Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-06-20
nr WALTER I'd TAYLOR


recently when workers gathering
data for the American Guide, guide
boak OF the United States to be
published by the Works Progress
Administration, received orders
from Washington TO include In the
book information about Montana
legends and folklore.
OF course. there was the great mas
of folklore and legend of the various
Montana Indian tribes, but was there
a folklore originated by the white set
tiers of the state2 Grace Stone Coates
Martinsdale poet-noveiist, and writel
on historical subjects said, mo, Mon
tana has no folklore outside that OF
the Indians Montana Is too young
Folklore is something which viii come
only after centuries"
But is Montana too young TO have a
folklore? Who can hear some Of the
states old tall tales" told and re-told
and then say Montana has no legends2
For instance, that old Montana legend
about the hunter and the mulel This
tall tale is always brought out for re-
telling during the elk hunting season,
and Just the other day the writer over
heard q Missoula barber telling the
story to a tourist customer. If the story
Of the hunter and the mule Is not al
ready a Montana legend 1t is RAPIDLY
becoming one. Whenever the story IS
told there is sure to be an argument
as TO the true" facts of the case. The
general idea is that hunter who had
tipped the bottle once too often went
out to shoot an elk He saw what he
thought was an elk in the brush and
shot and killed 1t, only to discover
that he had slain a mule. The varia-
tons of the story are infinite. Some
say the hunter did not note his mis-
take until he had loaded the animal
L. IL 10
1t had shoes on. Some who tell the
story say that it took place only year.
ago. Others say it was 20 years ago.
Some say the hunter was "a feller from
New York or Philadelphia or some
other distant city" Then there arel
those who say he was Montana ranch
.er and that he shot his own mule, mis-
taking it for an elk, and was about
20 cook some OF the meat when he
discovered his error Another version
of the story runs to the effect that the
owner Of the mule was an old lady and
that she had the hunter arrested, and
that he paid fine and there is rec
ord Of the fine. Just where the record
may be seen is never revealed The
story has many variations and the only
point upon which all who tell 1t seem
70 agree is that the hunter was ex-
ceedingly drunk at the time. There are
even those who go so far as to say
that the hunter killed the mule near
Gardiner and brought the carcass down
TO Livingston and sold it to a restau-
rant there, and that the restaurant
owner received many compliments from
his patrons on the fine quality and
flavor of the meat. OF course, there are
very few who really believe that part
OF the story There may be some truth,
some basis in fact, behind the story OF
the hunter and the mule, but after
many years of telling and re-telling
1t would be most difficult to dig out
the real facts. There are those who de-
clare that the entire tale is mere
myth. At any rate, it is distinctly a
Montana legend which viii probably
be told for many years to come and no
one can prophesy what astounding
facts" Of the case may be revealed by
story tellers of future generations.
Then there is the legend of the gold
en- spike, a legend which is believed by
many Montanans, but which has no
basis in fact. According to this legend.
the last spike driven in the Northern
Pacific track when the two building
crews met near Helena at the compile
ton of the road in the '80's was a gold
en- spike-a spike of pure gold. How
ever, some who tell about 1t make is
merely gold-plated spike. Story tellers
have been heard to declare that the
spike of gold may be seen in museum
IN some distant city. And, there are
certain old-timers who will say that
they saw the golden spike driven in
the track. OF course, history books and
newspaper accounts written at the :
time of the driving Of the spike reveal
that the last spike driven in the track
was an ordinary and rusty Spike-notl
pure gold, not gold-plated. There was
no golden spike. At the time Of the |
ceremonies railroad officials declared
that the last spike driven was the first
spike which had been used at the be-
ginning Of the work on the road back In
Minnesota 1t is even doubtful If this {
statement was true, even though 1t was
rather picturesque, whimsical .dea.,
The story Of the golden spike is one of
those which viii never die and which !
viii always be related as truth by many
people no matter how often the real
facts are reported.
Yes. old Montana has its legends, If t
we will only look for them, and one of {
mountain, peak just north of yell
iowstone park, near Gardiner. This
mountain was named "Cinnabar" by
early explorers who thought red
streak down its side was Cinnabar. 1t
was later revealed that there was no
ctnnabar in the region. Other early
corners who saw the red streak down
the mountainside named the streak
''The Devils Slide" Some accounts say 4
that Jim Bridger was the man who
gave the streak that name when he
Trapped in the region in the '40's Ac-
sording to the legend. which has grC Wn
I'D about the mountain and its queer
red streak, the imps of the devil and,
occasionally, the devil himself used to
slide down the Devils Slide of CHINA
bar mountain and the red streak was
D smear Of blood left by them. One
rhymster Of the early days wrote a.