l68 NATURE STUDY. 



away the bushes so as to make a clean trail down to the 

 river. The Otter wondered more and more and wanted to 

 know what this meant. 



Said the Rabbit, " This place is called The Place Where 

 it Rains Fire. vSometimes it rains fire here, and the sky 

 looks a little that way to-night. You go to sleep and I'll 

 sit up and watch, and if the fire does come, as soon as you 

 hear me shout, you run and jump into the river. Better 

 hang your coat on a limb over there, so it won't get 

 burnt." 



The Otter did as he was told, and they both doubled up 

 to go to sleep, but the Rabbit kept awake. After a while 

 the fire burned down to red coals. The Rabbit called, but 

 the Otter was fast asleep and made no answer. In a little 

 while he called again, but the Otter never stirred. Then 

 the Rabbit filled the paddle with hot coals and threw them 

 up into the air and shouted, " It's raining fire ! It's rain- 

 ing fire ! ' ' 



The hot coals fell all around the Otter and he jumped 

 up. "To the water! " cried the Rabbit, and the Otter 

 ran and jumped into the river, and he has lived in the wa- 

 ter ever since. 



The Rabbit took the Otter's coat and put it on, leaving 

 his own instead, and went on to the council. All the ani- 

 mals were there, every one looking out for the Otter. At 

 last they saw him in the distance, and they said one to the 

 other, "The Otter is coming ! " and sent one of the small 

 animals to show him the best seat. They were all glad to 

 see him and went up in turn to welcome him, but the Ot- 

 ter kept his head down, with one paw over his face. They 

 wondered that he was so bashful, until the Bear came up 

 and pulled the paw away, and there was the Rabbit with 

 his split nose. He sprang up snd started to run, when 

 the Bear struck at him and pulled his tail off, but the Rab- 

 bit was too quick for them and got away. 



