How did the mouse outsmart the eagle - the legend of the Abenaki Tribe

By John K

 

Once there was an eagle flying high in the blue sky.   The eagle spotted a little mouse with his eagle sharp eyes.  The eagle flew down and when he was just inches from the poor mouse, the mouse raised its head and said: "Oh Mr. Eagle before you eat me, which I am sure you want to do, please let me ask you one question." 

The eagle thought for a second.  The mouse can run but it cannot hide from me.  After all, I am the greatest hunter of all.  

"What is your question" asked the eagle.

"Well, please follow me to the top of the Ascutney Mountain" said the mouse.

"And why exactly would I do that?" asked the eagle.

"When we get there, I will present you with a challenge.  If you win, I will gather as much food for you as I possibly can and then I will let you eat me.  I will not run away from you," said the mouse. 

The eagle thought for a moment.  "Well, after all I am the greatest hunter of all.  How could I possibly loose this challenge to a little mouse?"

"I agree" said the eagle.  

And so they went to the top of  the Ascutney Mountain.   The mouse took little mouse-like steps and the eagle first flew to the top of the mountain, but then he got tired of waiting there, so he flew back to the mouse and they walked together.  It took a while and the eagle was growing impatient, but he did not suspect anything and he thought about the feast surely coming out of this curious escapade. 

When they finally reached the top of the mountain, the mouse said: "Here is your challenge, Mr. Eagle.  You are the greatest flyer of all, right?"

"Of course, I am an eagle" replied the eagle. 

"I wonder" said the mouse "whether you could fly all the way to the sun. Can you?"

"Of course, I am an eagle" replied the eagle.  And soon after, the eagle flew away on his big great wings.  As he was barely visible, flying into  in the noon sky, the mouse sighed. 

Then, the mouse lied down in the grass in a nice shadow of the nearby tree and took a nap.  A couple hours later, the mouse was awaken by a strange smell of burning feathers.   The eagle has returned. 

"So, have you flown all the way to the sun?" asked the mouse.

"I was flying high up into the blue sky until the bright sun was so hot that my feathers started catching fire and I could not fly any farter" said the eagle in a scratchy strange voice.

"Then" said the mouse, "you can eat the food I gathered and eat me, as I promised.  I will just lie down here quietly and wait."

The eagle was eager to eat, but the sun made him blind and he could not see a thing.

"I cannot see you" said the eagle to the mouse.  Please tell me where you are or make a noise so that I can find you."  But the mouse did not reply.  She was sitting quietly like a mouse one stone throw away from his feet.  The eagle soon realized that he was tricked.   He was not the greatest hunter any more.