The Girl Who Hunted Rabbits
Author: Zuñi Legend
Setting: The girl’s home, the snowy forest and the Zuñi valley
Characters: Maiden, old parents, Two war-gods and cannibal demon
Exposition: The story starts with this young girl who saw these men carrying axes in her belts and she saw they were rabbit hunters. Her parents were old and poor and she wished to do something to help, so she ended up deciding to go on a hunt and since it was snowing it was easier to track the rabbits.
Rising action: Her mom and dad helped her get prepared for the hunt and for the cold. Once ready she departed to her journey and achieved her goal that was hunting rabbits to carry home, but then it got darker and once she tried returning back home it was too late. She couldn’t find the way and luckily she found a cave where she decided to refuge and pass the night, but then she heard the crying of a man begging for food.
Climax: At this point, she had given everything to the man, even her mantles, but the man had this infinite hunger and he started trying to enter the cave. The man is actually the cannibal demon and when the girl realised that once he entered the cave she would be devoured, she almost fainted.
Falling action: The two war-gods realised what was happening to the girl so they immediately rushed to her and saved her from the evil demon. They opened the cannibal demon and got out of him everything he ate that belongs to the girl.
Resolution: The war-gods returned the girl to her home with the rabbits she really desired and also they decided to tell her their names. After that there were no men in the Zañi valley who would compare himself to the young brave hunter girl.
New resolution: The two war-gods save the young maiden and once they killed the demon, they burned him to prevent any type or reincarnation. They told the girl their names and told her that she was also a goddess. She arrived home and told her parents that she was a goddess and has a duty to do, so she was leaving them but she’s going to continue helping them.
Conflict: Man vs Self: The maiden saw the men that were hunting rabbits and desired the same thing. Struggled at first deciding whether she should or shouldn’t do, but at the end she ended up doing it to help her parents; Man vs Man: When she saw the young men, she asked for a rabbit but they refused to give her any; Man vs Nature: Her goal was to return home before it got darker, but she entertained herself a little too much with the hunting and lost the notion of time. Since it got dark, she couldn't find her way back home; Man vs Society: She decides to tell her parents and her father agreed but her mom wasn’t really sure at first., Man vs Superpower: The cannibal demon took everything the maiden had and left her nothing, he even had the audacity to try and enter the cave so he could eat her.
Theme: Family is everything and hard work always pays off
Mood: The mood of the story is kind of adventurous and full of hope. Maiden left us with the idea that we should do anything for our family and that hard work may not be our favorite thing, but it’s worth it.
Tone: Adventurous, curious, hopeful, joy and also strong. Those are some feelings the maiden maintained throughout the story, though she also felt scared when the cannibal demon arrived.
By Ana L. Álvarez T., Step 8 Yellow
