Sasquash and his Big Footprint
by Mira Sol
Let me tell you Sasquash’s real story: how one unlucky step turned the friendly giant into Bigfoot, the scary legend. You’re probably thinking, Wait what? Isn’t it Sasquatch? Well, not exactly. His name is Sasquash, but like everything else about him, it has been misunderstood.
Sasquash lived in a hidden valley deep in the wild, misty forest of the Pacific Northwest and grew huge pumpkins, his favorite food. His wife, Sasa, was always cheerful, singing while working in the garden – until something changed in her.
One chilly morning, Sasquash was whistling to his pumpkins to grow them big. His wife squatted and dug up an onion, bit into it raw, with dirt and skin on.
“But Sasa, you hate onions!” Sasquash gasped.
Sasa’s mouth was full. She didn’t answer. That day she refused everything else, even her usual pumpkin.
The next day she wandered in the garden, restless.
“I am sick from the onion. Bring me tree-top mushroom!”
“I don’t climb trees.”
Sasa’s eyes filled with tears.
"Don't cry, Sasa, sing the way you always do.”
"I tried," she sniffled, "but all I can think of is the mushroom."
Sasquash couldn’t bear his wife’s crying. Somehow he climbed the tree and fetched the mushroom for her.
As Sasa took it, her face lit up. She was his old cheerful Sasa again. For about a day.
Then it started all over again: algae from the river bottom, garlic leaves from the hillside, berries from the steep cliffs. Soon her belly rounded like a pumpkin.
Sasquash stroked it gently.
“The most beautiful in my whole garden,” he said tenderly, then whistled the same song to his wife’s growing belly that made his pumpkins grow.
One misty morning, Sasquash brought the daily pumpkin to Sasa.
"I can’t eat any more; it doesn’t have any taste.”
She lifted her head, sniffed the air, and her eyes brightened.
“What smells this sweet? I need to eat it!”
Sasquash sniffed too. The scent came from the village at the edge of the forest, where loud people lived. Sasquash never went near, the noise made him nervous.
“I can’t go close to the village” he murmured.
Sasa started to cry. So Sasquash prepared for life or death. He took one big pumpkin, and set off the long journey toward the village.
Whenever he heard people coming his way, he whistled and people kept their distance, distorted by the sounds.
At last Sasquash reached the edge of the forest. He waited till dark, then padded into the village to look around. The scent came from a garden full of small pumpkins.
He gathered a few for Sasa and left his giant one in trade.
“How on earth do they grow such good-smelling pumpkins?” he wondered.
As if in answer, he stepped into something soft. His big foot sank into cow manure the farmer had piled there to fertilize his crop and feed the soil.
Sasquash shrugged and slipped away, leaving his footprint in the poop behind.
When he arrived back home, Sasa was still weeping. But as soon as she saw the precious pumpkins she was so happy, she even danced with them.
Next morning the farmer found the giant pumpkin.
"Whoa!" he yelped and stared.
His family rushed out. His son ran around the pumpkin.
“Look at the poop!” he pointed.
“Don’t play with the poop, I told you several times,” sighed his mother.
But the boy insisted. They came closer and saw the huge footprint in the manure.
They dried it carefully and kept it on display so everyone could see: the big footprint in poop.
The rest became legend. Soon the villagers blamed Bigfoot for every missing tool or strange noise. They even feared Bigfoot. Except the few brave farmers who were eager to learn the secret of those huge pumpkins.
Meanwhile, Sasquash and his family lived quietly in the forest. But he still lingers nearby, helping the bravest farmers grow their biggest pumpkins. Without his help, how on earth could people grow vegetables so huge? Those giant pumpkins are living proof Sasquash exists.
So when you see people growing enormous pumpkins, you can be sure they are friends with Sasquash. He taught them the secret whistle, that makes Atlantic Giants grow huge, so huge that in fall kids can play hide and seek in the pumpkins all day long.
When you hear tales of Bigfoot, remember: he is also Bigheart.
And do not believe every story you hear. (Just the true ones, like this.)