Native American Legends
The bag of winds
A Thompson Legend
Long ago the Wind did much damage, blowing violently over the country
of the Indian. Moreover, it often killed many people and destroyed
much property. At that time there was a man who lived near Spences
Bridge, and who had three sons.
The youngest was very ambitious, and fond of trying to do wonderful
things. One day he said to his father and brothers, "I will
snare the Wind"; but they laughed at him, saying, "How
can you do that? The Wind is unseen." However, he went out
and set a snare.
He did not succeed for several nights, as his noose was too large.
He made it smaller every night, and, on visiting his snare one morning,
found he had caught the Wind. After great difficulty, he succeeded
at last in getting it into his blanket, and made for home with it,
where he put it down. He told his people that he had at last captured
the Wind.
They laughed at him. Then, to verify his statements, he opened
one corner of the blanket, and immediately it began to blow fiercely,
and the lodge itself was almost blown over.
The people cried to him to stay the force of the Wind, which he
did by again tying up the corner of the blanket. At last he released
the Wind on the condition that he would never blow strongly enough
to hurt people in the Indian country again, which promise he has
kept.
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