Atondido Stories
Then he met Bee on the forest path and he said, "How do you
make a living, you wandering bee? You do nothing but gad
about all day long, going from flower to flower dressed in your
good clothes of yellow and black and always singing your tune-
less song?" And Bee said, "I make honey and wax and sell them.
I have a great store for sale now. Why don't you do as I do? I am
always happy. I always sing at my work, and what's more, my
song is not tuneless. And just for your impudence, take that."
And so saying he stung Rabbit on the nose and went on his way,
singing his droning song. Rabbit rubbed his nose in the earth to
ease his pain and he swore vengeance on Bee, for he knew that
Bee too was only laughing at him. But he could think of no way
to make an easy living, for he had nothing to sell but his coat,
and he could not very well barter that, for winter would soon be
coming on. He was very angry and troubled and he envied Duck
and Bee their good fortune because of their eggs and honey and
wax.
At last he thought of the Indians he had watched buying and
selling skins. "I have it," he cried, "I have it. I will become a great
merchant. I will be a great trader. I will live on a farm where
they grow corn and vegetables, and I will steal them and sell
them to the other animals and thereby make a great store of
money. I shall be very rich in a short time." So, very happy, he
went to a field near which was a vegetable garden. And in it
were growing Indian corn and all kinds of grain which he knew
the other birds and animals would gladly buy. So he made a
sign and put it up in front of his house, and it said, "Buy Rabbit's
corn, the best in all the land; it will grow without rain; there is
only a small quantity left. Orders taken here." Then he sat in his
house and waited.
Soon many buyers began to arrive. They were curious,
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