The Smiling Rabbit

An old man and his wife lived in a little house made of straw. They were very poor and all they owned were a rabbit and a young jaguar. When the old couple used up their last ear of corn, they decided to eat the rabbit and started heating water to cook him. When he saw that, the jaguar said to the rabbit:

-You won't get out of this one. The old people are going to eat you and they will give me a piece.

-No, my jaguar friend, -said the rabbit- the old folk are heating water to make hot chocolate for breakfast.

-That's not true. They are heating the water to cook you.

-Not at all. What's more, I can prove it. Get into my cage and you'll see; they'll give you the first chocolate.

The trusting jaguar went into the cage, the rabbit closed it and ran off. A long time went by and the jaguar tired of waiting for the old people to bring him his chocolate. When he realized that the rabbit had tricked him, he broke the cage and went after him.

After walking and walking, he found him in a cave of the kind they call sahkaberas (caves where people mine white earth). He was very angry and he showed his teeth as he said:

-I caught you, rabbit! I'm going to eat you.

-What's the matter, my friend? What are you talking about? I don't know you. I have lived here for a long time. Now excuse me, can't you see I am very busy?

My house is falling down.

-Oh, so you are not the one who tricked me?

-Of course not! But, please help me. Lean against this wall while I go get a log to hold it up and keep it from falling. And don't let go or it might crush you. So the jaguar stood on his hind legs and held up the wall.

A long time went by and the jaguar was tired. When he saw that the wall didn't fall down, he realized that he had been tricked again. He took off after the deceitful rabbit, even angrier than before.

This time he found him hanging from an elastic vine that made him go up and down. The rabbit was so happy thinking of how he had fooled the jaguar that he didn't notice when the latter took a great leap, pulled on the vine with all his strength and then suddenly let go. The rabbit went up and up through the air holding his belly and laughing, and finally he reached the moon. That is why on nights when the moon is full and red you can still see the rabbit bending over holding his stomach with laughter.