Atondido Stories
me to the wedding feast. Come and join me and play too, and
you will be well paid, and we will go to the wedding feast to-
gether and get good things to eat." Fox thought he would let
Rabbit get the pay he had been promised, for he was a very
greedy fellow; then he would rob him and kill him, and he
would take his flute and go to the wedding feast alone, and his
vengeance would then be complete. So he decided to let his an-
ger cool for a little time. And he said, "I have no flute, and I can-
not therefore make music; but I will sit with you to see the wed-
ding guests go by." But Rabbit said, "Take my flute. I have anoth-
er at home. I will go and get it, for there is yet time."
So Fox took the flute and began to play loudly, and Rabbit
slipped hurriedly out of sight, pretending to go for his Indian
pipe. But he resolved to make an end of Fox, for he feared for his
own life, and instead of going home, he set the underbrush on
fire. He kindled the fire at many places all around the log on
which Fox sat. Fox could not hear the fire crackling because of
the loud music of his flute, and he thought the light was but the
bright light of the moon. And the fire was almost upon him be-
fore he knew that he was in danger. Then he tried to get away,
but on all sides his escape was stopped by the flames and he
could not find an opening. At last, in despair, to save his life, he
jumped through the ring of fire. He escaped with his life, but his
eyelids were singed, and his sleek black coat with its silver spots
was scorched to a red-brown colour. He was in great pain. He
concluded that Rabbit was too clever for him to cope with, and
he resolved to leave him alone and to forego his revenge, for he
was glad to get away with his life. But he decided never again to
live on friendly terms with Rabbit. And since that night Rabbit
and Fox have never hunted together. And to the present day the
descendants of this Fox have red eyes and a red-brown coat,
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