By
Kevin W.
A long time ago there was a young Native
American boy named Snek. Snek
was part of the Leni Lenape (or Delaware) tribe. The Lenape are
separated
into three different groups (Munsee, Unami, and Unalaqtgo), symbolized
by
three totems (the Wolf, Turtle, and Turkey). Snek and his family
were from
the Munsee section of the Lenape.
Snek's favorite toy was a rattle made
out of a gourd and a couple nuts.
One day a messenger came to Snek's village to tell everyone about
a dangerous
slithering creature. Moon Owl, the chief of the village gathered
all the
warriors and hunters. They burned the ceremonial Tobacco as an
offering to
the Creator. They searched all the forests and woodlands surrounding
the
village, but they could not find the creature.
Meanwhile the slimy creature had come
into the village. It headed
straight to Snek's wigwam. His father, Sun Hawk, was one of the
hunters and
had gone with Moon Owl. His mother, Daisy Flower, was at the chief's
house
along with some other women, planning the victory feast for the
warriors and
hunters. When the creature slid into the wigwam Snek picked up
his precious
rattle. The slippery animal came closer and closer. In one swift
movement
Snek took the animal by surprise and shoved the rattle in its
mouth. The
creature was taken by surprise and slithered off, rattling all
the way.
When the warriors came back they saw
the animal going away so quickly
they couldn't catch it. When it passed them it made that funny
rattling
noise. When Sun Hawk came home he saw that his son's rattle was
missing. He
checked everywhere, but he couldn't find it. Then Sun Hawk put
two and two
together. He realized that his son Snek had foiled the animal,
and told Moon
Owl.
Moon Owl knew that Sun Hawk never told
lies, but was nonetheless amazed
that such a little boy defeated such a dangerous animal. After
that incident,
Lenape children were treated more respectfully. The tribe decided
to name the
creature Rattle Snek, after the young boy who defeated it and
the tool he
used. After centuries of different accents and languages the name
became
Rattle Snake. Here our story ends.
