_Omaha_
Once upon a time Rabbit dwelt in a lodge with no one but his
grandmother. It was his custom to go hunting very early in the
morning. But no matter how early in the morning he went, a person with
a very long foot had been along, leaving a trail. Rabbit wished to
know him.
"Now," he thought, "I will go in advance of that person." Having risen
very early in the morning, he departed, but again it happened that the
person had been along, leaving a trail. Then Rabbit went home.
"Grandmother," he said, "though I arrange for myself to go first, a
person goes ahead of me every time. Grandmother, I will make a snare
and I will catch him."
"Why should you do it?" she asked.
"I hate the person," he said.
Again Rabbit departed. And again had the footprints gone along. So
Rabbit lay waiting for night to come. Then he made a noose of a
bowstring, setting it where the footprints were commonly seen.
Next morning Rabbit reached the place very early, to see what he had
caught in his trap. And it happened that he had caught the Sun.
Running very fast, he went homewards to tell about it.
"Grandmother," he said, "I have caught something or other but it
scares me. Grandmother, I wished to take away my bowstring, but I was
scared every time."
So he went there again with a knife. This time he got very near it.
"You have done wrong. Why have you done it? Come and untie me," said
the Sun.
The Rabbit, although he went to untie him, kept going past him a
little on one side. Then he made a rush with his head bent down and
his arm stretched out, and cut the bowstring with his knife. And the
Sun rose into the sky. But Rabbit had the hair between his shoulders
scorched yellow by the heat of the Sun as he stooped and cut the
bowstring. Then Rabbit arrived at his lodge.
"I am burnt. Oh, grandmother! the heat has left nothing of me," he
said.
Grandmother said, "Oh, my grandchild! I think the heat has left to me
nothing of him!"
From that time Rabbit has always had a singed spot upon his back,
between his shoulders.