Sacred Texts Native American Southeast Index Previous Next
A Dog lived at a certain place near which a Heron was kept, and the Dog went there and played with him. After they had done this for some time the Dog said, "When are you coming over to visit me?" "I don't know," said the Heron, "Well! wait. I will tell my master
and will come to visit you." The Dog went back home. Then the Dog traveling along the road saw the Heron playing in the distance and he started off and came to the place where the Heron was. They played together a long time. Late in the evening the Dog said, "Now I will go back." He started off, but after having gone a little distance he stopped and said, "Hulloa! when are you going to come to see me?" "Well," said the Heron," I will be there day after to-morrow." "All right," said the Dog, "I am going to cook for you."
So the Heron started out to pay him a visit. When he arrived the Dog was very glad to see him. And the Dog said, "Wait! the food is cooked. I will put it on the table and we will eat." At that the Heron was pleased and sat down. Then the Dog disappeared inside of the pine-bark house in which he lived. He put some soup into a very flat plate and set it down. Then he came back outside, saying, "Now, wash your face." The Heron washed and prepared himself. The Dog said, "Now let us eat." So they went in and the Heron sat down before the very flat plate. "Now, eat!" said the Dog. The Heron wanted to eat but his nose was too long and it was in vain that he turned it sidewise and in every sort of direction. The Dog, however, lapped the food up with his tongue and quickly finished it. While the Heron ate nothing, he got through, and they went out. Then the Heron said, "Now, you come and visit me." "I will come day after to-morrow," the Dog answered, and the Heron went home.
Now the Heron cooked. Thinking "I am going to have something to eat," the Dog arrived there, very happy. Then the Heron disappeared into his palmetto house. He had cooked some food. He put a very little soup into a small can, set it down, and went out. "Now, wash!" he said. The Dog washed, combed, and prepared himself. "Now, let us eat," said the Heron. So the Dog went in in haste and sat down. He wanted to eat but could not stick his tongue into the little can. The Heron stuck in his beak, which was of just the right size, and drank all of his soup up. Then the Dog went home angry, and they ceased to be friends. Afterwards the Dog wanted to be friends again but the Heron would not be a friend to him.
202:1 From Aesop's Fables.