Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1923-09-06
Indian
LodgeTMes
THE BOILING n

Ford c. Frick

A rTER the wise men OF the tribe
"A had gone Z counsel with Manitou
his wrath endured for many days.
And the storms came and the light
ming flashed and the thunders rolled.
and the tribesmen were much afraid.
Then when the storms finally had
ceased. the face OF Msnitou frowned
on the world for many weeks
The sky was overcast aud the cold
sun shown dimiy through the cioudsI
The streams that had one time danced
and sparkied In the sun no longer
flowed. but the waters stood still and
the fishes died and the water was foul
so foul that the Indians dared not
drink II.
Out Of the east came cold winds
bringing grasshoppers which devoured
the grass and blossoms and plants.
and even the trees. until no green
thing remained. And man and beast
alike were without food. and the
world was filled with pestiience and
disease and the chosen people were
helpless and foriorn and children
ceased to smile and play.
Bad grew worse, until the chosen
people. troubled and afraid. knew not
whence to turn. So their hearts were
filed with repentance, and with hum
BILE contrite hearts they besought the
Manitou that he might save them from
death. And so they prayed and fast
ed week by week and called upon the
Manltou to pardon their transgres-
sions and to stay the deadly plaques
Hearing them. the Manitou took
pity upon the puny frightened people
and sent . lesser god from out the
sky. who travelled down the Holy
Mount at night until he reached 4
spot where plain aud mountain met
and there he smote q rock. And
where he struck there gushed forth
fountain OF water. II was very fair
but when the brsvest Of the people
tasted II. Il was too bitter to drink
30 bitter that no living man could
drink II unless his mind be pure and
his body strong.
Three times he smote. and each time
brought a spring. each sweeter than
the other and more fair. And then,
STOPPING, he breathed the breath OF
life into the bubbiing waters that all
who drank should be made whole and
cleansed Of all disease.
But'arst he taught that those who
drank must come ciean-purged and
repentant Of their sins. And he gave
TO all the chosen ones a prayer. which
they must say before they stopped to
drink. And ere he left he cast into
the spring a fi~ower-white and pure
and beautiful-as a gift TO Manltou.
SO the Chosen People, saved from
plague, drank at the spring and pros.
pered through the years. Yet each
before he drank ave praise to Mani
tou and at the spring gave Of his
choicest wealth-his wampum and his
beads and arrowheads-that Manitou
might know that he held sacred the
boiling waters which the god had
given
Through the years the boiling
springs remain. though the tribesmen
long since have gone. And now the
tribes unite In giving praise TO him
who gave the springs, and In his
honor they call them Manltou. and 30
they now are called 70 this day.
Note-The Manitou springs now
are famous the world over. but they
were known TO the Indians for hun
dreds OF years before they were dis
covered by the whites. Even nov II
Is not uncommon to find arrowheads.
beads and even bits Of pottery about
the springs where they were thrown
by the Indians ms gifts 20 ManItou.