the Bear

Family: the four-footed animals (ballplay) · Role: captain · First appears: Myth 17 · How the Rabbit Stole the Otter's Coat

In Myth 17, the Bear exposed the Rabbit, struck at him, and pulled off his tail, though the Rabbit escaped. Myth 18 recalls that the Rabbit had been without a tail since the Bear pulled it out. In Myth 23, the Bear cut his side and let oil run out to cook the beans; four days later, he tied up the Rabbit’s wound and stopped the bleeding.

In Myth 36, the animals, including the Bear, challenged the birds to a ballplay, and the birds accepted. When the Bear rushed for the ball, the Martin got there first and passed it to the Bat, who dodged the Deer and scored a win for the birds.

Relationship record

Life events

• The Bear exposed the Rabbit, struck at him, and pulled off his tail, but the Rabbit escaped.(Myth 17 · How the Rabbit Stole the Otter's Coat)
  • With: the Rabbit
  • “They wondered that he was so bashful, until the Bear came up and pulled the paw away, and there was the Rabbit with his split nose. He sprang up and started to run, when the Bear struck at him and pulled his tail off, but the Rabbit was too quick for them and got away.”
• The Bear pulled out the Rabbit’s tail.(Myth 18 · Why the Possum's Tail Is Bare)
  • With: the Rabbit
  • “the Rabbit, who had had no tail since the Bear pulled it out,”
• The Bear cut his side and let oil run out to cook the beans.(Myth 23 · The Rabbit Dines the Bear)
  • “The Bear cut a slit in his side and let the oil run out until they had enough to cook the dinner.”
• The Bear tied up the Rabbit’s wound and stopped the bleeding.(Myth 23 · The Rabbit Dines the Bear)
  • With: the Rabbit
  • “The Bear picked him up and had hard work to tie up the wound and stop the bleeding.”
• The animals challenged the birds to a ballplay, and the birds accepted.(Myth 36 · The Ball Game of the Birds and Animals)
  • With: the Terrapin the Deer the Eagle the Hawk Tla'nuwa (Myth 36)
  • “Once the animals challenged the birds to a great ballplay, and the birds accepted.”
• The Martin passed the ball to Tla'meha, who dodged the Deer and scored a win for the birds.(Myth 36 · The Ball Game of the Birds and Animals)
  • With: the Martin Tla'meha the Deer
  • “The Bear rushed to get it, but the Martin darted after it and threw it to the Bat, who was flying near the ground, and by his dodging and doubling kept it out of the way of even the Deer, until he finally threw it in between the posts and won the game for the birds.”

Myth 17 · How the Rabbit Stole the Otter's Coat

• enemies with the Rabbit “He sprang up and started to run, when the Bear struck at him and pulled his tail off, but the Rabbit was too quick for them and got away.”

Myth 18 · Why the Possum's Tail Is Bare

• enemies with the Rabbit “who had had no tail since the Bear pulled it out,”

Myth 23 · The Rabbit Dines the Bear

• recipient: the Rabbit “The Bear picked him up and had hard work to tie up the wound and stop the bleeding.”
• benefactor: the Rabbit “When he started home he invited the Bear to come and take dinner with him four days later.”

Myth 36 · The Ball Game of the Birds and Animals

• rivals with the Eagle “Once the animals challenged the birds to a great ballplay, and the birds accepted.”

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Extracted from the original text of Myths of the Cherokee. Made with Rho MD.