44. THE RABBIT SONG.
There was a certain woman who was accustomed to ridiculing Gwaio, the rabbit. She called him Honishogwadusshe. Usually she called him Hegowa (gallops). One day Gwaio was running by this woman’s house. She saw him and came out to deride him for she always thought rabbits queer animals. When she saw him she sang a song. This is what she sang:
He´gowa, He´gowa! Ne’´ho ni´shogwadase oi‘ daĕ‘!
(Gallops, Gallops! There growing all around, hair is!)
Now this made Gwaio embarrassed and he hastened to escape from the sound of the song. He ran very far but soon saw the woman again singing as before.
“Gallops, Gallops, with hair circling round!”
Then he ran fast again and when he thought that he had escaped he heard the woman singing again,
“Gallops, Gallops, with hair circling round!”
This made him angry and he was mystified to know how the woman could be ever before him singing her song when he had passed her twice. So he ran again and when he thought himself safe again he saw her before him singing as before,
“Gallops, Gallops, with hair circling round!”
Again he ran and hearing her sing once more fell exhausted at her feet tortured by the song and laughter of the merciless woman. He said, “O woman, you must be a great witch to be ever before me when I pass you.”
Then the woman laughed and said, “O rabbit you must be a great fool not to know that I have not moved and that you have been running around in a circle. When you ran up to me I sang the song,
“‘Gallops, Gallops, with hair circling round’!”
Now the old people say that when you see a rabbit and wish to kill it to remain still and make ready to shoot. He will come again round a circle and you can kill him. This thing was learned from this legend. Now when you hunt rabbits sing this song when you see one and soon he will appear again for he runs in circles and returns to the same spot in which you saw him first. So now all.