" So they removed; and he selected a site
such as the Otter had chosen for his home, and the weather being cold
he made a road of ice, or a coast, down from his door to the water, and
all was well. Then the guest came at the time set, and Rabbit, calling
his grandmother, bade her get ready to cook a dinner. "But what am I to
cook, grandson?" inquired the old dame.
"Truly I will see to that," said he, and made him a _nabogun_, or
stick to string eels. Then going to the ice path, he tried to slide
like one skilled in the art, but indeed with little luck, for be went
first to the right side, then to the left, and so hitched and jumped
till he came to the water, where he went in with a bob backwards. And
this bad beginning had no better ending, since of all swimmers and
divers the Rabbit is the very worst, and this one was no better than
his brothers. The water was cold, he lost his breath, he struggled, and
was well-nigh drowned.
"But what on earth ails the fellow?" said the Otter to the grandmother,
who was looking on in amazement.
"Well, he has seen somebody do something, and is trying to do likewise,"
replied the old lady.
"Ho! come out of that now," cried the Otter, "and hand me your
_nabogun_!" And the poor Rabbit, shivering with cold, and almost
frozen, came from the water and limped into the lodge. And there he
required much nursing from his grandmother, while the Otter, plunging
into the stream, soon returned with a load of fish.
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