Mountain Spirit - Nez Perce
Allalimyah, a mountain spirit or spirit of the wind. He was in the form of a person. A tall old man taller than any tree. Walking to and fro continually never resting, never eating, wailing and weeping blood, tears of blood constantly dripping not only from this eyes but from the great staff in his hand.
Many of the people a long time ago tried to touch this person, cannot tell whether man or woman. They grabbed but found nothing but air in their hands. With his breath he started all the breezes. If he did rest a moment it was at his turning places one of these was over at that mountain between Moscow and Spokane and the other turning place near Asotin he was on the go all the time first one way then turned went back over the same road.
That mountain is where the Nez Perce and Umatillas took refuge at the time of the great flood when all other places but that one mountain had been submerged. The stone is there yet in which they found their kouse - looks they tell just like one of their old morters.
Alla lim yah was a great spirit ranked higher than the spirit of the cold or heat. He it was who sent the way a kin in form of bird or beast to their sons or daughters when alone on the mountains.
from archives of Blue Panther
No comments:
Post a Comment