THE LEGEND OF THE PAINTBRUSH

There once lived a handsome young chief named Pawohee who, loving all things beautiful, tried to paint the sunset. But his colors were war paint and his brushes were rough. He tried in vain to get the colors right and finally went to the Great Spirit in prayer for help.

Longing to reproduce the lovely colors in the sky one evening, he heard a voice saying, "Behold your paintbrushes." Looking around at his feet he saw a lovely plant with a slender stem and a blossom like a brush. Picking it up, dripping with color, he began to paint the sky. As the colors changed he looked about and saw other paintbrushes at his feet, each bearing tints of sunset glory.

As the last glow faded from the sky, he had before him on his deer skin canvas the picture he had longed to paint - The Great Spirit in the Sunset. From that time on, these flowers have sprung from the earth, and Indian children, as they fill their arms, cry Indian Paintbrushes and remember the Great Spirit and Pawohee.