The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-11-17
INDIAN MYTHS


"See!" said the Indian grand
father. as he sat in the opening o.
his tepee. ''See the little fire bird!
How swiftly it darts! Now 1t drinks
honey from the flowers. How fas1
its wings novel"
"A little Indian boy stood quietly
at his grandfather's side. II see the
fire on Its throat he said softly, and
then, as the bird darted away, he
begged, TELL me the story OF tbs
little fire bird, grandfather. l Like
the story
Then the grandfather told this
tale, which his grandfather had told
him:
~. Long, long ago the Indian people
lived In country where it was cold,
and the snow fell for many, many
days. The falling snow covered the
tracks Of the forest children, so the
hunters could find little meat. Many
times the Indian children cried to
the Great Spirit for warmth, and for
better hunting.
Far to the west Of the Indian vii
lage there was high mountain; and
often the people watched the red sun
as he sank from sight beyond the
mountain and all the sky was filed
with brightness.
One night q little child went rum
ming about the tepees calling, "Come
come; see the sun! See the SUM-.
The people looked toward the
west. All the sky was bright; and
they said, The sun is touching the
mountain top
But tho brightness did not fade
away a. they watched. Instead,
while darkness fell all about the VIII
lage, the red fire burned brighter and
brighter at the top Of the mountain.
The people cried. THE sun IL resting.
He does not move. He does not sink
behind the mountain" Then they
were frightened, for they knew not
what to think.
All night they watched, and still
the bright light shone above the
mountain top. It flashed. and threw
frey darts Tar into the heavens: and
the Indians said, 1.-THE sun is angry.
Perhaps he will destroy the earth's
children
Then their wonder grew as far
away in the east 9 light began to
glow. 1t grew brighter and brighter
and then the sun arose on the
eastern horizon! The people. knew
then that the light upon the mount
ain was not the light of the sun.
There is fire in the mountain"
they cried, ''and lire Is warm. 1t is
reckoning to us with its hands. Let
us move nearer to the fire mountain.
It will not be SO cold there"
So the people of the village
marched westward toward the
mountain. The bright light had gone,
but cloud Of smoke hung above It. |
For several days they journeyed,
and at last they reached the foot Of |
the mountain, and there they
camped.
Then two of their bravest warriors |
climbed up the mountain, until they |
came to its very top, and there they
looked down into great opening,
shaped like mammoth bowl, and It
was full Of fire! Then they fastened
down and told the people.
The people rejoiced, and said,
THE fire in the mountain will keep
us warm. 1t will be good to live
here" And they made them a new
village at the foot of the mountain.
For many moons the people dwelt
there, hunting and fishing, making
their beads and moccasins. Then
one day strange noise was heard.
1t was as tho the mountain coughed
"a great hoarse, rumbIing cough. 8
like that of some huge giant. Ii
The people stood still and list G
sned! There was another sound like u
The first, but heavier, more con- b
vulsive. q
Then great flash of fire shot up | h
rom the mountain top, and fell u
gain. Then another, and another, O
Ind each time the fire leaped higher.
Let us rum" cried the, people. j
Let us run!" Even as they spoke Il
here was great burst of fire and il
moke, and huge stones were thrown v
Ugh in the air, and a stream came T
curing down the side of the mount d
INA stream that looked like ii
liquid fire. n
Then the Indians ran, indeed, and Of
here was no time to save ANYTHING h.
ut their own lives! v;
Many streams followed the first cI
ne, coming like frey serpents down al
ne mountain side, and above were
eavy smoke clouds, shot with burst cl
lg rocks. n,
Far away the Indian people ran. a.
rying, "The Fire Spirit is angry! M
hat have we done that he should Il
estroy our honest"
At last they stopped, and turned to
ok back at the fire mountain. The
ames were gone; only cloud Of
noke hung about. But the frey CT
reams had burned all that was in su
leir way; and rocks and ashes had m,
Tried what the fire streams had not
estroyed. to,
Then the people prayed to the Ell,
reat Spirit, and as the Great Spirit eff
oked down upon the mountain and Oh
w what destruction had been ca
rought, he said, your flames shall
put out; your fires shall be wi
lenched." And even as the Great Go
'irit spoke, the fires grew ashen sci
color, and the flames trembled and De-
nix away. III
But in the center of the great bowl lat
the mountain, where the fires had fol-