The Origin of the Bluebonnet

Texas is an area rich in Native American lore and one beautiful tale describes the origin of the bluebonnet. The story goes that one summer the land was dry, and the buffalo had no food to eat. Soon, the Indians were faced with starvation.

The Great Spirit spoke to the chief in a vision, and said that the rains would come if the tribe sacrificed its most precious possession to the Great Spirit. Fine horses and beautiful bonnets were offered, but no rains came.

One evening, a small girl sacrificed her favorite corn husk doll, tearfully laying it upon the coals of the sacrificial fire. With morning came life-giving rain and a miracle -- the dry fields were covered with grass for the starving buffalo. And everywhere that the ashes of the fire had blown, grew a carpet of beautiful blue flowers: the bluebonnet.