34. Rabbit and Wildcat

34. RABBIT AND WILDCAT (64)

Wildcat and Rabbit met and talked. Rabbit said, "Turkeys are walking around near by. Pretend that you are dead. Lie down and I will deceive the Turkeys and bring them to you so that you can catch them." So Wildcat pretended that he was dead, and Rabbit rubbed a piece of rotten wood on his mouth and his eyes and went to the place where the Turkeys were walking about. When he came to them he said, "I just saw Wildcat, the one who used to kill you, lying dead. I will sing for you and you must dance and rejoice." They started off and when they got to the place Rabbit sat down and began singing. They danced.

The Turkeys were dancing around Wildcat and Rabbit sang these words, "Catch that one with the large red head." "What are you saying?" the Turkeys said, and he answered, "I am saying that because the one who used to kill you is dead. Rejoice, you dancers. Step on the open mouth of Wildcat as you go round and round," and while they danced he caught one. The others scattered. Rabbit, however, ran off out of sight, no one knew where. He was lost.

When Rabbit and Wildcat first met, Rabbit thought, "He will catch me," and so he acted with cunning. That is why he brought the Turkeys who were roaming close by for Wildcat.