The Legend of the Squirrel Stick (Chickasaw)
This Chickasaw legend tells of a young man who wished to marry a chief's daughter. The chief set an impossible task: the young man must catch a squirrel alive using only a specially carved stick — not a bow, trap, or snare. The young man prayed to Ababinili for guidance and spent days practicing with his stick in the forest. His persistence and faith were rewarded when a squirrel came to him without fear, and he caught it gently. The chief, impressed by the young man's patience, skill, and spiritual devotion, allowed the marriage. The squirrel stick became a symbol of the proper way to achieve