Legend of the Monongahela

              Long before t h e -:? ilitc man's f o o t t r o d thc slopes
i"' 1
in t h e f o r e s t s of thc n e s t c r n Allcghanics, thc red men
irom the white l a k e s of th? n o r t h and the s w i f t r i v c r s of
thc c a s t hunted on the banks of t h c I~! onongahcla, and f i s h e d
i n the c l e a r , grcen water. Spring and autumn they cmle,
and b u i l t t h e i r vrigVrai- as underneath spreading b r a . n c h ~ s cf
the t r c c s ; and vhcn the hunting season v1a. s over, laden rvith
gmie they r e turned t o t h e i r homcs and kindred. Thcy who
cmc form f a r t h e s t may were t h e Susyuehannas, and chicf of
that mizhty tri'oe ~ vi., s I'; ol? ongahcla, xho was young and strong
and bravc, z. ncl l ' l c 2 t c ~ than t h c rccl dczr.
One season ~;~: lllctnn c b u f f a l o e s i- angcd tho woods i n
l a r g e r herds than c~:~ wlon, and smal- 1 garflc was morc plentiful
than u s u a l , t h e Susquehannas l i n g c r e d l o n g z ~ t han ever be-f
o r e i n the v a l l e y o f the c l e a r grzen r i v e r - l i n g e r e d u n t i l
thc t r c e s a c r e masscs of gold and crir, lson, and a mcllov? naze
w ~ i~ n sth e a i r . Then the hunters spoke longingly of horns as
they sat beforc t h c i r camp- firzs - of dark- eyed maidens,
d. usky squar- is, and s t r a i ~ h L l i m S ec h i l d r c n 17110 would srclconc
t h e i r rctu. rn I - ~ i t hso ng and dzncc , T!' ionongahcla l i st cned, and
h i s h e a r t grc1- i ss. 6, < o r hc 3. aved nc Indian : 11aid? n, and thcrz
vier:, nonc t o r7adicch f a r h i s homc- ccmi: rlg. Soon he l c f t the
camp- f i r e and :~ i?-~ idcrssd i l c n t ?. ild alone t'rl;? ot! gi? the f orzs t ;
his h w r t f i l l c d v! i t l i ior~ c; ii? gf o c~ oi -,~ g~-:~ iorishoit? li cr thaa
t h a t of corilradrs i n t11c c% asc. 0vi: rlizad the g r c a t mooiz elionc
above thc t r e e tops a. i? d tlic s t2- 22. . k:~ lr, klcd throzgh thc l c s v e s ,