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Great Spirit or Wakan Tanka (Sioux) gave each animal a special characteristic or strength to protect itself. Wolf has sharp teeth, Coyote has quick wits. Bear is very strong, and Lion has sharp claws.

Birds can flee their enemies with their feathered wings. Beaver can swim under water with its flat tail and webbed feet and is able to cut down trees with its long teeth. Quills of the Porcupine protect it from predators. And the rabbit and deer were given quickness and speed to escape their enemies.

A small fawn is helpless though with its unsteady legs. Wakan Tanka gave the fawn its own protection: white spots on its coat so that it would blend in with the earth as they lay close to it. The fawn scent was also removed so their enemies could not locate it. Once the fawn grows, their spots are no longer needed and they lose them. They are then given the speed and quickness to escape their predators.