"Why didn't you name me for an important animal?" "Not one that eats mice and even bugs!"
But his parents said that even the smallest animals are important, and that his name was no less important than if it had "Bear" or "Eagle" in it.
Least Weasel had a friend named Sparrow, who felt the same way about her name. Together they learned that even small things are important. This is their story.
Between the villages where Least Weasel and Sparrow lived, the land was divided by a deep valley, with swift water running at the bottom. It was not impossible to get across, but it was hard to, and hardly anyone ever did it.
Trading with other villages was now a much longer trip than before.
There had once been a bridge across the valley, built of strong ropes, and mended every year by the people of both villages. But the bridge had weakened, and finally fallen down, and had not been replaced.
The people in Least Weasel's village said that bridge had fallen because the other village was too lazy to take care of it.
Some people thought that the other village was jealous, because they were not as good farmers or hunters, and they let the bridge fall on purpose, so they would not have to see people who were better at everything.
Some people thought the other village was afraid, and they let the bridge fall on purpose, so that they could not attack them,
Least Weasel thought that if they spent as much time working, as they did talking, the bridge could be as good as new, but he was only a child, so he didn't say it.
Then Weasel thought that perhaps he could fix the bridge. Then he would be able to visit Sparrow. They had played together when they were younger, before the bridge had fallen. But now they could only call to each other across the water.
Rebuild bridge by getting a rope across first. Sparrow flies a kite across. LW climbs a tree to reach it. The villages become friends again, thanks to their two smallest people.