<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</SPAN></span></p>
<h2>HOW RABBIT CAUGHT THE SUN IN A TRAP</h2>
<p class="subtitle">Omaha</p>
<p><span class="dropcap">O</span>nce upon a time Rabbit dwelt in a lodge with
no one but his grandmother. It was his custom
to go hunting very early in the morning. But
no matter how early in the morning he went, a person
with a very long foot had been along, leaving a trail.
Rabbit wished to know him.</p>
<p>“Now,” he thought, “I will go in advance of that
person.” Having risen very early in the morning, he
departed, but again it happened that the person had
been along, leaving a trail. Then Rabbit went home.</p>
<p>“Grandmother,” he said, “though I arrange for
myself to go first, a person goes ahead of me every time.
Grandmother, I will make a snare and I will catch
him.”</p>
<p>“Why should you do it?” she asked.</p>
<p>“I hate the person,” he said.</p>
<p>Again Rabbit departed. And again had the footprints
gone along. So Rabbit lay waiting for night
to come. Then he made a noose of a bowstring, setting
it where the footprints were commonly seen.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</SPAN></span>
Next morning Rabbit reached the place very early,
to see what he had caught in his trap. And it happened
that he had caught the Sun. Running very fast, he
went homewards to tell about it.</p>
<p>“Grandmother,” he said, “I have caught something
or other but it scares me. Grandmother, I wished to
take away my bowstring, but I was scared every time.”</p>
<p>So he went there again with a knife. This time
he got very near it.</p>
<p>“You have done wrong. Why have you done it?
Come and untie me,” said the Sun.</p>
<p>The Rabbit, although he went to untie him, kept
going past him a little on one side. Then he made
a rush with his head bent down and his arm stretched
out, and cut the bowstring with his knife. And the
Sun rose into the sky. But Rabbit had the hair between
his shoulders scorched yellow by the heat of the Sun as
he stooped and cut the bowstring. Then Rabbit arrived
at his lodge.</p>
<p>“I am burnt. Oh, grandmother! the heat has left
nothing of me,” he said.</p>
<p>Grandmother said, “Oh, my grandchild! I think
the heat has left to me nothing of him!”</p>
<p>From that time Rabbit has always had a singed spot
upon his back, between his shoulders.</p>
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