Atondido Stories
ducklings, but now that I have stopped laying he is soon going
to roast me in a pot. That is my reward." The Chief could make
no answer to these charges, for he knew them to be true, and he
offered to do what was in his power for Rabbit. But Rabbit re-
fused to make choice of food, for he said the best was already
gone. He sulked for many months and lived alone by his own
efforts as best he could.
At last he decided to take vengeance on the Chief. And he hit,
as was his custom, on a crafty trick. The Chief had an old Bear
which he prized very highly, for the Bear did for him many
wondrous tricks and brought laughter to him and his warriors
when he danced at their feasts. In those olden times Bear had a
long bushy tail of which he was very proud. One day as Rabbit
sat on the ice fishing—for it was now winter—Bear came along.
There was to be a feast that night and he was going to dance for
the Chief, and he was in very good spirits. "Where did you get
all the fine fish?" he asked, for he was a great fish eater. "I caught
them through the hole in the ice," said Rabbit. "It is very easy.
Just drop your tail down through the hole and it will soon be
covered with fine big fish."
Bear did as he was told, and he sat on the ice for a long time
waiting for his prey. He sat so long that the hole froze up, for it
was very cold, and in it was frozen poor Bear's long bushy tail.
"Now," said Rabbit, "jump quick, for many fish are hanging to
you." Bear jumped with all his might, but his tail was held fast in
the ice and it broke off close to the root. Rabbit laughed in great
glee and ran away. And poor Bear howled with pain and shame.
He could not dance at the feast because his stub of a tail was
sore, and the Chief and the warriors were very angry at Rabbit
because he had harmed their dancing pet. And since that time
Bear has had a short stubby tail which to this day he tries to wag
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