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〃Oh； do not leave me。 Do not go away without me。〃
She searched for a long time。 At last in one corner of the field；
hidden under the leaves of the stalks； she found one little ear of
corn。 This it was that had been crying； and this is why all Indian
women have since garnered their corn crop very carefully； so that
the succulent food product should not even to the last small nubbin
be neglected or wasted； and thus displease the Great Mystery。
THE LITTLE MICE
Once upon a time a prairie mouse busied herself all fall storing
away a cache of beans。 Every morning she was out early with her
empty cast…off snake skin； which she filled with ground beans and
dragged home with her teeth。
The little mouse had a cousin who was fond of dancing and talk； but
who did not like to work。 She was not careful to get her cache of
beans and the season was already well gone before she thought to
bestir herself。 When she came to realize her need；
she found she had no packing bag。 So she went to her hardworking
cousin and said：
〃Cousin； I have no beans stored for winter and the season is nearly
gone。 But I have no snake skin to gather the beans in。 Will you
lend me one？〃
〃But why have you no packing bag？ Where were you in the moon when
the snakes cast off their skins？〃
〃I was here。〃
〃What were you doing？〃
〃I was busy talking and dancing。〃
〃And now you are punished；〃 said the other。 〃It is always so with
lazy； careless people。 But I will let you have the snake skin。
And now go； and by hard work and industry； try to recover your
wasted time。〃
THE PET RABBIT
A little girl owned a pet rabbit which she loved dearly。 She
carried it on her back like a babe； made for it a little pair of
moccasins； and at night shared with it her own robe。
Now the little girl had a cousin who loved her very dearly and
wished to do her honor； so her cousin said to herself：
〃I love my little cousin well and will ask her to let me carry her
pet rabbit around；〃 （for thus do Indian women when they wish to
honor a friend； they ask permission to carry about the friend's
babe）。
She then went to the little girl and said：
〃Cousin； let me carry your pet rabbit about on my back。 Thus shall
I show you how I love you。〃
Her mother； too； said to her： 〃Oh no； do not let our little
grandchild go away from our tepee。〃
But the cousin answered： 〃Oh； do let me carry it。 I do so want to
show my cousin honor。〃 At last they let her go away with the pet
rabbit on her back。
When the little girl's cousin came home to her tepee； some rough
boys who were playing about began to make sport of her。 To tease
the little girl they threw stones and sticks at the pet rabbit。 At
last a stick struck the little rabbit upon the head and
killed it。
When her pet was brought home dead； the little rabbit's adopted
mother wept bitterly。 She cut off her hair for mourning and all
her little girl friends wailed with her。 Her mother； too； mourned
with them。
〃Alas！〃 they cried； 〃alas； for the little rabbit。 He was always
kind and gentle。 Now your child is dead and you will be lonesome。〃
The little girl's mother called in her little friends and made a
great mourning feast for the little rabbit。 As he lay in the tepee
his adopted mother's little friends brought many precious things
and covered his body。 At the feast were given away robes and
kettles and blankets and knives and great wealth in honor of the
little rabbit。 Him they wrapped in a robe with his little
moccasins on and buried him in a high place upon a scaffold。
THE PET DONKEY
There was a chief's daughter once who had a great many relations so
that everybody knew she belonged to a great family。
When she grew up she married and there were born to her twin sons。
This caused great rejoicing in her father's camp； and all the
village women came to see the babes。 She was very happy。
As the babes grew older； their grandmother made for them two saddle
bags and brought out a donkey。
〃My two grandchildren；〃 said the old lady； 〃shall ride as is
becoming to children having so many relations。 Here is this
donkey。 He is patient and surefooted。 He shall carry the babes in
the saddle bags； one on either side of his back。〃
It happened one day that the chief's daughter and her husband were
making ready to go on a camping journey。 The father； who was quite
proud of his children； brought out his finest pony； and put the
saddle bags on the pony's back。
〃There；〃 he said； 〃my sons shall ride on the pony； not on a donkey；
let the donkey carry the pots and kettles。〃
So his wife loaded the donkey with the household things。 She tied
the tepee poles into two great bundles； one on either side of the
donkey's back； across them she put the travois net and threw into
it the pots and kettles and laid the skin tent across the donkey's
back。
But no sooner done than the donkey began to rear and bray and kick。
He broke the tent poles and kicked the pots and kettles into bits
and tore the skin tent。 The more he was beaten the more he kicked。
At last they told the grandmother。 She laughed。 〃Did I not tell
you the donkey was for the children；〃 she cried。 〃He knows the
babies are the chief's children。 Think you he will be dishonored
with pots and kettles？〃 and she fetched the children and slung them
over the donkey's back； when he became at once quiet again。
The camping party left the village and went on their journey。 But
the next day as they passed by a place overgrown with bushes； a
band of enemies rushed out； lashing their ponies and sounding their
war whoop。 All was excitement。 The men bent their bows and seized
their lances。 After a long battle the enemy fled。 But when the
camping party came together againwhere were the donkey and the
two babes？ No one knew。 For a long time they searched； but in
vain。 At last they turned to go back to the village； the father
mournful； the mother wailing。 When they came to the grandmother's
tepee； there stood the good donkey with the two babes in the saddle
bags。
THE RABBIT AND THE ELK
The little rabbit lived with his old grandmother； who needed a new
dress。 〃I will go out and trap a deer or an elk for you；〃 he said。
〃Then you shall have a new dress。〃
When he went out hunting he laid down his bow in the path while he
looked at his snares。 An elk coming by saw the bow。
〃I will play a joke on the rabbit；〃 said the elk to himself。 〃I
will make him think I have been caught in his bow string。〃 He then
put one foot on the string and lay down as if dead。
By and by the rabbit returned。 When he saw the elk he was filled
with joy and ran home crying： 〃Grandmother； I have trapped a fine
elk。 You shall have a new dress from his skin。 Throw the old one