Legend Of The Gnats

LEGEND OF THE GNATS

You may have seen an origin story of your favorite superhero but what about one of the most annoying insects out there? Gnats, yes those little bugs. In Indian folklore there’s an actual story of how they came to be.

Now we go all the way north of Pennsylvania up to Clearfield county. There is where our story originates from the book called: Clearfield County Pennsylvania: present and past” by a principal named Thomas Lincoln Wall, for Boggs Township published in 1925. He wrote the story but got the story from the native Americans in the area.

Hundreds of years ago the Susquehanna was now as “Otzinachson” which in their language meant the demons den. Makes me wonder what they saw to call it that. They believe the whole valley of Clearfield was haunted by various spirits and was the most cursed. Eveytime they would canoe past the area the would speed up to get out of there as quickly as they could. Knowing that there was a sorcerer living there they believed to be evil.

This sorceror was an Indian as well be wasn’t from any tribe around the area and lived alone in the woods. Mysterious as he was he would going to the nearby cliff every night shout incantations and words of magic. Waving his arms around with the words while other only saw a silhouette of the man.

The wizard would do this for many years as the Indians would row fast past the area, one didn’t. A young warrior one day was going down the river and saw the area. Seeing that it was a nice area, plenty of areas to make shelter, fish, wildlife and plants to eat. Of course plenty of water as well. He decided it would be a great place to live.

Only thing there that was going to be a problem was the sorcerer, he didn’t want to be cursed or any of the sort.

One night the sorcerer was doing his nightly magic the warrior came upon him in the dark. Seeing how mysterious and dark this wizard was he almost lost his warriors courage and was about to retreat. Instead he’s raise his bow with arrow in hand and aimed it right towards the sorcerer. Fired the arrow. The arrow then flying through the air hit the wizard in the chest killing him instantly with his body falling to the ground.

Knowing this warlock had strange powers the warrior didn’t want to take any chances with the body just laying there. Thinking there might be a curse put upon him by his angered spirit.

Gathering some driftwood and others materials, he made a fire to put the sorcerers body into. With keeping up with the fire making it large to dispose of the body the warrior watched in silence.

But suddenly the wind blew. And the ashes of the sorcerers body hit right into the face of the warrior. Burning stinging and stinging the warrior. He yelled from the pain he ensued from the ashes. The ash flew towards the forests and swamps turning into swarms of gnats stinking and biting anyone who dared travels in those areas and then spreading throughout the world.

Weather or not this legends is true its certain like the native Americans of the past people of today hate gnats and think they’re annoying. No Thanks to that warrior.