How frightened Brother Rabbit looked now!
"Oh, Gray Wolf," he begged, "burn me; cut off my head. Do anything else with me, but please don't throw me in the brier patch."
The more he begged, the faster Gray Wolf hurried to the brier patch. The other animals followed close behind. They were all talking about the tricks Brother Rabbit had played on them and how they had never before been able to get even with him.
When they came to the edge of the brier patch, Brother Rabbit begged harder than ever.
"Good Wolf," he cried, "do anything else with me, but don't throw me in the brier patch!"
Gray Wolf laughed and threw Brother Rabbit far into the patch.
Brother Rabbit landed on his feet, and off he ran through the briers. He called back, "Thank you, good Wolf! You threw me right on my trail! I was born and bred in the brier patch. I was born and bred in the brier patch!"
He was running so fast that by the time he said this, he was out of sight.
—THE INDIAN TAR-BABY STORY.