A Guide to MythologyClarke, Helen A. (Helen Archibald)
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A Guide to Mythology
Clarke, Helen A. (Helen Archibald)
Mythology -- Juvenile literature
“Rabbits! Rab-bits!” replied the young man. “Why, there are hundreds
racing about in the cedar swamps near this place, and you can have as
many as you want.” “Ah!” replied Wild-Cat, “but they are not what I
seek. Mine is an entirely different kind.” The other said that he knew
of no sort save the wild wood-rabbits, but that perhaps their Governor,
or Chief, who was very wise, could tell him all about them. Then the
Governor, or Sagamore, came up. Like the preacher, he was very remarkable
and gray, with the long locks standing up one on either side of his head.
And he invited the stranger to his house, where his two very beautiful
daughters cooked him a fine supper. And when he wished to retire they
brought out blankets and a beautiful _white bear’s skin_, and made up a
bed for him by the fire. Truly, his eyes were closed as soon as he lay
down, but when he awoke there had been a great change. For now he was in
a wet cedar swamp, the wind blowing ten times worse than ever, and his
supper and sleep had done him little good, for they were all a delusion.
All around him were rabbits’ tracks and broken twigs, but nothing more.
Yet he sprang up, more enraged than ever, and swearing more terribly by
his tail, teeth, and claws that he would be revenged. So he ran on all
day, and at night, when he came to another large village, he was so weary
that he could just gasp, “Have—you—seen a Rab—bit run this way?” With
much concern and kindness they all asked him what was the matter. So he
told them all this story, and they pitied him very much; yea, one gray
old man—and this was the Chief—with two beautiful daughters, shed tears
and comforted him, and advised him to stay with them. So they took him to
a large hall, where there was a great fire burning in the middle thereof.
And over it hung two pots with soup and meat, and two Indians stood by
and gave food to all the people. And he had his share with the rest, and
all feasted gayly.
Now, when they had done eating, the old Governor, who was very gray,
and from either side of whose head rose two very venerable, long white
feathers, rose to welcome the stranger, and in a long speech said it was,
indeed, the custom of their village to entertain guests, but that they
expected from them a song. Then Wild-Cat, who was vain of his voice,
uplifted it in vengeance against the Rabbits:
Oh, how I hate them!
How I despise them!
How I laugh at them!
May I scalp them all!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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