Page:An argosy of fables.djvu/558

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480
KRAAL AND WIGWAM FABLES

night when he passed the Humming-bird sleeping on a limb; and in the morning he had finished his breakfast before the other came up. The next day he gained a little more; and on the fourth day he was spearing tadpoles for dinner when the Humming-bird passed him. On the fifth and sixth days it was late in the afternoon before the Humming-bird overtook him; and on the seventh morning the Crane was a whole night's travel ahead. He took his time at breakfast and then fixed himself up spick and span at the creek, arriving at the starting-point about the middle of the morning. When the Humming-bird at last came in, it was afternoon and he had lost the race. But the girl declared that she would never have such an ugly fellow for a husband, so she stayed single.

(From Myths of the Cherokee, by James Mooney.)


HOW THE DEER GOT HIS HORNS

IN the beginning the Deer had no horns, but his head was as smooth as that of a doe. He was a great runner, and the Rabbit was a great jumper; and all the other animals were curious to know which of the two could go further in the same time. They talked about it a good deal, and at last arranged a match between them, and made a fine, large pair of antlers as a prize for the winner. The Deer and the Rabbit were to start together from one side of a thicket and go through it, and turn and come back again—and the one who came out first was to receive the horns.

On the day fixed for the race all the animals were there, with the antlers put down on the ground at the edge of the thicket, to mark the starting point. While everybody was admiring the horns, the Rabbit said: "I don't know this part of the