The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-02-08
Indian
Lodge Tales
~
Ford C. Frick
iIiIIIiIIIIiiiliiiIiiiiiIIiIIiIIiiiiIIIiiIIIII
THE LEGEND OF FRAY
JUAN DE LA CRUZ

ATOw II so happened that years
AN ago, before any Of us were born.
and when our fathers fathers fathers
were only boys. there came out OF the
Southland many white men,, and all
the white men were In search OF the
sparkling gold which lay In the noun
tains where II was hid from all eyes
And these white men were cruel to the
tribesmen and murdered them ana
made them slaves, and the tribe was
greatly frightened.
But one day there came another
white man and his name was Juan
De La Cruz, and he called himself
Padre" and he was q great medicine
man, who worshiped strange gods and
who taught many of the tribesmen TO
worship his gods also. He lived with
the tribe many moons and went among
them in his strange garments and
talked to them and taught them many
things.
He continued to move northward
out of the desert lands until he came
to the Great White mountains. where
dwelt the gods of rain Then his
Indian friends told him not to go far
ther, for the mountains were filled
with great spirits. who were angry
with the Redmen and who would not
permit them to come within their
lands. But he only laughed at their
fears and told them his god was the
greatest god of all. and the Indians
believed him, for he was great
medicine man and his medicine was
strong
So he came to the Great White
mountain and entered into the canyons,
where the spirits dwelt and the In
dians saw him walk unharmed. And
30 they followed him and the whole
party entered the canyon and spent
many days.
One day Juan De La Cruz found
there much gold and he was very glad.
And the Indians told him 1t was the
gold of the gods and warned him not
to touch it, but he laughed and said
II was "The Lost Mines" and with
their help he collected great bags of
the gold. which he loaded on his bur
ros to take with him. That night
there was a great feast and Juan De
La Cruz was very happy. and at
the spot of the mine he erected two
large sticks in the form of cross.
and before them he brewed great med
Icine. i
In the morning, before the journey
was begun. he went to the top of the
great hill and walked In the sun
light and said strange words to his
gods. ta
But as he was walking the Indians
saw him stumble and fall and he
plunged down the mountain side out of
sight. And when they reached him he
was dead and HIS body was broken
and bruised. And the people were
very much afraid.
Then the chiefs held council and
when they were through they called
on the medicine men Of the tribe and
the medicine men told them 1t was
bad. They said the gods of the Great
White mountain were stronger than
the white mans god and had caused
him to be hurled over the cliff because
he touched their gold.
They urged the people to return
whenae they came and so they went
back to their homelands. But they
left behind them all the gold which
the padre had collected. and they
would not touch it, for 1t belonged to
the rain gods. who dwelt on the Great
White mountain, and II they touched it
they would die.
When they returned to their home
they told other white men of the
strange gods which dwelt In the noun
tain. but the white men only laughed,
and many there were who went forth
to search for the gold, but there were
none who found 1t, and there 1t is to
this day, hidden In the canyon in th