The Writers' Circle

A long time ago, porcupines were bare creatures without quils, or even fur!  If you ask me, they were the strangest looking creatures on the planet. They were also just called "porkies."

One day, a "porky" named Pam was playing outside with her friend, Pogo. "Let's have a tree climbing contest!" said Pam. "Whoever gets to the top first wins. It will be me. I'm way faster than you are." 

Pam and Pogo found two pine trees that were the same height, and each of them started racing up one of the trees. Pam was right - she was a lot faster than Pogo was. She was climbing so quickly that she got stuck in the pine needles of the tree. 

"Pogo! Help me!" Pam cried. "I'm stuck in the pine needles of the tree!" 

Pogo had to climb down the tree she was on, and up the other tree to get Pam. It took her a while to get up the tree to help Pam get unstuck. 

When Pogo finally got to the top of Pam's tree, she had trouble getting her out. "Pam, you're really stuck! It is too hard to pull you out of the needles!" 

After a few more tugs, Pogo finally got Pam out, along with some pine needles. "Oh no, they are stuck in my skin!" cried Pam. "It serves you right for bragging!" Pogo told her friend. 

The pine needles never came out of Pam's back. Eventually, she got used to having other creatures stare at her. The needles hardened after time and became quills. That is why from that day to this, these animals are called porcupines (instead of porkies), and porcupines are born with quills.