wolves bring my meat, the mice my rice and ground beans, and the
birds bring me the cherry leaves for my tea. Yet it is a hard life, as I
am all alone most of the time and have no one to talk to, and besides, I
am blind."

"Say, grandfather," said Rabbit, "let us change places. I think I would
like to live here."

"If we exchange clothes," said the other, "you will become old and
blind, while I will assume your youth and good looks." (Now, this old
man was placed here for punishment by Rabbit's brother. He had killed
his wife, so the genie made him old and blind, and he would remain so
until some one came who would exchange places with him).

"I don't care for youth and good looks," said Rabbit, "let us make the
change."

They changed clothes, and Rabbit became old and blind, whilst the old
man became young and handsome.

"Well, I must go," said the man. He went out and cutting the strings
close to the door, ran off laughing. "You will get enough of your living
alone, you crazy boy," and saying this he ran into the woods.

Rabbit thought he would like to get some fresh water and try the string
paths so that he would get accustomed to it. He bumped around the room
and finally found the tripe water bucket. He took hold of the string and
started out. When he had gotten a short distance from the door he came
to the end of the string so suddenly, that he lost the end which he
had in his hand, and he wandered about, bumping against the trees, and
tangling himself up in plum bushes and thorns, scratching his face
and hands so badly that the blood ran from them. Then it was that he
commenced again to cry, "Cinye! Cinye!" (brother, brother). Soon his
brother arrived, and asked which way the old man had gone.

"I don't know," said Rabbit, "I couldn't see which path he took, as I
was blind."

The genie called the birds, and they came flying from every direction.
As fast as they arrived the brother asked them if they had seen the man
whom he had placed here for punishment, but none had seen him. The owl
came last, and when asked if he had seen the man, he said "hoo-hoo."
"The man who lived here," said the brother. "Last night I was hunting
mice in the woods south of here and I saw a man sleeping beneath a plum
tree. I thought it was your brother, Rabbit, so I didn't awaken him,"
said the owl.

"Good for you, owl," said the brother, "for this good news, you shall
hereafter roam around only at night, and I will fix your ey