HOW RABBIT STOLE OTTER’S COAT
Cherokee
ALL the animals were of different sizes and wore different coats. Some wore long fur and others wore short fur. Some had rings on their tails; others had no tails at all. The coats of the animals were of many colors—brown, or black, or yellow, or gray.
The animals were always quarreling about whose coat was the finest. Therefore they held a council to decide the matter.
Now everyone had heard a great deal about Otter, but he lived far up the trail; he did not often visit the others. It was said he had the finest coat of all, but it was so long since they had seen him that no one remembered what it was like. They did not even know just where he lived, but they knew he would come when he heard of the council.
Rabbit was afraid the council would say that Otter had the finest coat. He learned by what trail Otter would come to the council. Then he went a four days’ march up the trail to meet him. At last he saw Otter coming. He knew him at once by his beautiful coat of soft brown fur.
Otter said, “Where are you going?”
“They sent me to bring you to the council,” answered Rabbit. “They were afraid you might not know the trail.”
So Rabbit turned back and they traveled together. They traveled all day. At night Rabbit picked out a camping place. Otter was a stranger in that part. Rabbit cut down bushes for beds and made everything comfortable. Next morning they started on again.
In the afternoon, Rabbit picked up pieces of bark and wood, as they followed the trail, and loaded them on his back.
“Why are you doing that?” asked Otter.
“So that we may be warm and comfortable tonight,” said Rabbit. Near sunset they stopped and made camp. After supper Rabbit began to whittle a stick, shaving it down to a paddle.
“Why are you doing that?” asked Otter again.
“Oh,” said Rabbit, “I have good dreams when I sleep with a paddle under my head.”
When the paddle was finished, Rabbit began to cut a good trail through the bushes to the river.
“Why are you doing that?” asked Otter.
“This is called ‘The Place Where It Rains Fire,’ and sometimes it does rain fire here,” said Rabbit. “The sky looks a little that way tonight. You go to sleep and I will sit up and watch. If you hear me shout, you run and jump into the river. Better hang your coat on that limb over there, so it will not get burned.”
Otter did as Rabbit told him; then both curled up and Otter went to sleep. But Rabbit stayed awake. After a while the fire burned down to red coals. Rabbit called to Otter; he was fast asleep. Then he called again, but Otter did not awaken.
Then Rabbit rose softly. He filled the paddle with hot coals, threw them up into the air and shouted, “It’s raining fire! It’s raining fire!”
The hot coals fell on Otter and he jumped up.
“To the river,” shouted Rabbit and Otter fled into the water. So he has lived in the water ever since.
Rabbit at once took Otter’s coat and put it on, leaving his own behind. Then he followed the trail to the council.
All the animals were waiting for Otter. At last they saw him coming down the trail. They said to each other, “Otter is coming!” They sent one of the small animals to show him the best seat. After he was seated, the animals all went up in turn to welcome him. But Otter kept his head down with one paw over his face.
The animals were surprised. They did not know Otter was so bashful. At last Bear pulled the paw away. There was Rabbit! He sprang up and started to run. Bear struck at him and pulled the tail off his coat. But Rabbit was too quick and got safely away.