There are two Native American legends about why leaves turn from green to gold and orange and red every fall.
The first tells the story of celestial hunters slaying the Great Bear in the sky. The blood from the Great Bear poured from above, coloring some of the leaves in the forest red. And then, when the hunters cooked the Great Bear for food, the fat from the kettle splashed out and onto the trees, making the leaves appear yellow and orange.
Another legend from the Cherokee Nation says that the Great Spirit offered all of the trees on Earth the chance to be given magical powers if they could stay awake for seven full days and nights. Only a few trees met the challenge. The magical powers they received were to remain green all year long—eternal color of the forest. The other trees had to lose their green-colored leaves in the fall and sleep during the winter.
Whether it’s because of the Great Spirit, the Great Bear or the chemical changes in a leaf, the aspens in Colorado are breathtaking this time of year. For a taste, check out John Fielder’s Colorado autumn photography.
Read the latest Fall 2009 Colorado Aspen Leaves Report.
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/einarfour/ CC BY-SA 2.0
Comments
Great story!
I like the first legend the best.
Neat legends.
Would love to hear more legends on Colorado.
Wish I was there to see them.
Intriguing stuff!
Love the legends and the story! I am learning so much about the state that I have always loved when I used to ski there. Now I am learning to appreciate it's other treasures. Thanks for all the insights.
i used this for my school project :} thanks saved me a lot of researching!!
love this page
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