Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1931-04-03
Little Journeys in ]
Americana !
Legend of Anpato Sapa
BY LESTER 3. COLBY
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a MPATO SAPA was an Indian
maiden. The legend as find it
Gnes not name the others who figured
in her romance and her tragedy The
legend. as it has been handed down
through generations. finds the name
of Ampato sufficient.
In her early years Ampato was not
wholly like other girls. She was more
beautiful The Sioux as tribe are
rather stolid They are not towering
in stature and are heavy set as
ri!le The women are sturdy and
stout burden-bearers. Ampato was not
like that.
Tile legend says that she grew up
to he tall and 1.-THE and winsome. Her
raven hair was very long and she
wore it in thick braids She danced
with the light grace of the antelope
in flight and her step was as soft
and sure as that of the panther.
Ampato Sapa did her full share
of the days labor but she ended her
toll at night time with smile and
song on her lips The village loved
Ampato The legend as it comes to
me, does not tell the mime Of Am
pato's father or bier mother or of any
of the braves who wooed her. Per
haps it is better so. Nor does it tell
the name of him who became her
husband.
No.athe legend is about Ampato and
ST Anthony's falls.
These falls are on the Mississippi
river in Minnesota The Indians,
when Father Hennepin found the
falls, called them "Rara.' The word
is from TIARA, which means Ito laugh.
Therefore, the name OF. the Falls of
st. Anthony, in the language of the
red men. meant laughter.
But the red men say that the laugh
ing waters also weep. each day at
sunrise. for Ampato The story of
Ampato was an old story when Hen
nepin, Franciscan monk of the Re
collect order, came upon those falls
one October day in 1888 the first
white man ever 10 set eyes upon
them.
Hennepin, in his story of their
grandeur, estimated that they made a
sheer drop of sixty feet. But he told
his story too we'll few years later.
others who followed him said the wa
tiers here fell thirty feet In time
scientific parties came and measured
the falls The drop? Oh, twelve feet.
But a world Of wafer goes. over
them and the roaI is deafening at
times. The stream comes as living
torrent. In full flood, it is mighty
and impressive
Well, Ampato Sapa as she grew to
womanhood, unfolded like flower.
Her bosoms rounded and it was noted
among the Sioux that their farest
daughter had ripened And any brave
that might be her hearts desire she
could have for the choice. You see, in
this she was not like other girls among
the Sioux.
Feats of strength went round. The
young men rode ponies in the contests.
They painted their faces and bodies
in many cOlOrs and danced in their
fnery. wonder why the legend does
not tell the name of the man she
chose or by what arts he captured
her.
Perhaps he is nameless as punish
ment for his sins Anyway. the le
gend merely records that he was
stronger, swifter a better hunter and
a surer rider than the rest of them.
stayed and WAS hers
It was happy union. Two babies
came to bless them There was joy
In their teepee Soon other families
attached themselves to Ampato's hus-
band. His teepee was the center of
a group which meant that he was
recognized as a chief.
Maybe the attentions turned his
head. He became ambitious. He de
sired power And among the Sioux a
chief. if bold might take on more
than one wife Plurality of wives. in
way, was distinction. Ampato's
husband came home one day with a
second wife.
Ampato was sad She wept Her
husband then 10 dry away her tears,
told her that this other wife should
always be her servant She should
do the heavy work Ampato would
always be his beloved Rut Ampato
wept on And the next morning she
was gone Gone roo, were her two
children She had taken them with her
That winter AnWato spent AT dis
tant village in the wigwam of her
father One early morning in the
springtime, when the blood-roots and
adder-tongues blooned in the shadows
and the marsh-marigold was aglow
In the swamps, Ampato padded out
into the tumblng waters of the Missis-
sippi river.above the falls.
While her village looked on she