Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-18
Animals Trick
the Rabbit
Bunny Is Not Popular Beast in
Legends, and Many Stories Show His
Discontinue Through Good-Hu-
nored or Malicious Franks Devised
by other Forest Denizens

by OtnST ToTSSL GSutECHS
Among the Cherokee Indians the fol-
lowing story of the rabbit and the tar
wolf used often to be told:
Once there was such long season of
dry weather that no more water re-
manned in the creeks and springs, and
the animals held a council to see what
could be done. They decided to dig a
we'll, and all agreed to help except the
rabbit, who was lazy fellow and said:
~ don't need to dig for water. The
dew on the grass is enough for me-
The other animals were not pleased
with the rabbits remark, but they set
to work to dig the well. They noticed
that the rabbit kept sick and lively,
although it was still dry weather and
the water was becoming low in the
WE'LL
The other animals suspected that the
tricky rabbit was stealing the water
at night and they made wolf of pine
gum and tar and placed it by the we'll
to brighten the thief. That night the
rabbit came, as he had been coming
every night, to drink enough to last
him all the next day. When he saw
the queer black thing by the well he
inquired:
who's there ?"
But there was no reply. The rabbit
came nearer but the wolf didn't move,
so he grew drawer and said:
"Get out of my way or I'll kick you"
Still there was no reply. Then the
rabbit kicked with his hind foot so
hard that it was caught in the gum and
he could not move, and there he stuck
until the animals came for water IN
the morning. When they discovered
A. lit InI nxra
for a while, and then prepared to kill
him. But as soon as the rabbit was
released from the tar wolf he managed
to escape.
The Cherokees also tell this story
about the rabbit and the terrapin:
"Br'er Rabbit was a great runner,
and everybody knew it. The terrapin
was a slow traveller, as everybody also
knew, but he was a great warrior and
unblushingly boasted of it. The terra
pin also had a gift of cunning in no
small measure, and as the rabbit was
always playing tricks on the other ami
mails Mr.. Terrapin concocted a prac-
teal joke with which he proceeded to
victimize the old joker
1.-THE terrapin challenged the rabbit
to foot race. The day was fixed the
starting place agreed upon. They were
to run across four mountain ridges, and
the one that came out first at the end
w
"Br'er Rabbit said to himself that it
would be shame to take anything so
easy, so he said to the terrapin: You
can't run, and everybody knows it. I'll
give you the first ridge and then you'll
have only three to cross while I'll cross
over four
ITO this the terrapin assented and
went home to arrange for the race.
He sent for his terrapin friends and
frankly told them he knew that he
could not outrun the rabbit, but he
wanted to stop his boasting.- He then
explained his plan to them and they
agreed to help him.
1.-The day came and the animals were
all out to see the race. The rabbit took
his station at the starting point, and
the terrapin went ahead, as they had
arranged, and they could hardly see
him on account of the tall grass. When
the word was given the rabbit started
out with long jumps up the mountain,
expecting to win the race before the
terrapin could get down the other side
of it. Before he got up the mountain
he saw the terrapin &C over the ridge
ahead of him.
HE ran on, and when he reached the
top he looked all around, but could not
see the terrapin on account of the tall
grass Br'er Rabbit kept on down the
mountain and began to- climb the Sec
, ond ridge, but when he looked up
again there was the terrapin just go
ing over the top. This was surprising,
and Br'er Rabbit began to take longer
jumps to catch up, but when he got to
the top there was the terrapin away in
the front over the third ridge.
1.-THE rabbit was now getting tired
and nearly out of breath, but he kept
on down the mountain and up the
other ridge until he got to the top just
in time to see Mr.. Terrapin cross the
fourth ridge, and thus win the race.
"Brer Rabbit could not make another
jump, but fell over on the ground, cry
ing Mi, NIL NIL as the rabbit has done
ever since when he is too tired to
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