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AMERICAN
LORE & LEGENDS
The
Lost Trail |
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By Charles M. Skinner
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The canon of
Oak Creek is choked by a mass of rock, shaped like a keystone, and wedged
into the jaws of the defile. An elderly Ute tells this story of it.
Acantow, one of the chiefs of his tribe, usually placed his lodge beside
the spring that bubbled from a thicket of wild roses in the place where
Rosita,
Colorado,
stands to-day. He left his wife--Manetabee (Rosebud)--in the lodge while
he went across the mountains to attend a council, and was gone four
sleeps. On his return he found neither wife nor lodge, but footprints and
hoof prints in the ground showed to his keen eye that it was the
Arapahos
who had been there.
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Rosita,
Colorado,
USGS Photo, 1880-1890
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Getting
on their trail he rode over it furiously, and at night had reached Oak
Canon, along which he traveled until he saw the gleam of a small fire
ahead. A squall was coming up, and the noise of it might have enabled
him to gallop fairly into the group that he saw huddled about the
glow; but it is not in the nature of an Indian to do that, and, tying
his horse, he crawled forward.
There
were fifteen of the
Arapahos,
and they were gambling to decide the ownership of Manetabee, who sat
bound beneath a willow near them. So engrossed were the savages in the
contest that the snake-like approach of Acantow was unnoticed until he
had cut the thongs that bound Manetabee's wrists and ankles--she did
not cry out, for she had expected rescue--and both had imperceptibly
slid away from them. Then, with a yell, one of the gamblers pointed to
the receding forms, and straightway the fifteen made an onset.
Swinging
his wife lightly to his shoulders Acantow set off at a run and he had
almost reached his horse when his foot caught in a root and he fell
headlong. The pursuers were almost upon him when the storm burst in
fury.

Manitou Spring in 1870,
photo by William Henry Jackson,
courtesy
Denver Public
Library
A flood
of fire rushed from the clouds and struck the earth with an appalling
roar. Trees were snapped, rocks were splintered, and a whirlwind
passed. Acantow was nearly insensible for a time--then he felt the
touch of the Rosebud's hand on his cheek, and together they arose and
looked about them. A huge block of river granite lay in the canon,
dripping blood. Their enemies were not to be seen.
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"The trail
is gone," said Acantow. "Manitou has broken it, that the
Arapahos
may never cross it more. He would not allow them to take you. Let us thank
the Manitou." So they went back to where the spring burst amid the
rose-bushes.
Added March, 2006
Back to Legends, Myths & Campfire Tales
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About the Author: Charles M. Skinner (1852-1907) authored the
complete nine volume set of Myths and Legends of Our Own Land in
1896. This tale is excerpted from these excellent works, which are
now in the public domain.
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From the Rocky Mountain General Store
Native
American Guides & Books -
Legends of America and
the
Rocky Mountain General Store has collected a number of
Native American Guides & Books for our readers of history and
Native
American lore. For many of these, we have only one available.
To see this varied collection, click
HERE!
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