| Show AN INDIAN LEGEND While on a ranch in northern Arizona I beard a legend which was related by the Piuto Indians Tho legend chiefly interested inter-ested mo because it related to a peculiar cave in the base of a towering red sandstone sand-stone cliff The story was told me by Niahumps an old Indian who said it had been told nhirn by his grandmother The legend as told by the nld man ran like this Five old mens ages ago before the white men came to this country the Indians had great villages along the streams and they lived happily One of these villages was in the beautiful cailon of Karumpa and this was where the great chief Numpapsa dwelt The chief had a daughter named Nuinkarets who was very beautiful and was the pride of the whole tribe Nuinkarets heart had never been touched by the young braves of the tribe but they were all in love with her One day a brave rode up to the wickiup of Numpapsa and said he was a member a far off tribe and askod for shelter for the night as he intended to continue his journey next day to the great river Colorado Colo-rado The chief was taken with the brave who was a magnificent specimen of physical manhood and offered him a place in his ovn wickiup The stranger thanked him and turning his horse loose to graze stepped into the wickiup After talking some time with Numpapsa he said that his name was Muuaquira and that he belonged to a tribe of PiuUs who lived many suns to the north He had been driven away from the tribe because he loved tho same maiden as the chief He wished to cross the great river into the Navajoe country and to roam abont until he found some tribe who would receive himNnmpapsa I Nnmpapsa said that his tribe would ladly receive him and that he could marry one of the maiddns of the tribe and live as one of them This offer was gladly received by Muna quira and ho was told that next day he would bo formally made one of the tribe While the chief was talking with the young man Nuinkarets had been out with a party who had been hunting When she returned she was met by the stranger in the wickeup as her father had gone out to see what had been the success of the party The meeting of the two evidently resulted in a case of love at first sight on the part of each as they did not seem contented out of each others sight This was not noticed by the chief and for ten moons after the coming of the stranger the two were happy in knowing of their mutual love But there was in the tribe a young brave named Ocomwa who up to the coming of the stranger had enjoyed the most favor in the eyes of Nunkarets and he looked upon Munaqulra with a feeling of hate which grew more Intense with each moon One day he saw the lovers standing together to-gether and heard them make their vows of constancy He had hidden in the brush on purpose to hear this interview and immediately im-mediately reported what he had seen to Numpapsa The chief on being enlightened enlight-ened as to the state of affairs went into a towering rage and gave orders that Munaquira should be immediately brought before him But the messengers of love are swift and when a search was instituted insti-tuted for Munaquira he was not to be found Nnnkarets had heard tho order of her father and had told him of his impending impend-ing danger and implored him to fly Ho told her of a cave he had found near the village of the stores he had secreted there and of the entrance which was hidden hid-den by willows He also told her that there was a great lake in the cave and they could always have water He said be should fly to this cave for a time but before a moon he would come and take her away The searchparty which had been sent by the chief were not able to find either him or any trace of him His horse was stil with the band his wickiup was still standing stand-ing and only his bow and his blanket were gone The most skilfull trackers of the tribe were sent to find traces but none could be found The counsellors of the chief said that he would never be seen again and all search was given up and all talk about him ceased to be heard But Numkarets remembered his promise prom-ise and when one night she heard cricket chirp outside the wickiup she knew he had come Getting up softly she went outside out-side the wickiup and was then met by Munaquira who said he hud come to Keep his promise and take her to the cave until her father should forgive them both After talking some time they made their way to the cave which was only half a mile from the village carefully hiding their trail as the proceeded They were happy and talked over the security the cave would afford them But they did not know that Ocomwa had witnessed wit-nessed their meeting Bnd had followed them to thecave Ocomwa then determined to have his revenge and he told the chief of everything that had transpiredand asked him to makeup make-up a party to go to the cave and kill this stranger who had stolen the light of the camp saying that he would lead them to the cave and be the first to enter This the chief readily assented to and the party was made up of the bravest young men of the tribe led by Ocomwa On arriving at the cave thoy were surprised sur-prised to see that the entrance was blocked by stones too large to move A consultation was held and it was decided to send for the chief He came and after deliberating awhile walked to the blocked entrance and announced that he would spare the life of Managuira if he would come out The answer was that the lovers would come out onlv on condition that they should be married If this condition was not granted they would starve together The chief deliberated some time but at last gave his consent and the cave has ever since been called Farumeraquamaqua or the cave of safety Numkarets and Munaquira were married and upon the death of Numpapsa Muna quira became chief of the tribe GENE |
