Once, during an especially dry summer in the Pacific Northwest, the rivers shrank to mere trickles, and the forest began to suffer under the relentless heat. Trees withered, animals searched endlessly for water, and plants once lush and green became brittle and dry.

Deep within the forest lived a Sasquatch known as Yah-Hoh, or “Shadow of the Mountain.” Yah-Hoh was rarely seen by humans but was known to the creatures of the forest, who felt safe under his watchful presence. He was known for his kindness and his silent, powerful ways of tending to the woods.

One day, Yah-Hoh noticed the thirst overtaking the forest. The deer no longer ventured far, the birds’ songs grew fewer, and the young trees drooped in the heat. Yah-Hoh felt the pain of the forest as if it were his own. Determined to help, he ventured far from his hidden den, seeking any source of water that might remain.

Yah-Hoh found a hidden pool fed by a mountain spring, one of the last untouched by the drought. Carefully, he filled a large stone basin, which he had shaped over the years, and carried it through the forest. At first, the animals were afraid, but when they saw Yah-Hoh gently pouring water over the roots of withering plants and into small hollows for them to drink, they understood his intentions.

Each night, as the sun dipped below the mountains, Yah-Hoh would carry water from the spring to different parts of the forest, nourishing the plants and creating small pools for the animals. He worked silently, leaving only traces of damp earth and giant footprints where he’d been. Over time, patches of green began to return, and the animals grew stronger, all thanks to the mysterious guardian of the woods.

When the drought finally lifted, the forest flourished once more. The creatures remembered Yah-Hoh’s kindness, and it’s said that, to this day, they recognize his towering figure as he moves silently through the forest. And when the forest grows dry or a drought threatens, the animals pause, hoping for the gentle steps of their protector to appear, bringing life-giving water back to their home.