Page:An argosy of fables.djvu/541

PART II

AMERICAN INDIAN FABLES THE THREE CRANBERRIES

HREE Cranberries were living in a lodge together. One was green, one was white and one was red. They were sisters. There was snow on the ground; and as the men were absent, they felt afraid and began saying: "What shall we do if the wolf comes?" "I," said the green one, "will climb up the shingoub, the spruce tree." "I," said the white one, "will hide myself in the kettle of boiled hominy." "And I," said the red one, "will hide myself under the snow." Presently the wolves came, and the Three Cranberries hid themselves as they had agreed. But only one of the Three had judged wisely. The wolves immediately ran to the kettle, and ate up the hominy, and with it the white Cranberry. The red one was trampled to pieces by their feet and her blood spotted the snow. But the green one that had climbed the thick spruce tree escaped notice and was saved.

(Chippewa Fable. From Indian Tales and Researches, by Henry R. Schoolcraft.)

THE BEAR AND THE RABBIT

HE Bear once invited the Rabbit to dine with him. They had beans in the pot but there was no fat to cook them with. So the Bear took his knife and cut a little slit in his tough skin under the thick fur, and let some of the fat run out until they had enough to cook the dinner. The Rabbit looked surprised and thought to himself,