Prairie Ghosts

I've been ghosted by Trail Riding Cowgirl! What a fun online version of this game. The children at school play it. They leave a treat bag on a friend's porch, ring the bell, and run away!

I do not have a good ghost story of my own. But I found a Native American one to share.

"The White Horse"

A Canadian Folktale

There was once a Cree chief who had a very beautiful daughter. This daughter was sought after by many brave warriors.

In particular, there were two suitors who led the rivalry for her hand. One was a Cree chief from Lake Winnipegosis. The other was a Sioux chief from Devil's Lake. The girl herself favored the Cree warrior. This Cree warrior brought a beautiful white horse from Mexico as a gift for her father. This convinced the girl's father this was the man his daughter was to marry.

However, the Sioux chief was enraged by the rejection of his suit. How dare the young woman choose the Cree warrior over himself! The day of the wedding, he gathered a war-party and thundered across the plains toward the home of the beautiful maiden. The Cree chief saw the approaching attack and to protect his bride-to-be, he tossed her on top of a white horse. (Pony Girl's side note: I am pretty sure this white horse was an Appaloosa, as it appeared to have striped hooves, mottling on it's muzzle, and a single chestnut spot!) Once his bride was safely aboard the white stallion, he leapt upon his own gray steed. In a flurry of dust, the couple fled to the west with the rejected Sioux and his war-party on their heels.

Now, this Cree chief was canny and knew the land and he doubled back several times. He and his bride were able to hide among the prairie bluffs. It seemed as if they had lost the band of angered Sioux. But once they were on the open plains again, the beautiful white horse was visible from many miles away, and the war party soon found them. Arrows rained down upon the fleeing lovers, and the warrior and his bride fell dead from their mounts. The Sioux was able to capture the gray steed. But the white horse, strong and quick, evaded them. One man claimed he saw the spirit of the slain young bride enter into the shadows of the horse just before it fled from their clutches.

This white horse roamed the prairies for many years following the death of the Cree warrior and his bride. The inhabitants feared to approach the horse, since the spirit of the maiden dwelled within it. Long after its physical body passed away, the soul of the white horse continued to gallop across the plains on the land where it roamed. This land became known as the White Horse Plain. Legend says that the soul of the white horse continues to haunt the prairie to this very day.

A statue of the white horse was erected at St. Francois Xavier on the Trans-Canada Highway west of Winnipeg, to remind all who see it of the phantom white horse and the beautiful maiden who once rode it.

Now, I get to ghost three more bloggers! SO, "BOO" to my My cousin K over at Saddle Mountain Rider, Chelsi over at Adventures of a Horse Crazed Mind, and my Australian Friend Bush Babe. All three of these ladies are fabulous story tellers and photographers so I know they will have some spooktacular tales to share!

Here are the rules:

1) Have a Ghostly Image to pass along

2) Tag three people on your blog, with links to their blogs. Tell about what great folks they are, or offer to send them a Ghostly Treat.

3) Include a link to Ghosting It Forward in your blog.

Don't forget the photo caption contest! You have until Friday night to get your entry in!