Canku Ota

(Many Paths)

An Online Newsletter Celebrating Native America

August 23, 2003 - Issue 94

Thunderhawk – The Curse of the Robin Redbeast

Back at the homeground Paden was in really, really big trouble! The lies that were told against him had been judged harshly by the elders. The elders had decreed that Paden would be grounded and made to stay with Pat at all times for a whole month. This would be a bitter punishment for such a fun loving mouse as Paden!

Michayla and Paddy were beginning to feel bad about their lies. With Paden missing and their natural feelings of having done wrong hanging on their hearts, they were very sad. However, they still didn’t tell anyone the truth about what had happened.

Meanwhile poor Paden felt as though he was surely about to die. The nasty coyote was growling and getting so close that Paden started crying. His eyes were clamped shut. His head started spinning and he was about to pass out of consciousness.

Suddenly he heard a sound that hurt his ears it was so loud. The sound went; “CHIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRP!” and then Paden heard a couple of fast ground shaking steps. The coyote suddenly screamed out in obvious pain. The sound was horrible. Paden was so afraid to open his eyes, but the sound was too much to ignore. As he opened his eyes they nearly popped out of his head a loud, “What the…?” sound came from his mouth.

As he looked to his left he saw an enormous red bird that was terribly ugly holding the motionless coyote in its huge beak. The huge ugly bird looked right at Paden and opened its beak and dropped the coyote. As it opened its beak a nasty smell came out and an earsplitting, “CHIRRRRRRRP!” followed the odor. It scared the dickens out the poor little mouse. His legs wouldn’t move and his lips were quivering as though he was trying to make some sound, but none came out. The gigantic ug-ga-lee bird let out another bellow, “CHIRRRRRRRRP!” and Paden’s legs started moving and he started screaming, “AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! as he began to run.

Paden ran and ran and ran as fast as he could. He was screaming at the top of his lungs as he ran. He was too scared to look back. It was getting really dark and the woods looked so scary. Then he saw a little crevice under some rocks and a large bush. He ran in and fell down on the ground. His mind was racing and thinking a million thoughts all at the same time. He was so tired and scared that he couldn’t even move. He wondered aloud, “What was that?” Then even louder, “What was that?????” It had looked like what he had imagined a Robin Redbeast to look like…but it couldn’t be! The Robin Redbeasts are all dead. Brogan had told him and Paddy that they had ALL died a long, long time ago! What was that?...he kept wondering.

Then he burst into uncontrollable crying and sobbing. He kept thinking about how Brogan had said that according to the legend there were still eggs up in Cades Cove from the Robin Redbeast. Could one have hatched? Was that really a Robin Redbeast? It did make the loud “CHIRRRRRP!” sound that Brogan had said they made. It even sounded like the tone of a bull bellowing in the field like Brogan had said they did. It had to be a Robin Redbeast!

Paddy was so scared he didn’t have any idea about what to do. He was worried about his family. What if that Robin Redbeast went to the homeground? They would have no warning and he might eat all of his family and friends.

Finally Paden fell into a deep, deep sleep. In his tormented sleep a vision flowed eerily through his mind. The vision was of a beautiful glowing mouse who spoke without moving its mouth. The voice sounded like a beautiful soft whisper from a mature female mouse. The mouse identified herself as “Tanasi”, keeper of the mice of the valley of the river. She spoke softly to Paden, “My little friend…I am here to warn you of the terrible danger that you have brought upon yourself and your loved ones. When the elder Brogan told you the legend about the Robin Redbeast, you should have heard, remembered and not glorified the memory of the terrible beast by playing your Robin Redbeast game. Brogan may have known the story, but if he knew the whole legend he would have told you to never speak of the Beast again. Unfortunately, you and Paddy have created a dreadful situation by playing your Redbeast game all the time. You have given life to one of the terrible creatures and it may be too late to stop the one that has reappeared. Hopefully, with the approval of the Great Creator, myself and others will go to work trying to eliminate this one. You must learn from your mistake and NEVER do anything like that again. Always remember that when a legend is revealed to you, it should not be openly taunted or played with. Many legends are dangerous.”

Paden was stunned and even more terrified. He was trying to wake himself up. He didn’t know if what was happening was real or just some crazy dream! He started calling out for his Grandmother, “Penny! Penny! Please save me! Help me please Penny! I’m soooooooo scared!” There was nothing but the sounds of the creatures of the night. No soothing voice came from Penny. No answers as to whether this was all real or just a dream. Just loneliness and fear for poor little Paden.

Finally Paden was awakened from whatever had happened by the sound of beautiful birds chirping and the early morning light streaming in under the crevice that he had found safety in. His eyes blinked and blinked and blinked as he tried to wake up. He looked around and was scared. He really didn’t even know where he was because he had just run blindly with anger after the lies had been told about him. He was really afraid to look outside of his safe haven for fear that the Robin Redbeast would be lurking there waiting to get him.

Paden was softly crying and trying to muster the courage to look out and come up with a plan to get back to the homeground. Finally he just screamed, “Ahhhhhhhhhh!” and went running full speed out from under the crevice. He didn’t look to the left or to the right. He just ran and ran and ran. As he ran he was hoping to find a familiar looking place that could begin to get him back on the path to the homeground.

As he ran he kept hearing inside his mind the terrible sound that the coyote had made when the Robin Redbeast took him. Then he remembered the awful odor that came out of the Robin Redbeasts mouth just before the loud sound had pierced his little ears. Then he remembered the words of the spirit visitor, Tanasi. He vowed to NEVER again play the Robin Redbeast game.

Paden got tired quickly. He hadn’t slept well. He hadn’t eaten and he was soooo tired. Finally he had to rest. He ran under a little rock and fell down in a heap. He was just about to fall asleep when he heard a very loud, “CHIRRRRRRP!” from very close by. He just started to cry. He knew that the Robin Redbeast was going to take him and that would be it. It really was real. Everything that he had hoped that he was just imagining was real! Then he heard the loud noise the creature’s steps made and he even felt the ground shaking when the terrible beast took each step! It was getting closer and closer and closer!

Paden was shaking like a leaf from fear. He didn’t know what to do. He was so afraid that he was about to die! Then his worst fear came true as the huge Red Beast kicked the stone he was hiding under with his ug-ga-lee, nasty feet and the stone flew through the air revealing Paden. Then the nasty beast leaned down and bellowed out a really, really loud, “CHIRRRRRP!” The foul odor almost made Paden throw up, but the fear for his life was even greater.

As he looked up at the huge creature his mouth opened wide as if to scream but no sound came out. His eyes were bulging out of his head. He couldn’t help but notice the fur and blood all over the Redbeast’s beak. Paden wanted to run but his feet wouldn’t move. All his muscles were frozen in fear. Then the Beast let out one last, “CHIRRRRRRRP!” and opened his beak wide to take Paden. Paden closed his eyes again and waited for the Beast to take him.”

– To Be Continued

© 2003 Geoff Hampton
Geoff Hampton is an internationally known author, speaker, motivator and business consultant. Hampton is also the Executive Director for St. Mary's Health & Fitness Center in Powell, TN and is also a regular columnist for the wellness/fitness Website www.fitcommerce.com and Canku Ota. He can be reached by E-mail at GEOFFLHAMPTON@aol.com. His national anti-obesity/diabetes campaign, The Wellness Wakeup Challenge can be reviewed at www.fitcommerce.com/wellness Many of his health/wellness past features can be located at www.fitnessmanagement.com by looking in the Library of Articles section under Management Advice - Online Column and Management FAQ's - Online Column

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