Rabbit found Panther in a pit.
"He looks dead!" said Rabbit. "I'll take him home and eat him."
Rabbit hauled Panther out of the pit, but Panther wasn't dead. He'd waited in that pit to catch Rabbit.
Rabbit ran, but Panther grabbed him.
"They say you're the world's greatest jumper," said Rabbit. "If someone throws an apple, you can jump up and catch it between your legs before it hits the ground."
"Easy!" said Panther.
Rabbit threw an apple. "Show me!"
When Panther jumped, Rabbit ran.
Rabbit didn't get to eat Panther, but Panther didn't get to eat Rabbit either.
Inspired by: Negro Tales from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and Calvin, Michigan by Richard Dorson (online at Hathi).
Notes: This story is "Rabbit Fool the Panther" as told by James Douglas Suggs. The original story also has Turtle as part of the story with Panther scratching at Turtle until Turtle finally goes off and leaves Rabbit to deal with Panther on his own.
That's a very cunning way of making his escape!
ReplyDeleteI wish Panther had managed to eat Rabbit in order to put an end to his nasty tricks
ReplyDelete