, but she would nc
 
 suckle them nor take care of then hut laid them out in the brush an rocks, and they became coyote There were no coyotes before. Sine then there have been coyots, and th good chief grieved much. His heal was sore, and the Great Spirit saw and told him to grieve no more, fC shall soon take all of your daughter up to heaven. where l am, and gi' them a place in heaven, where coming generations will see them al worship them And the Great oplr let sickness fall among the bad l dians. and the seven sisters died, al the Great Spirit took them up
 heaven"
 And the old man hung his head T
 A few moments, as If in silent praye then raised it slowly and looking
 eavGn stars say1nj