The Porcupine said: “My tail is full of swords; but I will guard them very carefully if you will let me come in, for my home is far away.”
The Snake said: “I am here with my children, and am very poor. It is not for the rich to come to the poor for help; but rather for the poor man to visit the rich. If one of my children were to go to your house, you would kill him. Then why do you come here?”
However, the Porcupine promised so fairly that the Snake at last let him in. All went well at first; but in the morning the Porcupine began to quarrel, killed the whole Snake family, and took possession of their land.[23]
WHY THE RABBIT’S NOSE IS SPLIT
In old times the Red Headed Woodpecker once went to visit the Rabbit. He saw the Rabbit was very poor, and had nothing to eat, so he thought he would help him out. He took a green withe, tied it round his waist, and said: “Now I will catch some eels.”
He went to the side of a rotten tree, and pick, pick; Rabbit saw him pull out eel after eel,[24] and string them on a stick. When the stick was full, he brought them to camp and cooked them. When they were cooked, he and Rabbit ate supper, and felt happy. Then the Woodpecker took his leave, inviting Rabbit to return the visit soon.
In about three weeks Rabbit thought it was time he should accept this invitation, so he went to see Woodpecker. When he got there he said: “My turn now to get supper;” for he thought he could catch eels just as Woodpecker did.
He tied a withe about him, went to a tree, and pick, pick, pick, harder, then so hard that his nose was flattened and his lip split; but he caught no eels.
Old man Turtle was visiting Woodpecker at this same time. He took pity on Rabbit, tied the withe round his own body, and dived down into the lake, coming up with a back-load of eels.