How the Deer Got His Antlers
Retold by Lloyd Arneach
Mr. Arneach said that he heard this myth from his uncles.
Long ago the animals were just like people. Some were bashful. Some were full of pride. Some of the animals were humble and some of them tried to best all the other animals at everything.
At this particular time rabbit and deer were having a big argument over who was the fastest runner. They had argued for so long and so loudly that the other animals got tired of listening to them. Bear suggested that they have a race and settle the argument once and for all.
"Whoever wins," said Bear, "is the fastest runner of all."
Rabbit shook his head. "Not me," he said. "I must have a prize to look forward to if I win. If I can't win a prize, I will not run."
One of the animals, beaver, began to carve. He carved a beautiful set of antlers. They were the first set of antlers ever seen in the world and all the animals exclaimed at how wonderful an animal would look with the crown of antlers on his head. When Rabbit saw the antlers he agreed right away to run the race. " I wish I had that set of antlers," he thought to himself.
Rabbit said," I am new to these woods. Let me have a look around so I will know the lay of the land before the race." He ran into a thicket and didn't come out. Soon the other animals began to worry. They waited for a long time. One of the animals went into the thicket to look for the rabbit.
The animal soon came out of the thicket. He had an angry look on his face. "That rabbit is cheating!" he said. Rabbit soon came out of the thicket. When he was accused of cheating he shouted and said he would never cheat. "Come on and start the race!" he yelled to the deer. "If you don't hurry and start the race the antlers are mine. Hurry up and start the race!"
The deer stood where he was while the other animals went to look in the thicket. They saw where the rabbit had been cutting a short cut out through all the brush and briers. He certainly had been cheating.
The animals said to the the rabbit, "You would lie and cheat to win the prize of the antlers. The deer was going to run the race fairly. He will have the antlers. As the rabbit ran away in anger, the animals placed the antlers upon the deer's head. They looked beautiful.
Deer still wears his antlers. Once a year they fall off his head to remind him that he did not always have them. He won them through a sense of fair play.
-
I do not remember where I found this small antler. In fact, it may not have been me who found it at all. As cheapest I tried to come up with a new style of wand, having painted, copied, and carved so many that new designs were becoming more difficult to comprehend. When my eye alighted on the little antler. And the idea of composite wants came to me.
This wand could not be more genuine.
The wood, buckthorn in this case ( an invasive from Europe ), was grown and cut on our families back 40 acres as we slowly work to restore the scrub land to it's original form. Prairie and oak / pine savahana. It lived through years. Grown in the soil. Drank in the rain. Much like the young buck who grew the antler. Does he still live? If he does, he must be old and wise. This antler was grown from this beautiful creatures body, and dropped in the spring when he had no more use for it. Only to be regrown by fall. So it goes with antlers.
History, vibrancy, and stories. So many stories live within the flesh of wood and bone.
Wand measures
Length: 14 ⅛ "
Handle: 6 ½ "
Shaft: 7 ½ "
Does this wand not quite speak to you? Perhaps you have a design in mind which you have fallen in love with? Message me here on Etsy messenger and we can get you started on a custom wand listing. Message me for more details and a price quote based on what you are looking for!
< ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ >
Looking for a box for your wands? Follow this link to see our custom boxes!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/575251571/custom-made-wand-boxes-many-color?ref=shop_home_active_44
Wand a custom leather scabbard for a wand you already have, or for this one? DM me on etsy and we can get you started with a design and a price quote.
Cheers!
Daniel Hubatch.
Please Read Before Purchase :- )
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
All wands from FirelessForge are hand-carved and crafted from sustainably harvested, locally-grown wood straight from the artist's backyard. Each wand is meticulously carved and painted to bring it to life.
No two wands are exactly the same! Although I will make more than one wand of the same design upon request, each will have individually unique characteristics.
All wands and wand boxes are 100% handmade, no poly-resin wands or machine formed boxes here!
Looking for just a wand box for the wand you already own? Please DM us and we will get you started on a custom order! Color options are red, black, blue, yellow, grey or brown.
Disclaimer:
*Please understand that all Fireless Forge wands are made from real wood and while they are sturdy, if they are mishandled they can crack, splinter and/or break. Even though every wand is coated in sealant to keep the color true, it is possible for the paint to crack or peel if left exposed to earthly physical elements such as, but not limited to, sun, rain and/or pets.
>>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~International Customers Please Read~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<<
PLEASE NOTE: Etsy is now adding the text "VAT included (where applicable)" and "GST included (where applicable)." As a small US seller, I am not registered to collect taxes in other countries, so for the items in my shop, it's not applicable for me to charge/include tax. Therefore, the customer is responsible for paying all taxes/duties/fees, etc. that their country charges.
Also, all buyers from the U.K. will be charged an additional £8.00 by the Royal Post.
>>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<
UK; December 17th
US; December 15th.
These dates reflect the latest packages can ship out to arrive on Christmas day. Thank you!
Product code: Deer Antler Wand Real Antler and cheapest Buckthorn Wood Composite Wand. Druidic Tools.