Early the next morning, Brother Rabbit came running down the hill for more water.  He stopped when he saw the tar wolf by his spring.

“What are you doing here, Gray Wolf?” he asked.  Of course there was no answer.

“Has my brother no ears?” asked Brother Rabbit.

As the wolf was still silent, Brother Rabbit became angry.  “Answer me, Gray Wolf,” he cried.  But there was no answer.

Then Brother Rabbit slapped the tar wolf with his right front paw.  It stuck fast, and Brother Rabbit could not pull it away.

[Illustration:  Brother Rabbit and the wolf]

“Let me go,” he cried, “or I will slap you with the other paw.”

He slapped the tar wolf with the left front paw.  That too, stuck fast.

Now Brother Rabbit was very angry.  “Let me go, Gray Wolf,” he cried. 
“Let me go, I say!”

As Grey Wolf did not let him go, Brother Rabbit kicked the tar wolf, first with one of his hind paws and then with the other.  Both stuck fast, and so he was held by all four paws.

Just then Gray Wolf and Wild Cat came from their hiding place.

“We have caught you, Brother Rabbit,” they said.  “Now we are going to take you to the council and tell how you tried to keep all the water for yourself.”

III

They took Brother Rabbit to the council house, and sent for Great Bear and all the other animals.  Soon all came, and the council began.  Gray Wolf told that he had seen Brother Rabbit go to the spring, uncover it, get water, and cover the spring up again.

The animals said that Brother Rabbit must be punished, but how they could not decide.

“Burn him alive,” said Gray Wolf.

“I am quite willing,” Brother Rabbit said, smiling.  “Fire is my friend and will not hurt me.”

“We might cut off his head,” said Brown Terrapin.

“Very well,” said the Rabbit, quietly.  “Try that.  It will not hurt me, for a better head will grow back.”

He said he was not afraid of each thing that was mentioned.

“Is there nothing of which you are afraid?” asked Great Bear, at last.  “Is there nothing that can hurt you?”

“Of only one thing am I afraid,” answered Brother Rabbit, in a low voice.  “I am afraid you will turn me loose in the brier patch.  Please do not throw me in the brier patch.”

“Turn him loose in the brier patch!” cried all the animals.

How frightened Brother Rabbit looked now!

“Oh, Gray Wolf,” he begged, “burn me; cut off my head.  Do anything else with me, but please don’t throw me in the brier patch.”

The more he begged, the faster Gray Wolf hurried to the brier patch.  The other animals followed close behind.  They were all talking about the tricks Brother Rabbit had played on them and how they had never before been able to get even with him.

When they came to the edge of the brier patch, Brother Rabbit begged harder than ever.