CHEMAWA'SJAMERICAN
Printed at Che maw a, Oregon and Devoted to the Interests of Indian Edueat^l^.
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Vol. XXXI
Wednesday, May 7, 1930
INDIAN LEGENDS
The following interesting Indian legends were writ
ten by Celia K. Husik and it is a pleasure for us to
give them space:
TALE OF THE SALT LAKES
*^ 34
this the lakes remained accursed. Their waters are
salty, and no living thing exists in them.
STORY OF SWAN ISLAND
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
the many lesser gods, the spirits of the air, wood and
water. Thus they lived for a long time, until finallj'
a change came in their fortune. There was pestilence
in their midst, famine in the valleys, and death and
devastation everywhere. What should they do?
Once the chief, Wakima, leader of the tribe, came
to the banks of the lake and sat there pondering in
sorrow until he fell asleep. In his dream he saw a
vision and heard a voice. The voice counseled him
to address in daily prayer the Great Spirit, Manitou,
the ruler of all things upon earth and sky, and to ask
his help. For the Great Spirit, he said, was angry
because the tribe had worshiped all the lesser Gods
and had forgotten the all-powerful Manitou.
“Go to your people,” continued the voice, “bid
them pray, and when you have played long and well
return to the lake with all your tribe. If Manitou is
satisfied he will send a token to show that his anger
has been appeased.”
Then Wakima assembled his people and told them
all that had happened. The whole tribe prayed to
the Great Spirit, and after some time all assembled
upon the lake shore. As they were rowing about the
lake in their canoes there suddenly appeared in their
midst a beautiful shining swan, which rested upon the
waters for awhile and then slowly disappeared. The
next day upon that very spot arose a new island, which
the Indians called Swan Island.
A long time ago when the salt lakes of New Mexico
were of fresh water, inhabited by numerous fishes and
ether living things, there lived within 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
way.
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 hardships and undergoing the many severe tests
to which the gods subjected him he obtained the prec
ious piece of ice and returned to the lake.
On beholding the youth return, the wicked lake
man was beside himself 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 overcast, and great forks
of lightniiig were leaping over the waters. Just as the
youth was approaching home a flash struck the wicked
man and tore him asunder.
Supt. Lipps left last Friday evening for Tulalip,
The youth took his mother, who had been mourning
for him as dead, and departed forever. Ere he departed Washington, on business connected with the school at
he prayed to the Trues that they may curse the lakes. that place. At the time of leaving he expected to ar
They harkened to his prayer, and fiom that day to rive back home in Chemawa today.
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