Comanche Warriors and Butterflies

Among the most enduring tales of the Old West is the storyof John Parker and his sister, Cynthia Ann Parker, who werekidnapped by the Comanches in 1836 from Texas. Raisedby their captors, they later became Comanches. Cynthia marriedPeta Nocona, chief of the Qwahadi Band, and had several children,including Quanah Parker, chief of the Comanches. Of John Parker,though, nothing further is known with certainty. However, legends of him still ride the wind. The most often heardrelates how John Parker became a great warrior and traveled toMexico with the Comanches on their yearly raids. These raidscaused horrific and widespread damage and loss of life, from theRio Grande, south, all the way to Queretaro and Guadalajara, deepin Mexico an incredible distance of more than a thousand milesfrom the Comanche homeland. Even Mexico City lay in dread ofbeing attacked. Hundreds of thousands of horses and cattle weretaken as well as numerous hostages. During one such raid, John Parker took seriously ill and was leftin the Chisos Mountains, just across the border in south Texas, torecuperate, along with a young Mexican woman, who the Comancheshad taken hostage. They fell in love, married, and returned toMexico, living happily there for many years. But there s so muchmore to this story that yet rides the wind.