The Buffalo and the Field Mouse Native American Lore
Once upon a time, when the Field-Mouse was out gathering
wild beans for the winter, his neighbor, the Buffalo,
came down to graze in the meadow. This the little Mouse
did not like, for he knew that the other would mow down
all the long grass with his prickly tongue, and there
would be no place in which to hide. He made up his mind
to offer battle like a man. "Ho, Friend Buffalo, I challenge
you to a fight! "he exclaimed in a small, squeaking voice.
The Buffalo paid no attention, thinking it only a joke.
The Mouse angrily repeated the challenge, and still his
enemy went on quietly grazing. Then the little Mouse laughed
with contempt as he offered his defiance. The Buffalo
at last looked at him and replied carelessly: "You had
better keep still, little one, or I shall come over there
and step on you, and there will be nothing left! " "You
can't do it! "replied the Mouse. "I tell you to keep still,"insisted
the Buffalo, who was getting angry. "If you speak to me
again, I shall certainly come and put an end to you! "
"I dare you to do it! "said the Mouse, provoking him.
Thereupon the other rushed upon him. He trampled thc
grass clumsily and tore up the earth with his front hoofs.
When he had ended, he looked for the Mouse, but he could
not see him anywhere. "I told you I would step on you,
and there would be nothing left! "he muttered. Just then
he felt a scratching inside his right ear. He shook his
head as hard as he could, and twitched his ears back and
forth. The gnawing went deeper and deeper until he was
half wild with the pain. He pawed with his hoofs and tore
up the sod with his horns. Bellowing madly, he ran as
fast as he could, first straight forward and then in circles,
but at last he stopped and stood trembling. Then the Mouse
jumped out of his ear, and said: "Will you know now that
I am master? " "No! "bellowed the Buffalo, and again he
started toward the Mouse, as if to trample him under his
feet. The little fellow was nowhere to be seen, but in
a minute the Buffalo felt him in the other ear. Once more
he became wild with pain, and ran here and there over
the prairie, at times leaping high in the air. At last
he fell to the ground and lay quite still. The Mouse came
out of his ear, and stood proudly upon his dead body.
"Eho! "said he, "I have killed the greatest of all beasts.
This will show to all that I am master! " Standing upon
the body of the dead Buffalo, he called loudly for a knife
with which to dress his game.
In another part of the meadow, Red Fox, very hungry,
was hunting mice for his breakfast. He saw one and jumped
upon him with all four feet, but the little Mouse got
away, and he was terribly disappointed. All at once he
thought he heard a distant call: "Bring a knife! Bring
a knife ! " When the second call came, Red Fox started
in the direction of the sound. At the first knoll he stopped
and listened, but hearing nothing more, he was about to
go back. Just then he heard the call plainly, but in a
very thin voice, "Bring a knife!"Red Fox immediately set
out again and ran as fast as he could. By and by he came
upon the huge body of the Buffalo lying upon the ground.
The little Mouse still stood upon the body. "I want you
to dress this Buffalo for me and I will give you some
of the meat,"commanded the Mouse. "Thank you, my friend,
I shall be glad to do this for you,"he replied, politely.
The Fox dressed the Buffalo, while the Mouse sat upon
a mound near by, looking on and giving his orders. "You
must cut the meat into small pieces," he said to the Fox.
When the Fox had finished his work, the Mouse paid him
with a small piece of liver. He swallowed it quickly and
smacked his lips. "Please, may I have another piece?"
he asked quite humbly. "Why, I gave you a very large piece!
How greedy you are!"exclaimed the Mouse. "You may have
some of the blood clots,"he sneered. So the poor Fox took
the blood clots and even licked off the grass. He was
really very hungry. "Please may I take home a piece of
the meat?"he begged. "I have six little folks at home,
and there is nothing for them to eat." "You can take the
four feet of the Buffalo. That ought to be enough for
all of you!" "Hi, hi! Thank you, thank you!" said the
Fox. "But, Mouse, I have a wife also, and we have had
bad luck in hunting. We are almost starved. Can't you
spare me a little more?" "Why,"declared the Mouse, "I
have already overpaid you for the little work you have
done. However, you can take the head, too!" Thereupon
the Fox jumped upon the Mouse, who gave one faint squeak
and disappeared. If you are proud and selfish you will
lose all in the end.
