Legend of the Pussy Willow

Long ago, a mother cat was weeping on a river bank because her tiny kitten had fallen into the water while chasing butterflies. The willow at the river's edge longed to help so she swept branches into the water to rescue the kitten. The kitten grasped the branches and was brought safely to shore. Thus the legend goes, that willow branches sprout tiny, fur-like buds where the kitten once clung.
