45. THE RABBIT GAMBLER.
In old times there was a rabbit,—Osīda Hodaweo, that was his name. Now Osīda was a gambler and was continually winning games. He had a deadly enemy, Sēno,—that was his name, a skunk. Now this Sēno loved two sisters. He never gambled but always had plenty to eat. Osīda, also loved the same two sisters. He gambled and had stores of goods. So Osīda was the choice of the women but his grandmother said that they would be fickle and would desert him when his luck changed. Then Osīda laughed at the old woman.
His wives were always faithful and cooked good food. Each morning he returned from his gambling. Then he sang a song:
“One Djagwehee! Deiogwaie do-no!
One Djagwehee! Deiogwaie do-no!
Now I am coming home; all night I have gambled!
Now I am coming home; all night I have gambled!”
Then his wives hearing his song in the distance would run out on the trail to greet him. They would sing a song:
“Osida-a-a-a Hada-weo! Dondae!
Osida-a-a-a Hada-weo! Dondae!
Feet Earrings! He is returning!
Feet Earrings! He is returning!”
So it happened this way continuously. Then it changed. One morning he sang his song but his wives did not come to greet him. He did not hear their song. He thought that it was strange. But he kept singing. He had no goods with him. For a long time now he had brought nothing home. His luck had changed. Therefore he wished his wives to come and cheer him but they did not come. He continued to sing until he stood outside the lodge door. He paused and listened but heard no sound within. He thought that was strange. He entered the lodge and it was empty. No one was within. There was a hot meal ready for him and he sat down and ate. He was absent minded and did not see what he was eating. After a time he heard singing in the air above the lodge. He heard the words:
“Ionegattha sago no sothetstsowa Haiasho!
Ionegattha sago no sothetatsowa Hayasho!”
These were the words he heard and then he voided his meal.[[42]] He ran out of the lodge, and above the trees overhead he saw his wives paddling a canoe through the air. They were not descending. Osīda was sick at stomach but he ran to catch them. They paddled fast and he did not succeed in getting near them for some time. At last he was at the side of the canoe which the women were paddling over the ground. He leaped into the canoe but the women leaped out and hopped away into the bush lands. Osīda chased them but lost sight of his runaway wives.
Now Sēno heard a noise above his burrow and sticking his head from the door saw the women whom he loved running. “Kwe!” he cried, “what is your haste?”
“We are running away from Osīda,” they replied.
“My lodge will be a safe refuge,” he answered with a smile, and beckoned them in. So they entered.
Osīda spied their tracks in the mud and stalked them to a burrow. He was about to run into the hole without looking when a hairy tail of some animal was pushed against his very face. He had no warning and was drenched with Sēno’s fetid water. He fell back and cried loudly for he was greatly in distress. By and by his grandmother came to him. She said something to him, but Osīda did not laugh. He went home with his grandmother.