How the Porcupine got it's Quills

By Danni

           Many moons ago, a boy named Brave Eagle was sent into the forest to look for berries. He wandered too far into the forest. In the midst of the forest lived a most beautiful maiden.When you looked at her she would turn you into an animal of any kind.Brave eagle thought it was just a myth the elders told to keep the youngsters from wandering too far into the forest.  Brave Eagle kept on looking for berries. He didn’t want to let his family down.

He stopped when he found a bucket of berries.They were just sitting on the ground.  He picked them up and began walking back to his village. He began to notice the forest didn’t look the same.  Everything looked different. He was lost.  Brave Eagle saw a cabin.  He knocked on the door to ask for directions.  A man answered and said in a moaning voice “Come in, take a seat”. 

“Thanks but I really got to be getting back to my village. But I need directions, I’ve been gone a day” Brave Eagle answered.

“Take a seat,” the man said, this time his voice was more impatient.Brave eagle went into the cabin to take a seat but there weren’t any benches, he remained standing.

“Take a seat”, the man said again.

        So Brave Eagle sat on the floor.  He looked around the cabin.  There were no decorations anywhere. There was only a burning fire in the middle of the room, and an enclosed room made from buffalo hides.

            Brave Eagle heard the man talking with someone.  It sounded much like a maiden.  The man came out and said,

 “walk straight for awhile and you should reach the river.  Continue to walk south along the shore until you reach your village, follow these directions and you’ll be there soon”.

 “Oh how can I ever thank you?” Brave Eagle asked.

 “Just follow my words”.

“Thank you” Brave Eagle said again happily.

        After a while he got tired and sat down. He was starving he hadn’t eaten for a day.  He still had the berries, so he ate them all but a couple.       After he had his strength back he stood up.  Brave Eagle began to walk again but he heard footsteps behind him they were getting faster and faster.  He turned around it was the man from the cabin.

 “Please, please tell me you have those berries”.

 “Yes I have them” Brave Eagle replied.

 “Oh you have to give them back the maiden will be so upset.  It took her such a long time to pick the bucket of berries”.

 “Sorry but I ate them I do have two left though” Brave Eagle explained       “That’s not enough.  You must go to Lik Tidok.  He is a great spirit who will grant you those berries” replied the man.

 “ Why? Can’t I just pick more?” Brave Eagle asked.

 “Those were the best and last berries in the forest” the man told him.

“Ok I will go, but tell my village I’m okay”.

“Fine but you must go before the maiden notices”.

“Okay” Brave Eagle said fearlessly and off he went to find Lik Tidok the great spirit.    Brave Eagle walked for many moons when he finally reached the tipi of Lik Tidok the Great Spirit.       Brave Eagle went up to the tipi and asked.

 “Is this the tipi of the spirit Lik Tidok”?

“Yes” spoke the low booming voice

“I am Lik Tidok. What do you need?”

“I was sent here by a man who needed me to get some great berries” answered Brave Eagle.

“I’ll grant your wish. Now you must do something for me. You must take Quick Deer my friend back to the forest.  Were he belongs.”  The low voice answered.

“That sounds good” agreed Brave Eagle.

          The Great Spirit whispered some sayings, and the berries appeared at Brave Eagle’s feet.

“Quick Deer will meet you at the edge of the plains” Lik Tidok said.

          Brave Eagle started walking.He didn’t hear Lik Tidok say,

“watch out and don’t be foolish”.

          When he got to the edge of the plains and met up with Quick Deer, Brave eagle was surprised. He thought Quick Deer was human but he wasn’t he was a deer.

“Hi I am Quick Deer.  I think I am strong enough to carry you on my back.We can go a little bit further before dark and then we can sleep” Quick Deer spoke.

“Okay I guess” Brave Eagle answered.

Quick Deer ran for awhile with Brave Eagle on his back.  Then they stopped to sleep.  They decided that the maiden wouldn’t mind if they had four berries each .After, eating they went to sleep.          The next morning they had four more berries before they set off toward the forest. They got tired so they stopped and had four more berries each

“Those berries sure fill you up and there so delicious.

  I could eat a million of them”. Quick Deer said while stroking his stomach.

“Yes, that’s for sure.  I was wondering if you want four more each?Brave Eagle asked.

“No no” said Quick Deer.

“Common?” Brave Eagle questioned

“fine” answered Quick Deer.

          Each day they had four more berries each.By the time they were getting close to the cabin there were only ten berries left in the bucket.  When brave Eagle fell asleep that night, Quick Deer didn’t.  He was still hungry.So Quick Deer made sure Brave Eagle was sound asleep he secretly ate six more berries so, there was only four berries left in the bucket.Quick Deer hoped that Brave Eagle wouldn’t notice.

       When Brave eagle awoke the next day he saw the bucket but didn’t notice the six berries that were gone.Brave Eagle ate two berries and saved the other two for Quick Deer.  But before Quick Deer could eat the two berries he started running, so Brave Eagle ran after him.

          But before Brave Eagle knew it, he was transformed into a porcupine.  He looked behind him to see who was causing the change.  While he was running he wasn’t paying attention to what was in front of him and he ran right into a thorn bush.  The thorns had been stabbed into him and were stuck.

          Quick Deer had now stopped and was standing stund looking at the beautiful maiden. The maiden was so beautiful that when you looked at her that she would turn you into an animal of any kind.

          All of a sudden Quick Deer blurted out,

“Brave, Brave Eagle did it he ate all the berries, punish him!”

          “He has suffered enough.  He is now a porcupine and he ran into a thorn bush” the beautiful maiden replied.

 “I didn’t eat all of them, Quick Deer ate half of them” shouted out Brave Eagle.

 “So you lied Quick Deer?” asked the maiden.

 “Yes, yes I did”.

 “Well since you admitted it, you won’t be punished” said the maiden.

          Quick Deer than ran up to the maiden and transformed into a handsome young warrior. They walked off holding hands laughing and teasing.

          The porcupine has had quills ever since Quick Deer tricked him, and ever since he ran into the thorn bush.