Hat to GPK Virtual Trip Addition

Marty

It occurs to me that some folks may never have heard the legend behind the Qu'Appelle River

At the turn of the century( 1900 that is ) Pauline Johnson, the Mohawk poetess, picked up on a Cree legend that spoke of a young brave who heard his name being called. He called back and heard his echo, and the Lake from that time on was called. " Echo Lake" Here are two pictures of the Lake as it was in 1900 and how it looks today. You can clearly see the hill that would certainly cause sounds to echo...

Pauline elaborated on the old legend and expanded it to include that the brave young native lad was returning to marry his young love when he heard his name being called.. She had died and upon his death, called out his name, which he apparently heard at the very moment of her death. He shouted back "Ka-tepwet?" or "who calls?" Some where it had to be first told in French as "Que Appelle" would as you know, be the translation. Although most of Pauline Johnson's poems, talks and addresses she gave while traveling across Canada, Europe and the U.S.A. have just about all disappeared, this story has stuck and it the most popular of the versions currently about the Spirit that is suppose to travel up and down the River

Now that’s a real native story, short, to the point but with lots of tragedy and unrelinquished love.

Cheers

Doug G

Thanks Doug