Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-07-29
A LEGEND OF
THE COLORADO
How Chief Rainbow Won
Singing Water For His Bride

through winch HOWE tuo OOlOTuuO
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
theirs 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
his abdication In favor of the younger
man. When all were assembled Sun
face, the father. addressed his son, adj
monishing 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 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 a ruler with
out the maiden, proposed that they
should go 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 antagonizing Snake
in-His-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 a rock waiting to bid adieu 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 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
son to halt
Snake-in- 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 fugitlves. 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 barshly. 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
easy reach of arrows.
When they arrived at the river, Sun.
face bade 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 either 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 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.
1--WE respect You for your past deeds
and your age and would not harm
you"
Sunface answered never a word. sit
ting flxedly. staring before him with
out moving his eyes from the speaker.
"He Is the god of the passr' 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 Sun
face. but superstition diverted his
aim, and the weapon rebounded from
the rock at the right. Selling another
spear, Snake-in- Els Hole hurled 1t
again, only to strike the rock on the
left. Then the warriors drew of and
watched the man they took for a god
from a distance. Evening came. and
still he moved not.
When midnight came they said that
no mortal could hold a 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 emboldened to
ride forward. Drawing near, he lean
ed forward and peered into the white
face. He saw that Sunfaoe was dead.
Rainbow took the maiden across the
river, then went back to his father.
While recrossing the river he met the
Indians in boat bearing the body of
his father. whom they persisted In
considering a god.
The two tribes were afterward unit
ed under Rainbow.