A Ute Indian Legend.
Long years ago the forefathers of the Utes lived near a vast warm lake northeast of the Big River (Colorado). Snakes as long as a hundred lodge poles were plenteous in this lake. The country was full of big trees, big deer, and big oxen with white horns. One day all the big oxen began to roar together, and they raised such a steam from their nostrils that the earth tottered and trembled and the sun was hidden. Then suddenly the warm lake fell and continued falling for the space of three moons, and then became so low that the Indians saw it not again.
The big lake of warm water had been drained away. It had gone out through the mountains by the present cañon of Green River, and of the Big River. The old bed in the Toom-pin-to-weep is where the warm lake waters were drained. Next, all the big deer and the big oxen with white horns wandered eastward and perished from cold or by the arrows of the Ute hunters. Soon after a big flood formed Grand River Cañon. After this came a race of small people who brought seed corn of a small kind, called Chiquito maize. They also brought skin canoes. They had silver and gold in abundance, and iron tools which they had gathered in the mountains to the northeast.
These little people were almost white. They built stone houses in the cliffs, and cultivated corn, beans, and pumpkins. They taught the Utes how to make spears and bows. Soon big red Indians came over from the northeast and drove off the little people, who went south. The big red men also went away. These were the Apaches, Navajos, Kiowas. Down among these tribes were found the big oxen with white horns, and the grande lagarios (alligators). By-and-by the country became dry and cold, and only the Utes were left on the Big River and its branches. Then melted rocks were poured out and the country was left desolate.
Sybel Newell Stone.
Selak, Colo.