THE RACCOON AND THE CRAWFISH

Sharp and cunning is the raccoon, say the Indians, by whom he is

named Spotted Face.

A crawfish one evening wandered along a river bank, looking for

something dead to feast upon. A raccoon was also out looking for

something to eat. He spied the crawfish and formed a plan to catch

him.

He lay down on the bank and feigned to be dead. By and by the

crawfish came near by. "Ho," he thought, "here is a feast indeed;

but is he really dead. I will go near and pinch him with my claws

and find out."

So he went near and pinched the raccoon on the nose and then on his

soft paws. The raccoon never moved. The crawfish then pinched him

on the ribs and tickled him so that the raccoon could hardly keep

from laughing. The crawfish at last left him. "The

raccoon is surely dead," he thought. And he hurried back to the

crawfish village and reported his find to the chief.

All the villagers were called to go down to the feast. The chief

bade the warriors and young men to paint their faces and dress in

their gayest for a dance.

So they marched in a long line--first the warriors, with their

weapons in hand, then the women with their babies and children--to

the place where the raccoon lay. They formed a great circle about

him and danced, singing:

"We shall have a great feast

"On the spotted-faced beast, with soft smooth paws:

"He is dead!

"He is dead!

"We shall dance!

"We shall have a good time;

"We shall feast on his flesh."

But as they danced, the raccoon suddenly sprang to his feet.

"Who is that you say you are going to eat? He has a spotted face,

has he? He has soft, smooth paws, has he? I'll break your ugly

backs. I'll break your rough bones. I'll crunch your ugly, rough

paws." And he rushed among the crawfish, killing them by

scores. The crawfish warriors fought bravely and the women ran

screaming, all to no purpose. They did not feast on the raccoon;

the raccoon feasted on them!