Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Brer Rabbit
Brer Rabbit
ce The
Wonderful
Tar-Baby
Story"
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
7
\
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
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 .
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
b e h i n d legs like h e w a s astonished.
f 1 1
i
8
B R E R RABBIT
I.
}i
i'
1
"The Wonderful Tar-Baby Story"
B R E R RABBIT
I0
ir
<!
i\
d a t b r i e r p a t c h , " sezee.
sezee,
" s n a t c h o u t m y eyeballs', t e a r o u t m y h a i r , t e a r o u t
m y ears b y d e roots a n d c u t off m y legs," sezee,
" b u t , please, B r e r F o x , d o n ' t fling m e i n d a t b r i e r
.;. .1 1
p a t c h , " sezee.
- t ) f course B r e r F o x w a n t e d t o h u r t B r e r R a b b i t
as b a d as h e could, so h e c a u g h t h i m b y t h e b e h i n d
legs a n d s l u n g h i m r i g h t i n t h e m i d d l e of t h e b r i e r
p a t c h . T h e r e w a s a c o n s i d e r a b l e flutter w h e r e B r e r
R a b b i t stuck t h e bushes, a n d B r e r F o x sort of h u n g
a r o u n d to see w h a t w a s going t o h a p p e n . B y - a n d - b y
h e h e a r d s o m e b o d y call h i m , a n d w a y u p t h e h i l l
h e s a w B r e r R a b b i t sitting cross-legged o n a c h i n k a *'\.,1V.
p i n log c o m b i n g t h e p i t c h o u t of his h a i r w i t h a c h i p
of w o o d . T h e n Brer F o x k n e w t h a t h e h a d b e e n
" B r e d a n d b a w n i n d e b r i e r p a t c h , Brer F o x b r e d
y o u , " sezee.
" H a n g m e j u s t as h i g h as y o u please, B r e r F o x , "
fire,"
*r
w a s n a m e d K l i b s . O l d B r e r B e a r a n d Miss B e a r t h e y
went along ahead, a n d K u b s a n d Klibs, they c a m e
shuffling a n d s c r a m b l i n g a l o n g b e h i n d . W h e n B r e r
R a b b i t sees this, h e says to himself t h a t h e 'spects h e
h a d b e t t e r go see h o w Brer B e a r is g e t t i n g a l o n g , a n d
off h e p u t . A n d it w a s n ' t long before h e w a s r a n s a c k i n g B r e r B e a r ' s premises j u s t like a sure e n o u g h
patter-roller.
m o s t a l w a y s c a m e o u t o n t o p ^ I t w o u l d look
m i g h t y c u r i o u s n o w , b u t it w a s n ' t curious i n those
d a y s , b e c a u s e e v e r y o n e k n e w t h a t strike h i m w h e n
y o u m i g h t a n d w h e r e y o u w o u l d , Brer R a b b i t w a s
the supplest creature going.
W h i l e h e w a s going a r o u n d p e e p i n g i n h e r e a n d
p o k i n g i n t h e r e , h e g o t to fooling a m o n g t h e shelves,
a n d a b u c k e t of h o n e y t h a t B r e r B e a r h a d h i d d e n
i n t h e c u p b o a r d falls d o w n a n d spills o n t o p of B r e r
R a b b i t , a n d a little m o r e a n d h e ' d h a v e b e e n
d r o w n e d . F r o m h e a d to heels t h a t c r e a t u r e w a s covered with honey; he wasn't just only bedobbled w i t h
it, h e w a s j u s t covered.- H e h a d to sit t h e r e a n d l e t
t h e n a t u r a l sweetness d r i p o u t of his eyeballs before
h e c a n see his h a n d before h i m , a n d t h e n after h e
l o o k e d a r o u n d a little h e says to himself, sezee:
Brother
Rabbit's
Astonishing
Prank
mm
43
dk
44
BRER RABBIT
45
Old Sis Cow put out like a pack of dogs were after her
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
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
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
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
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
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 ing a n d their squealing has never been heard in t h a t
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
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
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 .
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
biggity, a n d h e allows to himself t h a t h e 'spects h e
has ter drop 'round a n d skummish in the neighborh 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.
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
m i d d l e of t h e r o a d , a n d hollers o u t :
47
Wull-er-de-
48
BRER RABBIT
A i Story
About
the Little
Rabbits
>
i,
5<>
BRER RABBIT
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
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
51
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 .
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:
"Takeyo'
Takeyo'
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
t h e w a l l a n d hollered o u t :
" C o m e h e r e , R a b s . T a k e dis h e r e s t r a i n e r e n r u n
d o w n to d e spring e n fetch m e some fresh w a t e r . "
" H e r e ! Y o u y o u n g R a b s d a r , sail r o u n d h e r e e n
b r o k e m e off a piece er d a t sweetenin' t r e e , " sezee.
A n d t h e n h e coughs.
T h e little R a b b i t s t h e y r a n d o w n t o t h e s p r i n g a n d
t r i e d to d i p u p t h e w a t e r w i t h t h e s t r a i n e r . B u t of
course i t all r a n o u t , a n d i t k e p t o n r u n n i n g o u t , till
b y - a n d - b y t h e little R a b b i t s sat d o w n a n d b e g a n t o
cry. T h e n t h e little b i r d sitting u p i n t h e tree h e
b e g a n t o sing. A n d this is t h e song t h a t h e s a n g :
BRER RABBIT
5?
So u p t h e y j u m p e d , t h e little R a b b i t s did, a n d
t h e y fixed the~strainer so it w o u l d n ' t leak, a n d t h e n
t h e y c a r r i e d t h e w a t e r t o old B r e r F o x . T h e n B r e r
F o x gets m i g h t y m a d , a n d p o i n t s o u t a g r e a t b i g log
of w o o d , a n d tells t h e little R a b b i t s t o go p u t t h a t
o n t h e fire. T h e little c h a p s t h e y g o t a r o u n d t h e log,
t h e y d i d , a n d t h e y lift a t it so h a r d t h e y c o u l d see
t h e i r o w n muscles. B u t t h e log w o u l d n ' t b u d g e . T h e n
t h e y h e a r d t h e little b i r d singing, a n d this is t h e song
t h a t he sang:
"Spit inyo' han's en tug it en toll it,
En git behine it, en push it, en pole it.
Spit in yo' ban's en r'ar back en roll it"
%<o
\s$$t
**w.
53
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
h e fastened w i t h a trigger r i g h t i n t h e c r a c k .
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
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
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
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
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
"Ti-yi!
Tungalee!
I eat un pea, I pick urn pea.
Hit grow in de grown'; hit grow so free;
Ti-yi! dem goober pea."
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
hails h i m :
( ' H o w d y , Brer B e a r ! "
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
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
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
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 .
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
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
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 ,
lers o u t :
" H e y o , Brer R a b b i t !
m a w n i n spis
H o w you
come on
dis
w
80
B R E R RABBIT
u p a n d says h e is
B e a r h e says h o w .
crows o u t of Brer
asked Brer B e a r if
81
B r e r R a b b i t h e p u t o u t for B r e r F o x ' s p l a c e a n d
w h e n h e g o t t h e r e h e sings o u t :
" B r e r F o x ! O h , B r e r F o x ! C o m e o u t h e r e , Brer
F o x , a n d I ' l l s h b w y o u t h e m a n w h a t b e e n stealing
your peanuts."
Brer F o x , h e g r a b s u p his w a l k i n g stick, a n d b o t h
o f t h e m w e n t r u n n i n g b a c k d o w n to t h e p e a n u t
p a t c h . A n d w h e n t h e y g o t t h e r e , sure e n o u g h , t h e r e
w a s old B r e r B e a r .
" O h , yes. Y o u ' r k o t c h , is y o u ? " says Brer Fox^ a n d
before Brer B e a r c o u l d e x p l a i n , Brer R a b b i t h e
j u m p s u p a n d d o w n a n d hollers o u t :
" H i t ' i m i n d e m o u f / B r e r F o x ; h i t ' i m in d e m o u f , "
a n d Brer Fox, he draws back with the walking cane
a n d b l i p h e took h i m a lick. A n d every t i m e Brer
B e a r w o u l d t r y to e x p l a i n , Brer F o x w o u l d s h o w e r
down on him.
BESS
T
Mr. Wolf Makes a Failure
113;
I
8,
Wolf
Makes
Failure
sezee.
" F o o l ' i m d a r , " sez Brer Wolf, sezee.
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,
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
B r e r Wolf, h e talks m i g h t y p e r s u a d i n g .
112
E^*
"ef
mmtmBmmmmmm>*
11 4
BRER RABBIT
i15
Wolf,
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
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.
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 Iippityc 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
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
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
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
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