51. Rabbit Engineers a Tug of War Between Two Tie-Snakes (Third Version)

51. RABBIT ENGINEERS A TUG OF WAR BETWEEN TWO TIE-SNAKES (70)

(THIRD VERSION)

(Tuggle collection)

One day a Rabbit saw a Tie-snake in a pool of water and proposed a trial of strength, which the Snake, to honor the little fellow, accepted. The Rabbit ran over the hill to another pool of water and made a similar arrangement with another Tie-snake, fixing the same time for the trial to begin. He obtained a long vine and put an end in each pool and gave the signal. Then the Snakes pulled against each other until they were amazed at the Rabbit's strength, and each fell on the same device to find out how the Rabbit was pulling so hard, which was to crawl out of the pool slowly, pulling all the while

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and gradually ascend the hill, where the Rabbit had agreed to stand. So they shortened the vine and crawled to the top of the hill, where, behold! the Snakes saw each other and no Rabbit at all, for he had concealed himself as he saw them coming up. After talking it over, the Snakes agreed that the Rabbit should not be allowed to drink any more water and accordingly the decree went forth to all the Tie-snakes, who are kings of the water, that the Rabbit should drink no more on account of his deception.

Day after day, as the Rabbit went to drink, the Tie-snakes ordered him away. Finally he adopted this plan to fool them. He found the skin of a fawn and putting it on he approached a pool of water and began bleating like a young fawn in distress. A Tie-snake hearing the cry, crawled out and asked why he cried.

"Because the Rabbit says I can never drink any more water, for all the Tie-snakes have so ordered," said the pretended fawn.

"It is one of his lies," said the Snake, "it is only the Rabbit who was ordered to drink no more. Such a pretty little creature as you are can always get all the water he wishes."

So the Rabbit went to the pool and drank his fill.