The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

HEALING WATERS

ONE WINTER A GREAT PLAGUE STRUCK AND MANY INDIANS DIED. ONE YOUNG
MAN NAMED MONTA HAD LOST ALL HIS FAMILY BUT HIS NEW WIFE, WHO WAS
ILL. MONTA PRAYED TO MANITOU, THE GREAT SPIRIT, TO GIVE HIM A
PLANT WHICH WOULD CURE HIS WIFE. AFTER HIS PRAYER, HE COVERED HIS
WIFE WITH SOFT FIRS AND BEGAN HIS SEARCH OVER THE SNOW-COVERED
EARTH. FOR THREE DAYS HE SEARCHED, BUT THE PLANTS WERE ALL SLEEP-
ING UNTIL SPRING AND NO ANIMALS WERE IN SIGHT. FINALLY HE FELL
ASLEEP. ALL THE ANIMALS OF THE FOREST GATHERED AROUND, FOR HE
HAD ALWAYS BEEN GOOD TO THEM. THEY PRAYED TO THE GREAT SPIRIT TO
HELP MONTA. THE GREAT SPIRIT HEARD AND SENT MONTA A DREAM. IN
THE DREAM MONTA SAW HIS WIFE WELL AND HEARD HER SINGING. SHE SANG
OF THE HEALING WATERS OF THE GREAT MANITOU. WHEN MONTA AWOKE HE
HEARD THE WATERS SINGING AND BEGAN TO DIG UNDER HIS FEET. UP
SPRANG THE HEALING WATERS. HE WASHED IN THE WATER AND BECAME
STRONG. HE TOOK WATER TO HIS WIFE AND SHE WAS SAVED. FROM THEN
ON, THE PEOPLE OF THE VILLAGE BATHED IN THE SPRING AND WERE NEVER
ILL AGAIN.

Where learned: ILLINOIS ; CHICAGO

Date learned: 00-00-1970