(TAG YOU'RE IT)

LONG AGO AN OLD INDIAN CHIEF NAMED CRAZY HORSE HAD
SIX SONS, AND ALL BUT THE YOUNGEST HAD BECOME CHIEFS.
THE OLD MAN FELT THAT NOW WAS THE TIME FOR HIS
YOUNGEST SON TO BECOME A CHIEFTAN. HE HAD TO CHOOSE
A QUEST FOR HIS SON TO PROVE HIMSELF WORTHY OF BEING
MADE A CHIEF. THE MORE DANGEROUS THE QUEST, THE MORE
GLORY FOR BOTH THE SON AND THE OLD MAN. SINCE THIS WAS
HIS FAVORITE SON, THE OLD CHIEF THOUGHT OF THE MOST
DANGEROUS MISSION HE COULD FOR HIM. "GO AND FIND THE
SLEEPING MONSTER AND BRING BACK PROOF THAT YOU HAVE
SEEN IT." NOW RUNNING DEER, THE CHIEF'S SON TO WHOM
THIS QUEST WAS ASSIGNED WAS A LITTLE WORRIED, FOR THE
DOZEN PREVIOUS MEN SENT OUT TO FIND THE SLEEPING
MONSTER HAD NEVER COME BACK. BUT HE ACCEPTED HIS
FATHER'S WILL AND WENT OFF AFTER THE BEAST.
HIS JOURNEY TOOK HIM INTO THE SACRED BLACK HILLS,
AND AFTER THE SECOND DAY OF TRAVELLING IN THIS MYSTERIOUS
LAND, HE HEARD THE SOUND OF SNORING, THE SLEEPING
MONSTER. FOR FIVE DAYS HE FOLLOWED THE SOUND OF THE
SNORING, TILL NOW IT SOUNDED LIKE THUNDER. HIS
JOURNEY TOOK HIM TO THE BASE OF A HIGH CLIFF-LIKE
MOUNTAIN. HE CLIMBED THE MOUNTAIN. THE TRIP WAS
DIFFICULT, FOR HE HAD TO FOLLOW NARROW PATHS, CLIMB
SHEER CLIFFS AND WAS OFTEN FORCED TO USE HIS ROPE
TO PULL HIMSELF UP BODILY.
AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN HE FOUND A SMALL HOLE JUST BIG
ENOUGH FOR HIM TO CRAWL THROUGH. THE SOUND COMING FROM
THE HOLE WAS DEAFENING. HE ENTERED THE CAVE AND FOUND
THAT HE HAD TO CONTINUE CRAWLING ON HIS HANDS AND KNEES
FOR ABOUT SIXTY FEET, WHERE THE TUNNEL SUDDENLY WIDENED
AND HE WAS ABLE TO STAND UP. HE WALKED FOR ABOUT A HALF
HOUR WHEN HE CAME UPON A LAKE, OR RATHER A LARGE POND IN
THE CENTER OF THE MOUNTAIN. HE COULD JUDGE THE SIZE AND
DEPTH OF THE LAKE WELL, BECAUSE THE MOUNTAIN HE WAS IN
WAS ONCE A VOLCANO AND A LARGE HOLE IN THE CEILING
LIGHTED THE WHOLE OF THIS CHAMBER. THE LAKE WAS ABOUT
SIXTY FEET WIDE AND ABOUT TEN FEET DEEP. ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE LAKE WAS A HUGE DOORWAY, 10 FEET HIGH AND
EIGHT FEET WIDE. RUNNING DEER DIVED INTO THE LAKE AND
SWAM ACROSS. HE SLOWLY OPENED THE DOOR AND THERE HE SAW
--WHAT THE HECK IS THAT THING ANYWAY? THERE SLEEPING
IN FRONT OF HIM WAS THIS HUGE ELEPHANT-LIKE CREATURE. IT HAD
A LARGE TRUNK, WEBBED FEET, AND WAS COVERED WITH SCALES.
RUNNING DEER SAID, "WELL I SAW IT, SO GOOD-BYE," THEN HE
REALIZED THAT NO ONE WOULD BELIEVE WHAT HE SAW. HE NEEDED
PROOF. HE DECIDED TO CUT OFF ONE OF THE LARGE GREEN
SCALES AND HOPES THAT HE DOES NOT CUT A NERVE AND AWAKEN
THE MONSTER. HE TOOK OUT HIS KNIFE AND BEGAN CUTTING THE
SCALE. HE HAD ONLY ANOTHER FRACTION OF AN INCH TO GO,
WHEN THE CREATURE SCREAMED IN PAIN. HE HAD CUT A NERVE.
HE PULLED OFF THE SCALE, RAN OUT OF THE DOOR, AND SWAM
ACROSS THE LAKE. HE FIGURED THAT A CREATURE AS LARGE AS
THAT COULD NOT SWIM WELL AND THAT NOW HE WAS SAFE. THE
CREATURE BURST THROUGH THE DOOR AND RAN TO THE EDGE OF THE
POND. THE BOY LAUGHED AT HOW HE OUT-SMARTED THE CREATURE,
WHEN SUDDENLY IT BEGAN TO SPRAY THE WATER FROM THE LAKE OUT
THROUGH THE HOLD IN THE ROOF AT A FANTASTIC RATE. THE
WATER LEVEL DROPPED A FOOT EACH TIME HE SPRAYED. IT USED
ITS TRUNK LIKE A SUPER ELEPHANT'S NOSE. THE BOY WAS NO
LONGER LAUGHING. HE RAN THROUGH THE TUNNEL. HE ARRIVED
AT THE SPOT WHERE HE HAD TO CRAWL AND FINALLY BEGAN TO
BREATHE EASIER. A CREATURE LIKE THAT COULD NEVER FIT
THROUGH THE HOLE OR THIS PART OF THE RUNNEL. IT WAS TOO
NARROW FOR IT. BUT THE CREATURE WAS ALSO PART MOLE AND
SOON IT WAS BURROWING RIGHT BEHIND THE BOY. THE BOY
BEGAN TO CLIMB DOWN THE CLIFF; HE FELT THAT THE CREATURE
COULD NEVER MANAGE THE NARROW PATHS. ABOVE HIM THE
MONSTER BEGAN TO FOLLOW HIM, FOR IT WAS ALSO PART MOUNTAIN
GOAT. THE BOY REACHED THE BOTTOM OF THE CLIFF ONLY TO
DISCOVER THAT HIS HORSE WAS MISSING. HE WOULD HAVE TO
OUT-RUN THE BEAST. HE RAN AND RAN; BEHIND HIM HE COULD
HEAR THE CREATURE GAINING WITH EVERY STEP. EVEN THOUGH
THE BOY WAS FASTER THAN THE CREATURE, HE COULD NOT OUT-
DISTANCE THE MONSTER FOR IT WAS NOT PART, BUT ALL, ENDURANCE.
FINALLY, AFTER MILES OF RUNNING, THE BOY COLLAPSED. HE FELL
TO THE GROUND AND SAW THE CREATURE COMING ONLY YARDS AWAY.
HE PRAYED TO THE GREAT SPIRIT TO PREPARE A TEEPEE IN THE
HAPPY HUNTING GROUND FOR IT WAS ABOUT TO RECEIVE A NEW
TENANT. FINALLY DONE PRAYING, HE CLOSED HIS EYES. THE
CREATURE REACHED OUT AND SAID "TAG, NOW YOU'RE IT."

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; CAMP OHIYESA ; ESCANABA

Date learned: NOT GIVEN