Storytelling Week 10: The Surprise

A blue heron and a fox both lived near a great lake. Each of the animals felt great frustration due to the fact that they lived such separate lives. The fox would hunt all of the smaller animals that the blue heron was friends with. In turn, the blue heron would eat all of the small bugs that fed the fox's prey. This meant that the fox had to hunt much harder for food that was plump enough around the lake. After much fighting, the two decided to strike up a deal. They would race to the end of the lake and whoever won could keep the lake until the end of time.

The fox was sure that he would win, since all he had to do was sprint in a straight line. The blue heron was sure he would win since he had the ability to fly. 

It was early morning when the two set off. The fox started at a swift pace, running along the bank at a record breaking speed. The heron did the same, soaring through the sky across the middle of the lake. Now, each of them learned their lesson. About halfway to the end, they each had to stop and recover for they were so exhausted that they could not continue. The fox curled up in the tall grass against a small shrub for the night. The blue heron decided to fly closer to shore and land in order to preserve his strength for the next day.

The Hummingbird by Charles Sharp

The sunrise woke each of then up and each started off. They did go a bit of a slower pace than the other days, though. Several hours later, the edge of the lake was near and each pushed to beat the other. The blue heron reached the land first, and decided to gloat to the fox about his victory. Just as he was about to say something, though, he heard the hummingbird. 

"Excuse me, I was here first and this is now my land," the hummingbird argued. Now, the fox and the blue heron were not pleased by the hummingbird's statement and decided to argue back with him. However, it was then that the Great Spirit spoke and confirmed that the hummingbird was the true winner for he controls the Earth, not the fox or the blue heron. 

Each stared at each other in disbelief. They had been tricked! Dejectedly, they went home and gathered their things to move elsewhere and honor the Great Spirits wishes that the hummingbird be the true owner of the lake. Even today, that is why the hummingbirds build their nests around water while also enjoying the sweet nectar of the beautiful flowers surrounding the lake. 

Author's Note:

I changed several parts of this story while I was writing. The first was that a fox was not in the original. Rather, the hummingbird and the blue heron owned the lake and were racing and the winner was deemed the true owner. I decided to add in the fox because I thought it added an element of deceit and surprise since I wanted the hummingbird to have it all. I also changed the ending of the story. In the original, the hummingbird lost the race which meant he could not drink from the lake ever again. I decided to change this because I think hummingbirds are so beautiful and I wanted it to have the victory. 

Bibliography:

Why Hummingbirds Drink Only Dew from When the Storm God Rides: Tejas and Other Indian Legends.When the Storm God Rides was retold by Florence Stratton in 1936.