Sacred Texts Native American Southeast Index Previous Next
Bear and Rabbit became friends. Then Bear said, "Come and visit me." Rabbit set out and when he got to Bear's house Bear cut a slit in his body, picked out a piece of fat and fried it, and they ate. Then Rabbit said, "You come to me." When Bear came to visit him, Rabbit cut a slit in his body, but nothing was there. Bear cut himself again, fried the fat, and ate,
Then Rabbit lay in a dying condition, and the people went about hunting for a doctor. They sent for Buzzard, and Buzzard said, "You shut me up with him in the house. No one must look in, even through a crack. That is the only way in which I can doctor." So they shut him up with Rabbit. In a little while Rabbit cried out and then stopped, and the people said, "What is the matter?" "Nothing. He cries out only because he is afraid of the medicine." By and by Buzzard said, "Open the door for me." They opened it and he flew far off and sat on a tree. When they looked at Rabbit, only bones were left. Then they were angry with Buzzard and shot at him, but they merely shot him through the bill. Buzzard said, "Oh! I am glad to have something hanging from my nose." 1
211:1 Probably meaning a nose ornament.