A Wild Horse

A Wild Horse

By Larry J. Dellinges

     Long before the white man brought his wagons across the plains of the Dakota’s and his armies to protect them in search for the yellow gold in the sacred black hills there lived a horse like no other horse that ever lived before. His name was Wanageesha the Lakota Sioux name for White Spirit or the one who gallops to the stars. He stood tall for a stallion with eye’s black as coal and he was the color of the clouds a brilliant white and it was even said he could fly across the skies when he wished to. Many tried to capture this horse who was often seen standing alone overlooking a mountainous mesa or from the skyline of a towering plateau. It seemed those foolish enough to try quickly gave up while others died in their quest but the White Spirit would never be caught or broken. Skirmish’s broke out between neighboring tribes over who was brave enough to capture such a animal and stories of those who did are sometimes told even today but the white horse of the chaparral was a free spirit who feared nothing especially man.

Stories about the white horse were repeated over and over until some facts mixed with myths  became legends and the thought of being the one who captured the White Spirit never left the mind of a young Sioux boy named Enapay meaning The Brave one. Enapay grew up listening to the stories told by the elders about Wanageesha and he dreamed of bringing honor to himself and his people if he were to be the one who rode the White Spirit into battle. As Enapay grew into a young brave the stories of the White Spirit continued and there was always someone from a visiting tribe with new tales about the white stallion. One brave spoke of seeing the white horse kill a grizzly bear with one kick after it attempted to attack a mare and her young foal while a pack of hungry wolves watched from a stand of timber.

Another old woman told a group of young Sioux girls that Wanageesha was the spirit of their ancestors and just to look into his eyes would ensure a good husband and many children. The young girls laughed at these stories told by the old woman who claimed she looked into the eye’s of Wanageesha as a young girl resulting in several husbands over her lifetime but they all secretly believed the stories were true. But now the seasons were changing and with the beginning of spring the Sioux people had moved to the river to fish and hunt. This also meant the men would be out capturing wild horses to sell and to trade something that Enapay wasn’t now old enough until now but that was up to his father. But now armed with his bow and quiver full of arrows he walked with his younger sister Kangee meaning raven named for her cries as an infant that sounded like a angry bird. Kangee carried a large woven basket wedged against her hip and together she and Enapay made their way to the river while the elders were already checking their fish traps.