Beaver and Muskrat

April 7, 2019
Prompt- Jealousy

Beaver and Muskrat

There was a time in the beginning when Muskrat had
a fine flat tail, wide enough to sound a—Splash!—and
cause all other creatures of the pond and forest to stop
and look in his direction, and offer him a word of praise.

At this same time Beaver wore a straight and narrow tail,
quite like that of Brother Rat, whom no one cared at all
to watch as he scuttled about his business each night,
beady eyes hidden beneath leaf litter on the forest floor.

And, Beaver wanted that tail for himself!  He thought,
“My coat shines with the smoothest and most beautiful
fur, but no one stops to look at me as I build my dams.
If I had that fine flat tail, I would receive the attention

I deserve!” So, Beaver called out, “Brother Muskrat!
Dear little brother, come visit me in my dam so that
I can admire your fine flat tail!”  Once in Beaver’s dam,
Beaver begged and pleaded with Muskrat to trade tails

and would not let him leave until Muskrat finally agreed
to let Beaver wear his tail to see how it felt.  Immediately,
Beaver swam to the surface of the pond and slapped
his new tail hard against the water—Splash!—making such

a sound that all the other creatures noticed, and wind carried it
all the way to the human village a long distance away.  The
men of the village said, “Let us go to see what creature makes
this sound!” and when they arrived at the pond to see Beaver,

with his most beautiful shiny fur and fine flat tail they said,
“Beaver’s coat is the finest we’ve seen.  We must use his fur
to adorn our parkas and mukluks and keep us warm at night!”
So they laid traps, and that was the end of Beaver’s jealousy.
                                           —based upon an Ojibwe legend