Sacred Texts Native American Southeast Index Previous Next
Wolf met Terrapin and boasted that he could outrun him. Terrapin said, "I am fast," and Wolf said, "I am fast, too."
Then Terrapin said to Wolf, "Let us run a race." After they had set a day, Terrapin went away and looked for some other terrapin. They had agreed to race across four hills and so Terrapin set one terrapin on each of the hills, but he sat on the last himself. When the time had come, and Wolf had arrived, Terrapin said, "When I whoop I am going to start." Presently he whooped and immediately Wolf ran as fast as he could go until he got up on top of one of the hills. When he came there he saw a terrapin climb the next and sit down upon it. He ran on again and when he got to the top of that hill, he saw a terrapin climb up on the third hill and sit down. Wolf thought he was beaten so he left and went away. On a later day, when Terrapin and Wolf met, Terrapin said, "You said you did not believe me but I beat you."
It is told that way.