The Second In My National Park Series,
Inspired By An Old Paiute Indian Legend
An extremely long, long, time ago
The Legend People lived in this place
There were a very great many of them
They did not belong to the human race
They had enormous supernatural powers
They wisely ruled this very ancient land
They were called the To-when-an-ung-wa
They were magnificent beings, most grand
They would sit in sage, lengthy councils
Pontificating about life, and all of Creation
They could speak, fly, and even shape shift
Theirs was truly a wondrous, peaceful, nation
They dressed as colorful plumed birds and furry animals
Or as great lizards and wise snails, and other such things
But eventually, these Legend People came to be very evil
Soon their terrible misdeeds, disaster to them would bring
You can still see them in this ancient place, today
Still standing in long rows, and some sitting down
Some of them still desperately clinging to one another
And each of them, now wearing huge immortal frowns
One sad day, they began to fight, and even to hate one another
And very horrifically, they began to steal, and to cheat, and to lie
So one night, in total disgust, Coyote turned them all into red stone
And here at night, in the eerie moonlight, you can still hear them cry
The name of this place is Angka-ku-wass-a-wits
(Red Painted Faces),
And this is the story the people tell.
Bryce Canyon National Park covers almost 36,000 acres in southern Utah, and it is truly a magical and mystical place; a place where one’s imagination can easily run wild.
This park is known for its numerous eerie, red-faced, ‘Hoodoos,’ or tall, thin, red rock spires, which inspired this fascinating old Paiute Indian Legend.
And every time that I visit Bryce Canyon, it inspires me once more.
˙2009, Mr. Ed
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Anna
(((HUGS))) and love, Karla.
Thanks PeeWee.
Georg