How the Skunk Earned Its Stripes

Long ago when man and beast still spoke and the land was still covered with trees. The rivers and lakes were crystal clear beneath the brilliant open sky and there lived a tiny black skunk named Midnight.

All skunks lived in burrows alone in the ground, except in the winter when all the women skunks gather together to sleep bundled up in the great den until spring arrived.

It was Midnight's first spring and this was her first den and she was just waking after a day's nap to forage for berries, nuts, and grubs. It was a pleasant night and Midnight felt happy and safe and was not paying attention of where she was going and soon was in an unfamiliar part of the forest.

Soon she heard a rustling just ahead in the bushes.

Being young and curious Midnight crept forward to investigate the sound. Peering out she saw a young girl with a stick contemplating a large beehive hanging from a tree branch.

The girl suddenly crouched down took the stick in her hand and held it aloft as if to strike the hive.

Midnight felt her eyes grow wide with alarm; surely this girl would be stung! She had to stop her. She waddled out into the clearing and called out "Wait! Wait!"

The surprised girl dropped the stick and turned to look at Midnight.

"I-I-I did not mean to frighten you, I just thought, well you would have been stung!" stammered Midnight.

The girl recovered her stick and crouched down to Midnight contemplating the tiny skunk "True, but I would have tried to run away and then come back for the hive and hoped I would have had at least some honey to give to my Elder."

Midnight shook her head and walked forward. "If you knock down the hive the whole hive dies and then no one else has honey. If you let me help you I have a better way that helps us both eat tonight." Midnight began to formulate a plan and tell the girl then waited while the girl thought it out.

Midnight would wait while the girl poked the hive gently causing the guard bees to come out. Then she would call them to her and let them sting her. It would not hurt her because of her thick pelt. Then she would eat the guard bees and when the bees were gone the girl would climb the tree and retrieve the entire hive to give to her Elder"

"This plan you have, you make it sound so easy but it sounds like you will be hurt!" The girl cried.

"No it will be alright, you will see" soothed Midnight.

The pair set to start their plan.

The girl took her stick and gave a mighty poke and dove for the cover of a nearby bush.

Midnight called out to the bees "I am going to climb that tree! Take your queen and eat the honey!" The bees took off after her stinging her pelt to no avail. Soon after stinging her Midnight snapped them up. The girl watched through the bushes, as Midnight danced, hopped, twisted and leaped eating bees.

Soon the air was free from any buzzing and Midnight called to the girl.

"It is all right to come out now!" Midnight called out happily full.

The girl climbed the tree and carefully retrieved the hive queen and all.

"Now I can take this to my elder and we can set up this near our home so we can have honey whenever we wish!" said the girl!

Midnight nodded and said "And I will never eat your bees!"

The girl laughed and began to walk away and then hesitated. "What is your name little friend?" she asked Midnight.

"Midnight" said the tiny skunk.

"Midnight, will you return with me to my village and meet my elder? I wish for you to receive a reward." The girl scooped up the tiny skunk.

"I do not need a reward! I ate the bees!" explained Midnight suddenly she realized how many bees she'd eaten and did not feel well at all.

Soon they arrived at the village and the girl took them into a small room.

Inside the tent was an old man with gentle eyes sitting in front of a small cauldron.

A soup pot thought Midnight, her stomach felt even more unsettled.

"Elder, I have brought you a hive with a queen. I would not have been able to do this had I not have had help from a friend named Midnight." The girl placed Midnight on the ground n front of the old man.

Midnight looked up at the old man and tried to hide behind the girl's legs.

"Stop being silly and say what you wish for your reward!" said the girl.

Suddenly she shoved the tiny skunk forward, so hard that Midnight's tail and rear raised up behind her head.

In her great embarrassment and her churning stomach from a luncheon of too many bees Midnight did what many do when they are scared.

Midnight passed gas.

Soon the small room was full of the stench of dead bees. The girl covered her mouth and ran out of the room. Midnight covered her face in her paws and began to cry.

Soon she heard the Elder begin to laugh.

Midnight looked up.

He was holding his sides and had tears streaming down his face. He was laughing at her!

Midnight was too shocked to be upset then saw the Elder eyes and began to laugh too.

Soon they were both laughing.

After they could breathe again the Elder said to Midnight "You are a brave and cunning little creature, what reward would you wish?"

Midnight thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps a warning to others would be better."

The Elder contemplated Midnight for a moment and then said "Perhaps both. From now on you shall wear our mark, and your children and your children's children and all shall know how brave and cunning your kind are, yet know to be wary of causing you alarm."

The elder took a pot from beside him and painted a white stripe down Midnights back.

"Thank you! It is beautiful" said Midnight.

The Elder and Midnight said their goodbyes and Midnight returned to her burrow.

The next year when Midnight bore her young each was born with a white stripe down its back just as promised by the Elder. So now even to this day the skunk has a stripe down its back.