The Meeker herald., 1923-01-20
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Indian
Lodge
N
Ford c. Triclk
THE FIRST WINTER

TN THE days Of the long ago the
= world was world Of summer. The
ManitOu. father OF US all. lived In the
heavens and smiled down upon his
children OF the earth; and the world
was world Of sunshine; and birds
sang the year through. the fruit grew
on the trees; and fishes Oiled the
streams and everywhere was hsppi-
ness and prosperity.
In those days there were NO wara
and no pestilence; no hatred and no
envy. But everywhere the redmen
ruled JD Joy. and huntsd and dshed
~ they pIeased-and there WAS no
work to be done and no fields TO be
cultivated and DO meat to be dried.
for In those days the coru ripened
throughout the year. and huflaio were
plentiful at all times, and fresh meat
eeuld be had for the asking.
But BY and by evil. spirits came
among the people. aud they told tales
Of wickednesA. They laughed at the
Ganitou and dened his power and
they called him "Old Woman" and
laughed at his kindness. These evil
spirits influenced the Indians. and the
Indians. too. made fun Of lhe Mani
tou. and they defied' him to punish
them and declared that he had lest
hih power and that they no longer
need worship him.
At length the Nanltou became angry
and sorry: and he called q council Of
the chiefs and told them that hts heart
was sore. and asked that they once
more accept his rule and give him
their worship. But they only laughed
and 10 the Manitou declared that he
would remove the sun from the heav-
e0s as mark Of his power.
BY and by the sun began slowly to
change its route. and each day II be-
came less and less In the heavens. and
the tribesmen were much afraid. Cold
winds swept the earth. and snow fell
and the leaves on the trees died and
fel! to the ground. and the streams
were covered with Ice 20 that II was
impossible to dsh. The buffalo dis
appeared and the rabbits and the
bears were unable to come out ON &C
count OF the great snow.
Among the Indians sickness pre-
vailed, and many died and great sos.
row was upoh the land. until finally
two old chiefs went out Into the snow
and climbed many miIes to the top Of
great mountain and there they
prayed the 'Manitou that hs shossd
give them aid. and make his face to
shine once more upon the world.
j fvI.A HR~og&nss hn~v \ =. "a
was moved, and slowly he aent the
sun back upon its course. and once
more the grass was green. and the
streams sang. and the birds returned
to their homes. And the Indians who
were sick and starved and hungry re-
gained their strength and their health
and the world was happy once more
IN the warmth Of the sun. which II the
1ace Of the Manitou.
But when the summer time had
come. then the A.nltou appeared to
the tribesmen and held council with
them. and he said to them:
.You have doubted my power. You
have scoifed my strength. You have
overlooked my kindness. And 20 have
! punished you. From this time forth,
each year, will I withdraw my face
for period; and the land will become
. land OF Ice and snow, and the
streams will be covered with Ice, and
the lodge Of the red man sha' be
lodge Of desoIatien.
$50 must you prepare yourselves
and work and labor that during the
long period of winter your lodges
shall be full Of food and your fires
shall have plenty Of fuel"
When he had said this the Mnnitou
disappeared in n cloud. And from that
time on the winter has come each
year. with Its cold and Its desoiatIon,
Each year the tribesmen know that
II is warning to them Of the power
Of the Manitou. And so dHring the
winter months they build their fires
and hold their councils and pray to
the Nanitou that he may look with
favor upon them when the springtime
comes again.
Note-It 10 interesting to note that
this legend exists In varying forms
among a score or more of tribes
throughout the country. The writer
had it from the Arapahoes. It ex.
lists among the Iroquois. likewise, and
among the Illinl. the Cherokees and
the Dakotahs. to his personal knowl.
edge. Probably many other tribes
also number It among the legends.
Paradox Of the Chase.
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