Rabbit and Terrapin Race





Rabbit was a great runner.

No one thought Terrapin was anything but a slow traveler, but Terrapin was a great warrior and just as boastful as Rabbit.

The two disputed their speed. At last, they agreed to decide the matter by a race. They fixed the day, the starting place, and arranging to run across four mountain ridges. The one who came in first at the end was to be the winner.

Rabbit felt so sure he said to the Terrapin, "You know you can't run. You can never win the race, so I'll give you the first ridge. You'll have three to cross while I go over four."

Terrapin said that would be all right.

That night he went home to his family and sent for his Terrapin friends. He told them he knew he could not outrun Rabbit, but he wanted to stop Rabbit's boasting.

His friends agreed to help him.

On the day of the race all the animals were there to see the race.

Rabbit was with them.

Terrapin had gone ahead toward the first ridge as they had agreed. The animals could hardly see him because of the long grass.

Then the word was given.

Rabbit started with long jumps up the mountain. He expected to win the race before Terrapin could get down the other side.

However, before he got up the mountain he saw Terrapin go over the ridge ahead of him.

He ran on. When he reached the top, he could not see Terrapin in the long grass.

He went down the mountain and climbed the second ridge. Looking up he Terrapin going over the top of the next ridge. He was surprised and made longer jumps to catch up.

When he got to the top there was Terrapin away in front going over the third ridge.

Rabbit was getting tired and nearly out of breath, but he kept going. He went up the other ridge getting to the top just in time to see Terrapin crossing the fourth ridge to win the race.

Rabbit could not make another jump.

He fell on the ground, crying mi, mi, mi, mi, as Rabbit does ever since when he is too tired to run.

Terrapin won the race.

The animals wondered how he could win against Rabbit. Terrapin never told. It was easy to understand, however.

Terrapin's friends looked alike. He simply posted one near the top of each ridge to wait until Rabbit came in sight and then climb over and hide in the long grass. When Rabbit came by he could not find Terrapin, so thought Terrapin was ahead.

If he had met other Terrapins, he would think it the same one because they looked so much alike.

The real Terrapin posted himself on the fourth ridge, so he came in at the end of the race, ready to answer questions if the animals suspected anything.

Because Rabbit had to lie down to rest, losing the race, the Conjurer when preparing young men for ball play boils rabbit hamstrings into soup and sends some one at night to pour it across the path along which other players come in the morning. That way the other players become tired in the same way and lose the game.

It is not always easy to do this, because the other party expects it and watchers are sent ahead to prevent it.