Askov American., 1924-11-27
|
/ Lodge Tales |
/ rers 6. MA |
THE STORY or THE
COLUMBINE

MANY. many years ago. when the
AsA world was young. and the Chosen
People lived In happiness IN the
shadow of the Great Peak which point
ed the way to Heaven. thcrs was horn
to the Chief OF the Tribe q daughter.
This daughter grew to womanheod.
and was much loved by all the mem
bers Of the tribe. Cor she was the most
beautiful girl In all the world. Her
hair was as black m the clouds u
night; her eyes as deep and a. blue a.
the sky. Her skin was white--and not
red like that Of the Indians who knew
her. Her voice was 40 soft a. the
south wind and a. sweet m the voice
Of the birds that sang 10 her from the
trees. And from AN around. from near
and far. eame the warriors of the
tribes to WOO her and claim her fos
their wife.
Az she grew older her fame spread.
and even distant tribesmen came 10
look upon her and 10 love her. Her
fathers lodge was fllled with precious
gifts which they brought--bows and
arrows. and skins and wampum and
beads and war Jackets and all the
other precious things which they poe
seesed.
But the maiden loved all the war
riors alike, and none Of them would
she marry though they asked her
many times: until finally there came
to the tribe Dakotah from the North.
and when he had wooed the ma,den
for many moons. and she stiIl refused
him. he became angry. One night he
crept TO the chiefs lodge, wher~ the
maiden was sleeping. and stole the
maiden away and mounted on his
horse and rode into the East.
When the tribssmsn discovered
what had happened. they mounted on
their ponies and started In pursuit.
and for many days and many nights
they continued the chase. until ~ last
they came upon the warrior ~ he was
crossing the Great River TO the east
ward. when the warrior saw that he
was captured. he drew his knife from
It's sheath and plunged n Into the
maiden's heart, and % she died And
then the warrior himself fell upon the
knife.
SO the tribesmen. with sorrow and
| tears, carried the maiden home and
laid her down at the door TO her f.
theirs lodge. aud the whole tribe wepl
and would not be comforted. Finally
tho Manitou. seeing their grief, ap
peared 20 the fathers Of the tribe and
TO them he said:
"Grieve not my children. that youi
daughter IL lost 20 you. For am
your father and win look over you,
ana your daughter win take with me
10 live In the Happy Hunting Ground
where she can look down upon you
and zee you and love you. And NJ Z
token OF my promise, I will leave with
you a sign--by which you win know
that the beautiful maiden 10 with me
forever"
A he spoke he stopped 70 q stream
and drew a gourd of water and this
he sprinkled upon the dead body oi
the maiden; and when the water fell,
there was a great cloud came down
upon the earth. and from the cloud
came two birds and these picked up
the body OF the maiden and few away
with n 10 the westward where was the
summit Of the great peak where lived
the Manltou. And where the body had
lain. there sprang up three flowers,
and In their center they were blue a
the eyes Of the maiden who had gone,
and az their outer edges they were a
white and beautiful as her skin.
And all about other flowers sprana
up. until the hills and the plains were
dotted with them. and 20 was the col
umbine born. Now each Indian knows
that the columbine In the flower Of
Manitou. telling his promise TO the In
dians. and they know. too. that Il
sprnng from the spirit Of the beautiful
maiden who was killed By the nercs
i Takofah