So he told them all this story, and they pitied him very much;
yea, one gray old man,--and this was the Chief,--with two beautiful
daughters, shed tears and comforted him, and advised him to stay with
them. So they took him to a large hall, where there was a great fire
burning in the middle thereof. And over it hung two pots with soup and
meat, and two Indians stood by and gave food to all the people. And he
had his share with the rest, and all feasted gayly.
Now, when they had done eating, the old Governor, who was very gray,
and from either side of whose head rose two very venerable, long white
feathers, rose to welcome the stranger, and in a long speech said it
was, indeed, the custom of their village to entertain guests, but that
they expected from them a song. Then Wild Cat, who was vain of his
voice, uplifted it in vengeance against the Rabbits:--
"Oh, how I hate them!
How I despise them!
How I laugh at them!
May I scalp them all!"
Then he said that he thought the Governor should sing. And to this the
Chief consented, but declared that all who were present should bow
their heads while seated, and shut their eyes, which they did. Then
Chief Rabbit, at one bound, cleared the heads of his guests, and
drawing his _timheyen_, or tomahawk, as he jumped, gave Wild Cat a
wound which cut deeply into his head, and only fell short of killing
him by entirely stunning him.
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