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of Ancient Key-Dweller Remains on the Gulf Coast of Florida
CHEROKEE STORIES
What Became Of The Rabbit
(From Myths of the Cherokee, by James Mooney)
The Deer was very angry at the Rabbit for filing his teeth and determined to be revenged, but he kept still and pretended to be friendly until the Rabbit was off his guard. Then one day, as they were going along together talking, he challenged the Rabbit to jump against him. Now the Rabbit is a great jumper, as every one knows, so he agreed at once. There was a small stream beside the path, as there generally is in that country, and the Deer said:
"Let's see if you can jump across this branch. We'll go back a piece, and then when I say Ku! then both run and jump."
"All right, " said the Rabbit. So they went back to get a good start, and when the Deer gave the word Ku! they ran for the stream, and the Rabbit made one jump and landed on the other side. But the Deer had stopped on the bank, and when the Rabbit looked back the Deer had conjured the stream so that it was a large river. The Rabbit was never able to get back again and is still on the other side. The rabbit that we know is only a little thing that came afterwards.
History, Myths and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees, a compilation of Mooney's reports to the Bureau of American Ethnology, is available in the Native Nashville Online Book Store.
