Louisiana folk-tales : in French dialect and English translation / collected and edited by Alcée Fortier.

Date:
1895
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Louisiana folk-tales : in French dialect and English translation / collected and edited by Alcée Fortier. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    A little later Compair Lapin met Compair Bouki and told him how he had made the éléphant and the earthworm fight until they had killed one another. “ You see, my friend, when two fellows are in your way, you must make them fight, then you will always save your skin.” IV. COMPAIR LAPIN AND COMPAIR L’OURS. One day Compair l’Ours invited Compair Lapin and Compair Bouki to dine with him. He told them he had bought butter, cheese, and biscuits, but he said : “ Before dinner you must corne to help me break some corn for my horse.” Compair Lapin and Compair Bouki accepted the invitation of Compair l’Ours, and ail three went into the field before daybreak. At nine o’clock they saw Compair Lapin prick up his ears. “What is the matter.?” said Compair l’Ours. “ I never saw anything so annoying as the people at my house. They are calling me and disturbing me in my work.” “I don’t hear anything,” said Compair l’Ours. “ It is because you and Compair Bouki hâve such small ears that you can’t hear. My ears are so long that I hear miles away.” He went away and came back a moment later, saying it was for his wife who was beginning to be sick. He did the same thing three times during the day. At noon he said his wife was in the middle of her sickness, at three o’clock he came back very sad, and said merely: “AU is finished.” Compair l’Ours and Compair Bouki pitied him very much because they thought it was his wife who was dead. Instead of that, each time Compair Lapin had said he was going to his wife’s house he went to the house of Compair l’Ours and ate a little of his provi- sions, and when he said ; “ It is finished,” he had finished eating ail. At five o’clock the three friends left their work and went to the house of Compair l’Ours. You may imagine how Compair l’Ours was angry when he saw that ail his provisions had disappeared. Immediately he accused Compair Lapin, but he swore it was not he. “ I shall know right off ; ail three of us will go and lie down on that plank which is in the water in the sun, and the thief will surely be sick.” Compair Lapin, who was very impudent, said yes, because he expected to lie down in the shade by the side of Compair l’Ours, who was much larger than he. Compair Bouki said yes also.