BrerRabbit PDF
BrerRabbit PDF
T a r - B a b y a n d sat h e r i n t h e big r o a d a n d t h e n h e \
l a y off i n t h e bushes for to see w h a t t h e news w a s
ce The Wonderful Tar-Baby Story" going to be. A n d he d i d n ' t have to wait long either,
c a u s e b y - a n d - b y h e r e c a m e Brer R a b b i t p a c i n g
d o w n t h e r o a d l i p p i t y clippity, clippity Uppity
j u s t as sassy as a j a y b i r d .
R E R F O X tried time a n d time again to catch
B Brer R a b b i t , a n d h e c a m e m i g h t y n e a r c a t c h -
i n g h i m , b u t t i m e a n d t i m e a g a i n Brer R a b b i t g o t
B r e r F o x , h e l a y low.
Brer R a b b i t he came prancing along until he
spied t h e T a r - B a b y , a n d t h e n h e fetched u p o n his
V
' k
*r w
mm dk
44 BRER RABBIT
Brother Rabbit's, Astonishing Prank 45
B r e r R a b b i t rolls, a n d t h e leafs t h e y stick, a n d h e
t h a n she hoisted u p h e r t a i l i n t h e elements, a n d . p u t
k e e p s o n rolling a n d t h e leafs k e e p o n sticking, till
o u t like a p a c k of dogs w e r e after h e r . T h i s m a k e s
after w h i l e Brer R a b b i t w a s t h e m o s t o w d a s h u s -
Brer R a b b i t laugh, because he knows that w h e n a n
l o o k i n g c r e a t u r e t h a t y o u e v e r set eyes o n . A n d if
old settled w o m a n like Sis C o w r u n s d i s t r a c t e d i n
Miss M e a d o w s a n d t h e gals c o u l d h a v e seen h i m
the broad open daytime, there must be something
then a n d there, there wouldn't have been any more
m i g h t y c u r i o u s a b o u t t h e m leafs a n d t h a t h o n e y ,
B r e r R a b b i t calling a t t h e i r house. I n d e e d t h e r e
a n d h e keeps o n a - r a c k i n g d o w n t h e r o a d . T h e n e x t
wouldn't.
Brer R a b b i t he j u m p e d round, he did, and tried to
s h a k e t h e leafs off of h i m , b u t t h e leafs they a r e n ' t
g o i n g t o b e shook off. B r e r R a b b i t h e shakes a n d h e '
shivers, b u t t h e leafs t h e y stick; a n d t h e capers t h a t
c r e a t u r e c u t u p , o u t t h e r e i n t h e w o o d s b y his o w n
self, w e r e s c a n d a l o u s t h e y w e r e t h a t . T h e y w e r e
scandalous.
B r e r R a b b i t sees t h a t t h i s . w a s n ' t going to d o , a n d
h e allows t o himself t h a t h e b e t t e r b e getting o n to-
w a r d h o m e , a n d off h e p u t .
Brer R a b b i t p a c e d along, h e did, a n d ' a t every
m o t i o n h e m a d e , t h e leaves t h e y ' d g o swishy-swushy,
Old Sis Cow put out like a pack of dogs were after her
splushy-splishy, a n d from t h e fuss h e m a d e a n d t h e
w a y h e looked y o u ' d t a k e h i m t o b e t h e m o s t savage
m a n t h a t h e m e t was a b l a c k g a l tolling a w h o l e
v a r m i n t t h a t d i s a p p e a r e d from t h e face of t h e e a r t h
p a r c e l of p l a n t a t i o n piglets, a n d w h e n t h e g a l sees
s i n c e old m a n N o a h let d o w n t h e d r a w b a r s of t h e
Brer R a b b i t c o m e p r a n c i n g a l o n g she flings d o w n
a r k a n d t u r n e d t h e c r e a t u r e s loose. A n d if y o u h a d
h e r b a s k e t of c o r n a n d fairly flies, a n d t h e little pigs
e v e r s t r u c k u p alongside of h i m y o u w o u l d h a v e b e e n
t h e y took off t h r o u g h t h e woods, a n d such a r a c k e t
m i g h t y g l a d if y o u ' d h a v e g o t off w i t h j u s t t h a t .
as t h e y kicked u p w i t h t h e i r r u n n i n g a n d t h e i r s n o r t -
T h e first m a n t h a t Brer R a b b i t m e t u p w i t h w a s
ing a n d their squealing has never been heard in t h a t
o l d Sis C o w , a n d n o sooner d i d she lay eyes onf-him
s e t t l e m e n t - e i t h e r before o r since. I t k e p t o n t h a t
iii
46 B R E R RABBIT Brother Rabbit's Astonishing Prank 47
w a y as long as Brer R a b b i t m e t a n y b o d y t h e y j u s t h e is. Brer R a b b i t h e j u m p s u p a n d d o w n i n t h e
b r o k e a n d r a n like t h e OLD BOY w a s after t h e r n . m i d d l e of t h e r o a d , a n d hollers o u t :
O f course this m a k e s Brer R a b b i t feel m o n s t r o u s " I ' m de Wull-er-de-Wust. I ' m de Wull-er-de-
biggity, a n d h e allows to himself t h a t h e 'spects h e Wust, en youer de m a n I ' m atter!"
has ter drop 'round a n d skummish in the neighbor-
h o o d of Brer F o x ' s house'. A n d w h i l e h e w a s s t a n d i n g
t h e r e r u n n i n g this a r o u n d in his m i n d , h e r e c a m e
old Brer B e a r a n d all his family. Brer R a b b i t h e gets
crossways across t h e r o a d , h e did, a n d h e sort of
sidles t o w a r d t h e m . O l d Miss Bear, she s t a n d s it
l o n g as she c a n , a n d t h e n she flings d o w n h e r p a r a s o l
a n d took to a tree. Brer B e a r looks like h e is g o i n g
t o s t a n d his g r o u n d , b u t Brer R a b b i t h e j u m p s
s t r a i g h t u p i n t h e a i r a n d gives himself a shake, a n d
bless y o u r soul, old B r e r Bear m a k e s a b r e a k , a n d
t h e y tell h o w h e t o r e d o w n a w h o l e p a n e l of fence
g e t t i n g a w a y from t h e r e . A n d as to K u b s a n d K l i b s ,
t h e y took t h e i r h a t s i n their h a n d s , a n d t h e y w e n t
s k a d d l i n g t h r o u g h t h e bushes j u s t t h e s a m e as a
d r o v e of horses.
Brer R a b b i t p a r a d e d o n d o w n t h e r o a d , a n d b y - Old Brer Bear makes a break
a n d - b y , h e r e comes B r e r F o x a n d Brer Wolf, fixing
u p a p l a n for to n a b Brer R a b b i t , a n d t h e y w e r e so T h e n Brer R a b b i t j u m p s u p a n d d o w n a n d m a k e s
i n t e n t o n their conflab t h a t t h e y got r i g h t o n B r e r like h e is going after Brer F o x a n d Brer Wolf, a n d
R a b b i t before t h e y saw h i m ; b u t , g e n t l e m e n , w h e n t h e w a y those c r e a t u r e s lit o u t from t h e r e w a s a
t h e y d i d c a t c h a glimpse of h i m , t h e y g a v e h i m all caution.
t h e r o o m h e w a n t e d . Brer Wolf, h e tried to show off, A long t i m e after t h a t , Brer R a b b i t c a m e u p w i t h
h e d i d , b e c a u s e h e w a n t e d to p l a y big before B r e r B r e r F o x a n d Brer Wolf, a n d h e gets b e h i n d a s t u m p ,
F o x , a n d h e s t o p p e d a n d asked Brer R a b b i t w h o B r e r R a b b i t d i d , a n d hollers o u t :
48 BRER RABBIT
" I ' m de Wull-er-de-Wust, en youer de mens I ' m
alter!"
Brer F o x a n d Brer W o l f t h e y broke, b u t before t h e y
A i Story About the Little Rabbits
g o t o u t of sight a n d p u t of h e a r i n g , Brer R a b b i t
s h o w e d himself, h e d i d , a n d l a u g h e d fit to kill h i m -
self. A f t e r w a r d Miss M e a d o w s she h e a r s a b o u t it, a n d
t h e n e x t t i m e Brer F o x called, t h e gals t h e y u p a n d
g i g g l e a n d ask h i m if h e a i n ' t afraid t h e Wull-er-de-
W u s t m i g h t d r o p in.
O L D Brer R a b b i t was the d a d d y R a b b i t of a lot
of g o o d little R a b b i t s ; t h e y m i n d e d t h e i r
d a d d y a n d m a m m y from d a y ' s e n d to d a y ' s e n d . W h e n
f !
i,
A Story About the Little Rabbits 51
5<> BRER RABBIT
b y t h e y h e a r a little b i r d singing o n t o p of t h e h o u s e .
F o x , h e sat t h e r e , a n d .studied a n d w o n d e r e d w h a t
A n d t h e song t h a t t h e little b i r d s a n g was this:
s o r t of a n excuse h e w a s g o i n g to m a k e u p . B y - a n d -
b y h e spied a stalk of s u g a r c a n e s t a n d i n g u p over i n
"Takeyo' toqfies en gnaw it,
Takeyo' toqfies en saw it,
Saw it en yoke it,
En den you kin broke it"
T h e n t h e little R a b b i t s t h e y g e t m i g h t y g l a d a n d
t h e y g n a w e d t h r o u g h t h e c a n e a l m o s t before ole
Brer F o x c o u l d g e t his legs uncrossed. A n d w h e n
t h e y c a r r i e d h i m t h e c a n e , t h e n Brer F o x h a d to sit
t h e r e a n d s t u d y h o w h e w a s going t o find himself
a n o t h e r excuse for n a b b i n g t h e m . B y - a n d - b y h e g o t
u p a n d t o o k d o w n t h e strainer t h a t w a s h a n g i n g o n
Brer Fox, he sat there
t h e w a l l a n d hollered o u t :
%<o
\s$$t
**w.
A n d j u s t a b o u t t h e t i m e t h e y g o t t h e log o n t h e
fire t h e i r d a d d y , h e c a m e skipping in a n d t h e little
Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Bear 79
a n d i t w a s n ' t l o n g before h e f o u n d a c r a c k i n t h e
fence w h e r e t h e rail h a d b e e n r u b b e d r i g h t s m o o t h .
A n d r i g h t t h e r e h e set h i m a t r a p . H e took a n d
Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Bear b e n d e d d o w n a hickory sapling g r o w i n g i n t h e fence
c o r n e r , a n d t i e d o n e e n d of a p l o w line o n t h e t o p ,
a n d i n t h e o t h e r e n d h e fixed a l o o p - k n o t , a n d t h a t
h e fastened w i t h a trigger r i g h t i n t h e c r a c k .
T H E R E w a s . o n e season w h e n Brer F o x said t o
himself t h a t h e 'spect h e b e t t e r w h i r l in an'i p l a n t
a p e a n u t p a t c h . A n d i n those days, m a n , i t w a s .
N e x t m o r n i n g w h e n old B r e r R a b b i t c a m e slipping
along a n d crept through the crack the loop-knot
t o u c h a n d g o . T h e w o r d s w e r e n ' t m o r e t h a n o u t of caughjt h i m b e h i n d t h e forelegs a n d t h e s a p l i n g flew
his m o u t h before t h e g r o u n d w a s b r o k e n u p a n d t h e u p a n d there he was between the heavens a n d t h e
peanuts were planted. e a r t h . T h e r e h e s w u n g , a n d h e feared h e g w i n e t e r
Brer R a b b i t h e sat off a n d w a t c h e d t h e m o t i o n s , fall, a n d h e feared h e w e r e n ' t g w i n e t e r fall.
h e d i d , a n d h e sort of s h u t o n e eye a n d s a n g t o his W h i l e h e w a s fixing u p a t a l e for B r e r F o x , h e
chilluns: h e a r d a lumbering down the road, a n d presently
h e r e comes old B r e r B e a r a m b l i n g a l o n g from w h e r e
"Ti-yi! Tungalee! h e h a d b e e n r o b b i n g a b e e tree. B r e r R a b b i t , h e
I eat un pea, I pick urn pea. hails h i m :
Hit grow in de grown'; hit grow so free; ( ' H o w d y , Brer B e a r ! "
Ti-yi! dem goober pea."
Brer B e a r h e looks a r o u n d a n d b y a n d b y h e sees
B r e r R a b b i t swinging from t h e sapling, a n d h e hol-
A n d ' sure e n o u g h , w h e n t h e p e a n u t s b e g a n t o
lers o u t :
r i p e n u p , every t i m e Brer F o x w e n t d o w n t o his
" H e y o , Brer R a b b i t ! H o w you come on dis
p a t c h h e w o u l d find w h e r e s o m e b o d y h a d b e e n
m a w n i n spis
g r a b b l i n ' ' m o n g s t t h e vines. A n d h e g o t m i g h t y m a d .
M u c h oblige, I ' m m i d d l i n ' , B r e r B ' a r , " sez Brer
H e s o r t of suspects w h o t h e s o m e b o d y is, b u t ole
R a b b i t , sezee.
Brer R a b b i t h e Covers his t r a c k so c u t e t h a t B r e r F o x
T h e n Brer Bear,' het asks Brer R a b b i t , w h a t is h e
don't know h o w to catch him. By-and-by, one d a y
B r e r F o x takes a w a l k all f o u n d t h e p e a n u t p a t c h , d o i n g u p t h e r e i n t h e elements. A n d B r e r R a b b i t h e
h
w
B R E R F O X g o t so m a d a n d h e felt so b a d a b o u t
Brer R a b b i t t h a t h e d i d n ' t k n o w w h a t to d o ,
a n d he looked mighty downhearted. By-and-by, one
d a y w h i l e h e w a s going a l o n g t h e r o a d B r e r W o l f
a m e u p with him. W h e n they h a d done howdying
a n d asking after o n e a n o t h e r ' s family connections, I
B r e r Wolf, h e allowed, h e d i d , t h a t t h e r e w a s
something w r o n g w i t h Brer F o x , a n d B r e r F o x h e
allowed there wasn't, a n d h e went on a n d laughed
a n d m a d e a g r e a t t o - d o because Brer W o l f looked
like h e suspicioned s o m e t h i n g . B u t Brer W b l f h e ' s
g o t a m i g h t y l o n g h e a d a n d h e sort of b r o a c h e d t h e
subject of Brer R a b b i t ' s carryings o n , b e c a u s e t h e
-way t h a t B r e r R a b b i t h a d deceived Brer F o x h a d E^*
c o m e t o b e t h e talk of t h e n e i g h b o r h o o d . T h e n
B r e r F o x a n d B r e r Wolf t h e y sort of p a l a v e r e d ' o n ,
t h e y d i d , till b y - a n d - b y Brer W o l f u p a n d says t h a t Brer Fox and Brelr Wolf they sort ofpalavered on
h e h a s d o n e g 6 t a p l a n fixed for to t r a p Brer R a b b i t .
T h e n B r e r F o x says h o w . T h e n Brer W o l f u p a n d " W h o g w i n e d o d e foolin'?" sez Brer Fox, sezee.
tells h i m t h a t t h e w a y for to get t h e d r o p o n Brer " I ' l l d o d e foolin'," sez Brer Wolf, sezee, "ef
R a b b i t w a s to get h i m i n Brer F o x ' s h o u s e . Brer y o u ' l l d o d e g a m i n ' , " sezee.
F o x d o n e k n o w n Brer R a b b i t of old, a n d h e k n o w s " H o w y o u g w i n e d o i t ? " sez Brer Fox, sezee.
t h a t sort of a g a m e has b e e n w o r n to a frazzle, b u t " Y o u r u n ' l o n g h o m e , e n git o n d e b e d , en m a k e
B r e r Wolf, h e talks m i g h t y p e r s u a d i n g . like y o u d e a d , e n d o n ' t y o u say n o t h i n ' till B r e r
112 R a b b i t c o m e e n p u t his h a n ' s o n t e r y o u , " sez B r e r
mmtmBmmmmmm>*
Mr. Wolf Makes a Failure i15
11 4 BRER RABBIT
b ' l e e v e h e ' d sort o f d r o p ' r o u n d b y Brer F o x ' s
Wolf, sezee. " E n ef w e d o n ' t git ' i m fer s u p p e r ,
h o u s e for t o see h o w t h e l a n d lay. N o sooner said
J o e ' s d e a d e n Sal's a w i d d e r , " sezee. .
than done. U p he j u m p e d and out he went. W h e n
T h i s looked like a m i g h t y nice g a m e , a n d Brer
B r e r R a b b i t gets close t o Brer F o x ' s house, all looks
F o x a g r e e d . So h e a m b l e d off h o m e a n d B r e r Wolf,
l o n e s o m e . T h e n h e goes u p n e a r e r . N o b o d y stirring.
h e m a r c h e d off to Brer R a b b i t ' s house. W h e n h e
T h e n h e looks i n , a n d t h e r e l a y Brer F o x s t r e t c h e d
g o t t h e r e it looks like n o b o d y is a t h o m e , b u t Brer
W o l f h e walks u p a n d knocks o n t h e d o o r b l a m !
b l a m ! N o b o d y comes. T h e n h e l a m s loose a n d
knocks a g a i n b l i m ! b l i m !
" W h o d a r ? " sez Brer R a b b i t , sezee.
" F r ' e n ' , " sez B r e r Wolf.
" T o o m e n n y fr'en's spiles d e d i n n e r , " sez Brer
R a b b i t , sezee. " W ' i c h u n ' s dis?" sezee.
" I fetch b a d news, Brer R a b b i t . " sez B r e r Wolf,
.sezee.
" B a d news is soon tole," sez Brer R a b b i t , sezee.
By this t i m e B r e r R a b b i t h a d c o m e to t h e d o o r
w i t h his h e a d tied u p in a r e d h a n d k e r c h i e f .
" B r e r F o x d i e d dis m o r n i n ' , " sez Brer Wolf,
There lay Brer Fox stretched out on the bed
sezee.
" W h a r y o ' m o ' n i n ' gown s Brer W o l f ? " sez Brer
o u t o n t h e b e d j u s t as b i g as life. T h e n Brer R a b b i t
R a b b i t , sezee.
" G w i n e a t t e r it n o w , " sez Brer Wolf, sezee. " I m a k e s like h e is talking t o himself.
j u s t called fer ter b r i n g d e news. I w e n t d o w n ter " N o b o d y ' r o u n ' fer ter look a t t e r Brer F o x n o t
Brer Fox's house little bit 'go, en d a r I foun' ' i m even Brer T u k k e y B u z z a r d a i n ' t c o m e ter d e f u n e r ' l , "
stiff," sezee. sezee. " I h o p e Brer F o x a i n ' t d e a d , b u t I ' s p e c t
T h e n Brer W o l f lopes off. h e is," sezee. " E v e n d o w n ter Brer Wolf d o n e g o n e
Brer R a b b i t sat d o w n a n d s c r a t c h e d his h e a d , h e e n l e f ' i m . H i t ' s d e b u s y season w i d m e , b u t I ' l l
d i d , a n d b y - a n d - b y h e says to himself t h a t h e set u p w i d ' i m . H e seem like h e d e a d , yit h e m a y n ' t
BRER RABBIT
b e , " sez B r e r R a b b i t , sezee. " W ' e n a m a n g o t e r
see d e a d folks, d e a d folks allers raises u p d e r b e h i m e
l e g e n hollers, 'Wahoof'" sezee. Mr. Rabbit Finds His Match Again
B r e r F o x h e stays still. T h e n B r e r R a b b i t h e talks
a little l o u d e r :
" M i g h t y funny. Brer F o x looks like h e d e a d , yit
h e d o n ' t d o like h e d e a d . D e a d folks hists d e r
b e h i m e leg e n hollers 'Wahoof w ' e n a m a n c q m e
B R E R R A B B I T d i d get c a u g h t u p w i t h o n c e ,
a n d i t cooled h i m off like p o u r i n g s p r i n g w a t e r
o n o n e of these h e r e biggity fires.
t e r see u m , " sez B r e r R a b b i t , sezee.
O n e d a y w h e n B r e r R a b b i t w a s g o i n g Iippity-
S u r e e n o u g h , B r e r F o x lifts u p his b e h i n d leg
c l i p p i t i n ' d o w n t h e r o a d , h e m e t u p w i t h old B r e r
a n d hollers "Wahoof" a n d B r e r R a b b i t h e t o r e o u t
T a r r y p i n , a n d after t h e y h a d passed t h e t i m e o f
o f t h e h o u s e like t h e dogs w e r e after h i m . B r e r
d a y w i t h o n e a n o t h e r B r e r R a b b i t h e allowed t h a t
W o l f w a s m i g h t y s m a r t , b u t n o t s m a r t e n o u g h for
h e w a s m u c h obliged to B r e r T a r r y p i n for t h e h a n d
Brer Rabbit.
h e t o o k i n t h e r u m p u s t h a t d a y d o w n a t Miss
M e a d o w s ' w h e n h e d r o p p e d off t h e w a t e r shelf o n
Brer Fox's head. T h e n Brer T a r r y p i n allowed t h a t
B r e r F o x r a n m i g h t y fast t h a t d a y , b u t t h a t if h e
h a d b e e n after h i m i n s t e a d of B r e r R a b b i t h e w o u l d
h a v e c a t c h e d h i m . B r e r R a b b i t said h e c o u l d h a v e
c a t c h e d h i m himself o n l y h e d i d n ' t c a r e a b o u t
l e a v i n g t h e ladies.
T h e y k e p t o n talking, t h e y d i d , till b y a n d b y
t h e y g o t t o d i s p u t i n g as t o w h i c h w a s t h e swiftest.
B r e r R a b b i t says h e c a n o u t r u n B r e r T a r r y p i n a n d
Brer Tarrypin h e just vowed that he can outrun
B r e r R a b b i t . U p a n d d o w n t h e y h a d it, till first
n e w s y o u k n o w B r e r T a r r y p i n says t h a t h e g o t a
fifty-dollar bill i n t h e c h i n k of t h e c h i m n e y a t h o m e ,
117
%gpmmMmwmmeBBKemmBs**i*m
mmmmiMiim*t,^mw^fTsrf&m&zni
,W&*&l&)0i*
'i rw*$%Hini-J*<t*m'i v m^ .**.**<*-
as*fi*^BMTiFf*CTwri'-'*^y,*jM'**j;gaR*iS