The Hermit
Once, on a branch in a tree far away, there lived a Wookiee hermit. He had left behind the comforts of his village to become one with life in the forest. The hermit set up home in a large Wroshyr cave in an isolated tree. He selected the tree because only one limb joined it to the rest of the forest and it was in a place where Wookiees rarely go. Each day, when the hermit was not meditating he would work to stockpile food and water in his cave. The animals who shared his tree wondered at the foolishness of the Wookiee. Why store food and water when they could easily cross to another tree to get it? They would laugh as they saw the Wookiee carrying buckets of water and pouring them into the Wroshyr-bark barrels he had made.
One day, there was a great storm. The old Wroshyr groaned as the wind battered it's branches. Then, without warning, lightning struck the bridging branch and it broke off from the tree and fell to the forest floor below.
The animals panicked. How would they get water? There was no water hole on their Wroshyr. But the Wookiee just smiled and said "we have plenty of water here. But, you must work for it."
He shared his water with his tree mates, but in return he had them gather large qualities of Kshyy vines. He spent his days gathering wood and joining the vines together into long ropes. Each day the animals grumbled about the work. The Wookiee responded by telling them that it was for their own good.
After a few weeks, he selected several Charkarrs to fly back and forth to a neighboring tree. They would carry the ropes across, fly around a branch, and then fly back with the ropes. The animals all complained. Why waste time flying with ropes? Shouldn't they have the Charkarrs carry buckets of water? The Wookiee would only reply that it was for their own good.
Weeks went by. The animals began to notice that the water levels in the barrels were going lower and that the Wookiee did not seem to be concerned. Instead, he would spend his day attaching strips of wood to his vines. They began to worry that the Wookiee's isolation from his people had driven him mad and that they would all die of thirst. When they asked him why he wasted his time with boards and vines, he would only say that it was for their own good.
Finally, the day came that the barrels were empty. The animals all decided that they were doomed. But the Wookiee seemed unconcerned. He picked up his buckets and crossed the bridge he had made to the water tree. The animals all watched in wonder as he returned to his cave and begin to refill the barrels. Soon, they began to cross the bridge and bring back water in whatever fashion they could. And they marveled at the wisdom of their Wookiee friend.
Commentary on "The Hermit"
There are several things in this story that I thought were worth talking about.
First of all, the Wroshy cave. Wroshyrs are very large trees. They can grow to be kilometers wide. As they grow and age it is not uncommon for large splits to develop in their trunks at all levels up the tree. The effects of weathering and activities of animals will cause these splits to expand and open wider. This does not harm the tree or make it unstable, because of the large scale of the Wroshyrs. It is believed that Wookiees once lived in Wroshyr caves before they learned to build their own structures. There is scientific evidence to support this belief.
Now, let's talk about the water tree. You already know that Wookiees do not go to the surface of our planet. It is too dangerous. So, you might wonder how we get water. Well, often water will collect into small ponds which form in divets and holes in the Wroshyr branches. Water also flows in channels in the branches much like streams flow on the surface of Naboo and other planets. When we have a drenching rain, as often happens in the forest, the water will flow through these channels into the pools, flushing them out and keeping them viable as sources or clean water. The Wookiees have also build large systems of cisterns to collect water. This is how we are able to support the population of a village, or even a large city.
Community life is an interesting difference between Wookiees and other species. We do not have homeless Wookiees in our towns and cities. I remember how surprised I was to see that when I moved to Corellia. The village will ensure that all Wookiees have food, water, and shelter. It is our way to take care of each other. But it is not a "free ride". Any Wookiee who receives help from the community is expected to contribute back to the village by helping with community projects. The villagers will also work with the individual to help them learn the skills they need to be able to make their own way in our society. Once they become successful, they will continue to repay the favor by helping out other Wookiees who need community assistance. It is a great circle and one that is a time-honored tradition among our people.