Cherokee

Long ago, in the old days, Flint lived up in the mountains, and all the animals hated him because he had helped to kill so many of them. All the arrowheads were made of flint. They used to have councils. They tried to think of some means of killing him. But everybody was afraid to go near to his house, until at last Rabbit, who was the boldest, offered to try to kill Flint.

So Rabbit asked the trail to Flint’s house. At last he reached the house.

Flint was standing at the door of his lodge when Rabbit reached there. He said, “Siyu! Hello! Are you the fellow they call Flint?”

“Yes; that’s what they call me,” said Flint.

“Is this where you live?”

“Yes; this is where I live.”

All the time Rabbit was looking at the lodge and all about him. He was trying to think how to kill Flint. Rabbit had expected Flint to invite him into his lodge. But Flint only stood in the door. Rabbit said, “My name is Rabbit. I’ve heard a good deal about you, so I came to see you.”

Flint said, “Where is your lodge?”

“Down in the broom-grass field near the river,” said Rabbit.

Flint said, “I will come and visit you after a while.”

Rabbit said, “Come now and have supper with me.”

So Rabbit coaxed Flint until he said yes, and the two started down the mountain side together.

When they came near Rabbit’s hole, Rabbit said, “There is my lodge, but in summer I stay outside here, where it is cooler.”

So he made a fire and they had their supper on the grass. When supper was over, Flint stretched out on the grass to rest. Rabbit picked up some heavy sticks and his knife, and cut a mallet and wedge.

Flint looked up and said, “What is that for?”

“Oh,” said Rabbit, “I like to be doing something and they may come in handy.”

Flint lay down again and soon he was sound asleep. Rabbit spoke to him once or twice, but he did not answer. Then Rabbit came over to Flint and with one blow of the mallet drove the stake through Flint. Then he ran with all his might for his own hole. But before he reached it, there was a loud explosion, and pieces of flint flew all about. That is why we find flint in so many places now. One piece struck Rabbit and cut him just as he dived into his hole. He sat listening until everything was quiet again. Then he put his head out to look around, just as another piece fell. It cut his lip, just as we see it now.