He was so swift that he could
run down even the antelope and the elk, and at all the great animal
gatherings, where the different creatures met in council, he was the
swiftest there, and easily won the chief prizes at the great races which
the animals used to hold. Indeed, he won so many races that at length he
could get no animal to compete with him. He even tried to get up races with
the birds, but they laughed at him for his conceit.
"One day he happened to be hunting among the mountains. Near the top of
one he saw a large ball-like rock, standing there apart from the other big
rocks. Coming up close to this great round rock he said to it:
"'Was that you I saw walking just now?'
"'No; I cannot walk, I have lain here for a long time,' said the rock.
"The wolverine retorted that he was sure he had seen the rock walking.
"This made the rock angry and he told the wolverine that he was telling a
falsehood. Then the saucy wolverine replied:
"'You need not speak to me in that way, for I have seen you walking.'
"Then the wolverine ran off a little distance and challenged the rock to
catch him. But the rock did not reply to this and the bold wolverine came
close up to the rock, struck it with his paw, and said:
"'Come, now, see if you can catch me!'
"'I cannot run,' said the rock, 'but I can roll.'
"At this the conceited wolverine began to laugh. 'That will do! All I want
is a race. You can run or roll, just as you like.
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