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I want you to shoot some of them for me; as my children
are crying for meat。〃
The rabbit; fearing to arouse the bear's anger by refusing;
consented; and went with the bear; and shot enough buffalo to
satisfy the hungry family。 Indeed; he shot and killed so many that
there was lots of meat left after the bear and his family had
loaded themselves; and packed all they could carry home。 The bear
being very gluttonous; and not wanting the rabbit to get any of the
meat; said: 〃Rabbit; you come along home with us and we will return
and get the remainder of the meat。〃
The poor rabbit could not even taste the blood from the butchering;
as the bear would throw earth on the blood and dry it up。 Poor
Rabbit would have to go home hungry after his hard day's work。
The bear was the father of five children。 The youngest boy was
very kind to the rabbit。 The mother bear; knowing that her
youngest was a very hearty eater; always gave him an extra large
piece of meat。 What the baby bear did not eat; he would take
outside with him and pretend to play ball with it; kicking it
toward the rabbit's house; and when he got close to the door he
would give the meat such a great kick; that it would fly into the
rabbit's house; and in this way poor Rabbit would get his meal
unknown to the papa bear。
Baby bear never forgot his friend Rabbit。 Papa bear often wondered
why his baby would go outside after each meal。 He grew suspicious
and asked the baby where he had been。 〃Oh; I always play ball
outside; around the house; and when I get tired playing I eat up my
meat ball and then come in。〃
The baby bear was too cunning to let papa bear know that he was
keeping his friend rabbit from starving to death。 Nevertheless;
papa bear suspected baby and said: 〃Baby; I think you go over to
the rabbit's after every meal。〃
The four older brothers were very handsome; but baby bear was a
little puny fellow; whose coat couldn't keep out much cold; as it
was short and shaggy; and of a dirty brown color。 The three older
brothers were very unkind to baby bear; but the fourth one always
took baby's part; and was always kind to his baby brother。
Rabbit was getting tired of being ordered and bullied around by
papa bear。 He puzzled his brain to scheme some way of getting even
with Mr。 Bear for abusing him so much。 He studied all night long;
but no scheme worth trying presented itself。 Early one morning Mr。
Bear presented himself at Rabbit's door。
〃Say; Rabbit; my meat is all used up; and there is a fine herd of
buffalo grazing on the hillside。 Get your bow and arrows and come
with me。 I want you to shoot some of them for me。〃
〃Very well;〃 said Rabbit; and he went and killed six buffalo for
Bear。 Bear got busy butchering and poor Rabbit; thinking he would
get a chance to lick up one mouthful of blood; stayed very close to
the bear while he was cutting up the meat。 The bear was very
watchful lest the rabbit get something to eat。 Despite bear's
watchfulness; a small clot of blood rolled past and behind the
bear's feet。 At once Rabbit seized the clot and hid it in his
bosom。 By the time Rabbit got home; the blood clot was hardened
from the warmth of his body; so; being hungry; it put Mr。 Rabbit
out of sorts to think that after all his trouble he could not eat
the blood。
Very badly disappointed; he lay down on his floor and gazed up into
the chimney hole。 Disgusted with the way things had turned out; he
grabbed up the blood clot and threw it up through the hole。
Scarcely had it hit the ground when he heard the voice of a baby
crying; 〃Ate! Ate!〃 (father; father)。 He went outside and there
he found a big baby boy。 He took the baby into his house and threw
him out through the hole again。 This time the boy was large enough
to say 〃Ate; Ate; he…cun…sin…lo。〃 (Father; father; don't do that)。
But nevertheless; he threw him up and out again。 On going out the
third time; there stood a handsome youth smiling at him。 Rabbit at
once adopted the youth and took him into his house; seating him in
the seat of honor (which is directly opposite the entrance); and
saying: 〃My son; I want you to be a good; honest; straightforward
man。 Now; I have in my possession a fine outfit; and you; my son;
shall wear it。〃
Suiting his action to his words; he drew out a bag from a hollow
tree and on opening it; drew out a fine buckskin shirt (tanned
white as snow); worked with porcupine quills。 Also a pair of red
leggings worked with beads。 Moccasins worked with colored hair。
A fine otter skin robe。 White weasel skins to intertwine
with his beautiful long black locks。 A magnificent center eagle
feather。 A rawhide covered bow; accompanied by a quiver full of
flint arrowheads。
The rabbit; having dressed his son in all the latest finery; sat
back and gazed long and lovingly at his handsome son。
Instinctively Rabbit felt that his son had been sent him for the
purpose of being instrumental in the downfall of Mr。 Bear。 Events
will show。
The morning following the arrival of Rabbit's son; Mr。 Bear again
presents himself at the door; crying out: 〃You lazy; ugly rabbit;
get up and come out here。 I want you to shoot some more buffalo
for me。〃
〃Who is this; who speaks so insultingly to you; father?〃 asked the
son。
〃It is a bear who lives near here; and makes me kill buffalo for
his family; and he won't let me take even one little drop of blood
from the killing; and consequently; my son; I have nothing in my
house for you to eat。〃
The young man was anxious to meet Mr。 Bear but Rabbit advised him
to wait a little until he and Bear had gone to the hunt。 So the
son obeyed; and when he thought it time that the killing was done;
he started out and arrived on the scene just as Mr。 Bear was about
to proceed with his butchering。
Seeing a strange shadow on the ground beside him; Mr。 Bear looked
up and gazed into the fearless eyes of rabbit's handsome son。
〃Who is this?〃 asked Mr。 Bear of poor little Rabbit。
〃I don't know;〃 answered Rabbit。
〃Who are you?〃 asked the bear of Rabbit's son。 〃Where did you come
from?〃
The rabbit's son not replying; the bear spoke thus to him: 〃Get out
of here; and get out quick; too。〃
At this speech the rabbit's son became angered; and fastened an
arrow to his bow and drove the arrow through the bear's heart。
Then he turned on Mrs。 Bear and served her likewise。 During the
melee; Rabbit shouted: 〃My son; my son; don't kill the two
youngest。 The baby has kept me from starving and the other one is
good and kind to his baby brother。〃
So the three older brothers who were unkind to their baby brother
met a similar fate to that of their selfish parents。
This (the story goes) is the reason that bears travel only in
pairs。
THE BRAVE WHO WENT ON THE WARPATH
ALONE AND WON THE NAME OF
THE LONE WARRIOR
There was