The Cusp of Autumn

Ahh, it should be that time of year in North Carolina, a time when temperatures drop and tree foliage begins to change colors.  A time to think of harvest and the coming of Halloween and other year-end holidays.  Yes, it’s the cusp of Autumn even if this year we continue to struggle with  90+ºF temperatures and sadly realize it may be something of a new norm.

Instead of sweating and being depressed about an unsure “hot future” let’s focus on the present, the beauty of the North Carolina Mountains as well as a Native American Autumn legend from the distant past.  Besides, it’s not as hot once you’re above 4,000 feet.

Chasing the Great Bear

n ancient times, three young men, the bravest hunters in the world, set out with their dog to track a bear at the first snowfall. The bear had made crisp paw prints in the cold, fresh crystals, leaving a trail that the hunters could track with ease. Each print pushed deep into the snow and covered a wide area: this bear would be huge, a worthwhile catch.

After months of following, the men began to lose confidence. The bear had led them across the globe, from the east where the sun rises to the west where it sets. All of the best hunting techniques had failed them, and eventually, they realized the bear was leading them away from their homeland, up into the sky.

The hunters called out to each other and tried to turn back, but it was too late to return to the ground. All they had left then was the hunt, so they vowed to speed up and catch the bear. After days of straining and fatigue, never stopping to eat or sleep, the hunters were on the brink of collapse when they finally caught up and killed the bear. It had been almost a year; autumn was upon them again.

They slew and cleaned the bear, laying it on a bed of oak and sumac branches. Its blood stained the leaves red, and this is why leaves of these trees turn red in the fall. The hunters scattered parts of the bear they couldn’t use toward different ends of the earth. The bear’s backbone formed a constellation to the north, its head to the east, both of which can be seen on the midnight horizon in the middle of winter.

~~ An autumn story pieced together from bits of Native American tales told out loud over the years. ~~

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