Hi all,
Ozark National Scenic Riverways is live! Well, the paper back version can be bought here https://www.amazon.com/dp/B092HFY1BV/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=Ozark+National+Scenic+Riverways&qid=1618434224&s=books&sr=1-2
Hopefully, the Kindle edition will drop soon!
BJ is currently working on Cortreva’s Mysterious Shadow. It will be out later this month but here is a snippet. This is the legend behind one of the most beautiful springs along the Current River, Blue Spring.
The Legend of Booming Shoals and Blue Spring.
“Chief Blue Cloud promised his daughter, Red Cloud, to one of his brave old warriors. The warrior was known all over the region as Sly Wolf. He had found great favor in the eyes of Chief Blue Cloud. For this reason Blue Cloud was willing for him to wed his daughter.
Red Cloud did not love Sly Wolf. She loved the river and the rippling waters better than she loved any man she had yet met. During all the warm summer days she played along the river or floated in a canoe on the stream.
One day a traveling band of Indians found Red Cloud by the river and a young brave named Shome stopped to talk to her. He asked the maiden to marry him. At once she knew she loved him far more than she did Sly Wolf. Together they approached her father. However, he refused them permission to marry. The daughter begged to go with Shome until the chief agreed to let the two suitors fight for her hand.
Shome was young and strong, but he lacked the experience of Sly Wolf. As the shadows lengthened, the fight between the two braves continued. Red Cloud stood watching horrified while her father and the rest of the tribe enjoyed the show. Just as the sun sank behind the mountain, the struggle ended for Sly Wolf had been gravely wounded. Blue Cloud, in a frensy to save his warrior’s life, threw his tomahawk at Shome, cutting three fingers off his right hand.
The young warrior sprang away from Sly Wolf and warned Blue Cloud, “I will go, but in a fortnight I will return with my clan. There will be a great war and I will marry your daughter.”
Without further ado the young Indian glided away toward the setting sun while the blood trickled from his hand. As he traveled westward, he wiped the blood from his wounded hand upon the upright rocks along the Indian Trail on Rocky Creek. Until this day the trail can still be followed by the red on the rocks.
Early the next morning Blue Cloud penned his beautiful daughter in a cave far back from the river, declaring that never again could she see the sparkling water she loved. This was her punishment for making friends with the wandering brave.
The cave entrance was blocked with huge stones so that only a tiny opening was left for the girl to see out.
All during the long hours the Indian princess lived in the cave, lonely and hungry, she was praying to the great, good father that she might once again see the beautiful water of Current River.
In two weeks the brave Shome returned with his band of blood thirsty warriors. They came upon Blue Cloud’s camp at Booming Shoals. Here everyone of the warriors of both bands fought ‘till death except Shome. The young brave too, was mortally wounded. As he lay dying that night he prayed to the great, good father that somehow he would meet the princess, Red Cloud, whom he loved but could not find.
As the sun came up, Shome gained his death strength. He beat upon his war drum hoping that the princess, Red Cloud, would hear it and come to find him.
Not far away in the cave, Red Cloud heard the rumble of the war drum. Faint from hunger and thirst the girl pulled herself up to peer out the tiny opening. As she gazed out, she saw a great gushing of blue water suddenly appear from under the hill and flow toward Current River.
This was the origin of Blue Spring. The Indians named it thus, after the famous Chief Blue Cloud. When they looked into the spring, it always appeared blue even to the reflection of the clouds they saw there.
The princess died while looking at the spring. Shome died while beating his war drum at Booming Shoals. Until this day, there is a distant “boom” heard at timed intervals at the shoals.
When the river rises and the wind blows ferociously through the pines, Shome’s angry spirit makes the “booms” sound louder. This usually happens in the early spring seasons because that was the time of the year when the battle took place.
The Indians always visited the beautiful spring during the early summer and late spring. But no matter when they came, they could peer into the depths and see again the “blue of the summer sky!”
Thanks for reading,
BJ,
JP Brand Books
Read the Brand
JP Brand Books 