"Standing Rock, The Sacred Stone Of The Sioux," by W.A. Rodgers.
Another Legend Of Standing Rock
A Tale Of Faithfulness During Absence
By Dakota Wind
STANDING ROCK, N.D. – There are
several variations of the story of Standing Rock, but all of them end with a
woman transforming into stone. On the Northern Plains there are three tribes
which have a Standing Rock story: the Cheyenne, the Arikara, and the Standing
Rock Sioux. There is a different location associated with each story too.
The story of Standing Rock, in a way,
mirrors the story of the horses’ arrival. There are several variations of the
story of first contact with horses, and in different places too. The common
element of the horse story is awe and a renewed sense of respect for the
mystery of creation. No one story is right, and no one location is the exact one.
The stories of Standing Rock always
end in the transformation of a woman into stone. Perhaps some long ago event
about a woman who was universally beloved by the tribes of the Northern Plains
inspired stories associated with all the feelings and angst of love and
tragedy. One variant tells of the importance of obeying the supernatural,
another of patience and waiting for a lost love to return, and here’s yet
another version about infidelity. It was collected by Colonel Welsh in Fort
Yates, on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation in 1915.
A previous version from
Welch’s notes from the website Welch's Dakota Papers was featured here, but this version was tucked away in the
AB Welch collection at the North Dakota State Archives. The date of this
variant places the incident in 1833 along the Grand River on the Standing Rock
Sioux Indian Reservation, while the Yanktonai Dakota version places the tale in
1740 near Cannonball River, also on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation.
"The Night The Stars Fell Over The Sioux Nation," by Eric S. Young.
A long time ago, the year the stars
fell [1833], a young warrior took many presents, and laid them at the lodge of
a family where a beautiful maiden lived. The father of the maiden came out,
looked at the piles of valuable furs and beautiful ornaments, saw the slick
slim limbed ponies, and his heart was soft within him. He gathered up the
presents, carried them into his tipi, when he came out, he lead his daughter by
the hand and presented her to this young warrior for his wife.
The young man, soon after, went away
on an expedition against the Crows. He and his party were gone all summer and
in the fall were caught by the early winter on the Yellowstone River and owing
to the large body of captured horses the party was compelled to make winter
camp. As early as they could move in the spring they started across the country
and finally arrived at the village of their tribe. There was great rejoicing,
dancing and feasts. The young man then went to the sundance and distinguished
himself by dragging bison skulls, and prayed to become a great leader among his
people.
The young man was eventually selected
as chieftan over a small band.
For some reason, the suspicions of the
young chief were aroused against his wife and she was compelled to consume a
draught of bitter herbs, as a test. If she were innocent, it was believed that
the herbs would have no effect upon her. If she were guilty, the drink would
make her sick. She became violently ill and it was decided that she had been
unfaithful. Accordingly, a procession was formed and she was taken upon the
hill that stands alone.
In the presence of the entire tribe,
the young chief pronounced a terrible curse upon her. The medicine men
performed a mystical rite and the winds rushed and roared, rain and hail beat
down with great fury, the sun became darkened – it was midday -, fire leapt out
of the ground, and spirits were seen rushing through the air.
Fire Heart applies paint [red] to Standing Rock. Major James McLaughlin wrote that Fire Heart prayed for peace and forgiveness.
At this demonstration, the tribe, in
great fear, fell down upon the ground, and when the terrible things had ceased,
they looked, and beheld the young woman with a babe upon her back had turned to
black stone. This stone thereafter was greatly regarded as sacred.
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