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The Sacred Rabbit
By K. R C.

One day, Little Flower, an Indian girl, was walking through the woods. She was looking for a stone to make arrow-heads with. She saw a bush. “Ah ha! A bush! I’m sure that many stones will be back there! The forest can’t fool me!” She ran over to the bush. Instead of stones, she found a tiny little rabbit. He was squeaking away and didn’t even notice Little Flower.

“Oh no! Why me? I’m late! Just look at the time! I would, of course, if I had a watch! A watch? Why don’t you have one?” It appeared as if the rabbit was conversing with himself. Little Flower looked down at his paws. He had two little puppets on his paws and was pretending they were talking. “Excuse me, have you seen any stones that you can make an arrow head with?”

“What? Huh? Who? Ahhhh! It’s a human! Don’t hurt me! I’m only three!” He exclaimed.

“Well, well, well. I see that you don’t like us. I won’t hurt you. I was only looking for rocks,” she said.

“Rocks? Why in the world would you be looking for rocks?” he asked, truly puzzled: “I don’t look for rocks. Rocks have absolutely no purpose at all. Rocks are stupid! Have you ever tried to have an intelligent conversation with a rock? Well, have you?” he said.

“No, I guess not. I need to find rocks to make arrow-heads.” Little Flower said. “I don’t talk to rocks.”

“You should. Hmmmm. Arrow heads. What’s an arrow head? Is it that little pointy thing that’s on a long stick? That kills rabbits?” he said. “Oh, no! There’s a law that’s been passed in the tribe that no one, no one will ever kill a rabbit. Rabbits are sacred in our tribe. We would never kill one!" Little Flower exclaimed. “Sacred? You mean I’m sacred? Wow! I've never been sacred before! Cool!” He asked.

“Yes. If you could come home with me... Never mind.” Little Flower shook her head, as if to indicate he would not care.

“What were you going to say? Tell me! Tell me, please!” he begged. The little rabbit made a sad face. “Please?”

“Okay. If you were to come home with me, I could become famous around the tribe. But you probably wouldn’t want to." she said.

“Oh, I would! I would! I'm totally lost and I can’t find my way home and I need a home and all I have with me is two puppets and I want to come with you!” he exclaimed, taking a deep breath after he was finished.

“Well, if you really want to... I guess so. Come on. Let’s make you and me famous!" Little Flower exclaimed, and they set off for her village.

Several hours later, they were back at the village. Little Flower led the way as many people stared at the girl who was able to catch a rabbit. "This way-. What is your name, anyway?" she asked.

“My name? Oh. I should have told you. Cotton-Tail. Where are we going?” he asked. ‘To see the chief, of course. Where else?’ She said.

“Well, I don't know your Indian ways!" he said. They reached the chiefs teepee. They went inside. "I found a rabbit, Chief Running Buffalo. He wanted to come home with me," she said.

“Found a rabbit that wanted to come home with you? That is so strange. As strange as it is, we shall have a feast for you tonight." So Little Flower was famous with her little rabbit, Cotton-Tail, who had finally found a home.

Cotton-Tail, who was greatly amazed by the fact that he was so sacred, soon got used to “village life” as he called it. If you spoke of him being found, he would simply reply, “I don’t remember that” He would shrug his tiny shoulders, and that would be the end of that conversation.

One day, Little Flower said to Cotton-Tail, “I am supposed to change my name today, Cotton Tail. The people in my village say I am to old for my name now."

Cotton-Tail was so puzzled. “Change your name? How could you change your name? Will mine be changed too?” He was full of questions about the name changing.

“No, your name will not be changed. Only mine. I was thinking something like Spring Cloud. But I don’t know. What do you think?” she answered.

“To me, Spring Cloud sounds good. But if you do not like it, than that is your choice. It is not my name being changed." He replied.

Later that day, there was a big ceremony Little Flower, who was now Spring Cloud. Everyone gathered around the center of the village, and Chief Running Buffalo said some words.

“We are here today, to christen this child, Little Flower, with her new name, Spring Cloud. May the festival games begin!” he shouted.

Everyone was singing and dancing. Then, at the end of the ceremony, people of the village gave Spring Cloud her presents.

Her entire family, at least the ones that lived close to her, some even from a whole different tribe came to see her name be changed. Spring Cloud was so happy that everyone cared so much as to give her a party. She wore a smile all day long.

At night, her mother presented her with a new gift. It was a beautiful deerskin pouch, sewn with strings to hold it shut. Inside were some beads and a necklace and bracelet.

“Oh Mother, thank” cried Spring Cloud. She hug god her mother and wore the necklace and bracelet to bed. And that is the end of an Indian story.