Oni

Oni's Story

by Paula Martin

This is a story about a 200 year-old white pine, which graces Camp Eaglebear.

Oni: Born on Holy ground

Sani: The Old One

The Great-Grandmother tree, Sani, lived when the Great Spirit freely walked through the mountains and forests of Pennsylvania. The trees were mighty and the animals abundant. The Great Spirit blessed the Sani and she grew strong and tall until the day of hoof beats and saws.

Sani lived on the Southwest side of the mountain not far from a small spring fed creek. Sani created a deep bed of pine needles beneath her on the forest floor, which cushioned the steps of all walking past her. She was proud of her many children who stood near her filling the mountain air with their pine scent. Her children sang a sweet melody on windy days to a chorus of songbirds playing harmony upon their branches.

One day Sani heard a sound she had not heard before, a low drone with a rhythmic beat. Every day the sound came closer. Then the day came when she heard the root ripping sound of her brother and sister crashing to the ground. Was there some horrible wind or storm taking them? She did not know. The deer and other animals living near her became restless and ran. Sani wished she could run too, but her feet deeply gripped the earth and held her fast.

Then she saw them, the two-legged animals. She had seen darker shaded two leggers before but they had moved about in harmony through her forest. These animals were noisy and led other four-legged animals covered in cords. Sani looked in their eyes and saw a hunger she did not understand. She saw them look at her children and attack them with their flat sharp teeth. They gnawed at her daughter until she heard a crack and saw her daughter crashing to the ground. They chewed her daughter into smaller pieces and the four-legged beasts dragged the pieces away. Sani had never seen animals eat a whole tree. Sani thought surely they would be full, but they looked at her son and repeated the painful process. One after one her family was drug from the forest and the sun baked the once cool side of the mountain.

The hunger turned its eyes on Sani now. Sani shouted to the Great Spirit: "Do these creatures have no respect for their elders or those who would follow them?" As they placed their cold teeth upon her trunk she sent up her prayer “I come to you Creator as my children have before me. I give my life freely for these your creature’s needs. I ask only one thing in my death. Let one child of mine live to carry on the medicine you gave me.”

Upon her last word she thundered to the ground, pine cones flew from her scattering as they dragged her away. The Great Spirit touched by Sani’s willingness to give her life to these creatures gave a promise to her: “Your medicine is good I will not allow it be taken from this land.” He collected the medicine from her and picking up a pinecone removed a small seed. In one breath her medicine passed into it and was tucked it into some soil between two rocks near the stream.

After the two-leggers left the forest became quiet and bare for a long-time. Then on a warm Spring day Sani's seeds began to open. New roots worked their way into the soil of the mountain and green leaves stretched toward the sun. This was the day Oni was born along with her many brothers and sisters. Most of her brothers and sisters did not survive the sun-baked side of the mountain. Oni blessed and planted near the stream thrived.

Oni’s time was not like Sani’s, the two-leggers dominated the mountain and the sounds of horses and men came often. They did not bother Oni or her brothers and sisters for they were too small to draw the metal teeth. Many years passed and Oni and her siblings grew tall. The forest again smelled of pine and the birds sang in their limbs.

Today a different smell filled the air the smell of smoke. The forest grew restless men and animals ran. Oni watched as the smoke thickened and the air grew hot. Red filled the sky like a raging animal the fire devoured the forest in large gulps. Oni watched in horror as her brothers and sisters were swallowed by the fire. Just as the flames heated the air near Oni, the Great Spirit blew the red beast away fulfilling Sani’s promise.

The mountain charred black as far as Oni could see. Smoldering stumps and the burnt smell of fur was all that remained. The the mountain became quiet and Oni felt alone. Rain washed Oni’s wounds and the black soot from the mountains. Small green sprouts pushed their way up through the soil. Oni felt hope grow inside her heart and in her arms. Her branches sprouted small cones and inside each of these cones were hundreds of seeds. Oni fed the Squirrels hungering for food on the barren hillside. Mice carried off many of the rest of her seed and buried them for food later. Since mice have poor memories Oni’s seeds sprouted and her first children were born.

They are small Oni thought looking at her seedlings coming up on the mountain. How will they survive? Oni now a hundred-foot tall drawfed her two-inch seedlings. Oni shared Sani's medicine, she told her children many stories. “We are not here just to grow tall… we give shelter and food to others. Honor comes with selflessness. The Great Spirit smiles when you give of yourself.

Her children waved up to her when the wind blew and all of them were good. Oni was truly blessed. One day a small two-legger walked up to her. This one was different than the noisy ones. She was very quiet. She looked at Oni with much admiration and respect in her young eyes. She reached up to Oni’s lowest limbs but could not reach them. She seemed disappointed that Oni could not give her a hug. But this did not stop her from hugging Oni.

“You are so big and beautiful,” the young one said, before she walked away.

Every summer the young one would visit Oni and tell her about her life. Oni listened closely. The young one grew bigger but her eyes never changed. One summer the young one didn’t come and Oni missed her. Many summers passed before Oni saw her again. The young one had grown bigger and her eyes were filled with water.

“My grandmother died this Spring.” She told Oni. “I really miss her.”

The young girl hugged Oni and sat on a stone near the stream, crying. Oni who understood loss sent comfort to the girl. The girl looked at Oni and noticed a strange shape in her bark and smiled.

“My grandmother’s face is on your trunk. Is she living with you?” the young one asked.

Oni understood the girl and told her: “You are my seedling who walks and now I am your grandmother.”

The girl smiled and the heaviness lifted from her heart.

The girl came to live with Oni and talk to her everyday. She walked through the forest sharing love admiration and respect for the creatures. She knew the animals names and ways and greeted the smallest piece of moss to her mightest Oni.

One day the girl came to Oni to make a request. “Oni you have given me so much and I would like to share your gift with others. I am your only child who walks your children can only go as far as the mouse or squirrel takes them. I would like to take your children far away to other people who need your medicine. Can I move a few of them to these people every Spring?”

Oni’s heart lept for joy. Oni’s children could take her medicine to new places. She would miss them, but knowing they would be places she could not go herself would more than make up for it.

“Of course!” Oni said waving her branches at the girl. “I would be honored.”

The girl placed ribbons on the little trees to be moved and Oni approved them. The girl carefully dug up the small trees and wrapped them to protect them for the trip. The girl arrived at the “Keepers of the Western Gate.” Children ran to see what she carried.

The girl told them of Oni and how she wanted her children to walk with those who would respect and care for them. Only those who wish to be guardians of her children can take one and plant it. “You must care for it and it will care for you.” The girl told the children.

The children took the seedlings and a small marker to go with each tree. They were instructed to write their names upon the marker and plant it next to their tree.

Then the girl said, “Treat the seedling as one of your family so as it grows you shall also grow.”

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