Week 11 Story

Unlikely Partners

The sun beat down on the desert floor scorching all the inhabitants that lie on it. One such critter was the snake named Earl that had always found himself a nice rock up high to lie on. He enjoyed sun bathing and wanted to lay there and soak up as much of the suns rays as he could. One day while he was sun bathing an annoying hawk came by and about landed right on top of him. Before the hawk got close enough Earl called out to the hawk saying, “Halt go away. This is my rock.” The hawk got ever closer and closer. Eventually after many more screeches from Earl the hawk could see him. The hawk hovered above him and yelled down to him, “Move or be trampled over. This is the perfect place for a nest so that I might start my family.” Earl was quite flustered and yelled back, “Get your own rock, this one is mine!! I have never moved, nor will I ever move for anyone.” The hawk became most flustered and said, “If you will not move willingly I will force you to move.” “I would advise against it for I am a formidable enemy to make.” exclaimed Earl. The hawk ignored his warning and dove to attack Earl and they battled for quite sometime. The hawk pecking with his beak and grabbing with his talons. Earl winding himself tighter and tighter around the hawk until the hawk could barely move. The hawk then decided to take a dive from the cliff. He refused to allow Earl to win. When he got closer to the ground the hawk yelled, “Now we both shall lose the rock. Lessen your grip or we shall both die.” Earl admired the hawk for the drive it had to keep fighting till the end, giving no ground. Earl smiled and loosened his grip and the pair landed smoothly on the ground just barely making it thanks to the hawk’s wings. The pair stared at each other in an awkward silence before Earl said, “I think there is enough room up there for the both of us. I like your style partner how about we become friends.” The hawk looked at him confused and said, “Sure I don’t see why not. My name is Patricia.” Thus the two flew back up to the top of the mountain and had a long fruitful friendship that spanned generations.

Author’s Note: I based this story off the combined stories of “The Buffalo and the Grizzly”, and “Coyote and the Snake”. In “The Buffalo and the Grizzly” a Grizzly and Buffalo fight at a spring until they eventually become friends. In “Coyote and the Snake” the Coyote is walking through the desert in a straight path and a snake is in his way. The coyote tells him to move but the Snake refuses and so the Coyote tells the Snake he will just walk right over him. The Snake threatens him that he will die if he does. The Coyote does it anyway and the Snake bites him resulting in his death. I decided to make it a happy ending where two animals meet fight and decide to be friends for life. They both wanted the hill but compromise saved each of their lives.

Bibliography: Myths and Legends of the Great Plains byKatharine Berry Judson

Short Toed Snake Eagle Ashish by Ashish Tripurwar

Reading Notes: Great Plains Part B

Price of Truth

There was a Coyote that always walked in a straight line across the prairie. He heard someone call out to him telling him to stop. He looked around seeing no one kept on walking. He then heard someone say for him to walk around. Again the Coyote was perplexed seeing no one. He walked a bit further until the Coyote saw the snake. The Snake would not move and said walk around again. To this the Coyote said I do not want to walk around you. Then the Coyote told the Snake to get out of his way. The Snake said he had never thought to move for anyone let alone the Coyote. The Coyote said he would still run over him. The Snake then threatened to kill him if he walked over. The Coyote laughed it off saying that the Snake couldn’t possibly kill him. So he walked over him and the Snake bit him. The Coyote mocked the snake telling him that he isn’t dead yet. The Snake held his tongue knowing what was to come. The Coyote traveled on until he came to a creek for some water. He drank from the creek seeing his reflection in the water thinking to himself that he was quite fat. He then walked on until he was quite tired. He then lay down and went to sleep never to wake up again. The Snake’s words held true.

Bibliography: Myths and Legends of the Great Plains byKatharine Berry Judson

Coyote and Rattlesnake by Alan Schmierer 

Reading Notes: Great Plains Part A

Unlikely Friendship

This is a story about a Buffalo Bull and a Grizzly Bear. The Grizzly Bear came to the stream like he always had done. When he got there he saw a Buffalo Bull. The Buffalo Bull was very lean and muscular with his head bowed. The Grizzly Bear got closer to him and in an instant jumped upon him. He seized the Buffalo’s hair that was on his head and turned him around and around. All the while the Grizzly saying that he came there quite often and each time he came there somebody would tell him that the Buffalo Bull wants to fight him. He kept spinning him and spinning him until at last he hit the Buffalo Bull on the nose with his open paw. The Buffalo Bull was confused and asked why he was doing this and that he had never threatened to fight him ever. He also inquired as to who it was that said he had wanted to fight the Grizzly Bear. The Grizzly wouldn’t hear any of it and seized him by the tail and continue to spin him around and around. The Buffalo was in great pain and thought that he must attack him. The Grizzly somehow heard his thought and came back and seized the Buffalo again. This time the Buffalo stepped back getting room. He threw himself on the ground nd rolled until he had gotten himself enough room. He then stood and charged at the Grizzly. He caught the Grizzly with his horns and launched him into the air. He then ran at him trying to gore him with his horns. He did this until the Grizzly fell over the cliff. The Grizzly eventually climbed the cliff and rejoined the Buffalo at the top and asked the Buffalo if he would like to be friends, for they were so much alike.

Bibliography: Myths and Legends of the Great Plains by Katharine Berry Judson

Grizzly Bears Attacking Buffalo by George Catlin