The Tree Boy

By: Ryan H.

Many years ago, when there were no trees, only plains, lakes, valleys and mountains, there was a boy.

His name was Kochiteem. Kochiteem loved both his mother and his father deeply. His mother was a great healer and his father the chief of his village.

When four years since Kochiteem’s birth had passed, his father became very, very sick. Two years later he died. Then when Kochiteem was about eight years old his mother became very ill as well. Kochiteem thought to himself every night “My mother will die if I don’t do something. But what?” One day he thought “Great Owl is a wise animal and he will know what to do. I will travel to him.”

So Kochiteem asked his closest relative to take care of his mother and set off to go to Great Owl. Kochiteem just got out of his village when he met an old, old man. The old man said “Where are you going?” “I am going to find Great Owl for my mother is very sick.” Kochiteem said. “I am a shaman. I can help you.” the man said. “No! I do not even know who you are! Why would I put my mother’s life in your hands?” the boy said as he hurried off angrily. He had traveled one day when he met a frog by a small pond. “Where are you going?” the small frog said. “I am going to the Great Owl because my dear mother is sick.” the boy responded. The frog then said “I know a shaman who can help! He lives just outside a nearby village.” “I have already met him. I won’t trust him!” With that statement the boy burst off leaving the frog behind.

When he had traveled three days Kochiteem met a squirrel. The squirrel said “Where are you going?” “I am traveling to the Great Owl to find a cure for my mother’s grave illness.” Kochiteem said. Then the squirrel said “I know a shaman!” The boy yelled back “NO!” and ran off flustered.

On his fourth day Kochiteem came to the Great Owl’s cave. He said to Great Owl “Oh Great Owl, my dear mother has fallen terribly ill. How can I help her?” “You have traveled all the way from your village so I will tell you but only once. You must gather one rose, two round pebbles and one wreath made from shrub leaves. Then lay the rose across your mother’s forehead, hold the one pebble in each hand and wear the wreath on your head while dancing around your mother. She will be cured instantly. Now go!” the Owl said commandingly.

On his way home to the village Kochiteem gathered the things the Great Owl had told him to. Then he did what he had been told, except that he unknowingly forgot to dance around his dear mother. When his mother did not heal he thought that Great Owl had tricked him. Furious, he decided to go back to Great Owl and tell him.

When he got outside the village he met the shaman. “Your mother was not cured because you did not listen to Great Owl. Not because he tricked you. And you did not listen to the animals but just your own opinion. Go back to your home and your mother will be cured. But as for you, because of your ignorance, this is your punishment: you will never become a man and when you have seen one hundred years you will become rooted to the ground and you will transform.” said the shaman.

So Kochiteem went back home and his mother was well again. Then one month later when it was time for Kochiteem to become a man at his ceremony, he could not hunt as a man should. He could not do the work that a man should do. He couldn’t be a man. Then he knew that this was his punishment. When he was a hundred years old he was still a boy. One day when he was taking a walk outside the village his feet suddenly became rooted to the ground and his toes grew longer and longer into the ground. His skin turned a rough greyish-brown tone as he stiffened up. Many small green oval shaped figures grew from his head and fingers. He was the first tree. Then he dropped the seed of every tree. They grew and so on. This is how trees came to be.

The End