Sacred Texts Native American Southeast Index Previous Next
Opossum climbed a persimmon tree, shook it, and ate the fruit. While he was doing so a Fawn came up and said, "What are you eating?" "It is an apple," he answered. The Fawn said, "Give me one so that I can try it." When the Opossum gave him one, the Fawn tried it and found it good. Then the Fawn said to Opossum, "How do you get it down to eat it?" "Put a stick in your nose, run against the apple tree, and when you strike it they will fall off and you can eat," he said. "If that is so, I will do it and knock some down to eat," the Fawn replied. He stuck a stick into his nose, ran back, struck against the persimmon tree and killed himself. Then Opossum skinned him, and when he was about to cook the meat, Wolf found him. He said to Opossum, "Make a good fire and cook it. If you do not do that I will kill you." Opossum was crying. While he was gathering a little dry wood with which to start his fire some Quails wandering about said, "Friend, why are you going about crying?" "I killed a little Fawn, and while I was roasting it, Wolf came and took it away from me, and so I am going about crying," said Opossum to the Quails. "If that is so," said the Quails, "go back to the meat and stir your fire and we will help you."
Opossum returned and fixed up his fire for the meat. While he was doing so a multitude of Quails came flying near. They made a rumbling noise. In a little while it grew into a thundering sound and so very loud that Wolf got scared. "What is that noise," he said to Opossum. "People are coming and I am going to run off at once," Opossum said to Wolf. Wolf jumped up and ran off, whereupon the Quails made more of the rumbling noise. Wolf disappeared and Opossum's meat was saved, and Opossum said to the Quails, "You have helped me very much. Wolf had cheated me and was going to eat up all of my food, but you helped me. Now I am going to eat Fawn meat." He asked them to eat with him but the Quails said, "You must eat it yourself. We were just helping you." So the Quails went away and Opossum devoured all of the meat.
This is how it is told.