52. Rabbit Engineers a Tug of War Between Tie-Snake And Man-eater

52. RABBIT ENGINEERS A TUG OF WAR BETWEEN TIE-SNAKE AND MAN-EATER (70)

(Tuggle collection)

Rabbit saw a Tie-snake in the water and challenged him to a trial of strength. The Tie-snake laughed at him, but consented.

The Rabbit said: "I will bring a vine, and when you feel me jerk you pull."

Afterwards Rabbit went over the hill and met Istepahpah, the Man-eater (the Lion), and proposed to pull against him, and Istepahpah consented. Rabbit fixed the same time for the Tie-snake and Istepahpah; and when that time arrived he got the vine and put one end in the water and running over the hill gave the other end to Istepahpah, saying, "When you feel me jerk, then pull."

Presently he went up on top of the hill and jerked the vine. The Tie-snake began to pull and Istepahpah, feeling the jerk, also pulled. Each was surprised and pulled harder and harder.

Rabbit enjoyed his deception and watched his victims pull until both were tired, and astonished at the strength of such a small animal.

(This same story is related of the sea cow and the elephant.)