Ila and the Pinon Tree

Ila, the keeper of the stories for her tribe, knows the mysteries of the piñon tree.

The old tree has stood watch from a hillside for a century. It has gathered knowledge of events through vibrations that tremble through the ground to its roots. That knowledge is condensed in the seeds it produces.

Always seeking more stories and more knowledge, Ila occasionally places a piñon nut beneath her tongue. What she learns is amazing.

Sometimes it's troubling too.

Note: This story also is translated, in this edition, into Spanish by
Claudia Benítez.