Many animals had characteristics which
we would not recognize today. The rabbit,
for example, was fierce, bold and
cunning, and a great mischief maker.
It was through Rabbit's tricks that
the deer lost his sharp wolf-like
teeth, the buzzard his handsome
topknot of feathers and the opossum
his long, bushy tail.

Opossum was very proud of his tail
which, in those days, was covered
with thick black fur. He spent long
hours cleaning and brushing it and
composing songs about its beauty and
vigor. Sometimes, when he walked
through the village, he carried his
tail erect, like a banner rippling in
the breeze. At other times, he swept
it low behind him, like a train. It
was useful as well as beautiful, for
when Opossum lay down to sleep, he
tucked it under him to make a soft bed,
and in cold weather he folded it over
his body to keep himself warm.

Rabbit was very jealous of Opossum's
tail. He, too, had once had a long
bushy tail but, during the course of
a fight with Bear, he had lost most
of it and now had only a short fluffy
tuft. The sight of Opossum strutting
before the other animals and swirling
his tail ostentatiously, filled Rabbit
with rage and he made up his mind to play
a trick on him at the first opportunity.

At this time, when the animals still
lived harmoniously together, each had
his appointed station and duty. Thus,
Frog was leader in the council and
Rabbit, because of his speed, was
employed to carry messages and
announcements to the others.

As was their custom from time to time,
the animals decided to hold a great
council to discuss important matters
and Rabbit, as usual, was given the
task of arranging the gathering and
delivering the invitations. Councils
were also occasions for feasting and
dancing and Rabbit saw a way of bringing
about Opossum's downfall.

When Rabbit arrived with the news of
the meeting, Opossum was sitting by
the door of his lodge engaged in his
favorite occupation-grooming his tail.

"I come to call you to the great
council tomorrow, brother Opossum,"
said Rabbit. "Will you attend and
join in the dance ?"

'Only if I am given a special seat,'
replied the conceited Opossum,
carefully smoothing some untidy hairs
at the tip of his tail. 'After all,'
he went on, grinning maliciously at
Rabbit, 'I have such a beautiful long
tail that I ought to sit where
everyone can see and admire it.'

Rabbit was almost beside himself with
fury, but he pretended not to notice
the jibe and said, 'But of course,
brother Opossum! I will personally
see to it that you have the best seat
in the council lodge, and I will also
send someone to dress your tail
specially for the dance.'

Opossum was delighted by this suggestion
and Rabbit left him singing the
praises of his tail even more loudly
than usual.

Next, Rabbit called on the cricket, whom
Indians call the barber, because of his
fame as an expert hair-cutter. Cricket
listened with growing amazement as
Rabbit recounted his conversation
with Opossum. Like all the other
animals, he found Opossum's vanity and
arrogance very tiresome.

He began to protest, but Rabbit held
up a paw and said, 'Wait a moment. I
have a plan and I need your help.
Listen...', and he dropped his voice
as he told Cricket what he wanted
him to do.

Early next morning Cricket presented
himself at Opossum's door and said
that he had been sent by Rabbit to
prepare the famous tail for the council
that evening. Opossum made himself
comfortable on the floor and stretched
out his tail. Cricket began to comb
it gently.

'I will wrap this red cord round your
tail as I comb it,' he explained, 'so
that it will remain smooth and neat
for the dance tonight.'

Opossum found Cricket's ministrations
so soothing that he fell asleep,
awakening just as Cricket was tying
the final knot in the red cord which
now completely swathed his tail.

'I will keep it bound up until the very
last moment,' thought Opossum gleefully.
'How envious the others will be when
I finally reveal it in all its beauty!'

That evening, his tail still tightly
wrapped in the red cord, Opossum
marched into the council lodge and was
led to his special seat by a strangely
obsequious Rabbit.

Soon it was time for the dancing to
take place. The drums and rattles
began to sound. Opossum stood up,
loosened the cord from his tail and
stepped proudly into the centre of
the dance floor. He began to sing.

'Look at my beautiful tail!' he sang
as he circled the floor. 'See how it
sweeps the ground!'

There was a great shout from the
audience and some of the animals
began to applaud. 'How they admire me!'
thought Opossum and he continued dancing
and singing loudly. 'See how my tail
gleams in the firelight!'

Again everyone shouted and cheered.
Opossum began to have just the merest
suspicion that all was not quite as
it should be. Was there possibly a
hint of mockery in their voices ? He
dismissed such an absurd idea and
continued dancing.

'My tail is stronger than the eagle's,
more lustrous than the raven's!'

At this the animals shrieked so loudly
that Opossum stopped in his tracks
and looked at them. To his
astonishment and chagrin they were
all convulsed with laughter, some
leaning weakly on their neighbour's
shoulders, others rolling on the ground
in their mirth. Several were pointing
at his tail.

Bewildered, Opossum looked down and
saw to his horror that his tail, his
beautiful, thick, glossy tail, was now
bare and scaly like that of a lizard.
Nothing remained of its former glory.
While pretending to comb it, the wiley
Cricket had snipped off every single
hair.