WHY THE PORCUPINE HAS QUILLS

By Eric F

As the sun was setting on the Lenni- Lenape tribe, the crackling campfire was about to begin and the wise Guka (grandmother) was about to tell one of her legendary stories. While the sun disappeared behind the trees, it got darker and darker. The fire took the place of the sun for the night. All of the tribesmen made a circle around the fire. All you could see were the bright shiny faces of each tribesman staring through the blazing fire. As Guka began to speak, everyone got very quiet and still. ''A long time ago," Guka began, "when animals could speak, there was an animal that was the most beautiful animal in the whole forest. It was called the
Wigum. It had rare blue, red and orange feathers. All of the other creatures looked up to it and always wanted to touch it and pet it. But the Wigum was not modest. He was the biggest braggart in the forest until one day when some little rabbits wanted to pet him. He told them that he was too beautiful for them to pet him. So, all of the animals got annoyed with him and ignored him. The Wigum got very mad and confused about this and went to the Creator." ''Oh, mighty Creator," he pleaded, "will
You make me so beautiful that no one will be able to touch me because they'll be so jealous of my beauty?'' the Wigum asked. "A deep voice spoke," continued Guka, '' Yes, I think I can do that,'' responded the Creator.
"A few sunrises and sunsets later," whispered Guka, "the Wigum found sharp pointy quills on his back. He ran to the Creator as soon as possible." ''Oh, mighty Creator,'' he cried, "why do I have these sharp pointy quills on my back?" The Creator's deep voice spoke again, '' Well, little one, didn't you ask to be so beautiful that no one will be able to touch you?'' "So, 'til this very day, the Wigum still has quills, but now is called the porcupine," Guka finished.
As the fire dimmed low and everyone went into his or her wigwams to fall asleep, Guka saw a porcupine behind a tree and asked him, " why did you have to be such a braggart? You had such a wonderful life!" The porcupine just walked away sadly all by himself to the end of the forest with no one to touch him or tell him how beautiful he is any more..

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