Henderson gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1911-19??, 1911-10-05
4 LEGEND OF
THE COLORADO
How Chief Rainbow Won
Singing Water For His Bride

III SutSHtS sE0kSi VI tH0 ~ tG0 Ill
Out in that magnificent country
/ through which flows the Colorado
/ there was once an Indian chief Of such
/ imposing mien. such great strength,
| such marvellous bravery. that his own
and neighboring tribes attributed to
him superhuman powers. His son,
Rainbow, inherited much Of his IA
TIERS manly beauty and courage, and
when the father became too old to
lead In war he summoned his people
and representatives of the neighbor-
ing tribes to witness the ceremony Of
bis abdication In favor of the younger
man. When all were assembled Sun
face. the father, addressed his son, ad-
monishing him to rule wisely, then
counseled the visiting chiefs to keep
the peace. ending by placing Ia the
young mans hail :, <.,far which the
old chief had carried for many years.
One of the chiefs present had
brought his daughter. Singing Water,
to witness the ceremony. Rainbow
saw her and loved her. Singing Wa
ter saw the young chief and loved
him. Before the maiden returned
with her father to her country Rain
bow had asked for her hand, but she
had been promised to another, Snake
in His Hole
Singing Water had no sooner de-
parted than Rainbow fell into melan-
choly. His father, seeing that Rain
bow would be useless as ruler with
out the maiden, proposed that they
should go together to her father and
endeayor to secure her in marriage.
They made the journey, crossing the
Colorado, and appeared before the
chief. He did not dare grant their re-
quest for fear of antagonizing Snake
in His Hole. Having met with lite
refusal. they started. with ~
hearts. on their return journey On
the way they saw Singing Water sit
ting on rock waiting to bid adieu to
the man she loved Rainbow rode up
10 the rock. which was to the height
Of his pony's back. Singing Water put
her arms about him and whispered in
bis ear. Take me with you" Placing
her before him on the horse, he gave
the word he used only when he wished
the beast to go at full speed. and before
The few people standing about had
realized what he was doing Rainbow,
with his burden. was going like the
wind. Surface followed. calling on his
SOu to halt
Snakein His Hole, seeing that some
thing was amiss, rode to where the
maiden had been captured and, learn
ing what had taken place, dashed after
the fugitiyes, calling at the same time
to other warriors to follow him. Sun
face when he overlook his son chided
him for what he had done.
1t seemed to the lovers that the old
man spoke harshly, for the Colorado
lay between them and safety, and its
crossing was a slow process. Before
they could descend thousand feet to
their boat their pursuers would be up
on them, and when they climbed the
opposite cliff they would be within
'asy reach of arrows.
When they arrived at the river, Sun
face babe his son return to him the
spear which he had surrendered and
begin the descent to the river with
the maiden. The young man gave up
fhe spear and led Singing Water down
The trail. When the pursuers came up
they found the old chief sitting on his
horse in the bed of shallow stream
flowing between two rocks which he
could touch with either hand and tow
ring far above him.
The Indians had so long been used to
considering Sunface as superhuman
that the awe inspiring sight of the old
man sitting on his horse, rigid, his
spear poised, his eyes fixed upon their
leader. brought them to a sudden halt.
Snake in His Hole himself, though
brave and angered at the abduction of
the maiden, recoiled.
Stand aside, old man!' he cried.
we respect you for your past deeds
and your age and would not harm
YOU"
Sunface answered never q word, sit
ting fixedly, staring before him with
out moving his eyes from the speaker
He Is the god of the pass!" cried
one. mo man can go between the
rocks while he Is there. He can call
the lightning from heaven to aid him."
He Is mortal" said Snake-in-His-
Hole. and he hurled his spear at SUM-
face, but superstition diverted his
aim. and the weapon rebounded from
the rock at the right. Selling another
spear, Snake-in- His Hole hurled 1t
again. only to strike the rock on the
left Then the warriors drew off and
watched the man they took for a god
from distance. Evening came, and
still he moved not.
When midnight came they said that
no mortal could hold spear poised so
long, surely not an old man. When
the pale face of the moon looked at |
them from the west. growing more and /
more ashen before the break of day,
ana the old chief still sat with his arm
raised. one by one the people before
Dim fell on their faces. When the sun
chased away the shadows and the |
grim figure stood out more clearly |
Snake-in- His Hole was emboldened to |
ride forward. Drawing near, he lean |
ed forward and peered into the white |
face. He saw that Surface was dead, !
Rainbow took the maiden across the
river, then went back TO hfs father.
While recrossing the river he nat the
Indians In boat bearing the body of !
his father. whom they persisted In
considering god.
The two tribes were afterward urit.