Pima

---

An Indian Legend

The following Indian legend as told to N. A. Jensen, Mesa, Arizona, by an old Indian of the Pima tribe, Casa Grande, Arizona, 1922, is very significant viewed in the light of the Book of Mormon account of Christ’s visit to the Nephites:

“Long, long time ‘go heap big cloud come up east sky, no rain. Sun go down, no dark. Sun come up, shine behind cloud. Sun go down, ‘gin, no dark. Big cloud make light. Sun come up ‘gin. All my people heap ‘fraid, fall on ground, no look up. Hear big noise behind cloud. People heap more ‘fraid. Big tommyhawk in sky cut cloud open, no rain. People heap more ‘fraid. Hear big song in sky, people look up, see white chief walk on cloud, sing fine song. Lot other white chiefs make big long ladder reach up cloud. Big white chief come down ladder. Indians all lay down face on ground. Big Chief take all Indian papooses up on cloud. Indians all cry, wash off war paint, break bows, take feathers off. Big white chief bring fine, white blankets, put on my people. Tell heap long story. Papooses eat up all chief’s bread. Big chief make more bread, feed ’em all my people, heap full. Big chief make all my people wash in big water, make ’em white like Big Chief. Big Chief take ’em three Indian chiefs ride on cloud. No see ’em all day. Indian chiefs come back, heap white, like Big Chief. Big Chief sleep behind cloud. Some day wake ’em up, come down, stay with Indians, be Indian Big Chief, give ’em white blankets, heap big corn, no more fight.” Mesa, Arizona N. A. JENSEN Improvement Era March 1924 Vol. 27 No. 5 page 423