43. The Story of Opossum (Second Version)

p. 200

43. THE STORY OF OPOSSUM

(SECOND VERSION)

Tcukbilabila ¹ carried off Opossum's children and kept them in a hole. Tcukbilabila sat upon them. Opossum went to the place and asked for them, but he would not give them to her. Opossum stayed there begging for them but could not get them. Then Terrapin went in to help her, upon which Tcukbilabila sang, "Sparks of hot ashes," and struck sparks. Then Terrapin went back. By and by Terrapin said that although he would not give him Opossum's children he would go and get them, and bring them back and put them into Opossum's belly. Terrapin did so, and he tied Opossum's children to her hips where she has carried them ever since.

Footnotes

200:1 Described as "a brownish woodbird, which is named from its note and is heard before day in the spring." Perhaps the whippoorwill.