In the Reign of Coyote/The Ant and the Snow
THE ANT AND THE SNOW
HE next day, after their siesta, the children would not give Tecla any peace until she had told them the ant story she had promised.
Once a little ant was out walking, and some snow fell and hurt its leg.
"Oh, oh!" he cried; "my poor leg!"
"What 's the matter?" asked the snow.
"Oh! I have hurt my leg. Can you help me?"
"I cannot," said the snow. "Ask the sun. It is stronger than I, for it melts me."
So the ant went to the sun and said, "O Sun, I have hurt my leg. Will you help me?"
"I cannot," said the sun. "Ask the cloud. It is stronger than I, for it covers me."
Then the ant went to the cloud. "O Cloud, I have hurt my leg. Will you help me?"
"I cannot," said the cloud. "Ask the wind. It is stronger than I, for it blows me across the sky."
The ant went to the wind and said, "O Wind, I have hurt my leg. Will you help me?"
"I cannot," said the wind. "Ask the adobe. It is stronger than I, for it stops me."
Then the ant went to the adobe. "O Adobe, I have hurt my leg. Will you help me?"
"I cannot," said the adobe. "Ask the mouse. It is stronger than I, for it makes holes in me."
So the ant went to the mouse and said, "O Mouse, I have hurt my leg. Will you help me?"
"I cannot," said the mouse. "Ask the cat. It is stronger than I, for it eats mice."
The ant went to the cat. "O Cat, I have hurt my leg. Will you help me?"
"I cannot," said the cat. "Ask the dog. It is stronger than I, for it worries me."
So the ant went to the dog and said, "O Dog, I have hurt my leg. Will you help me?"
"I cannot," said the dog. "Ask the stick. It is stronger than I, for it beats me."
The ant went to the stick and said, "O Stick, I have hurt my leg. Will you help me?"
"I cannot," said the stick. "Ask the fire. It is stronger than I, for it burns me."
Then the ant went to the fire. "O Fire, I have hurt my leg. Will you help me?"
"I cannot," said the fire. "Ask the water. It is stronger than I, for it quenches me."
The ant went to the water and said, "O Water, I have hurt my leg. Will you help me?"
"I cannot," said the water. "Ask the ox. It is stronger than I, for it drinks me."
Then the ant went to the ox and said, "O Ox, I have hurt my leg. Will you help me?"
"I cannot," said the ox. Ask the knife. It is stronger than I, for it kills oxen."
Then the ant went to the knife. "O Knife, I have hurt my leg. Will you help me?"
"I cannot," said the knife. "Ask the blacksmith. He is stronger than I, for he made me."
So the ant went to the blacksmith and said, "O Blacksmith, I have hurt my leg. Will you help me?"
And the blacksmith took a tiny piece of hemp and bound up the leg, and the little ant crawled away home happy.
"Well, I 'm glad the poor ant got its leg fixed at last," said Juañita.
"I 'll show you that my legs are stronger than yours, Nita, by racing you to the house"; and the children were soon flying up the hill, with Tecla following leisurely after them.