Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1923-12-06
Indian
Lodge Tales
Ford c. Frick
THE GARDEN OF THE GODS

THE GARDEN OF THE GODS
TN THE nesting wales and on the
= grassy plains which lie At tho foot
Of the Great White mountain that
points the way to heaven lived the
Chosen People. Here they dwelt In
happiness together. And above them.
on the summit Of the mighty peak.
where stands the western gates TO
heaven. dwelt the Manitou.
In order that the Chosen People
might know OF his love. the Mapitcu
stamped upon the peak the Image OF
his face. that all might see and wor
ship him. And there each day the
Chosen People came TO pray and wor-
ship, where the first bright rays Of
the rising sun embossed the Image In
their golden glow. There In hsppi-
ness they dwelt, their realm extend
Ing just a. far az they might zee the
face OF Manitou over hill and plain
And the land was fair and the chosen
tribe was envled by all the dwellers
Of the plains who knew not Manitou.
hut one day. m the storm clouds
played about the Peak, the image Of
the Manltou was hid. Low hanging
clouds swept down from out the sky
and crept TO earth In mist and fog and
rain, and the happy, smiling face of
Manitou was hid. and none could sss
Il. And down from tho north swept
q barbaric host OF giants, taller than
the spruce which grew upon the noun
tain side and 20 great that they shook
the earth with their strides
With the invading hosts came ter
rible beasts. unknown and awful N
their miRhtiness. monstrous beasts
that would devour the earth and tread
Il down. And az they came on the
Chosen People were frightened. and
In their fear they fed to the Holy
Mount, for In the sight Of their titanic
foes they were a. grasshoppers
Az the invading tribes came on. the
Chosen People fell ON their faces and
prayed to ManItou for aid. Then came
to pass q wondrous miracle. The
clouds broke away and sunshine smots
the peak. And from the very sum-
NIT. looking down upon the valley and
the plains appeared the Manitou him.
self. sternly he looked upon the In
vaders. and as he looked the giants
and the beasts turned into stone.
As then they stood. the giants stand
today. Their scattered bands. now
rock Of red and brown, are found "a
east and north, timeworn and SCARED
with legs deep buried In the drifting
sands. Some holder than the resi-
are near the mount. and some are far
away In sheltered canons as II they
sought 20 hide. Some hold theii
shields uplifted AZ II 70 meet The
stony care Of Manltou. while others
crouched In horror. were struck dumb
and turned to stone there where they
stood. The beasts the giants drove
are stranger still--blg, clumsy ele
plants with clumsy trunks; camels
ana massive bears and timid deer
smooth. glossy beaver with nat. scaiy
tails; huge frogs and timid turtles
All were changed and stand today
as they stood then when, living. they
defied the Manitou.
They covered all the valley--thess
living men and beasts now turned g
STONE. And II goa doubt this story
20 and see them standing there today
az they stood then. Time worn and
gray they are from countless storms,
half-buried In the sweeping sands, and
yet II you look closely you can see
their forms, the giants and the beasts
that hoped TO steal the land whers
dwelt the tribesmen who were our In
Tiers.
when the white men came they
called the spot the Garden Of the
Gods, because, they say. the rocks ara
great and odd; but we who know the
story of the race still call II valley Of
the Miracle" for here II was that
Manitou gave aid TO save his chosen
people and left there these rocks and
forms Of men all turned TO stone.
a. warning TO oil Of NJ who may
some time attempt defiance to him and
his commands.
Note-The Utes for years lived on
the eastern slope Of the Rockies. with
their big town situated near what II
now the city Of Colorado Springs. This
legend refers 10 the Garden Of the
Gods, Just outside the city Of Manitou
$500 skaS haa tarouxs world IA