THE WOLF’S REVENGE—THE WOLF AND THE DOG

THE WOLF’S REVENGE—THE WOLF AND THE DOG

Kana′tĭ had wolves to hunt for him, because they are good hunters and never fail.
He once sent out two wolves at once. One went to the east and did not return.
The other went to the north, and when he returned at night and did not find his
fellow he knew he must be in trouble and started after him. After traveling on
some time he found his brother lying nearly dead beside a great greensnake  (sălikwâ′yĭ) which had attacked him. The snake itself was too badly wounded to
crawl away, and the angry wolf, who had magic powers, taking out several hairs
from his own whiskers, shot them into the body of the snake and killed it. He
then hurried back to Kana′tĭ, who sent the Terrapin after a great doctor who lived
in the west to save the wounded wolf. The wolf went back to help his brother
and his magic powers he had him cured long before the doctor came from the
west, because the Terrapin was such a slow traveler and the doctor had to
prepare his roots before he started.
In the beginning, the people say, the Dog was put on the mountain and the Wolf
beside the fire. When the winter came the Dog could not stand the cold, so he
came down to the settlement and drove the Wolf from the fire. The Wolf ran to
the mountains, where it suited him so well that he prospered and increased, until
after a while he ventured down again and killed some animals in the settlements.
The people got together and followed and killed him, but his brothers came from
the mountains and took such revenge that ever since the people have been afraid the mountains and took such revenge that ever since the people have been afraid
to hurt a wolf.

 

Source:
Myths of the Cherokee, James Mooney