Garden of the Gods, A Legend
This Native American legend of the Garden of the Gods was compiled a half century ago by Ford C. Frick, and placed on file at the Pioneers Museum, Colorado Springs, Colorado:
“In the nestling vales and on the grassy plains which lie at the foot of the Great White Mountain that points the way to heaven lived the Chosen People. Here they dwelt in happiness together. And above them on the summit of the Mighty Peak where stand the Western Gates of Heaven, dwelt the Manitou.” (Manitou is the spiritual and fundamental life force understood by Algonquian groups of Native Americans.)
“And that the Chosen People might know of his love the Manitou did stamp upon the Peak the image of his face that all might see and worship him.”
“But one day as the storm clouds played about the Peak, the image of the Manitou was hidden…And down from the North swept a barbaric tribe of giants, taller than the spruce which grew upon the mountain side, and so great that in their stamping strides they shook the earth.”
“And with the invading host came gruesome beasts – unknown and awful in their mightiness- monstrous beasts that would devour the earth and tread it down.”
“And as the invading hosts came on, the Chosen Ones fell to the earth at the first gentle slope of the mountain and prayed to Manitou for aid. Then came to pass a wondrous miracle. The clouds broke away and sunshine smote the Peak. And from the very summit, looking down, appeared the face of Manitou himself. And sternly he looked upon the advancing host, and as he looked the Giants and the beasts turned into stone within their very steps…. And when the white men came they called the spot the Garden of the Gods…but we who know the history of the race still call it ‘Valley of the Miracle,’ for here it was that Manitou gave aid to save his chosen.”
This image was made with a Nikon 7100 SLR converted to infrared by Life Pixel with a 720 filter. It was processed via photoshop.
