Rabbit Weeds the Field

Man wanted his field weeded for free. "Whoever clears the field without scratching gets my ox!" he announced. Man was sure he wouldn't have to pay.

Jaguar started pulling weeds, and she just had to stop and scratch.

Armadillo also scratched.

Monkey too.

Then Rabbit started weeding. "Remind me," Rabbit said, "does that ox have a spot here?" Rabbit pointed to his shoulder. "Or here?" He pointed to his belly... but really he was scratching!

"He's got a spot there," Man said. "And there."

Rabbit kept pointing as he weeded the field, and Man had to give him the ox.

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Inspired by: Young Brer Rabbit and Other Trickster Tales from the Americas by Jaqueline Shachter Weiss.

Notes: This story is on p. 20: "Weeds/" Weiss notes that the story comes from Brazil; compare Anansi and the cow-itch: Anansi and the Spotted Cow.