Page:An argosy of fables.djvu/553

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AMERICAN INDIAN FABLES
475

even if I kick you, but when I give the word jump up and catch the largest one there." The Wildcat agreed and stretched out as if dead.

Then the Rabbit went over to the Turkeys and said in a sociable way, "Here I've found our old enemy the Wildcat lying dead in the trail. Let's have a dance over him." The Turkeys were very doubtful, but finally went with him to where the Wildcat was lying in the road as if dead. Now the Rabbit had a good voice and was a great dance leader, so he said, "I'll lead the song and you dance around him." The Turkeys thought that fine, so the Rabbit took a stick to beat time and began to sing: "Gälägi na hasuyak" (pick out the Gobbler, pick out the Gobbler.)

"Why do you say that," asked the old Turkey a little anxiously. "Oh, that's all right," said the Rabbit carelessly, "that's just the way the Wildcat used to do, and we're only singing about it."

So the Rabbit started the song again, and the Turkeys began to dance around the Wildcat. When they had gone around several times, the Rabbit said: "Now go up and hit him, as we do in the war dance." So the Turkeys, thinking the Wildcat was surely dead, crowded in close around him, and the old Gobbler kicked him. Then the Rabbit drummed his hardest and sang his loudest, "Pick out the Gobbler, pick out the Gobbler," and the Wildcat jumped up and caught the Gobbler.

(Myths of the Cherokee, by James Mooney.)


HOW THE RABBIT ESCAPED FROM THE WOLVES

SOME Wolves once caught the Rabbit and were going to eat him, when he asked leave to show them a new dance that he was practicing. They knew that the Rabbit was a great dancer and song-