The sun., 1908-12-13


! gift OF cunning In no small measure, and
as the rtbbit was eIwhyR playing tricks
on tie other animals Mr. Tefrapln con, n'
cooted n practical, joke with which he
proceeded to viotinise the old joker.
The terrapin challenged The rabbit
Ing place agreed upon. They were to
run across four mountain ridges and Ito
one that came out first at the end was Ia
be the winner OF the race.
"Br'er Rabbit said TO himself that IL
would be. a shame to take anything 80
: easy. 90 he said 10 tile terrapin: Ion
can't run. and everybody knows It. ri
give you the first ridge and then You'll
have only three 10 cross while III Cross
over four
sTo this the terrapiD assented and went
} homo TO arrange. for the race He spnt
them that he knew that he could not
outrun tie rabbit. but he wanted 10 stor
his boasting. He then explained hia pian
TO them, and they agreed To help -, :
aThe day came and the animals vera
all out TO see the race. The rabi It tnst
terrapin went ahead as they had arranged,
and they could hardly see him on account
of the tall grass. When the word was
! q ven the rabbit started ca with long
"a upa up the mcu 1tain. expecting 10 win
t.ie race before the terTaIi could get dosn
/
mountain he saw the terrapin go ovqr tfs
ridge ahead OF him -
SHe ran on and when he reached the Ion
he looked all around, but could not see the
terrapin on account OF the tall grase,
Br'er Rabbit kept on down the mountain
and began to climb the second ridge
but when he looked up again there was
the terrapin just going over the top.
This was surprising. and Brer Rabbit
began to take longer jumps to catch up,
but when he got to the top there was tke
terrapin eway In front over the third
ridge. " ~.
nearly out of breath, but he kept on down
| the mountain and up the other'rfdge until
he got TO the top Just In time to see Mr..
Terrapin cross the fourth ridge and thus
win the race. .a,. .t-. e.. ,.~
| lump, but fell over on the ground crying
mi, mi, mi, mi as the rabbit has. ofofe
ever since when he is too tired, to ruin any
more The race. was given to the terra
Din, though all the animals wondered
how. he managed it, But he kept still
and never told. -"' -"
all the terrapin's friends looked just
alike and he had simply posted one near
the top of each ridge to wait until the rabbit
came In sight and then climb over and
hide in the long grass. When the rabbit
came on he could not find the terrapin
and 80 thought the terrapin was ahead.
be would have thought It was the same
one because they look so much alike.
The real terrapin had posted himself on
the fourth ridge go as to come In at the
end of the race and be ready to answer
questions II the animals suspected any.
thing
Another story about rabbit anda
possum who went wife hunting: !r-
/. "The rabbit and the possum wanted a
wife, but nobody would marry either Of
them. They talked the matter over, and
the rabbit said: We can't get wives here,
SO let's go to the next settlement. I'm
the messenger for the council and III
tell the people that bring an order that
everybody must take q mate at once, and
then well be sure 10 get our wives.
! @The possum regarded this as an eHl
cellent plan and so they started of to-
travelled faster he arrived there frst and
waited outside until the people noticed
him ahd invited him In. d
aWhen the chief came TO ask his busi-
ness the rabbit announced that he brought
an important order from the council
out o"t. delay: clay So the CHIEF called the people
together and told them the message from
the council Every animal chose a mate
at once and the rabbit found a, wife.
The possum travelled SO slowly that be
arrived after all the animals had mated.
leaving him still without a wife: The
rabbit pretended to feel sorry for him and
Viewer mind, tn carry the message TO
the people In tho next settlement, and
you hurry as fast as You can and CHS
time you will get your wife
so the rabbit went on to the next town
But when the rabbit arrived at the town
house he sent out the message that as
there had been peace 90 long everybody
was becoming lazy and the council had
ordered that there must be war at once
and that it must begin In the town house
So the they AL al 6sgSR 6sS sSsns ass Sor sr.., lean.
and got away just as the poesum came In.
attacked the possum. who had
not thought Of bringing his weapons on
9. wedding trip and so could not defend
himself"
Doubtless some OF the animal lore Of
the red man was the outgrowth Of his
special cosmogonio theology. but like
other men The Indian does some, thii55
for simple amusement, as In the following
humorous Cherokee, story. explaining
why the poesum tail is bare:
aTbe possum's tail used to be long and
bushy: and he was Immensely proud q
4. so proud, in fact. that he used 70 oonb
Il out every morning and boasted at the
dances what o beautiful tail he had. This
made Br'er Rabbit, who had no tsil since
The bear pulled it out. jealous, and he con-
,luded to play q trick on MIR. Poesum.
"A great council and dance at which
Ill the animals were to be present was
,oon TO be held. and it was part of the
rabbits business to see personally thAs
svery animal was invited Passing the
house the rabbit stopped ard
asked him il he intended to be there.
The poeeum said he would oome IL he could
nave a special seat because i have suoh'e
handsome tail that ought to sit where
,yerv one can see me-
aThe rabbit promised 10 see TO that,
Ind solicitously proposed 70 send the
,rioket, whom the indians call the barber.
because he Ia such an expert hair cutter
o comb and dress the possum's tail for
he dance This pleased the possurr
and he agreed TO 20. THO
leIt morning the cricket came to dreSs
he possum's tail for th5 dance that
light, having been instructed by the
abbit just what to do. az,
MIR. Possum stretched himself out and
hut his eyes while MIR. Cricket cofnbed
nut his tail and wrapped . red string
round to keep IL smooth until night
3ut all the time as the cricket wound the
tring around he clipped of the hair close
o the roots. and Mr.. Possum never
new il. ~
aThat night Mr.. Possum went TO the
Iauna nd found the haaf eoat raSarya1