30. Rabbit and Wildcat

30. RABBIT AND WILDCAT (71)

Rabbit was traveling along. He lied to Wildcat about a big tree standing close to the road which Rabbit had grasped, saying, "If this tree falls on the road it will interfere with travel. The people said it must be braced up, and so I have been standing here holding it. As there is no one here, help me so that we can brace it." "All right," answered Wildcat, and Rabbit said, "Stand here and hold it while I hunt for something with which we can brace it." Rabbit started off and did not return, so Wildcat after having stood there a long time became angry and left it.

Going along, Wildcat inquired the whereabouts of Rabbit. Wildcat was very angry and if he saw Rabbit he thought he would kill him, so he hunted along after him. While he was on the way, and before he discovered Rabbit, Rabbit saw him and when Wildcat came up acted as if be were making a raft. Wildcat said, "What are you making?" and Rabbit answered, "I am making a raft. I am making it in readiness for a great flood, which they say is going to come. Help me make it and if the flood comes we can stay on it." "All right," said Wildcat. He helped him, and after a time they finished the raft and carried it toward the creek. "If we find it is all right, you can sit on it," said Rabbit as they carried it along. When they got to the creek, he said to Wildcat, "You sit on it and I will push it off so that we can see how it floats on the water." So Wildcat sat on the raft and Rabbit pushed it off. He ran deep into the water, and saw it start away. Then Rabbit went off, while the raft floated on and finally stopped in a bend of the river.

When Wildcat got off Rabbit had again disappeared and Wildcat was angry with him. He thought, "If I see Rabbit this time I will kill him." As he was going along looking for him Rabbit found a single pecan and cracked it. While he was sitting with it Wildcat came and found him. Wildcat said, "What are you doing?" and he answered, "I am eating pecans. Having cracked the pecan he gave it to Wildcat, who ate it. When he found out how good it was, Wildcat said to Rabbit, "Where did you find it?" and Rabbit answered, "Si testiculos tuos percutias, pecana habebis." Postquam Lepus Lynei hoc dixit, Me testiculos suos percutiebat atque moriebatur, et quum Lynx mortuus humi jaceret Lepus abibat.