How Rabbit Tricked Otter

retold by Shan, Bryan, Silas, Sierra, Justin, Arron, Amanda, Earl, and Johnny

Long ago when people weren't living and the animals could talk, Rabbit and Bear and Otter and other animals lived in the woods. The animals were going to have a dance for the one with the best coat.

Rabbit was the messenger. He was supposed to tell Otter there would be an honor dance for him. Rabbit told Otter about the honor dance. Rabbit was mad.

Rabbit thought he had the prettiest tail. At that time he had a long tail with beautiful fur.

The rabbit tricked the otter. He said, "Take off your coat and get close to the river so your coat won't get a hole in it. At night sparks will come out of the sky."

"Jump in the river when the sparks come," said the rabbit.

Otter went to sleep. Rabbit got some of the hot coals from the fire and threw them as high as he could.

Otter hollered, "Fire!" and rolled into the river.

The rabbit stole Otter's coat. He put the coat on and went to the dance. He had a split nose. The animals would know it was him. So he put his paw over his nose.

Otter was a good friend of Bear's. Bear thought that wasn't really Otter. Bear danced over to Rabbit and knocked off his paw. He saw that the nose was split. He yanked off Rabbit's beautiful furry tail. That's how come the rabbit family has a little puff like cotton for its tail.