Fancy
his indignation at finding that in his absence all sorts of animals, from
the rabbit to the mountain elk, had visited his abode, and had not only
completely eaten that lovely hedge of rosebushes, but had also greatly
injured the beautiful garden, of which he was so proud!
"When the deputation of roses understood the cause of his wrath they at
once left their hiding places and, aided by a sudden puff of wind, came
before Nanahboozhoo. The sight of them excited his curiosity, as it had
seemed to him that every rosebush had been destroyed. Before he could say a
word, however, the rosebushes, who were then able to talk, at once
presented their petition and pleaded for his powerful assistance to save
them from being exterminated by their enemies.
"Nanahboozhoo listened to their petition, and after some consultation with
the rose bushes it was decided to cover the stocks and branches, up to the
very beautiful flowers, with small thorn-like prickles, so that every
animal henceforth would be afraid to either devour or closely approach
them, as they had been accustomed to do in the past. With this protection
granted them they were more than pleased, and so it now happens that roses
of many kinds still exist in various parts of the world."
"Thank you very much for that story," said Minnehaha. "Even if Nanahboozhoo
did put prickles on the rosebushes he was not a rascal, for we would not
have had any roses at all but for what he did.
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