How Rabbit Stole Mountain-Lion's Teeth

The following data is extracted from Traditions of the Caddo.

    One time when Rabbit's grandmother had gone off and left him alone he decided to wander about and see what he could see. He went along until he came to the home of Mountain-Lion. Mountain-Lion was not at home, so Rabbit went in and hunted about. He finally found Mountain-Lion's teeth and he took them and ran home with them. He was glad to find them, for the other animals were afraid of Mountain-Lion on account of his sharp teeth. Rabbit showed the teeth to his grandmother when he reached home, and said: "Now, grandmother, Mountain-Lion will soon be after his teeth, and we must fool him some way or he will kill us." Rabbit thought for a while; then he said: "Build a fire just outside the door, put a big kettle of water on the fire, and then put some stones into the water and boil them. When Mountain-Lion comes he will ask what you are going to do with those stones. Tell him that I have a guest in the lodge who is going to eat them. I will talk to myself in the lodge as though I were entertaining a friend, and when Mountain-Lion asks who my friend is, say 'Chief of all the beasts.'" The grandmother made a big fire and put the stones on to boil. Finally they heard a big noise, and Mountain-Lion came tearing through the bushes and came straight to the old woman. He asked her if Rabbit was at home, and she told him that he was inside talking to his friend and guest.
    Then he asked what she was going to do with the stones, and she told him what Rabbit had told her to say. He asked who the friend was, and she told him, "Chief of all the beasts." "Oh, yes, I know him," he said, and at the same time backed off a little, and then he turned on his heels and ran as fast as he could.

Source: Traditions of the Caddo

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