The Cairo bulletin., 1911-06-06
A LEGEND or
THE COLORADO
How Chief Rainbow Won
Singing Water For His Bride

through which flows the Colorado
there was once an lndhtn chief OF such
imposing mien. such great strength,
such marvellous bravery. hat his own
and ueighbofing tribes attributed 10
him superhumap powers. His sou.
Rainbow. Inherited much Of his ia
TIERS mnny beauty aud courage. and
when the father became TOO old to
lead In war he summoned his people
and representatives OF the nelghbor-
ing tribes to witness The ceremony of
his abdication in favor Of the younger
man When all were assembled sun
face. the father, addressed his sou. ad-
monishng him to rule wisely, then
| counseled the visiting chiefs to keep
the peace. ending by placing in The
young mans hand spear which the
old chief had carried for many years.
One Of TIKI chiess 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
| with her father to her country Rain
| bow had asked for her hand. but she
| had been promised to another, Snake
| in Fl is-iIole.
Singing Water had no sooner de-
paired Than Rainbow fell into melan
cboly. His father. seeing that Rain
bow wonld be useless as q ruler with
out the maiden, proposed TINT they
should so together TO her father and
endeavor 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 antagonzins Snake
| in-IIis-H Hole. Having met with polite
| refusal. they started. with heavy
| hearts. on their return journey. On
| the way they saw Singing Water sit
| ting on rock waiting to bid adeu to
| the man she loved. Rainbow rode up
! to the rock which was to the height
OF his pony's back. Singing Water put
her arms about him and whispered in
his 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 so at fun speed, aud 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
SOL TO halt
| Snake-n. His Hole. seeing that some
thing was amiss. rode TO where tue
ma lden had been captured aud, learn
! ing what had taken place. dashed after
| the fugitves. calling at the same time
| to other warriors TO follow him. Sun
( face when he overlook his son chided
/ him for what be had done.
Il seemed to the lovers that the old
man spoke harShy, for the Colorado
lay between them and safety, and its
crossing was Il slow process. Before
they could descend a thousand feet TO
their boat their pursuers would be up
on Them, ana when they climbed the
opposite cliff they would be within
easy reach OF arrows.
I When they arrived at the river, Sun
I 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
the 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 eitlfer hand and tow
| ering far above him.
The Indians had so long been used to
! considering Surface 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 sudden halt.
| Snake in His Hole himself, though
| brave and angered at the abduction of
the maiden, recoiled.
"Stand aside, old man. he cried
1--WE respect you for your past deeds
and your age and would not harm
you"
Sunface answered never a word, sit
ting fxedly, 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 cal,
the lightning from heaven to aid him"
HE Is mortal" said Snake in. His
Hole, and he hurled his spear at Sun
face. but superstition diverted his
aim, and the weapon rebounded from
the rock at the right. Selling another
spear. Snake-in- His-H Hole hurled it
again, only to strike the rock on the
left. Then the warriors drew of 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.
and the old chief still sat with his arm
raised, one by one the people before
him fell on their faces. When the sun
chased away the shadows and the
grim figure stood out more clearly
Snake-in His Hole was embroidered to
ride forward Drawing near, he lean.
ed forward and peered into the white
face. He saw that Surface was dead.