One time as Wapus (the rabbit) was
traveling along through the forest, he
came to a clearing on the bank of a
river, where he saw perched on a twig,
Totoba, the Saw-Whet owl. The light was
obscure, and the Rabbit could not see
very well, so he said to the Saw-Whet,
"Why do you want it so dark? I do not
like it, so I will cause it to be
daylight."

Then the Saw-Whet said, "If you are
powerful enough, do so. Let us try our
powers, and whoever succeeds may decide
as he prefers."

Then the Rabbit and the Owl called
together all the birds and the beasts
to witness the contest, and when they
had assembled the two informed them
what was to occur. Some of the birds
and beasts wanted the Rabbit to
succeed, so that it might be light;
others wished the Saw-Whet to win the
contest, so that it might remain dark.

Then both the Rabbit and the Saw-Whet
began, the former repeating rapidly
the words "wabon, wabon"(light,light),
while the Owl kept repeating
"unitipaqkot, unitipaqkot"(dark,dark).

Should one of them make a mistake and
repeat his opponent's word, the erring
one would lose.

So the rabbit kept on saying, "wabon,
wabon," and the Saw-Whet "unitipaqkot,
unitipaqkot," each being watched and
urged by his followers; but finally
the Owl accidentally repeated after
the Rabbit the word "wabon," when he
lost and surrendered the contest.

The Rabbit then decided that it should
be light: but he granted that night
should have a chance for the benefit
of the conquered.