Reading Week 9: Brer Rabbit, Part B
Mr. Fox and the Deceitful Frogs
This story begins with terrapin talking and Brer Fox saying nothing. Then Brer Bull-Frog began to holler out until he began hoarse. When Brer Fox looked out onto the water, he saw another fox staring back at him. He reached out to shake his hand and he started to fall in, but he didn't drown. He managed to scramble out and survive.
Old Mr. Rabbit, He's a Good Fisherman
Brer Fox and Brer Rabbit were always pranking one another, but the rabbit began to finally find peace in his life. One day when Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, and Brer Coon and Brer Bear were clearing away ground to roast an ear patch until they became too hot and too tired. They went looking for a cool place to rest. Suddenly, the rabbit found a well with a bucket hanging from it and he was about to grab it when he jumped into the bucket and it began going down. He was very scared and when he hit the water he began to shiver. Brer Fox had his eye on the rabbit and he sat in the bushes waiting. When the fox hollered out to the rabbit and asked what he was doing, the rabbit tricked him by saying he was down there fishing. Brer Rabbit sweet talked the fox into jumping into the other bucket so it would pull the rabbit up. Brer Rabbit got out and galloped away.
Mr. Rabbit Meets His Match Again
One time Brer Rabbit and Brer Buzzard concluded they would go and crop together since it was a good year. Brer Buzzard didn't get anything and the crop was all gone and nothing to show for it. One day Brer Buzzard came around and told the rabbit he found a gold-mine. Brer Rabbit was high up for the job, but he didn't know how to cross the water. Brer Buzzard said he would carry the rabbit across and they flew to the island in the middle of the water. As they stopped to perch on a branch to rest, Brer Rabbit said he had a gold mine of his own, making Brer Buzzard laugh and shook the branch. Brer Buzzard carried the rabbit back and the rabbit walked weak in the knees for a month afterward.
A Story about the Little Rabbits
Brer Rabbit's children always minded their own business and when their parent came in, they would scatter. They were good children. One day, Brer Fox stopped by Brer Rabbit's house and all he found was the children raiding the collard patch. Miss Rabbit was quilting and the little rabbits were playing hide and seek. The little rabbits were very fat and made the fox's mouth water, but he remembered what happened to Brer Wolf. By and by, a great sugar-cane stalk was seen in the corner of the room and the fox tricked the rabbits into breaking off a piece of it for him. The little rabbits got the sugar-cane, but they couldn't break it off. The little rabbits kept trying to rassle with it and then they began to knaw it off and they brought it to Brer Fox. He then asked them for some water, but they tried to dig up water from the spring, but it had all run out so they began to cry. Once they fixed the water, they carried it back to the fox. He was very angry and demanded the rabbits make him a fire, but they couldn't lift the wood. The bird began to sing and they were able to do it. That's when Brer Rabbit came back and asked the fox to stay for a snack, but the fox buttoned up his coat and left.
Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Bear
There was a season when Brer Fox decided he should plant a goober-patch. Old Brer Rabbit told his children they needed to eat them and pick them up. Sure enough, the goobers began to ripen, but Brer Fox was getting frustrated because every time he went to check on his patch, someone had been in his vines. The fox wanted to catch the thief so he tied a plow line to a hickory sapling. Next morning when Brer Rabbit slipped into the gardening got caught in the trap. Brer Bear was walking by and heard a rumbling and asked him how he had gotten stuck up there. Brer Rabbit said he was keeping crows out of the fox's garden and he asked Brer Bear if he wanted to do it to make some money. Brer Bear took the rabbit's place and the rabbit ran to the fox to show him who had been stealing from his garden. Brer Fox began to beat him, but the bear tried to explain what had happened. With all this happening, Brer Rabbit slipped into a mud hole to hide from the bear.
Mr. Terrapin Shows His Strength
Brer Bear helped Miss Meadows bring the wood in to make a fire while Brer Wolf kept the dogs off and Brer Terrapin greased the bottom of the pans. While they all sat and talked, the molasses began to bubble. They all began rocking along. Then they began to laugh for Brer Bear was not the strongest between them all. Brer Terrapin asked for a strong rope and wanted to see if he could pull someone out of the water. After, Miss Meadow loaned the young man the bed-cord so the turtle could carry out his mission. The turtle tied the rope to the bear and began to try and pull him out. The bear swam down the stream and wrapped the bed-cord round his hand so it wouldn't budge. Then he turned around and put the rope across his shoulders and began walking so it would look like the turtle was walking. When Brer Terrapin felt like Brer Bear had quit pulling, he untied the rope and sat at the edge of the water.
The Story of the Deluge
One time, way back before all the animals were born, the critters agreed amongst themselves they would form an assembly. All the critters had much more sense! They held an election to straighten out roles in the assembly and address any concerns. The lion was the kind and all the animals began having speeches and arranged their business affairs. Then there started the disputes between the elephants and the crawfish. Then the unicorns were disputing with the lion and the Hyena started laughing at everyone. All the other critters were fussing and then the crawfish began boring holes into the ground.
Plantation Proverbs
This one is a proverb that was included in a daily class announcements. This was unlike all the other stories and had complicated English language.
Bibliography
Title: The Brer Rabbit
Author: Joel Chandler Harris
Comments
Post a Comment