Sacred Texts Native American Southeast Index Previous Next
Wildcat was always catching and eating young rabbits, so that none of them grew up. Therefore, Rabbit went to Wildcat and told him he knew of a plan by which Wildcat could get some turkeys to eat. He told him to lie down on his back and feign that he was dead. Then Rabbit went to the Turkeys and told them that he had killed a wildcat, and that he was a big singer, and that they should come and dance about the Wildcat while he sang for them. So the Turkeys went with him and began to dance around Wildcat. As Rabbit sang he said, "Catch that big red-legged one. Catch that one with the necklace." The Turkeys thought he was fooling and they became more venturesome, until the biggest among them jumped up on top of Wildcat and trotted up and down on him. Upon this Wildcat jumped up and seized the gobbler. "Now you can see that I am your friend," said Rabbit. This is why a turkey always comes up and peers curiously at anything, and if an animal or man lies still it can get it.