Why the Quaking Aspens

Have Eyesby Jimi Champ

Based on the Napi Story, Napi Loses his Eyes

“Smooch, Smooch…… Woah!” The little boy on his little bay horse went loping across the flat and the slid to a stop. The little boy giggled at the fun he was having and tried it again. Quietly, his papa rode beside him and said, “That’s enough. Don’t do that any more.”

“But its fun Papa.” And off he loped again. This time it took a little while longer for his little bay to stop. “Ok, that’s good.” Papa warned.

One more time, the little boy smooched to his horse and spurred him into a lope. One more little nudge to go a little faster and the little bay horse started to crow hop. Down on the ground went the little boy.

With a chuckle, Papa picked him up and helped him back on his horse. “Why did he do that?” the little boy sniffled.“Come on let’s take a ride though the aspens and I will tell you a story.”Quietly, the little boy followed his papa up the trail and to a thick stand of quaking aspen trees.As the leaves began to shade the little boy’s face, Papa began his story…

One day, Napi was walking through these quakers on his way to the meadow on the other side. All at once, just above his head he heard, “Chickadee-dee-dee, Chickadee-dee-dee”“Well, hello brothers and sisters” Napi greeted the chickadees. “What are you doing?”

“Oh we are just playing a game. Do you want to play with us?”“That sounds like fun, how do we play?”“Watch this!” one little chickadee said.

The little chickadee giggled and yelled, “Chickadee-dee-dee and his tiny little eyes popped out of his head and stuck to the tree.“Chickadee-dee dee” he giggled again his eyes zipped right back to their places on his head.

“Ha ha ha!” Napi laughed.“I want to try this game for sure.”“Ok” said the little chickadee, “but be careful that you only try it three times. No more than that.”“I promise to only try it three times.” Napi replied.

Full of excitement, Napi climbed to the first branch of the tree and began playing this new game. “Chickadee-dee-dee,” he yelled and his eyes popped out and stuck to the white bark of the tree. “Chickadee-dee-dee” he said again with a giggle and his eyes zipped right back where they belonged!

Napi was having so much fun with this game that he did it twice more in a very short time. “What do those little chickadees know? Nothing will happen if I do it just one more time.” So Napi took a deep breath and yelled, “CHICKADEE-DEE-DEE” and his eyes popped out of his head.

“Chickadee-dee-dee” but alas nothing happened.His eyes stick fast to the white tree trunk and didn’t move! Once again, he tried yelling at the top of his lungs, “CHICKADEE-DEE-DEE!” Still nothing happened.

After some time. The little chickadee flew back and sat on his perch above Napi. “OH No Napi! You did it! You played the game too many times and now your eyes are stuck to the bark of the trees forever.”

To this day, if you ride through a stand of quaking aspen trees; look at the dark marks on the white bark and you will see Napi’s eyes still there

“You see my grandson, when someone tells you that you shouldn’t do something; it is not because they are being mean or bothersome, they are usually telling you to be careful because they know what might happen to you.” The little boy nodded his head and silently rode beside his Papa as they turned and headed for home, careful to stay at an even pace.