Treasury of American Indian TalesRessler, Theodore Whitson
General
Treasury of American Indian Tales
Ressler, Theodore Whitson
Indians of North America -- Folklore; Indians of North America -- Juvenile literature
“No, my father,” said Little Fox, “but by the rising of the next new
moon, I shall have many eagle feathers, for tomorrow I start in search
of the Great Golden Eagle. It has been told by Great Moose that beyond
the three hills many Golden Eagles have been seen.”
Swift Deer was proud. He knew that though his son was small he had in
his breast a brave heart, for to go in search of the Great Golden Eagle
took a great deal of courage. Once again Swift Deer took his son aside
and told him the many dangers of eagle hunting, but praised him for his
bravery in going to get the tail feathers of the Great Golden Eagle.
The following morning, Little Fox took some food. Then taking a long
strong thong of deerskin, he looped it several times around his waist
and tied the food pouch to it. Strapping a knife also to the thong, he
started for the place where the Great Golden Eagles had been seen.
On the way he stopped just long enough to snare a plump young rabbit
which he would use for bait. When he reached the place where the eagles
were to be found, he started digging a deep hole, large enough for him
to stand in. Then he placed branches over the hole to hide it, with a
small space for him to reach through and grasp the tail feathers of the
eagle. To the top of this cover he tied the plump young rabbit with a
piece of thong. After all was in readiness, Little Fox lifted the edge
of his cover and slid into the hole, resting his foot on a thick root
which stuck out of the earth into the hole. Placing his back against the
side of the hole, he waited patiently for the Golden Eagle.
An hour passed and then two and three, and Little Fox began to feel his
muscles tighten up and his body start to grow stiff. He began to feel
impatient. Suddenly, he heard the rabbit begin to move about uneasily,
then tug in panic against the thong that held him. Surely the Golden
Eagle must be close by. Little Fox felt relaxed; the stiffness in his
body was gone. Now excitement rushed into his body as he waited for the
Golden Eagle to come to rest on the top of his hiding place.
All at once, Little Fox felt the ground tremble and he heard what
sounded like the low rumble of a waterfall. Then he knew that what he
had heard was the low growl of a bear. He peered through a crack in the
cover over the hole and saw the bear’s towering form. Fear gripped the
heart of Little Fox. Many were the stories he had heard of Indians who
had lost their lives while hunting for the prized feathers of the Golden
Eagle.
The bear, with the swiftness of a fleeting arrow, made one sweep with
his huge paw and the rabbit went sprawling. The bear paused as though he
were thinking about the problem before him. Here was one of his enemies
trapped beneath his feet. How would he reach his enemy? With an angry
growl he ripped at the boughs which covered the hiding place of Little
Fox until he had uncovered the top of the hole.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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