"Why, there are hundreds
racing about in the cedar swamps near this place, and you can have as
many as you want." "Ah!" replied Wild Cat, "but they are not what I
seek. Mine is an entirely different kind." The other said that he knew
of no sort save the wild wood-rabbits, but that perhaps their Governor,
or Chief, who was very wise, could tell him all about them. Then the
Governor, or Sagamore, came up. Like the preacher, he was very
remarkable and gray, with the long locks standing up one on either side
of his head. And he invited the stranger to his house, where his two
very beautiful daughters cooked him a fine supper. And when he wished
to retire they brought out blankets and a beautiful _white bear's
skin_, and made up a bed for him by the fire. Truly, his eyes were
closed as soon as he lay down, but when he awoke there had been a great
change. For now he was in a wet cedar swamp, the wind blowing ten times
worse than ever, and his supper and sleep had done him little good, for
they were all a delusion. All around him were rabbits' tracks and
broken twigs, but nothing more.
Yet he sprang up, more enraged than ever, and swearing more terribly by
his tail, teeth, and claws that he would be revenged. So he ran on all
day, and at night, when he came to another large village, he was so
weary that he could just gasp, "Have--you--seen a Rab--bit run this
way?" With much concern and kindness they all asked him what was the
matter.
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