Wolf Sets Rabbit to Guard Turtle

When Wolf caught Turtle, Turtle pulled his head and feet inside his shell.

Then Wolf saw Rabbit. "Come guard Turtle!" he shouted. "I'll go fetch a rock to smash him with."

Wolf left, and then Turtle poked his head out. "So long, Rabbit!" he said, walking off.

Rabbit didn't want to anger Wolf, so he plucked a tick from his fur and put it where Turtle had been. 

"Where's Turtle?" shouted Wolf. 

"It's my fault," said Rabbit. "My left eye has this fierce power, turning folks into ticks." Rabbit turned his head towards Wolf, but Wolf had already run off.

---

Inspired by: Animal Tales from North Carolina by Emma Backus and Ethel Hatton Leitner (in JAF). 
Notes: This is "When Brer Rabbit Help Brer Terapin," online at Hathi Trust. In the original story, Rabbit borrows the tick from Cow, but I didn't have room to include her.