Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1923-10-11
Indian
Lodge Tales
Ford c. Frick
THE LOST RACE OF THE
PAWNEES

HE AOSk NfA(G VI ku6
PAWNEES
MAYHEM the world was new and
w young. there were Indians who
roamed the plains, even ~ We do now.
These were large Indians--men Of g.
gantic stature and great strength. And
they were created by T-ra-wa, who
created all the world. and all the an
imals. and all the people.
With these great Indians lived the
animals even az we have them today.
The giants ruled the world, for they
were very strong; and they were 10
swift that they hunted the buffalo on
foot; and they would run down = buf-
falo and kill Il with stone. or
club or a knife. Then even though u
was q great buffalo bull. they would
swing Il to their shoulders and carry
Il into camp. SO you can see that
they we're very strong. and that they
had great power on earth. For they
were feared by all the animaia
For many years they dwelt on the
plains. But as time went on they
ceased to honor Ti-ra.wa, who had cre
sted them; and they ceased 70 believe
In him and In the things he did. They
thought they were very strong. and
that they were more powerful than
T-ra-wa himself. and they would no
longer pray to him.
When the rains would come they
would shake their fists 1t the sky and
curse, and call out bad words. And II
II was too warm or too cold. then
they would laugh at T-ra-wa, and
SCOT at his strength. ard tell each 9TH
or stories OF how they would run the
world IL they were In power. All this
time Ti-ra.wa tried to keep them hap
by. and did favors for them. and con.
tinued them In their strength, and did
all he could to make the world hap
py one for them to live In.
hut finally Ti-ra-wa became angry.
and he no longer would smile at the
giant people on earth. He sent the
black clouds and the storms and the
lightning and the thunder down upon
the giants. who had scoffed him. And
the water rose and rose, and these
giant people ned before Il. But run
as they might they were unable to es-
cape, and by and by the water arose
over the level Of the land. and these
great people, even 10 the last man and
the last woman. sank down into the
soft ground and the mud and were
drowned.
When all the giants had been do.
stroyed and had disappeared. then IT,
ra-wa recalled the rain and the thun.
der, and the lightning and the storm
And he made the sunshine to shine
again and the grass TO grow and thu
trees 20 bloom and grow green. And
the world was restored to the animals
as II was before, but the giants, who
had scoffed Ti-ra.wa, were gone for
ever.
so Ti-raswa made q man and Q
woman. And he made them small OF
stature; and they did not have ths
strength Of the giants. But they were
good and they honored Ti-ra-wa. And
80 that they might live, he gave to
them the corn. and taught them to cui.
uvats II and 10 dry II and to make
meal, and TO make II their food. This
they did. and 30 Ti-rarwa sent to
them children: and the children grew
up and q tribe was formed. and that
tribe was the Pawnees. And today
they are still the Pawnees. and the
Pawnees have become q great people.
for ever thsy have honored T-ra-wa
who made them and who gave them
the corn. and the meat. which II their
food.
Today you may 20 on the prairie and
nnd the great bones Of the giants who
were drowned; and you can find them
10 the deep canons. and deep In the
ground--snd that In the proof that
they really DID sink into the ground
a. 10 told us by our fathers
Note-This legend 10 distinctly Paw.
nee, and 10 common among the ma
jority Of the Pawnee family tribes. IT,
ra-wa is the god Of the Pawnees. sim
liar TO the Mnnitou Of the Utes, the
Great Spirit Of the Iroquols and the
Napi told Mani Of the Blsckfeet The
food incident, told here, IL told In
little different manner by the Utes, the
Comancbes, the Arapahoes, the Chey-
ennes and the Nsvajos-in fact. By
practically ell Of the western Indians.