There was a dog; and there was an old woman who had a pack of dried
meat laid away. This the dog knew; and, when he supposed the old woman
was asleep, he went there at night. But the old woman was aware of his
coming and so kept watch, and, as the dog thrust his head under the
tent, she struck him across the face and made a great gash, which
swelled greatly.
The next morning a companion dog came and attempted to talk with him.
But the dog was sullen and silent. The visitor said: "Tell me what
makes you so heart-sick." To which he replied: "Be still, an old woman
has treated me badly." "What did she do to you?" He answered: "An old
woman had a pack of dried meat; this I saw and went for it; and when
it was now far in the night, and I supposed she was asleep, I went
there and poked my head under the tent. But she was lying awake and
cried out: 'Shoo! what are you doing here?' and struck me on the head
and wounded me as you see."
Whereupon the other dog said: "Alas! Alas! she has treated you
badly, verily we will eat up her pack of meat. Call an assembly:
call _Water-mist_ (i.e., rain); call _Bite-off-silently_; call
_Strong-neck_; call _Sharp-knife_." So he invited them all. And when
they had all arrived, he said: "Come on! an old woman has treated this
friend badly; bestir yourselves; before the night is past, the pack of
dried meat which she prizes so much, and on account of which she has
thus dealt with our friend, that we will eat all up".
Then the one who is called _Rain-mist_ caused it to rain, and it
rained all the day through until dark; and the tent was all drenched,
and the holes of the tent-pins were thoroughly softened. Then
_Bite-off-silently_ bit off all the lower tent-fastenings, but
he did it so quietly that the old woman knew nothing of it. Then
_Strong-neck_ came and seized the pack with his mouth, and carried it
far away. Whereupon _Sharp-knife_ came and ripped the pack through the
middle; and so, while it was yet night, they ate up the old woman's
pack of dried meat.
_Moral_.--A common thief becomes worse and worse by attaching himself
to more daring companions. This is the myth.