A Narragansett Story
Rabbit’s Wish for Snow
Let me tell you about
Rabbits. Long in the way time past time, rabbits looked very different than
they did today. Long in the way time past time, rabbits had very short ears.
They had even very long tails. They had long, straight arms and long straight
legs. Very different than the way rabbits look today.
One day, Rabbit was out. It was Spring-time. Looking for something to do, and
something to eat, as rabbits are always looking for something to eat, he came
upon a willow tree that had fresh little shoots in it. It made him so hungry.
He wanted to go and taste some of those shoots but it was high up in the willow
tree and you know yourselves that rabbits are not good tree climbers!
So Rabbit decided to eat some of the grass and play around. But he thought to
himself, ‘I would like to play in the snow’. He remembered that his grandmother
told him that if you can wish for something hard enough it can happen. So
Rabbit started to wish for it to snow, so he started to dance. He started to
pray for it to snow and so he started to dance. And he started singing his
song, ‘Oh how I wish it would snow; Oh how I wish it would snow’. And as Rabbit
danced and prayed and sung his song, it started to snow a little bit. Oh, this
made Rabbit so happy that he sung his song stronger and harder: ‘Oh how I wish
it would snow; Oh how I wish it would snow’. And the snow started to come down.
And Rabbit was so excited to see that snow coming down that he sung his song
stronger. ‘Oh how I wish it would snow; Oh how I wish it would snow.’ And it
started to snow so much. All that snow!
And because he wished for it to snow so much, the snow rose higher and
higher, higher until it rose high into that willow tree. And now Rabbit played
in the snow, and now it is so high he could eat some of those fresh shoots that
are in the willow tree. Filled his stomach.
And now he wanted to go home, tired from all that dancing and eating. But
when he looked, he saw that his home was covered with all that snow. Well, he
decided he would rest in the crotch of the tree. And he fell asleep.
He awoke the next morning and the sun had come out and melted all that snow
away. Now, Rabbit is high up in that willow tree, wondering how he is ever
going to get down. Because as you know yourselves, rabbits are not good tree
climbers!
So as he was holding onto those branches and looking and wondering how could
he get down, how could he sing his song again, how could he make it snow? As he
was leaning over, SNAP! His tail broke! And when his tail broke he went
tumbling down out of that tree. And as he tumbled down out of that tree, his
little short ears would get caught in the branches and stretch and stretch and
pull and pull and stretch and stretch and pull, until they are as long as they
are today!
And when Rabbit, when he fell out of that willow tree, he hit that ground so
hard, he hit that ground so hard, his long straight arms shot into his body and
became little short arms just like they are today!
And when that Rabbit fell out of that tree, and he hit that ground so hard,
his long straight legs, they broke and bent just like they are today. And now
you know what I’m telling you is true.
And when that Rabbit fell out of that tree, he hit that ground so hard, he
smashed his face, and when he smashed his face, he split his lip. Now, you know
what I’m telling you is a true lesson. Because if ever you were to look at that
Rabbit today, or any of his grandchildren, you will see that they all have long
ears, little short arms, bent rear legs, a split lip, no tail, and they have to
hop everywhere they go.
Now you know what I’ve told you is a true lesson as we Native people see it.
And you can prove the truth of this lesson to yourself very soon. Any
Spring-time, you can go out into the park or into the woods and look up in that
willow tree. And when you look up into that willow tree, you will see where
Rabbit has left his tail. Because that willow tree has a very special look. And
today that willow tree and Rabbit all look different.
And now, you know why rabbits look the way they do. And now you know why
willows look the way they do. A ho! Thank you!
Rabbit’s Wish for Snow
Let me tell you about
Rabbits. Long in the way time past time, rabbits looked very different than
they did today. Long in the way time past time, rabbits had very short ears.
They had even very long tails. They had long, straight arms and long straight
legs. Very different than the way rabbits look today.
One day, Rabbit was out. It was Spring-time. Looking for something to do, and
something to eat, as rabbits are always looking for something to eat, he came
upon a willow tree that had fresh little shoots in it. It made him so hungry.
He wanted to go and taste some of those shoots but it was high up in the willow
tree and you know yourselves that rabbits are not good tree climbers!
So Rabbit decided to eat some of the grass and play around. But he thought to
himself, ‘I would like to play in the snow’. He remembered that his grandmother
told him that if you can wish for something hard enough it can happen. So
Rabbit started to wish for it to snow, so he started to dance. He started to
pray for it to snow and so he started to dance. And he started singing his
song, ‘Oh how I wish it would snow; Oh how I wish it would snow’. And as Rabbit
danced and prayed and sung his song, it started to snow a little bit. Oh, this
made Rabbit so happy that he sung his song stronger and harder: ‘Oh how I wish
it would snow; Oh how I wish it would snow’. And the snow started to come down.
And Rabbit was so excited to see that snow coming down that he sung his song
stronger. ‘Oh how I wish it would snow; Oh how I wish it would snow.’ And it
started to snow so much. All that snow!
And because he wished for it to snow so much, the snow rose higher and
higher, higher until it rose high into that willow tree. And now Rabbit played
in the snow, and now it is so high he could eat some of those fresh shoots that
are in the willow tree. Filled his stomach.
And now he wanted to go home, tired from all that dancing and eating. But
when he looked, he saw that his home was covered with all that snow. Well, he
decided he would rest in the crotch of the tree. And he fell asleep.
He awoke the next morning and the sun had come out and melted all that snow
away. Now, Rabbit is high up in that willow tree, wondering how he is ever
going to get down. Because as you know yourselves, rabbits are not good tree
climbers!
So as he was holding onto those branches and looking and wondering how could
he get down, how could he sing his song again, how could he make it snow? As he
was leaning over, SNAP! His tail broke! And when his tail broke he went
tumbling down out of that tree. And as he tumbled down out of that tree, his
little short ears would get caught in the branches and stretch and stretch and
pull and pull and stretch and stretch and pull, until they are as long as they
are today!
And when Rabbit, when he fell out of that willow tree, he hit that ground so
hard, he hit that ground so hard, his long straight arms shot into his body and
became little short arms just like they are today!
And when that Rabbit fell out of that tree, and he hit that ground so hard,
his long straight legs, they broke and bent just like they are today. And now
you know what I’m telling you is true.
And when that Rabbit fell out of that tree, he hit that ground so hard, he
smashed his face, and when he smashed his face, he split his lip. Now, you know
what I’m telling you is a true lesson. Because if ever you were to look at that
Rabbit today, or any of his grandchildren, you will see that they all have long
ears, little short arms, bent rear legs, a split lip, no tail, and they have to
hop everywhere they go.
Now you know what I’ve told you is a true lesson as we Native people see it.
And you can prove the truth of this lesson to yourself very soon. Any
Spring-time, you can go out into the park or into the woods and look up in that
willow tree. And when you look up into that willow tree, you will see where
Rabbit has left his tail. Because that willow tree has a very special look. And
today that willow tree and Rabbit all look different.
And now, you know why rabbits look the way they do. And now you know why
willows look the way they do. A ho! Thank you!