At length he grew so weary that he could not even see where he was going , and catching his foot in a branch he tripped and fell . The rock stopped at once , but there came a shriek from the wolverine : ` Get off , get off ! ca n't you see that you are on my legs ? ' ` Why did you not leave me alone ? ' asked the rock . ' I did not want to move -- I hate moving . But you WOULD have it , and I certainly sha 'n' t move now till I am forced to . ' ' I will call my brothers , ' answered the wolverine . ` There are many of them in the forest , and you will soon see that they are stronger than you . ' And he called , and called , and called , till wolves and foxes and all sorts of other creatures all came running to see what was the matter . ` How DID you get under that rock ? ' asked they , making a ring round him ; but they had to repeat their question several times before the wolverine would answer , for he , like many other persons , found it hard to confess that he had brought his troubles on himself . ` Well , I was dull , and wanted someone to play with me , ' he said at last , in sulky voice , ` and I challenged the rock to catch me . Of course I thought I could run the fastest ; but I tripped , and it rolled on me . It was just an accident . ' ` It serves you right for being so silly , ' said they ; but they pushed and hauled at the rock for a long time without making it move an inch . ` You are no good at all , ' cried the wolverine crossly , for it was suffering great pain , ` and if you can not get me free , I shall see what my friends the lightning and thunder can do . ' And he called loudly to the lightning to come and help him as quickly as possible . In a few minutes a dark cloud came rolling up the sky , giving out such terrific claps of thunder that the wolves and the foxes and all the other creatures ran helter-skelter in all directions . But , frightened though they were , they did not forget to beg the lightning to take off the wolverine 's coat and to free his legs , but to be careful not to hurt him .
So the lightning disappeared into the cloud for a moment to gather up fresh strength , and then came rushing down , XXXXX upon the rock , which it sent flying in all directions , and took the wolverine 's coat so neatly that , though it was torn into tiny shreds , the wolverine himself was quite unharmed .
accident course creatures forest foxes lightning minutes right sky wolverine