Back when the world was young, Tsisdu (Rabbit) had a very long bushy tail. Tsisdu had a tail that was longer and bushier than Tsula's (Fox's) tail. Tsisdu was very proud of his tail and he was constantly telling all the other animals about how beautiful his tail was. One day Tsula became so tired of hearing Tsisdu talk about his tail that he decided to put an end to Tsisdu's boasting once and for all.

The weather was getting colder. One day it finally became so cold that the waters in the lake and streams froze. A few days later, Tsula went down to the lake carrying four fish. When he got to the lake, he cut a hole in the ice. He tied those four fish to his tail, then sat down and waited for Tsisdu to come.

Soon Tsisdu came hopping over the top of the ridge. When he saw Tsisdu, Tsula quickly dropped his tail into the cold water. Tsisdu hopped right up to Tsula and said, "What are you doing?" "I'm fishing, " answered Tsula. "With your tail?" Tsisdu asked. "Oh yes, that's the very best way to catch the most fish," Tsula replied. Tsisdu said, "How long you been a fishing?" Tsula lied and said, "Oh, only about fifteen minutes." "Have you caught any fish yet?" asked Tsisdu. Then Tsula pulled up his tail, and there were those four fish hanging on it.

"What do you plan to do with the fish you catch?" Tsisdu asked Tsula. He replied, "Well, I figure I'll fish for about a week. Then I am going to take all those fish down to the Cherokee Village and trade them in for a pair of beautiful tail combs. There is only one set of tail combs left and I really want them." Tsula could see that Tsisdu was thinking. Tsisdu thought to himself, "If I fished all night long, I bet I would have enough fish by morning to trade at the Cherokee Village. Then I could get those tail combs for myself."

Tsula said, "It's getting late and I'm cold. I think I'll come back and fish some more in the morning. See ya, Tsisdu." Then he loped off over the top of the ridge. As soon as Tsula was out of sight, Tsisdu dropped his tail down into the icy water of the lake. Brrrrr, it was cold! But Tsisdu thought, "Oh, no. I want those tail combs more than anything." So he sat down on the hole in the ice and fished all night long.

Soon after the sun came up, Tsula loped over the top of the ridge. He ran right up to Tsisdu. He said, "What are ya doing there?" Tsisdu's teeth began to chatter. "I'm ffffissshing, Tsula." "Have you caught any fish?" Tsula inquired. Tsisdu started to get up but he found he couldn't budge. He said, "Tsula you've ggott to helppp me. I'mmm ssstttuck."

So Tsula, with a big smile on his face walked behind Tsisdu. He gave him one mighty big shove. Tsisdu popped out of that hole and landed clear across the other side of the lake...But his tail...was still stuck in the frozen water. And that's why from that day to this, Tsisdu (rabbit) has such a very short, short tail.