The Singing Wild-Cat of Jamieson’s Tale

Overview

In the tale attributed to Zachariah Jamieson, a wild-cat wanders alone in the woods, longing for company and especially for a white rabbit. He sings a plaintive song whose stated meaning is that a frightened rabbit runs in a circle. A white rabbit resting nearby hears him, recognizes the dangerous singer and hurries away from the direction of the voice. The cat’s apparently inviting song is therefore also bound to the rabbit’s vulnerability: the listener hears danger and tries to escape it.

The rabbit repeatedly stops, turns his ears back and listens. Each time, the same song seems nearer, increasing his fear. He decides to continue straight ahead, believing that he is moving away, but instead runs in a circle that brings him closer to the cat. The song continues until the rabbit falls victim to its singer. Smith prints the song’s syllables as well as its English meaning; this profile follows the prose narrative without supplying a reconstructed tune or presenting the lyrics as a verified modern transcription. The wild-cat remains a particular singing story character, not an identification of a biological species or a general account of wild-cat behavior.

Origins & earliest records

Told by Zachariah Jamieson, as credited in Erminnie A. Smith’s 1883 Myths of the Iroquois.

Records & interpretation

Complete selected tale and its narrator attribution in Smith’s original English report.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Myths of the Iroquois

   Erminnie A. Smith · 1883

   Bureau of Ethnology report, selected pp. 110–111.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Primary collected narrativeMyths of the Iroquois: The Singing Wild-Cat of Jamieson’s TaleResearch access: 2026-10-18

Image credits

Jamieson’s singing wild-cat; appearance and woodland setting interpreted.

Original narrative illustration; details interpreted, not an authenticated ethnographic record.