Bodron 1

Will Bodron
Mrs. Pritchard
English II
16 August 2015
The Snake Tribe
The Snake tribe of the Grand Canyon was once a prosperous and blessed group, until
once, long ago, a drought threatened them with starvation. Now the Snake People were a
cunning bunch, so they gathered their quickest and most cunning members to go out to the
Pueblos, our forefathers, and request water and corn. The twelve chosen Snake People soon
spoke with the Pueblos, but they learned that they too were struggling with the drought. The
Pueblos could not give any help. The Snake people returned to their eager people emptyhanded. The elders again instructed them to search for food and water. This time they
walked towards the setting sun in search of the Pacific Chinook. When they reached the
Chinook they were again told that they drought had stifled their food production, they
returned to their homeland hungry. The elders made a risky decision and told their tribe to
find their spear and their bows and to prepare for battle. They would ambush a Pueblo trade
caravan from behind a large line of foliage.
The Snake people sat, and they waited. They waited in silence for days in the desert.
Some people had used berries and dirt to make camouflage for themselves. Others had found
poisonous leaves to enrich their weapons with. All of the Snake people shook in fear of what
they would do. Soon a scout saw the approaching caravan, and again there was silence in the
night. The snake people poised for an attack as the caravan drew even closer to its doom.
Then, all at once the Snake People sprung up from the shrubbery, and opened fire. The
massacre was tremendous, and those who didnt die from iron rest perished from poison. The

Bodron 2

Snake people then continued with their plan and stole food and water from the caravan. A
great feast was to be prepared.
No-one ate at this feast. Although they were famished, the grief of their deeds was
too great. It was then that the great Kokopelli arrived. The Snake people were immobilized
with fear and anxiety at the sight of their god. They were all certain they would be punished.
Kokopelli asked the Snake People why they killed the Pueblo. He asked what the Pueblo did
to deserve this fate. A brave elder replied, They refused to help us in a time of need! Now
Kokopelli was truly enraged, but he calmed himself and replied, You see, O Snake Elder,
the Pueblo were sending that caravan to you. The silence of shock lasted longer than anyone
dared count. This silence was followed by the sudden wails and shouts of the Snake People.
Kokopelli finally spoke, You, the Snake people, will be forever punished. You will no
longer have limbs, and will be forced to slither about. Your blood will go cold, and you will
have to spend your numbered days hiding under rocks and bushes. At once, their limbs
shrunk to nothing and they fell to the ground. Finally, for the elders, you will forever have a
rattle on your tail to warn your prey of your presence. From this day forward you will be
feared by humanity. The snakes all slithered away from their feast and hid under bushes
and logs across the land.
So, this is the story of where the many variety of snakes came from, and why they are
the way they are. Some are poisonous. Some are camouflaged. The most dangerous have a
rattle. You should be weary of all of them, and remember this story, for they are keen to
ambush those who arent careful.