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Favorite Trivia – LEGENDS
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| “Where we camped on Xmas Day—Broken Arrow—takes its name from an Indian legend. Soon after the red men came to this section of the country a pale face wandered from his tribe & was found hungry and cold by an Indian maiden who took him to the camp of her father. There he remained for a time when a mutual passion sprang up between them but the father refused to give his blessing. He refused to give his daughter to the pale face. Mimalela at last yielded to the entreaties of her lover and consented to fly with him to his own native land but Mimalela’s father pursued and at this place overtook them. Maddened with rage he determined to take the life of the one who had robbed him of his Mimalela. The last but one arrow was taken from his quiver and shot at him yet the pale face stood with folded arms still unharmed. The father called on the great spirit to strike the pale face down if this last arrow should fail him. The instant the arrow sped from the bow a thunderbolt from the great spirit descended but instead of killing the pale face it struck the arrow breaking it in the middle – one half falling on the east, the other on the west side of a beautiful little rivulet running by. These were turned to stone and having continued to grow until now they are each about ten feet long and one foot in diameter. Resemble very much a large arrow. The father took this as evidence of the unjustness of his opposition—relented—they were married. Many may now be found claiming to be descendants of Mimalela and the pale face.” [January 3, 1899]
A Texas Cavalry Officer’s Civil War: the Diary and Letters of James C. Bates – James C. Bates |