Big Rock
Rock/Glacial Erratic
82 J
Large quartzite glacial erratic approximately 22 km south of Calgary.
The following is the story related concerning the existence of Big Rock. The Old Man -
Napi - had given a robe to Big Rock on top of the hill. During a rainstorm, Coyote was sent by Napi to retrieve the robe to keep the two of them dry. Big Rock refused and Napi took away the robe, vowing never to give it back. Coyote and Napi enjoyed the comfort of the robe for only a short while. Angry, Big Rock took after them, rolling down the hill. Coyote was partially crushed by Big Rock. Napi enlisted the help of this brothers the bison, deer, antelope, and rattlesnake. None of them could help the rock. Finally, the bats swooped down on Big Rock, and, chipping away at the stone, caused the rock to break in the
middle and stop where we find it today. Adapted from Blackfoot Lodge Tales: the Story of a Prairie People. Nearby Okotoks takes its name from the feature for okotoks is a transliteration for big rock in the Blackfoot language.