one he saw a large ball-like rock, standing there apart from the other big
rocks. Coming up close to this great round rock he said to it:

"'Was that you I saw walking just now?'

"'No; I cannot walk, I have lain here for a long time,' said the rock.

"The wolverine retorted that he was sure he had seen the rock walking.

"This made the rock angry and he told the wolverine that he was telling a
falsehood. Then the saucy wolverine replied:

"'You need not speak to me in that way, for I have seen you walking.'

"Then the wolverine ran off a little distance and challenged the rock to
catch him. But the rock did not reply to this and the bold wolverine came
close up to the rock, struck it with his paw, and said:

"'Come, now, see if you can catch me!'

"'I cannot run,' said the rock, 'but I can roll.'

"At this the conceited wolverine began to laugh. 'That will do! All I want
is a race. You can run or roll, just as you like.'

"Then the race began; the wolverine started down the mountain side at a
great rate, and the rock came rolling behind him. At first the big rock did
not move very fast, and the wolverine laughed as he looked back and saw the
rock was so far behind. But the rock came on faster and faster, and now it
made the wolverine do his very best to keep ahead of it. On they rushed,
over the sticks and stones and rough places, down--down that great, long
mountain side. At length, swift and strong as he was, the wolverine began
to get tired, and although he was running as he never did before in his
life the big rock was surely gaining on him. By and by he was so frightened
that in looking behind at the rock, now close at his heels, he tripped over
a stick and down he fell. The rock rolled over him and, just as it had
completely crushed him down to the earth, there it stopped.

"Then the wolverine, whose head was not crushed under the rock, cried out:

"'Get off! go away! you are hurting me. You are crushing my bones.'

"But the rock replied:

"'You tormented me and told me I was telling a falsehood, and you
challenged me to a race with you; and now that I have caught you I will not
stir until some one stronger comes and takes me off.'

"Then the wolverine lifted up his voice and cried to his relatives, the
wolves and foxes, to come and remove the rock.

"When these animals came and saw him in such a plight, they asked him:

"'How came you to get under the rock?'

"The wolverine replied:

"'I chal