TALE
OF
THE
CHEMA W A
SW AN
IS L A N D
AM ERICAN
5
A long' time ago when the sa.lt lakes of New Mexico were of fresh
water, inhabited by numerous fishes and other living things, there lived
withm their depths the wicked old lake man. Once there came by an
Indian hunter in search of game. Him the lake man addressed and said:
Come and live with me, for I have plenty of food and shelter for you
and for your family.”
And so it came about that the young Indian hunter with his wife and
little son came to live with the lake man. It was not long after their
arrival that the old man plotted against the hunter and put him out of
the wav.
When the boy grew up the lake man decided that he too must go.
Soon an opportunity presented itself to carry out his wicked design.
The young Indian’s mother became very ill and in order to save her
life she must have some ice from the Lake of the Sun. Thus the
young man was sent upon a journey east to the Lake of the Sun from
which no man was ever known to return. But the Trues, who are the
gods that watch over all, were kind to him. After meeting many hard
ships and undergoing the many severe tests to which the gods subject
ed him he obtained the precious piece of ice and returned to the lake.
On beholding the youth return, the wicked lake man was beside him
self with wrath, and once more sent the youth upon a perilous journey
to the south, feeling sure that this time he would never return. One
day as the old man was looking out over the lake he beheld the young
Indian returning. It was a dark and cloudy day, the sky was over
cast, and great forks of lightning were leaping over the waters. Just
as the youth was approaching home a flash struck the wicked man and
tore him asunder.
The youth then took his mother, who had been mourning for him as
dead, and departed forever. Ere he departed he prayed to the Trues
that they may curse the lakes. They harkened to his prayer, and from
that day to this the lakes remained accursed. Their waters are salty,
and no living thing exists in them.
STO R Y
OF
THE
SA LT
LAKES
There is an island on Horn Pond, Mass., that the Indians named
Swan Island. How this island rose from the bottom of this pond and
how it received its name is the subject of this Indian tale.
A tribe of Indians once dwelt upon the shores of Lake Initou, known
to the white man as Horn Pond. There they lived and flourished and
worshipped the many lessergods, thes pirits of the air, wood and water.