Prevod
Kanjon Oak Creeka zapira skalna gmota, oblikovana kakor sklepnik in zagozdena v žrelo soteske. Ostareli Ute o njej pripoveduje tole zgodbo. Acantow, eden izmed poglavarjev njegovega plemena, je navadno postavljal svoj šotor ob izviru, ki je žuborel iz goščave divjih vrtnic tam, kjer danes stoji Rosita v Koloradu. Ženo Manetabee (Rožni popek) je pustil v šotoru, sam pa odšel čez gore na posvet in ga ni bilo štiri noči. Ko se je vrnil, ni našel ne žene ne šotora, toda odtisi stopal in kopit v zemlji so njegovemu ostremu očesu razkrili, da so bili tam Arapahi.
Ubral je njihovo sled in besno oddirjal po njej ter ponoči prispel v kanjon Oak, po katerem je potoval, dokler ni pred seboj zagledal sija majhnega ognja. Bližala se je nevihta in v njenem hrumenju bi se bil morda lahko v galopu pognal naravnost med ljudi, ki jih je videl stiskati se ob plamenih; toda takšno ravnanje ni v naravi Indijanca, zato je privezal konja in se splazil naprej.
Arapahov je bilo petnajst in s kockanjem so odločali, komu bo pripadla Manetabee, ki je zvezana sedela pod vrbo v njihovi bližini. Divjaki so bili tako zatopljeni v igro, da niso opazili Acantowa, ki se je približal kakor kača, prerezal jermene, s katerimi je imela Manetabee zvezana zapestja in gležnje — ni zakričala, saj je pričakovala rešitev — in se z njo neopazno splazil proč. Tedaj je eden izmed igralcev zavpil in pokazal na oddaljujoči se postavi, vseh petnajst pa se je nemudoma pognalo za njima.
Acantow si je ženo z lahkoto zavihtel na ramena in stekel. Bil je že skoraj pri konju, ko se mu je noga zataknila ob korenino in je strmoglavil na tla. Zasledovalci so ga že skoraj dosegli, ko je nevihta z vso silo izbruhnila. Iz oblakov je privrel ognjen plaz in s strašnim gromom udaril v zemljo. Drevesa so se lomila, skale drobile in mimo je završal vrtinčast vihar. Acantow je nekaj časa ležal skoraj brez zavesti — nato pa je na licu začutil dotik dlani svojega Rožnega popka. Skupaj sta vstala in se ozrla naokrog. V kanjonu je ležal ogromen odlomljen granitni blok, s katerega je kapljala kri. O njunih sovražnikih ni bilo sledu.
»Poti ni več,« je rekel Acantow. »Manitu jo je prelomil, da Arapahi nikoli več ne bi mogli po njej. Ni jim hotel dovoliti, da te odpeljejo. Zahvaliva se Manituju.« In tako sta se vrnila tja, kjer je sredi grmov divjih vrtnic na dan privrel izvir.
Izvirnik
The canon of Oak Creek is choked by a mass of rock, shaped like a keystone, and wedged into the jaws of the defile. An elderly Ute tells this story of it. Acantow, one of the chiefs of his tribe, usually placed his lodge beside the spring that bubbled from a thicket of wild roses in the place where Rosita, Colorado, stands to-day. He left his wife--Manetabee (Rosebud)--in the lodge while he went across the mountains to attend a council, and was gone four sleeps. On his return he found neither wife nor lodge, but footprints and hoofprints in the ground showed to his keen eye that it was the Arapahoes who had been there.
Getting on their trail he rode over it furiously, and at night had reached Oak Canon, along which he travelled until he saw the gleam of a small fire ahead. A squall was coming up, and the noise of it might have enabled him to gallop fairly into the group that he saw huddled about the glow; but it is not in the nature of an Indian to do that, and, tying his horse, he crawled forward.
There were fifteen of the Arapahoes, and they were gambling to decide the ownership of Manetabee, who sat bound beneath a willow near them. So engrossed were the savages in the contest that the snake-like approach of Acantow was unnoticed until he had cut the thongs that bound Manetabee's wrists and ankles--she did not cry out, for she had expected rescue--and both had imperceptibly slid away from them. Then, with a yell, one of the gamblers pointed to the receding forms, and straightway the fifteen made an onset.
Swinging his wife lightly to his shoulders Acantow set off at a run and he had almost reached his horse when his foot caught in a root and he fell headlong. The pursuers were almost upon him when the storm burst in fury. A flood of fire rushed from the clouds and struck the earth with an appalling roar. Trees were snapped, rocks were splintered, and a whirlwind passed. Acantow was nearly insensible for a time--then he felt the touch of the Rosebud's hand on his cheek, and together they arose and looked about them. A huge block of riven granite lay in the canon, dripping blood. Their enemies were not to be seen.
“The trail is gone,” said Acantow. “Manitou has broken it, that the Arapahoes may never cross it more. He would not allow them to take you. Let us thank the Manitou.” So they went back to where the spring burst amid the rose-bushes.
