How the Porcupine Got His Quills
By Tory

          Dear Little Child, come sit by the fire, and let me tell you the story of how the porcupine got his quills.  Listen, Best Beloved, there was once a cute, fuzzy porcupine named Porkey. He loved to play and jump on the rocks of the mountains.

           One day, as he was playing beside the creek, Coyote came up behind him and pushed him into the freezing, spring water.  Porkey SCREAMED, “ I’m going to get you.” 

          Coyote calmly replied, “you can’t scare or do anything to me!   I am far bigger and faster than you.”

          Now, Best Beloved, Porkey thought and thought. He didn’t know how to defeat Coyote.  Porkey wanted Coyote to stop tormenting him.  After a long night of thinking, Porkey decided to ask his ordinary friend to help him.  He asked his ordinary friend, Chipmunk,  to help him.  Chipmunk announced, “I can not help you.  I am far too small.”

          Porkey asked his ordinary friend, Wise Old Owl, to help, but he declared, “I am far to loud too help you.”

           As Porkey was walking home, he heard a rustling noise.  It was Coyote.  Porkey turned around and stated, “What do you want?”  Coyote started to run toward him.  Oh, Best Beloved,  Porkey was so, so, scared. There was nothing to do but run from Coyote.  Porkey ran and ran as fast as his little legs would carry him.  He could see the pond with all the pine trees surrounding it. 

          Porkey leaped into a pine tree.  All the needles stuck to his fluffy fur.  They just stuck!  Porkey was camouflaged in all the pine trees, so Coyote couldn’t see him.  All of a sudden, Porkey fell from a branch.  Coyote came rushing to his side and tried to push him into the pond.  The pine needles stuck to Coyote and dug into his tender skin!

        Oh, Best Beloved, Porkey was happy!  He was happier than anyone could even explain.  He found away to make Coyote go away.  Porkey was protected from that time on.