, 1889-01-25
VENEZUELAN RABBI 1ALEs
Uneie Tigers watermelou Patch The
Strategy of Uncle Rabbit.

Unele Tigers Watermelon Patch = The
Strategy Of Uncle Rabbi
DIR. A Ernst, who has done much TO
increase the popular knowledge of
Venezuelan ethnology, has collected n
few popular tales, which are very in
teresting on account of their Tupi and
Spanish alfinities. The tales are en-
titled Ito Tigre and TIC Conejo
Oncle Tiger and Uncle Rabbit, " and
all of them have for their subject the
superiority Of cunning and craft over
sheer force.
Uncle Tiger had n field OF splendid
watermelons. He observed that some
body visited his field at night and
stole the melons; therefore he made a
figure Of a man of black wax and
placed it in the field. At night Uncle
Rabbit came and saw the figure.
What are you doing there, you black
mani Get awayr The figure did not
reply. Then Uncle Rabbit went up to
the black man and boxed his ears; but
his right hand stuck TO the wax. Let
60 my hand or I'll box your other
cart cried he. When he did so his
left hand also stuck in the wax. Then
he knocked his head against the fore
a of tho figure; his head stuck to
1t Then he worked with his hind
legs to get away; they also stuck to
the wax, and Uncle Rabbit was
caught Early in the morning Uncle
Tiger came, and when he saw Uncle
Rabbit, he cried, 'Ohol have we got
the thief Now I'll cat your WHIT
n moment, itsaid Uncle Rabbit; set me
free and / will show you n pit in
which two large deer have been
caught. You had better eat those
Uncle Tiger thought Two large deer
are better than Uncle Rabbit, and he
set him free, Uncle Rabbit led him
to n deep pit, and said, 'Stoop down
and you will see the deer When
Uncle Tiger did so, Uncle Rabbit
pushed him from behind. and Uncle
Tiger fell into the pit. Uncle Rabbit,
however, ran away IS fast rs his legs
would carry him"
Here is another story: Uncle Rab-
bit was very sad because ho was so
small. He went to God and wanted
TO be made taller. God said, i will do
so; but first bring me n coral snake, n
wasp swarm and n calabash filed with
women's tears Uncle Rabbit started
on his journey and arrived in "A forest
where there were many snakes. Walk
ing along there, he said, Il bet there is
room for him, / bet there is room for
himr a coral snake heard him and
asked what his speech meant. He re-
piled, The wasps say that there is not
room enough for you in this calabash,
n / bet that You can get in there
We Will see at once who is right said
the snake, and crawlcd into the Gala
bash. When he was in it Uncle Rab-
bit Mt once put tho stopper into tho
opening, and thus tho snake was
caught. Then he went on, and said:
i bet there is Dom for them, | bet
there is room for them Tho wasps
heard him, and asked what his speech
mt 'Ohr said Uncle Rabbit, the
snake saysthere is notroom enough for
your swarm in this calabash, and | bet
that all of you n get in there we
Will see Mt once who is right said the
wasps, and crawled into the calabash.
When the whole swarm was in, Uncle
Rabbit put tho stopper into the open
ing, and thus the wasps We're caught.
He next went TO n village, and when
near tho huts he began to cry and
lament Then all the women gathered,
and asked the cause of his grief. 'Oht'
said Uncle Rabbit, why should | not
cry and lamontR The world is going
10 % destroyed To-Day ana all oil us Will
perish When the women heard this
they began TO cry wofully, and Uncle
Rabbit filled n calabash with their
tears. Then he returned TO God.
When the latter saw the three Gala
bashes with tho snake, the wasps and
the tears, he said, Uncle Rabbit, YOU
are more cunning than any one else.
Why do you want 10 be taller9 But
as you wish it, l will at least make
your cars larger Saying so, he pulled
Uncle Rabbits ears, and since that day
they have remained long."-Scienca.