the moon in the mill pond

For once the animals were on good terms and they all decided to go fishing together. Brother Bear said he would fish for mud-cats. Brother Wolf said he would fish for horney-heads. Brother Fox said he would fish for perch. And Brother Turtle said he would fish for minnows. But Brother Rabbit winked at Brother Turtle for the two had cooked up a plan together. 'I'll go fishing for suckers,' he said.

When they got to the pond, Brother Rabbit marched up to the edge and made as if to drop his hook. But then he stopped, stood stock still, and stared down into the water, a frown upon his face. Of course, the others wanted to know what was up, so Brother Rabbit turned to them and, shaking his head, said: 'We can't go fishing tonight, fellas. It seems that the moon has fallen from the sky and is bobbing about in the water down here.' And he pointed down at the circle of the moon reflected there in the surface of the pond.

Disappointed, the animals scratched their heads and wondered what to do about it. 'I know,' said Brother Turtle. 'I'll borrow a net.' And off he went to talk to one of his relatives. While Brother Turtle was gone, Brother Rabbit took off his coat and prepared to wade out into the pond. He'd heard, he said, that anyone who found the moon floating in the water and managed to get it out would pull out with it a big pot of money.

When they heard this story, Brother Bear, Brother Wolf, and Brother Fox resolved not to let Brother Rabbit take the treasure, so as soon as Brother Turtle arrived with the net, they waded straight in and began to haul away. They hauled at it once but the moon stayed put. They hauled at it twice, but the moon wouldn't move. They hauled again, but the moon still didn't budge. So Brother Rabbit suggested they wade out further and get a bit closer to their quarry. And as they did what Brother Rabbit had told them, they stepped off a shelf in the bottom of the pond and found themselves in over their heads and splashing about so much that it seemed as if all the water would slosh out onto the banks.

Brother Rabbit and Brother Turtle laughed and laughed and laughed. And, as Brother Bear, Brother Wolf, and Brother Fox staggered from the water, soaked to the skin and in a foul temper, the rabbit turned to his friend and said: 

I HEAR THAT THE MOON WILL BITE AT A HOOK BUT ONLY IF YOU USE FOOLS FOR BAIT.

(Adapted from one of the stories that appears in Nights With Uncle Remus: Myths and Legends of the Old Plantation by Joel Chandler Harris - available in digital form here.)