MOUSEY] ■ HOW THK TKHHATIN HKAT THE RABBIT '271 



When tho day ("imc nil the animals were thorc to sec tho i-aco. Tho 

 Rabbit was with thoni, l)ut the Tcnapin was i^ono ahead toward the tirst 

 ridge, as thej^ had arranged, and they could hardly see him on account 

 of tlie long grass. The word was given and the Rabbit started oti' with 

 long jumps up the mountaui. expecting to win the race Ijefore the Ter- 

 rapin could get down the otlier side. But before he got up the moun- 

 tain he saw the Terrapin go over tlie ridge ahead of him. He ran on, 

 and when he reached the top lie looked all around. Init could not see 

 the Terrapin on account of the long grass. He kept on down the moun- 

 tain and began to climb the second ridge, init when he looked up again 

 there was the Terrapin just going over the top. Now he was surprised 

 and made his longest jumps to catch up, but when he got to the top 

 there was the Terrapin away in front going over the thii-d i-idge. The 

 Rabbit was getting tired now and nearly out of l)rcath, but lie kept on 

 down the mountain and up the other ridge until he got to the toj) just 

 in time to see the Terrapin cross the fourth ridge and thus win th(> race. 



The Rabbit could not make another jump, but fell over on the gi-ound, 

 crying »ii, ml, ml, ml, as the Rabbit does ever since when he is too tired 

 to run any more. The raci> was given to the Terrapin and all the ani- 

 mals wondered how he could win against the Rabbit, but he kept still 

 and never told. It was easy enough, however, because all the Terra- 

 pin's friends looked just alike, and he had simply posted one near the 

 top of each ridge to wait until the Rabbit came in sight and then climb 

 over and hide in the long grass. When the Rabbit came on he could 

 not-tind the Terrapin and so thought the Terrapin was ahead, and if he 

 had met one of the other terrapins he would have thought it the same 

 one because they looked so much alike. The real Terrapin had posted 

 himself on the fourth ridge, so as to come in at the end of the race 

 and be ready to answer questions if the animals suspected anything. 



Because the Rabbit had to lie down and lose the race the conjurer 

 now, when preparing his young men for the ))all play, boils a lot of 

 rabbit hamstrings into a soup, and sends some one at night to pour it 

 across the path along which the other players are to come in the morn- 

 ing, so that they may l)ecome tired in the same way and lose the game. 

 It is not always easy to do this, because the other party is expecting 

 it and has watchers ahead to prevent it. 



21. THE RABBIT AND THE TAR WOLF 



( )nce ther(> was such a long spell of dry weather that there was no 

 more water in the creeks and springs, and the animals held a council 

 to see what to do about it. They decided to dig a well, antl all agi'ecd 

 to help except the Rabbit, who was a lazy felloM', and said, "' 1 don't 

 need to dig for water. The d(>w on the grass is enougli for me." The 

 others did not like this, but they went to work together and dug 

 their well. 



