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Source: Myths and Tales of the
Southeastern Indians, By John R. Swanton, 1929
One day the Deer was lying in the grass chewing his cud, when a Terrapin
crawled near.
The Deer looked at him moving slowly along, and said: "Why, brother
Terrapin, you crawl as though you are sick. Why don't you go faster_"
"Oh, brother Deer, I like to go this way. I can run fast, and I can beat
you running," replied the Terrapin.
The Deer laughed. "When do you want to try it_" he asked.
"Any time. How will tomorrow suit you_" responded the Terrapin.
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So it was agreed that they should have the race the following day.
They selected the ground and chose the Rabbit as judge. The Terrapin went
to see all his friends that evening and told them that the honor of the
family was at stake and appealed to them to aid in maintaining it.
All having said they would, he continued, "Now here is my plan. I will
meet the Deer tomorrow on the ground we picked out, and tell him I prefer
to run through the grass and let him run along the trail. Well, this is
the way we can beat him. I will start off at the word through the grass
and you will be stationed in the grass along the way, and when you hear
the Doer running on the trail, you can run a little way and stop. If the
Deer calls out 'Oh, brother Terrapin, where are you_' you can tell him
'Here I am crawling along in the grass,' and the last one can crawl up to
where the Rabbit will be sitting, when he hears the Deer coming, and claim
the race."
They all agreed that this was a fine plan, except the Terrapin who was
assigned to the last station, and he said the Deer would know he was not
the same Terrapin and would suspect some trick.
So the first and the last Terrapin exchanged places, the last being
cautioned to hide in the grass near the starting place so that the Deer
could not see him plainly. They separated and the Terrapins all took their
places along the race course.
The next day the Deer galloped over the prairie and, reaching the starting
point, called out: "Oh, brother Terrapin, where are you_"
"Here I am," answered the Terrapin hiding in the grass.
"Well, are you ready_" asked the Deer.
"Yes," said the Terrapin, and at the word the Deer leaped forward. Hearing
no sound in the grass after going some distance, he called out, "Where are
you, brother Terrapin_"
One of the Terrapins answered, "Here I am down in the grass crawling
along."
The Deer was surprised, so he ran faster and called out, "Oh, brother
Terrapin, where are you_"
Another Terrapin answered, "Here I am, just a-crawling through the grass."
So the Deer ran with all his might and did not stop till he reached the
Rabbit. But just as he thought he had won the race, he saw the Terrapin
crawl up to the end of the course.
The Rabbit decided that the Terrapin had won.
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