This is a modern-English version of Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit, originally written by Harris, Joel Chandler. It has been thoroughly updated, including changes to sentence structure, words, spelling, and grammar—to ensure clarity for contemporary readers, while preserving the original spirit and nuance. If you click on a paragraph, you will see the original text that we modified, and you can toggle between the two versions.

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UNCLE REMUS and BRER RABBIT


By
By



Joel Chandler Harris
Joel Chandler Harris


NEW YORK

FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY

PUBLISHERS
NEW YORK

FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY

PUBLISHERS


Copyright, 1906, by

Joel Chandler Harris
Copyright, 1906, by

Joel Chandler Harris


Copyright, 1907, by

Frederick A. Stokes Company

September, 1907
Copyright, 1907, by

Frederick A. Stokes Company

September, 1907


Table of Contents



THE CREETURS GO TO THE BARBECUE







“Once ’pon a time,” said Uncle Remus to the little
boy—“But when was once upon a time?” the child interrupted
to ask. The old man smiled. “I speck ’twuz one time er two
times, er maybe a time an’ a half. You know when Johnny Ashcake
’gun ter bake? Well, ’twuz ’long in dem days. Once
’pon a time,” he resumed, “Mr. Man had a gyarden so
fine dat all de neighbors come ter see it. Some ’ud look at it
over de fence, some ’ud peep thoo de cracks, an’ some
’ud come an’ look at it by de light er de stars. An’
one un um wuz ol’ Brer Rabbit; starlight, moonlight, cloudlight,
de nightlight wuz de light fer him. When de turn er de mornin’
come, he ’uz allers up an’ about, an’ a-feelin’
purty well I thank you, suh!
“Once upon a time,” said Uncle Remus to the little boy—“But when was once upon a time?” the child interrupted to ask. The old man smiled. “I guess it was once or twice, or maybe a time and a half. You know when Johnny Ashcake started to bake? Well, it was a long time ago. Once upon a time,” he continued, “Mr. Man had a garden so fine that all the neighbors came to see it. Some would look at it over the fence, some would peek through the cracks, and some would come and admire it by the light of the stars. And one of them was old Brer Rabbit; starlight, moonlight, cloudlight, the nightlight was his guide. When the early morning came, he was always up and about, feeling pretty good, thank you, sir!







“Now, den, you done hear what I say. Dar wuz Mr. Man, yander wuz
de gyarden, an’ here wuz ol’ Brer Rabbit.” Uncle Remus
made a map of this part of the story by marking in the sand with his
walking-cane. “Well, dis bein’ de case, what you speck
gwineter happen? Nothin’ in de roun’ worl’ but what
been happenin’ sence greens an’ sparrer-grass wuz planted in
de groun’. Dey look fine an’ dey tas’e fine, an’
long to’rds de shank er de mornin’, Brer Rabbit ’ud
creep thoo de crack er de fence an’ nibble at um. He’d take
de greens, but leave his tracks, mo’ speshually right atter a
rain. Takin’ an’ leavin’—it’s de way er de
worl’.
“Now, listen up, you heard what I said. There was Mr. Man, over there was the garden, and here was old Brer Rabbit.” Uncle Remus drew a map of this part of the story by marking in the sand with his walking cane. “Well, since this is the case, what do you expect is going to happen? Nothing in the world hasn’t been happening since greens and grass were planted in the ground. They look good and they taste good, and by the early morning, Brer Rabbit would sneak through the crack in the fence and nibble on them. He’d take the greens but leave his tracks, especially right after it rained. Taking and leaving—it’s the way of the world.”







“Well, one mornin’, Mr. Man went out in his truck patch,
an’ he fin’ sump’n missin’—a cabbage here, a
turnip dar, an’ a mess er beans yander, an’ he ax how come
dis? He look ’roun’, he did, an’ he seed Brer
Rabbit’s tracks what he couldn’t take wid ’im. Brer
Rabbit had lef’ his shoes at home, an’ come
bar’footed.
“Well, one morning, Mr. Man went out to his vegetable garden, and he found something missing—a cabbage here, a turnip there, and a pile of beans over yonder. He wondered what was going on. He looked around, and he saw Brer Rabbit's tracks that he couldn't take with him. Brer Rabbit had left his shoes at home and came barefoot.”







“So Mr. Man, he call his dogs ‘Here, Buck! Here, Brinjer!
Here, Blue!’ an’ he sicc’d um on de track, an’
here dey went!
“So Mr. Man, he called his dogs ‘Here, Buck! Here, Brinjer! Here, Blue!’ and he sent them after the trail, and off they went!







“You’d ’a’ thunk dey wuz runnin’ atter
forty-lev’m rhinossyhosses fum de fuss dey made. Brer Rabbit he
hear um comin’ an’ he put out fer home, kinder
doublin’ ’roun’ des like he do deze days.
“You would have thought they were chasing after forty-seven rhinoceroses from the fuss they made. Brer Rabbit heard them coming and headed for home, kind of doubling back just like he does these days.”







“When he got ter de p’int whar he kin set down fer ter rest
his face an’ han’s, he tuck a poplar leaf an’
’gun ter fan hisse’f. Den Brer Fox come a-trottin’ up.
He say, ‘Brer Rabbit, what’s all dis fuss I hear in de
woods? What de name er goodness do it mean?’ Brer Rabbit kinder
scratch his head an’ ’low, ‘Why, deyer tryin’
fer drive me ter de big bobbycue on de creek. Dey all ax me, an’
when I ’fuse dey say deyer gwine ter make me go any how. Dey aint
no fun in bein’ ez populous ez what I is, Brer Fox. Ef you wanter
go, des git in ahead er de houn’s an’ go lickity-split down
de big road!’
“When he reached the point where he could sit down to rest his face and hands, he took a poplar leaf and started fanning himself. Then Brer Fox came trotting up. He said, ‘Brer Rabbit, what’s all this fuss I hear in the woods? What in the world does it mean?’ Brer Rabbit kind of scratched his head and replied, ‘Well, they’re trying to drag me to the big barbecue by the creek. They all asked me, and when I refused, they said they’re going to make me go anyway. There’s no fun in being as popular as I am, Brer Fox. If you want to go, just get in front of the hounds and dash down the big road!’”







“Brer Fox roll his little eyes, an’ lick his chops whar he
dribble at de mouf, an put out ter de bobbycue, an’ he aint
mo’ dan made his disappearance, ’fo’ here come Brer
Wolf, an’ when he got de news, off he put.
“Brer Fox rolled his little eyes, and licked his lips where he drooled at the mouth, and set off to the barbecue, and he hadn't been gone long before Brer Wolf showed up, and when he got the news, off he went.”


“An’ he aint mo’n got out’n sight,
’fo’ here come ol’ Brer B’ar, an’ when he
hear talk er de bakin’ meat an’ de big pan er gravy, he sot
up on his behime legs an’ snored. Den off he put, an’ he
aint got out’n hearin’, ’fo’ Brer Coon come
rackin’ up, an’ when he got de news, he put out.
“Then he barely got out of sight, before old Brer Bear showed up, and when he heard about the cooking meat and the big pan of gravy, he sat up on his back legs and snored. Then off he went, and he hadn’t even gotten out of hearing range, before Brer Coon came rushing in, and when he got the news, he took off.”







“So dar dey wuz an’ what you gwine do ’bout it? It
seem like dey all got in front er de dogs, er de dogs got behime um,
an’ Brer Rabbit sot by de creek-side laughin’ an’
hittin’ at de snake doctors. An’ dem po’ creeturs had
ter go clean past de bobbycue—ef dey wuz any bobbycue, which I
don’t skacely speck dey wuz. Dat what make me say what I
does—when you git a invite ter a bobbycue, you better fin’ out
when an’ whar it’s at, an’ who runnin’
it.”
“So there they were and what are you going to do about it? It seems like they all got in front of the dogs, or the dogs got behind them, and Brer Rabbit sat by the creekside laughing and throwing things at the snake doctors. And those poor creatures had to go right past the barbecue—if there even was a barbecue, which I hardly expect there was. That’s why I say what I do—when you get an invitation to a barbecue, you better find out when and where it is, and who is running it.”




BRER RABBIT’S FROLIC







The little boy, when he next saw Uncle Remus, after hearing how the
animals went to the barbecue, wanted to know what happened to them: he
was anxious to learn if any of them were hurt by the dogs that had been
chasing Brother Rabbit. The old darkey closed his eyes and chuckled.
“You sho is axin’ sump’n now, honey. Und’ his
hat, ef he had any, Brer Rabbit had a mighty quick thinkin’
apple-ratus, an’ mos’ inginner’lly, all de time, de
pranks he played on de yuther creeturs pestered um bofe ways
a-comin’ an’ a-gwine. De dogs done mighty well, ’long
ez dey had dealin’s wid de small fry, like Brer Fox, an’
Brer Coon, an’ Brer Wolf, but when dey run ag’in’
ol’ Brer B’ar, dey sho struck a snag. De mos’
servigrous wuz de identual one dat got de wust hurted. He got too close
ter Brer B’ar, an’ when he look at hisse’f in
runnin’ water, he tuck notice dat he wuz split wide open fum flank
ter dewlap.
The little boy, when he saw Uncle Remus again after hearing about the animals going to the barbecue, wanted to know what happened to them. He was curious to find out if any of them got hurt by the dogs that had been chasing Brother Rabbit. The old man closed his eyes and chuckled. “You’re really asking something now, honey. Under his hat, if he had any, Brother Rabbit had a sharp mind, and most of the time, the tricks he played on the other creatures got to them both ways, coming and going. The dogs did pretty well as long as they were dealing with the smaller ones, like Brother Fox, Brother Raccoon, and Brother Wolf, but when they ran into old Brother Bear, they definitely hit a snag. The one that was most energetic was the same one that got hurt the worst. He got too close to Brother Bear, and when he looked at himself in running water, he noticed that he was split wide open from his side to his belly.”







“Atter de rucus wuz over, de creeturs hobbled off home de best dey
could, an’ laid ’roun’ in sun an’ shade fer ter
let der cuts an’ gashes git good an’ well. When dey got so
dey could segashuate, an’ pay der party calls, dey ’gree fer
ter insemble some’rs, an’ hit on some plan fer ter outdo
Brer Rabbit. Well, dey had der insembly, an’ dey jower’d
an’ jower’d des like yo’ pa do when he aint
feelin’ right well; but, bimeby, dey ’greed ’pon a
plan dat look like it mought work. Dey ’gree fer ter make out dat
dey gwine ter have a dance. Dey know’d dat ol’ Brer Rabbit
wuz allers keen fer dat, an’ dey say dey’ll gi’ him a
invite, an’ when he got dar, dey’d ax ’im fer ter play
de fiddle, an’ ef he ’fuse, dey’ll close in on
’im an’ make way wid ’im.
Once the ruckus was over, the creatures hobbled home as best they could and lounged around in the sun and shade to let their cuts and scrapes heal. When they felt well enough to move around and pay their social calls, they agreed to gather somewhere and come up with a plan to outsmart Brer Rabbit. So, they had their meeting, and they grumbled on and on just like your dad does when he’s not feeling well; but eventually, they came up with a plan that seemed like it might work. They agreed to pretend they were going to have a dance. They knew that old Brer Rabbit was always eager for that, so they said they’d invite him, and when he showed up, they’d ask him to play the fiddle, and if he refused, they’d close in on him and deal with him.







“So fur, so good! But all de time dey wuz jowerin’ an’
confabbin’, ol’ Brer Rabbit wus settin’ in a shady
place in de grass, a-hearin’ eve’y word dey say. When de
time come, he crope out, he did, an’ run ’roun’,
an’ de fust news dey know’d, here he come down de big
road—bookity-bookity—same ez a hoss dat’s broke thoo de
pastur’ fence. He say, sezee, ‘Why, hello, frien’s!
an’ howdy, too, kaze I aint seed you-all sence de last time! Whar
de name er goodness is you been deze odd-come-shorts? an’ how did
you far’ at de bobbycue? Ef my two eyeballs aint gone an’
got crooked, dar’s ol’ Brer B’ar, him er de short tail
an’ sharp tush—de ve’y one I’m a-huntin’ fer!
An’ dar’s Brer Coon! I sho is in big luck. Dar’s
gwineter be a big frolic at Miss Meadows’, an’ her an’
de gals want Brer B’ar fer ter show um de
roas’n’-y’ar shuffle; an’ dey put Brer Coon down
fer de jig dey calls rack-back-Davy.
“So far, so good! But the whole time they were chatting and discussing, old Brer Rabbit was sitting in a shady spot in the grass, listening to every word they said. When the time came, he crept out and ran around, and the first thing they knew, here he came down the big road—bookity-bookity—just like a horse that’s broken through the pasture fence. He said, ‘Well, hello, friends! And howdy, too, because I haven’t seen you all since last time! Where on earth have you been all this time? And how did you do at the barbecue? If my two eyeballs aren’t misled, there’s old Brer Bear, the one with the short tail and sharp teeth—the very one I’m looking for! And there’s Brer Coon! I’m really in luck. There’s going to be a big party at Miss Meadows', and she and the girls want Brer Bear to show them the roasting-hair shuffle; and they’ve picked Brer Coon for the jig they call rack-back-Davy.’







“‘I’m ter play de fiddle—sump’n I aint done
sence my oldest gal had de mumps an’ de measles, bofe de same day
an’ hour! Well, dis mornin’ I tuck down de fiddle fum whar
she wuz a-hangin’ at, an’ draw’d de bow backerds
an’ forerds a time er two, an’ den I shot my eyes an’
hit some er de ol’-time chunes, an’ when I come ter
myse’f, dar wuz my whole blessed fambly skippin’ an’
sasshayin’ ’roun’ de room, spite er de fack dat
brekkus wuz ter be cooked!’
“I’m going to play the fiddle—something I haven’t done since my oldest daughter had the mumps and the measles, both on the same day and hour! Well, this morning I took down the fiddle from where it was hanging, and moved the bow back and forth a couple of times, and then I closed my eyes and hit some of the old-time tunes, and when I came to my senses, there was my whole blessed family skipping and dancing around the room, despite the fact that breakfast was supposed to be cooked!”







“Wid dat, Brer Rabbit bow’d, he did, an’ went back
down de road like de dogs wuz atter ’im.”
“Then, Brer Rabbit bowed, he did, and went back down the road like the dogs were after him.”







“But what happened then?” the little boy asked.
“Nothin’ ’t all,” replied Uncle Remus, taking up
the chuckle where he had left off. “De creeturs aint had no dance,
an’ when dey went ter Miss Meadows’, she put her head out de
winder, an’ say ef dey don’t go off fum dar she’ll
have de law on um!”
“But what happened next?” the little boy asked.  
“Nothing at all,” replied Uncle Remus, picking up the chuckle where he had left off. “The creatures didn’t have any dance, and when they went to Miss Meadows’, she stuck her head out the window and said if they didn’t leave from there, she’d call the cops on them!”




BROTHER BEAR’S BIG HOUSE







“Uv all de creeturs”, said Uncle Remus, in response to a
questioning took on the part of the little boy, “ol Brer
B’ar had de biggest an’ de warmest house. I dunner why ner
wharfo’, but I’m a-tellin’ you de plain fack, des ez
dey to!’ it unter me. Ef I kin he’p it I never will be
deceivin’ you, ner lead you inter no bad habits. Yo’ pappy
trotted wid me a mighty long time, an’ ef you’ll ax him
he’ll tell you dat de one thing I never did do wuz ter deceive him
whiles he had his eyes open; not ef I knows myse’f. Well,
ol’ Brer B’ar had de big house I’m a-tellin’ you
about. Ef he y’ever is brag un it, it aint never come down ter me.
Yit dat’s des what he had—a big house an’ plenty er room
fer him an’ his fambly; an’ he aint had mo’ dan he
need, kaze all er his fambly wuz fat an’ had what folks calls
heft—de nachal plunkness.
“Out of all the creatures,” said Uncle Remus, responding to the curious look on the little boy's face, “old Brer Bear had the biggest and warmest house. I don’t know why or how, but I’m just telling you the plain fact, just like that! Trust me. If I can help it, I’ll never deceive you or lead you into any bad habits. Your dad hung out with me for a long time, and if you ask him, he’ll tell you that the one thing I never did was deceive him while he had his eyes open; not if I know myself. Well, old Brer Bear had the big house I’m telling you about. If he ever bragged about it, it never made its way to me. Yet that’s exactly what he had—a big house and plenty of room for him and his family; and he didn’t have more than he needed, because all of his family was fat and had what folks call heft—the natural plumpness.







“He had a son name Simmon, an’ a gal name Sue, not
countin’ his ol’ ’oman, an’ dey all live wid one
an’er day atter day, an’ night atter night; an’ when
one un um went abroad, dey’d be spected home ’bout
meal-time, ef not befo’, an’ dey segashuated right along fum
day ter day, washin’ der face an’ han’s in de same
wash-pan in de back po’ch, an’ wipin’ on de same towel
same ez all happy famblies allers does.
“He had a son named Simmon and a daughter named Sue, not counting his old lady, and they all lived together day after day, and night after night; and when one of them went out, they were expected home around mealtime, if not sooner, and they carried on just like everyone else from day to day, washing their faces and hands in the same washbasin on the back porch, and drying off with the same towel just like all happy families always do.”







“Well, time went on an’ fotched de changes dat might be
spected, an’ one day dar come a mighty knockin’ on Brer
B’ar’s do’. Brer B’ar, he holla out, he did.
‘Who dat come a-knockin’ dis time er de year,
’fo’ de corn’s done planted, er de cotton-crap’s
pitched?’ De one at de do’ make a big noise, an’
rattle de hinges. Brer B’ar holla out, he did, ‘Don’t
t’ar down my house! Who is you, anyhow, an’ what you
want?’ An’ de answer come, ‘I’m one an’
darfo’ not two; ef youer mo’ dan one, who is you an’
what you doin’ in dar?’ Brer B’ar, he say, sezee,
‘I’m all er one an’ mighty nigh two, but I’d
thank you fer ter tell me yo’ full fambly name.’ Den de
answer come.
“Well, time passed and brought the changes you’d expect, and one day there came a loud knock on Brer Bear’s door. Brer Bear shouted out. ‘Who’s knocking at this time of year, before the corn’s planted or the cotton’s in the ground?’ The one at the door made a big noise and rattled the hinges. Brer Bear yelled out, ‘Don’t tear down my house! Who are you, anyway, and what do you want?’ And the answer came, ‘I’m one and therefore not two; if you’re more than one, who are you and what are you doing in there?’ Brer Bear replied, ‘I’m all of one and close to two, but I’d appreciate it if you could tell me your full family name.’ Then the answer came.







“‘I’m de knocker an’ de mover bofe, an’ ef
I can’t clim’ over I’ll crawl under ef you do but
gi’ me de word. Some calls me Brer Polecat, an’ some a big
word dat it aint wuff while ter ermember, but I wanter move in.
It’s mighty col’ out here, an’ all I meets tells me
it’s mighty warm in dar whar you is.’ Den ol’ Brer
B’ar say, sezee. ‘It’s warm nuff fer dem what stays in
here, but not nigh so warm fer dem on de outside. What does you reely
want?’ Brer Polecat ’spon’, he did, ‘I wants a
heap er things dat I don’t git. I’m a mighty good
housekeeper, but I takes notice dat dar’s mighty few folks dat
wants me ter keep house fer um.’ Brer B’ar say, sezee,
‘I aint got no room fer no housekeeper; we aint skacely got room
fer ter go ter bed. Ef you kin keep my house on de outside, you er
mighty welcome.’
“I'm the knocker and the mover both, and if I can't climb over, I'll crawl under if you just give me the word. Some call me Brer Polecat, and others a big word that isn't worth remembering, but I want to come in. It’s really cold out here, and everyone I meet tells me it’s really warm in there where you are.” Then old Brer Bear says, “It's warm enough for those who stay in here, but not nearly as warm for those on the outside. What do you really want?” Brer Polecat replies, “I want a lot of things that I can't get. I'm a really good housekeeper, but I’ve noticed that there are very few folks who want me to keep house for them.” Brer Bear says, “I don't have any room for a housekeeper; we barely have room to go to bed. If you can keep my house on the outside, you’re very welcome.”







“Brer Polecat say, ‘You may think you aint got no room, but
I bet you got des ez much room ez anybody what I know. Ef you let me in
dar one time, I boun’ you I’ll make all de room I
want.’”
“Brer Polecat says, ‘You might think you don’t have any space, but I bet you have just as much space as anyone I know. If you let me in there once, I promise I’ll make all the room I need.’”







Uncle Remus paused to see what effect this statement would have on the
little boy. He closed his eyes, as though he were tired, but when he
opened them again, he saw the faint shadow of a smile on the
child’s face. “’Taint gwine ter hurt you fer ter laugh
a little bit, honey. Brer Polecat come in Brer B’ar’s house,
an’ he had sech a bad breff dat dey all hatter git out—an’
he stayed an’ stayed twel time stopped runnin’
ag’in’ him.”
Uncle Remus paused to see how this would affect the little boy. He closed his eyes, pretending to be tired, but when he opened them again, he noticed a slight smile on the child's face. "It won't hurt you to laugh a little, sweetheart. Brer Polecat came into Brer B'ar's house, and his breath was so bad that everyone had to leave—and he just stayed and stayed until time stopped running against him."




BRER RABBIT TREATS THE CREETURS TO A RACE







One sultry summer day, while the little boy was playing not far from
Uncle Remus’s cabin, a heavy black cloud made its appearance in
the west, and quickly obscured the sky. It sent a brisk gale before it,
as if to clear the path of leaves and dust. Presently there was a
blinding flash of lightning, a snap and a crash, and, with that, the
child took to his heels, and ran to Uncle Remus, who was standing in his
door. “Dar now!” he exclaimed, before the echoes of the
thunder had rolled away, “Dat dust an’ win’, an’
rain, puts me in mind er de time when ol’ Brer Rabbit got up a big
race fer ter pleasure de yuther creeturs. It wuz de mos’ funniest
race you ever hear tell on. Brer Rabbit went ’way off in de woods
twel he come ter de Rainmaker’s house. He knocked an’ went
in, an’ he ax de Rainmaker ef he can’t fix it up so dey kin
have a race ’tween Brer Dust an’ Cousin Rain, fer ter see
which kin run de fastes’. De Rainmaker growled an’ jowered,
but bimeby he ’gree, but he say that ef ’twuz anybody but
Brer Rabbit, he wouldn’t gi’ it but one thunk.
One hot summer day, while the little boy was playing not far from Uncle Remus’s cabin, a heavy black cloud appeared in the west and quickly covered the sky. It sent a strong gust of wind ahead of it, as if to clear away leaves and dust. Suddenly, there was a blinding flash of lightning, a sharp crack, and with that, the child took off running to Uncle Remus, who was standing in his doorway. “Well now!” he exclaimed, before the echoes of the thunder faded, “That dust and wind, and rain, reminds me of the time when old Brer Rabbit organized a big race to entertain the other creatures. It was the funniest race you ever heard of. Brer Rabbit went off deep into the woods until he came to the Rainmaker’s house. He knocked and went inside, and he asked the Rainmaker if he could arrange a race between Brer Dust and Cousin Rain, to see which one could run the fastest. The Rainmaker grumbled and complained, but eventually he agreed, but he said that if it were anyone other than Brer Rabbit, he wouldn’t give it a second thought.







“Well, dey fix de day, dey did, an’ den Brer Rabbit put out
ter whar de creeturs wuz stayin’ at, an’ tol’ um de
news. Dey dunner how Brer Rabbit know, but dey all wanter see de race.
Now, him an’ de Rainmaker had fixt it up so dat de race would be
right down de middle er de big road, an’ when de day come,
dar’s whar he made de creeturs stan’—Brer B’ar at de
bend er de road, Brer Wolf a leetle furder off, an’ Brer Fox at a
p’int whar de cross-roads wuz. Brer Coon an’ Brer Possum
an’ de yuthers be scattered about up an’ down de Road.
“Well, they set the date, and then Brer Rabbit went out to where the animals were hanging out and told them the news. They didn't know how Brer Rabbit found out, but they all wanted to see the race. Now, he and the Rainmaker had arranged for the race to take place right down the middle of the big road, and when the day came, that’s where he had the animals stand—Brer Bear at the bend of the road, Brer Wolf a little further off, and Brer Fox at a point where the crossroads were. Brer Coon, Brer Possum, and the others were scattered up and down the Road.”







“Ter dem what has ter wait, it seem like de sun stops an’
all de clocks wid ’im. Brer B’ar done some growlin’;
Brer Wolf some howlin’ an’ Brer Possum some laughin’;
but atter while a cloud come up fum some’rs. ’Twant sech a
big cloud, but Brer Rabbit know’d dat Cousin Rain wuz in dar
’long wid Uncle Win’. De cloud crope up, it did, twel it got
right over de big road, an’ den it kinder drapped down a leetle
closer ter de groun’. It look like it kinder stop, like a buggy,
fer Cousin Rain ter git out, so der’d be a fa’r start. Well,
he got out, kaze de creeturs kin see ’im, an’ den Uncle
Win’, he got out.
"To wait for what seems to be forever, it's like the sun stops and all the clocks freeze with it. Brer Bear was growling; Brer Wolf was howling, and Brer Possum was laughing; but after a while, a cloud rolled in from somewhere. It wasn't a very big cloud, but Brer Rabbit knew that Cousin Rain was in there along with Uncle Wind. The cloud crept up until it was right over the big road, and then it seemed to drop down a little closer to the ground. It looked like it was stopping, like a carriage, for Cousin Rain to get out so there would be a fair start. Well, he got out, because the critters could see him, and then Uncle Wind got out."







“An’ den, gentermens! de race begun fer ter commence. Uncle
Win’ hep’d um bofe; he had his bellows wid ’im,
an’ he blow’d it! Brer Dust got up fum whar he wuz
a-layin’ at, an’ come down de road des a-whirlin’. He
stricken ol’ Brer B’ar fust, den Brer Wolf, an’ den
Brer Fox, an’ atter dat, all de yuther creeturs, an’ it come
mighty nigh smifflicatin’ um! Not never in all yo’ born days
is you y’ever heern sech coughin’ an’ sneezin’,
sech snortin’ an’ wheezin’! An’ dey all look
like dey wuz painted red. Brer B’ar sneeze so hard dat he hatter
lay down in de road, an’ Brer Dust come mighty nigh buryin’
’im, an’ ’twuz de same wid de yuther creeturs—dey got
der y’ears, der noses, an’ der eyeses full.
“Then, gentlemen! The race was about to start. Uncle Win’ helped them both; he had his bellows with him, and he blew it! Brer Dust got up from where he was lying and came down the road just whirling. He struck old Brer B’ar first, then Brer Wolf, and then Brer Fox, and after that, all the other creatures, and it almost suffocated them! Never in your lifetime have you heard such coughing and sneezing, such snorting and wheezing! They all looked like they were painted red. Brer B’ar sneezed so hard that he had to lie down in the road, and Brer Dust almost buried him, and it was the same with the other creatures—they got their ears, their noses, and their eyes full.”







“An’ den Cousin Rain come ’long, a-pursuin’ Brer
Dust, an’ he come mighty nigh drownin’ um. He left um
kivver’d wid mud, an’ dey wuz wuss off dan befo’. It
wuz de longest ’fo’ dey kin git de mud out ’n der eyes
an’ y’ears, an’ when dey git so dey kin see a leetle
bit, dey tuck notice dat Brer Rabbit, stidder bein’ full er mud,
wuz ez dry ez a chip, ef not dryer.
“Then Cousin Rain came along, chasing Brer Dust, and he almost drowned them. He left them covered in mud, and they were worse off than before. It took the longest time for them to get the mud out of their eyes and ears, and when they finally managed to see a little bit, they noticed that Brer Rabbit, instead of being full of mud, was as dry as a chip, if not drier."







“It make um so mad, dat dey all put out atter ’im, an’
try der level best fer ter ketch, but ef dey wuz anything in de
roun’ worl’ dat Brer Rabbit’s got, it’s soople
foots, an’ ’twant no time ’fo’ de yuther
creeturs can’t see ha’r ner hide un ’im! All de same
Brer Rabbit aint bargain fer ter have two races de same day.”
“It makes them so mad that they all went after him and tried their best to catch him, but if there's one thing Brer Rabbit has, it's quick feet, and it wasn't long before the other creatures couldn't see him at all! Still, Brer Rabbit isn't up for running two races in the same day.”


“But, Uncle Remus,” said the little boy, “which beat,
Brother Dust or Cousin Rain?” The old man stirred uneasily in his
chair, and rubbed his chin with his hand. “Dey tells me,” he
responded cautiously, “dat when Cousin Rain can’t see
nothin’ er Brother Dust, he thunk he am beat, but he holla out,
‘Brer Dust, wharbouts is you?’ an’ Brer Dust he holla
back, ‘You’ll hatter scuzen me; I fell down in de mud
an’ can’t run no mo’!’”
“But, Uncle Remus,” said the little boy, “who won, Brother Dust or Cousin Rain?” The old man shifted uncomfortably in his chair and rubbed his chin with his hand. “Well,” he replied cautiously, “they say that when Cousin Rain can’t see anything of Brother Dust, he thinks he’s lost, but then he calls out, ‘Brer Dust, where are you?’ and Brer Dust answers back, ‘You’ll have to excuse me; I fell in the mud and can’t move anymore!’”




BRER RABBIT’S FLYING TRIP









Dar once wuz a time when most er de creeturs
Once upon a time, when most of the creatures


Got mighty tired er Brer Rabbit’s capers,
I got really tired of Brer Rabbit’s antics,


An’ dey ’semble’, dey did, grass an’ meat eaters.
And they assembled, they did, grass and meat eaters.


Browsers an’ grazers, an’ likewiss de bone-scrapers,
Browsers and grazers, and also the bone-scrapers,


Fer ter see what dey kin do.
For to see what they can do.




Brer B’ar wuz dar, wid his bid fur suit on,
Brer Bear was there, wearing his big fur coat,


An’ ol’ Brer Wolf fetched his big howl along,
And old Brer Wolf let out his big howl,


An’ when eve’ything wuz ready, wid a long, loud hoot on,
And when everything was ready, with a long, loud hoot on,


Here come ol’ Simon Swamp Owl along,
Here comes old Simon Swamp Owl,


A-tootin’ of his too-whoo.
A-tootin' of his hoot.




Dar wuz ol’ Brer Fox, suh, wid his black socks, suh,
But there was old Brer Fox, sir, with his black socks, sir,


An’ a heap er creeturs dat I don’t hatter mention;
And there are a bunch of creatures that I don't want to mention;


Some bow-legged an’ some knock-kneed in de hocks, suh.
Some people are bow-legged and some are knock-kneed in the knees, sir.


An’ dey all agree fer ter hol’ a convention
And they all agree to hold a convention.


Fer ter stop Brer Rabbit’s pranks.
To put an end to Brer Rabbit's tricks.











Brer Fox, he ’low he’ll gi’ a pot er gol’, suh,
Brer Fox says he'll give a pot of gold, sir,


Ter de man what kin tol Brer Rabbit off, suh;
Having the man who can tell Brer Rabbit off, sir;


Brer Buzzard say, “I’m a-gittin’ ol’, suh,
Brer Buzzard said, “I’m getting old, sir,


But I’ll try my han,” an’ den he cough, suh.
"But I’ll give it a shot," and then he coughed, sir.


An’ de rest un um bowed dere thanks.
And the rest of them bowed their thanks.




Now, ol’ Brer B’ar wuz a-settin’ in de cheer, suh,
Now, old Brer Bear was sitting in the chair, sir,


So he stand up an’ move a motion;
So he stands up and makes a motion;


He up an’ ’low, “Le’s erso’v right here, suh,
He got up and said, “Let’s resolve this right here, sir,


Fer ter thank Brer Buzzard whiles we’re in de notion,
For the moment, let's thank Brother Buzzard while we're at it,


An’ not put it off ter some yuther day.”
"And don't put it off to some other day."




An’ den dey had it up an’ down, suh,
And then they had it up and down, sir,


’Sputin’ ’bout what dey oughter do,
'Sputin' about what they ought to do,


Some wanter gi’ ’im a flower crown, suh,
Someone wanted to give him a flower crown, sir,


Ef he rid Brer Rabbit up dar in de blue,
If he takes Brer Rabbit up there in the blue,


An’ drap ’im when he got half-way.
And drop him when he gets halfway.











Dey sont a runner atter ol’ Brer Rabbit
They sent a runner after old Brer Rabbit.


Ter ax ’im ter call an’ ’ten’ de convention;
Ter asked him to call and attend the convention;


But ol’ frien’ Wobble-nose had a quare habit
But my old friend Wobble-nose had a strange habit


Er knowin’ a thing befo’ it wuz mention’,
He knows something before it was mentioned,


An he come ’fo’ he got de word.
And he came before he got the word.




He wiggle his nose, an’ wunk his eye—
He wiggled his nose and winked his eye—


“Here sho is de man I wants ter see, suh!
"Here’s the man I want to see, sir!


Brer Buzzard I’m tryin’ ter l’arn how ter fly!”
Brer Buzzard, I'm trying to learn how to fly!


An’ c’ose Brer Buzzard gi’ his agree, suh,
And of course, Brother Buzzard gave his agreement, sir,


An’ all un um say he’s a ’commydatin’ bird!
And everyone says he's a real "ladies' man"!











An’ den Brer Buzzard half spread his wing, suh
And then Brother Buzzard partially spread his wing, sir


He try ter look young, but he wuz ol’ suh—
He tries to look young, but he was old, sir—


He try ter strut an’ walk wid a swing, suh;
He tries to strut and walk with a swing, sir;


He wuz dreamin’ ’bout dat pot er gol’, suh,
He was dreaming about that pot of gold, sir,


An’ what he wuz gwine fer ter buy.
And what he was going to buy.




Brer Buzzard ain’t skacely got thoo wid his pride, suh,
Brer Buzzard hardly has any room for his pride, sir,


’Fo’ Brer Rabbit lit right ’tween his floppers,
'For' Brer Rabbit settled right between his feet, 


Wid, “Now, hump yo’se’f, an’ gi’ me a ride, suh,
Wid, "Now, get on your feet and give me a lift, sir,"


Ef you don’t I’ll hit—I’ll hit you some whoppers
If you don’t, I’ll give you some big ones.


When I git you up dar in de sky!”
"When I get you up there in the sky!"











Well, de creeturs grinned when Brer Buzzard riz, suh.
Well, the creatures smiled when Brer Buzzard rose, sir.


An’ made a big fuss accordin’ ter der natur’;
And made a big fuss according to the nature;


Ez fer ol’ Brer Rabbit, de pleasure wuz all his, suh
It was all for old Brer Rabbit; the pleasure was entirely his, sir.


De ridin’ wuz easy ez eatin’ tater
Riding was as easy as eating a potato.


When it’s b’iled an’ made inter pie!
When it’s boiled and made into pie!




Kaze under bofe wings he had a paw, suh,
Kaze had a paw under both wings, sir,


An’, when Brer Buzzard try fer ter drap ’im.
And when Brer Buzzard tries to drop him.


He’d scratch an’ tickle ’im wid his claw, suh;
He’d scratch and tickle him with his claw, sir;


An’ when Brer Buzzard try fer ter flap ’im,
And when Brer Buzzard tries to flap him,


He’d scratch an’ wink his eye!
He'd scratch and wink his eye!











An’ wid his claws he tuck an’ steered ’im
And with his claws, he took and steered him.


Fum post ter pillar in de deep blue, suh;
Fum post ter pillar in the deep blue, sir;


He’d holla an’ laugh—all de creeturs heer’d ’im—
He'd shout and laugh—all the creatures heard him—


You know how you’d feel ef it hab been you, suh,
You know how you’d feel if it had been you, sir,


A-waitin’ fer some un ter fall!
Waiting for someone to fall!




When ol’ Brer Rabbit got tired er ridin’,
When old Brer Rabbit got tired of riding,


He steered Brer Buzzard right straight ter de groun’, suh,
He directed Brer Buzzard straight down to the ground, sir,


An’ den an’ dar went right inter hidin’.
And then there went right into hiding.


When de creeturs come up he couldn’t be foun’, suh,
When the creatures came up, he couldn’t be found, sir,


An’ I speck an’ I reckon dat’s all!
And I suppose that’s everything!






BRER RABBIT AND THE GOLD MINE







There had been silence in the cabin for a long ten minutes, and Uncle
Remus, looking up, saw a threat of sleep in the little boy’s eyes.
Whereupon he plunged headlong into a story without a word of
explanation.
There had been silence in the cabin for a long ten minutes, and Uncle Remus, looking up, saw a hint of sleep in the little boy’s eyes. So, he jumped right into a story without any explanation.


“Well, suh, one year it fell out dat de craps wuz burnt up. A dry
drouth had done de work, an’ ef you’d ’a’ struck
a match anywhar in dat settlement, de whole county would ’a’
blazed up. Ol’ man Hongriness des natchally tuck of his cloze
an’ went paradin’ ’bout eve’ywhar, an’ de
creeturs got bony an’ skinny. Ol’ Brer B’ar done
better dan any un um, kaze all he hatter do wuz go ter sleep an’
live off’n his own fat; an’ Brer Rabbit an’ his
ol’ ’oman had put some calamus root by, an’ saved up
some sugar-cane dat dey fin’ lyin’ ’roun’ loose,
an’ dey got ’long purty well. But de balance er de
creeturs wuz dat ga’nt dat dey ain’t got over it down ter
dis day.
“Well, sir, one year it happened that the crops were completely scorched. A severe drought had done the damage, and if you’d struck a match anywhere in that area, the whole county would have gone up in flames. Old man Hongriness naturally took off his clothes and went wandering around everywhere, and the creatures got bony and skinny. Old Brer Bear did better than anyone else, because all he had to do was sleep and live off his own fat; and Brer Rabbit and his old lady had saved some calamus root and put aside some sugar cane they found lying around, so they managed pretty well. But the rest of the creatures were so thin that they haven't gotten over it to this day.”







“De creeturs had der meetin’-place, whar dey could all set
’roun’ an’ talk de kind er politics dey had, des like
folks does at de cross-roads grocery. One day, whiles dey wuz all
settin’ an’ squottin’ ’roun’,
jowerin’ an’ confabbin’, Brer Rabbit, he up
’n’ say, sezee, dat ol’ Mammy-Bammy-Big-Money
tol’ his great gran’daddy dat dar wuz a mighty big an’
fat gol’ mine in deze parts, an’ he say dat he
wouldn’t be ’tall ’stonished ef ’twant
some’rs close ter Brer B’ar’s house. Brer B’ar,
he growled, he did, an’ say dat de gol’ mine better not let
him fin’ it, kaze atter he got done wid it, dey won’t be no
gol’ mine dar.
The creatures had their meeting place, where they could all sit around and talk about the kind of politics they had, just like people do at the crossroads grocery. One day, while they were all sitting and chatting, Brer Rabbit spoke up and said that old Mammy-Bammy-Big-Money told his great-granddaddy that there was a huge and rich gold mine in these parts, and he wouldn’t be surprised if it was somewhere close to Brer Bear’s house. Brer Bear growled, saying that if he found that gold mine, there wouldn’t be any gold left after he was done with it.







”Some laughed, some grinned an’ some gapped, an’,
atter jowerin’ some mo’, dey all put out ter whar der
famblies wuz livin’ at; but I boun’ you dey ain’t
fergit ’bout dat gol’ mine, kaze, fum dat time on, go whar
you mought, you’d ketch some er de creeturs diggin’
an’ grabblin’ in de groun’, some in de fields, some in
de woods, an’ some in de big road; an’ dey wuz so weak
an’ hongry dat dey kin skacely grabble fer fallin’ down.
Some laughed, some smiled, and some stared, and after chatting a bit more, they all headed to where their families were living; but I bet you they haven’t forgotten about that gold mine, because from that time on, no matter where you went, you’d find some of the folks digging and rummaging in the ground, some in the fields, some in the woods, and some along the main road; and they were so weak and hungry that they could barely dig without falling over.







“Well, dis went on fer de longest, but bimeby, one day, dey all
’gree dat sump’n bleeze ter be done, an’ dey say
dey’ll all take one big hunt fer de gol’ mine, an’ den
quit. Dey hunted in gangs, wid de gangs not fur fum one an’er,
an’ it so happen dat Brer Rabbit wuz in de gang wid Brer Wolf,
an’ he know’d dat he hatter keep his eyes wide open. All de
creeturs hatter dig in diffunt places, an’ whiles Brer Rabbit want
much uv a grabbler, he had a way er makin’ de yuthers
b’lieve dat he wuz de best er de lot. So he made a heap er motion
like he wuz t’arin’ up de yeth. Dey ain’t been gwine
on dis away long fo’ Brer Wolf holler out,
“Well, this went on for the longest time, but eventually, one day, they all agreed that something needed to be done, and they said they’d all go on one big hunt for the gold mine, and then quit. They hunted in groups, with the groups not far from each other, and it just so happened that Brer Rabbit was in the group with Brer Wolf, and he knew he had to keep his eyes wide open. All the creatures had to dig in different places, and while Brer Rabbit wasn’t much of a digger, he had a way of making the others believe he was the best of the bunch. So he made a lot of movement like he was tearing up the earth. They hadn’t been going on this way long before Brer Wolf shouted out,







“‘Run here, Brer Rabbit! I done foun’ it!’ Brer
B’ar an’ Brer Fox wuz bofe diggin’ close by, an’
Brer Rabbit kinder wunk one eye at de elements; he say, sezee,
‘Glad I is fer yo’ sake, Brer Wolf; git yo’ gol’
an’ ’joy yo’se’f!’ Brer Wolf say,
‘Come git some, Brer Rabbit! Come git some!’ Ol’ Brer
Rabbit ’spon’, ‘I’ll take de leavin’s,
Brer Wolf; you take what you want, an’ den when you done got
’nough I’ll get de leetle bit I want.’ Brer Wolf say,
‘I wanter show you sump’n.’ Brer Rabbit ’low,
‘My eyes ain’t big fer nothin’.’ Brer Wolf say,
‘I got a secret I wanter tell you.’ Brer Rabbit ’low,
‘My y’ears ain’t long fer nothin’. Des
stan’ dar an’ do yo’ whisperin’, Brer Wolf,
an’ I’ll hear eve’y word you say.’
“‘Run over here, Brer Rabbit! I found it!’ Brer Bear and Brer Fox were both digging nearby, and Brer Rabbit winked at the situation; he said, ‘I’m glad for your sake, Brer Wolf; get your gold and enjoy yourself!’ Brer Wolf said, ‘Come get some, Brer Rabbit! Come get some!’ Old Brer Rabbit replied, ‘I’ll take the leftovers, Brer Wolf; you take what you want, and when you’re done, I’ll grab the little bit I want.’ Brer Wolf said, ‘I want to show you something.’ Brer Rabbit replied, ‘My eyes aren’t big for nothing.’ Brer Wolf said, ‘I have a secret I want to tell you.’ Brer Rabbit said, ‘My ears aren’t long for nothing. Just stand there and do your whispering, Brer Wolf, and I’ll hear every word you say.’”







“Brer Wolf ain’t say nothin’, but make out he’s
grabblin’, an’ den, all of a sudden, he made a dash at Brer
Rabbit, but when he git whar Brer Rabbit wuz at, Brer Rabbit ain’t
dar no mo’; he done gone. Weak an’ hongry ez he is, Brer
Wolf know dat he can’t ketch Brer Rabbit, an’ so he holler
out, ‘hat’s yo’ hurry, Brer Rabbit? Whar you
gwine?’ Brer Rabbit holler back, ‘I’m gwine home atter
a bag fer ter tote de gol’ you gwine leave me! So long, Brer Wolf;
I wish you mighty well!’ an’ wid dat he put out fer
home.”
“Brer Wolf didn’t say anything, but acted like he was grabbing something, and then, all of a sudden, he lunged at Brer Rabbit. But by the time he got to where Brer Rabbit was, Brer Rabbit was already gone. Weak and hungry as he was, Brer Wolf knew he couldn't catch Brer Rabbit, so he shouted out, ‘What’s your hurry, Brer Rabbit? Where are you going?’ Brer Rabbit shouted back, ‘I’m heading home to get a bag to carry the gold you’re going to leave me! So long, Brer Wolf; I wish you the best!’ And with that, he headed home.”




BRER RABBIT GETS BRER FOX A HOSS









Not many er de creeturs wuz fon’ er water,
Not many of the creatures were found in water,


Onless it mought ’a’ been Brer Coon’s daughter;
Unless it might have been Brer Coon’s daughter;


Brer B’ar, Brer Fox, an’ ol’ Brer Rabbit,
Brer Bear, Brer Fox, and old Brer Rabbit,


Dey vow’d dey can’t never git in de habit
They vowed they can’t ever get in the habit.


Er wadin’ de creek, er swimmin’ de river—
Wading in the creek or swimming in the river—


When it come ter dat, dey’d run ter kivver!
When it comes to that, they'd run for cover!


When folks come ’long fer ter git across,
When people come along to get across,


De creeturs tuck notice dat dey rid a hoss.
The creatures took notice that they rode a horse.











Brer Fox, he say he wish he had one,
Brer Fox says he wishes he had one,


An’ ’mongst all de yuthers he’d be de glad un;
And among all the others, he’d be the happy one;


He’d git a bridle an’ a bran’ new saddle,
He'd get a bridle and a brand new saddle,


An’ git on de hoss an’ ride ’im straddle;
And get on the horse and ride him straddling;


He say, sezee, “He’d do some trottin’,
He says, he said, “He'd do some trotting,”


Kaze when I git started, I’m a mighty hot un!”
"Watch out when I get started, I'm really something!"


Brer Rabbit, he smole a great big smile,
Brer Rabbit smiled a huge smile,


Wid, “I can’t ride myse’f, kaze I got a b’ile!
Wid, “I can’t ride by myself because I have a boil!”











“But it seem like ter me dat I knows whar a hoss is:
"But it seems to me that I know where a horse is:


He’s away back yan’ whar two roads crosses,
He’s off over there where two roads meet,


An’ I’ll meet you dar termorrer mornin’,
I'll meet you there tomorrow morning,


Des ’bout de time when day’s a-dawnin’.”
"It's about time when the day is starting to dawn."


Brer Fox, he say, “I hear yo’ sesso,
Brer Fox said, “I hear your sesi, 


An’ ef I ain’t sick I’ll be dar desso!”
"And if I'm not sick, I'll be there for sure!"


Brer Rabbit tip his hat, wid, “So-long, frien’;
Brer Rabbit tipped his hat and said, "See you later, friend;"


We’ll git de hoss, you may depen’.”
"We'll get the horse, you can count on it."











Long ’fo’ de time, Brer Rabbit wuz a-stirrin’,
A long time ago, Brer Rabbit was getting ready,


An’ he chuckle ter hisse’f like a cat a-purrin’;
And he chuckled to himself like a cat purring;


De hoss wuz stretched out asleep in de pastur’;
The horse was lying down asleep in the pasture;


Brer Rabbit went up des ez close ez he dast ter,
Brer Rabbit went as close as he dared to,


Fer ter see ef he ’live: hoss switched his tail, suh!
I went to check if he was alive: the horse flicked his tail, sir!


“Dis time we’ll git you widout fail, suh!”
"This time we'll get you without fail, sir!"


So Brer Rabbit say; den he seed Brer Fox—
So Brer Rabbit says; then he saw Brer Fox—


“An’ an’er fine gent fer ter git in a box!”
"And another fine gentleman to get in a box!"











Den he say out loud, “Good luck done sont ’im,
Then he said out loud, “Good luck has been sent to him,


An’ laid ’im down right whar you want ’im!
And laid him down right where you want him!


Ef youer tied ter his tail, you kin sholy hol’ ’im,
If you're tied to his tail, you can surely hold him, 


An’ mo’ dan dat, you kin trip ’im an’ roll ’im!”
"And more than that, you can trip him and roll him!"


So said, so done! an’ dar Brer Fox wuz,
So said, so done! And there was Brer Fox,


Right close ter de place whar a heap er knocks wuz!
Right next to the spot where a bunch of knocks were!


Brer Rabbit, he holla, “Hol’ ’im down! hol’ ’im down!
Brer Rabbit shouts, “Hold him down! Hold him down!


Des make ’im stay right spang on de groun’!”
"Make him stay right on the ground!"











De hoss, he riz wid a snort an’ a whicker,
The horse got up with a snort and a whinny,


An’ showed dat he wuz sump’n uv a kicker!
And showed that he was quite the rebel!


An’ den an’ dar, Brer Rabbit ’gun ter snicker,
And then there, Brer Rabbit started to chuckle,


Wid, “Hol’ ’im, Brer Fox! ’twon’t do ter flicker!
"Hold him, Brer Fox! It won't do to hesitate!"


Ef you make ’im stan’ still, you kin ride ’im de quicker!”
"If you make him stand still, you can ride him quicker!"


De hoss, he r’ar’d an’ raise a mighty dust up,
The horse reared up and kicked up a lot of dust,


An’ fust thing you know, Brer Rabbit hear a bust-up!
And first thing you know, Brer Rabbit hears a commotion!


“I hope, Brer Fox, dat you ain’t much hurt—
"I hope, Brer Fox, that you aren't too hurt—


But yo’ wife’ll be mad, kaze you done tored yo’ shirt!”
"But your wife will be mad because you've torn your shirt!"






BRER RABBIT FINDS THE MOON IN THE MILL POND









Oh, one bright day in de middle er May,
Oh, one bright day in the middle of May,


Brer Rabbit wuz feelin’ fine;
Brer Rabbit was feeling great;


He tuck ter de road, an’ never know’d
He took to the road and never knew


De place whar he wuz gwine!
The place where he was going!




“Oh, fur an’ free,” sezee, “siree,
“Oh, for real,” she says, “seriously,


No gal kin change my min’!”
"No girl can change my mind!"


Brer Tarrypin, sly, he wunk one eye,
Brer Tarrypin, being sneaky, winked one eye,


Un’neat’ his green-gourd vine!
Unkempt his green gourd vine!




He holla an’ say, “Whar you gwine dis day,
He shouted and said, “Where are you going today, 


Wid yo’ pipe an’ walkin’-cane?”
"With your pipe and walking cane?"


Brer Rabbit wave his han’ like a gal do her fan—
Brer Rabbit waved his hand like a girl does with her fan—


“My heart’s ’bout ter bust wid pain;
"My heart's about to burst with pain;











“I’m a heap too nice, I ain’t laugh’d but twice
"I'm way too nice; I haven't laughed but twice."


Sence de big Jinawary rain;
Sense the big January rain;


My day’ll be done ef I don’t have some fun—
My day will be over if I don't have some fun—


Dey’ll call me Sunday-Jane!
They'll call me Sunday-Jane!




“I’ll git sollumcholic ef I don’t have a frolic,
"I'll get really down if I don't have some fun,


My head’ll git flabby an’ swink;
My head will get dull and weak;


I chaw de pine-bud, kaze I’m ’bout ter lose my cud
I chew the pine bud because I'm about to lose my chew.


An’ some nights I don’t sleep a wink!
Some nights I can't sleep at all!




“Ef I has ter set still, oh, I’ll w’ar de green willow,
"If I have to stay still, oh, I'll wear the green willow,


An’ go in mo’nin’ wid de Mink!
And go in the morning with the Mink!


But I bet you a hat dat ’fo’ I does dat,
But I bet you a hat that before I do that,


I’ll show um all a new kink!”
"I'll show them all a new kink!"











So, off he put, on his nimbles’ foot,
So, off he went, on his quick feet,


Wid a grin, a laugh, an’ a cough;
With a grin, a laugh, and a cough;


Ter Miss Motts an’ Miss Meadows, an’ all de udders,
To Miss Motts and Miss Meadows, and all the others,


He tell what ’uz gwineter come off!
He'll tell you what’s going to happen!




’Twuz a mill-pon’ fishin’, an’ he lef um a-wishin’
It was a mill-pond fishing, and he left them wishing.


Dat de win’ don’t blow fum de norf!
The wind doesn't blow from the north!


An’ de creeturs all, bofe long an’ tall—
And the creatures all, both small and tall—


An’ dem no bigger dan a dwarf—
And they're no bigger than a dwarf—




Brer Wolf an’ Brer B’ar,—all say dey’d be dar,
Brer Wolf and Brer Bear—all said they’d be there,


An’ dey promise fer ter fetch a seine;
And they promise to bring a net;


Dey ’gree ter de day, an’ Brer Rabbit say
They agree to the day, and Brer Rabbit says


Dat dey don’t hatter come ef it rain;
They don't care if it rains;











So said, so done, an’ when de time come,
So it was said, so it was done, and when the time came,


De big road ez well ez de lane
The main road as well as the lane


Wuz filled wid a crowd, all talkin’ out loud,
Was filled with a crowd, all talking loudly,


An’ a-prankin’ wid might an’ main!
And having fun with all their strength!




Brer Rabbit wuz dar, wid Miss Molly Har’,
Brer Rabbit was there, with Miss Molly Har’,


A-waitin’ fer de fun ter begin;
Waiting for the fun to start;


He shuck his shank, an’ went ter de bank,
He shook his leg and went to the bank,


An’ make like he gwineter jump in!
And act like he’s about to jump in!




But de sight dat he saw made ’im drap his jaw,
But the sight he saw made him drop his jaw,


An’ break up a great big grin!
And put on a huge smile!


He sez ter Brer Coon, “Run here an’ see de Moon!
He said to Brer Coon, “Come here and see the Moon!


A-floatin’ widout a fin!.”
A-floating without a fin!











He look ag’in—“She sho fell in,
He looked again—"She really fell in,


An’ we got ter git her out;
And we need to get her out;


Ef she stays in de pon’, it’s ’good-bye, John!’
If she stays in the pond, it's goodbye, John!


An’ uv dat dey ain’t no doubt;
And there's no doubt about that;




“We got ter have light when we play at night,
"We need to have light when we play at night,


Fer ter see how ter git about;
For to see how to get around;


We’ll drag wid de seine—ef we don’t drag in vain,
We'll drag with the seine—if we don't drag in vain,


We’ll have good reason ter shout!”
"We'll have a great reason to shout!"




But when it come ter seinin’, dar wuz some complainin
But when it came to singing, there were some complaints.


’Bout who wuz ter do it all,
About who was to do it all,


Dey all make out dat dey wanter wade out,
They all pretend that they want to wade out,


But it fell on dem dat wuz tall:
But it fell on those who were tall:











Brer B’ar, he laugh, ez he tuck a staff,
Brer Bear laughed as he took a stick,


Brer Wolf say he fear’d he’d fall,
Brer Wolf said he was afraid he’d fall,


But he tuck his place wid a mighty wry face,
But he took his place with a very sarcastic expression,


An’ when dey ’gun ter haul.
And when they started to haul.




“Oh, you better bet dis water’s wet!
"Oh, you can bet this water's wet!


I feel des like a sponge!”
"I feel just like a sponge!"


An’ den dey all, wid a kick an’ a squall,
And then they all, with a kick and a shout,


Wid a squeal an’ den a lunge,
With a squeal and then a lunge,




Grabbed at de water—which dey hadn’t oughter
Reached for the water—which they shouldn’t have


Went over der heads wid a splunge;
Went over their heads with a sponge;


Brer Rabbit bent double, “Oh, all er yo’ trouble
Brer Rabbit bent over, "Oh, all of your trouble


Fills me full er fun-unj-unj!”
"Fills me full of fun!"






HOW MR. LION LOST HIS WOOL







“Twuz des sech a day ez dis dat Mr Lion lost his wool,”
remarked Uncle Remus to the little boy, “Mr. Man tuck a notion dat
de time done come fer him fer ter have a hog-killin’ an’ he
got ’im a big barrel, an’ fill it half full er water fum de
big springs. Den he piled up ’bout a cord er wood, an’ ez he
piled, he put rocks ’twix’ de logs, an’ den he sot de
wood after at bofe een’s an’ in de middle.
’Twan’t long ’fo’ dey had de hogs killt,
an’ eve’ything ready fer ter scrape de ha’r off. Den
he tuck de red-hot rocks what he put in de fire, an’ flung um in
de barrel whar de water wuz, an’ ’twan’t long, mon,
’fo’ dat water wuz ready fer ter bile. Den dey tuck de hogs,
one at a time, an’ soused um in de water, an’ time dey tuck
um out, he ha’r wuz ready fer ter drap out by de roots. Den
dey’d scrape un wid sticks an’ chips, an’ dey aint
leave a ha’r on um.
“Just like that day when Mr. Lion lost his wool,” Uncle Remus said to the little boy, “Mr. Man decided it was time for him to have a hog-killing, so he got a big barrel and filled it halfway with water from the big springs. Then he stacked about a cord of wood, and as he stacked it, he placed rocks between the logs, and then he lit the wood at both ends and in the middle. It wasn’t long before they had killed the hogs and everything was ready to scrape the hair off. Then he took the red-hot rocks he had in the fire and tossed them in the barrel where the water was, and before long, that water was ready to boil. Then they took the hogs, one at a time, and submerged them in the water, and by the time they took them out, the hair was ready to come out by the roots. Then they would scrape them with sticks and chips, and they didn’t leave a hair on them.







“Well, bimeby, dey had all de hogs killt an’ cleaned,
an’ hauled off, an’ when eve’ything wuz still ez a
settin’ hen, ol’ Brer Rabbit stuck his head out fum behine a
bush whar he been settin’ at. He stuck his head out, he did,
an’ look all ’roun’, an’ den he went whar de
fier wuz an’ try fer ter warm hisse’f. He aint been dar long
’fo’ here come Brer Wolf an’ Brer Fox, an den he got
busy.
“Well, after a while, they had all the hogs killed and cleaned, and taken away, and when everything was as quiet as a hen sitting on her eggs, old Brer Rabbit peeked out from behind a bush where he had been hiding. He stuck his head out, he did, looked all around, and then he went over to where the fire was and tried to warm himself. He hadn't been there long before Brer Wolf and Brer Fox showed up, and then he got to work.”







“He say, ‘Hello, frien’s! howdy an’ welcome! I
’m des fixin’ fer ter take a warm baff like Mr. Man
gi’ his hogs; wont you j’ine me?’ Dey say dey aint in
no hurry, but dey holp Brer Rabbit put de hot rocks in de barrel
an’ dey watch de water bubble, an’ bimeby, when
eve’ything wuz ready, who should walk up but ol’ Mr. Lion?
“He said, ‘Hello, friends! Howdy and welcome! I'm getting ready to take a warm bath like Mr. Man does with his pigs; won't you join me?’ They said they weren’t in a hurry, but they helped Brer Rabbit put the hot rocks in the barrel and watched the water bubble, and pretty soon, when everything was ready, who should walk up but old Mr. Lion?







“He had a mane fum his head plum ter de een’ er his tail,
an’ in some places it wuz so long it drug on de groun’—dat
what make all de creeturs ’fear’d un ’im. He growl
an’ ax um what dey doin’, an’ when Brer Rabbit tell
’im, he say dat’s what he long been needin’.
‘How does you git in?’ ‘Des back right in,’ sez
ol’ Brer Rabbit, sezee, an’ wid dat,
“He had a mane from his head all the way to the end of his tail, and in some places it was so long it dragged on the ground—that's what made all the creatures scared of him. He growled and asked them what they were doing, and when Brer Rabbit told him, he said that’s what he had been needing for a long time. ‘How do you get in?’ ‘Just right back in,’ said old Brer Rabbit, and with that,







“Mr. Lion backed in, an’ de water wuz so hot, he try fer ter
git out, an’ he slipped in plum ter his shoulder-blades. You kin
b’lieve me er not, but dat creetur wuz scall’d so dat he
holler’d an’ skeer’d eve’ybody fur miles
aroun’.
“Mr. Lion backed in, and the water was so hot, he tried to get out, but he slipped in all the way to his shoulder blades. You can believe me or not, but that creature was scalded so badly that he yelled and scared everyone for miles around.”







“An when he come out, all de wool drap’t out,
’cep’ de bunch you see on his neck, an’ de leetle bit
you’ll fin’ on de een’ er his tail—an’
dat’d ’a’ come off ef de tail hadn’t
’a’ slipped thoo de bung-hole er de barrel.” With
that, Uncle Remus closed his eyes, but not so tightly that he
couldn’t watch the little boy. For a moment the child said
nothing, and then, “I must tell that tale to mother before I
forget it!” So saying, he ran out of the cabin as fast as his feet
could carry him, leaving Uncle Remus shaking with laughter.
“Then when he came out, all the wool fell off, except for the bunch on his neck and the little bit you’ll find at the end of his tail—and that would’ve come off too if the tail hadn’t slipped through the bung-hole of the barrel.” With that, Uncle Remus closed his eyes, but not so tightly that he couldn’t watch the little boy. For a moment, the child said nothing, and then, “I must tell that story to mom before I forget it!” With that, he ran out of the cabin as fast as his feet could carry him, leaving Uncle Remus shaking with laughter.




HOW BRER RABBIT GOT A HOUSE









Oh, once ’pon a time, all de creeturs, all de creeturs,
Oh, once upon a time, all the creatures, all the creatures, 


Tuck a notion dat dey’d build a house,
Tuck a thought that they’d build a house,


An’ fix it so ez ter keep out de skeeters,
And make it so easy to keep out the mosquitoes,


An’ fix it up nix cummy rous!
And fix it up, no cummy rous!


Dey all wuz dar fum de B’ar ter de Possum,
They were all there from the Bear to the Possum,


Brer Wolf, Brer Fox, Brer Coon,
Brer Wolf, Brer Fox, Brer Coon,


Wid ol’ Brer Rabbit fer ter stan’ ’roun’ an’ boss um,
With old Brer Rabbit just standing around and telling them what to do,


Kaze dey hatter have de’ house right soon.
The wind is making it hard to stay at home right now.











Brer Rabbit, he wuz busy, oh, yes, mighty busy,
Brer Rabbit was very busy, oh yes, really busy,


Not doin’ uv a blessed thing;
Not doing a single thing;


Ef he clim’ de scaffle, he say he’ll git dizzy,
If he climbs the ladder, he says he’ll get dizzy,


So he medjur an’ mark an’ sing.
So he measures and marks and sings.


Dey buil’ de house, an’ it sho wuz a fine un,
They built the house, and it sure was a nice one,


Made er poplar, oak an’ pine;
Made of poplar, oak, and pine;


De littlest room wuz a sev’m-by-nine un,
The smallest room was a seven-by-nine unit,


Whar de sick could go an’ whine!
Where the sick could go and complain!











Brer Rabbit, he wait, an’ when de time come
Brer Rabbit waited, and when the time came


He choosened a upsta’s room,
He chose an upstairs room,


An’ dar he sot (ef I kin make de rhyme come)
And there he sat (if I can make the rhyme work)


A-singin’ “Hark fum de Toom”!
Singing “Hark from the Tomb”!


An’ den he got what he aint had oughter,
And then he got what he shouldn’t have,


Ez all de creeturs said,
All the creatures said,


A gun, a cannon, an’ a tub er water,
A gun, a cannon, and a tub of water,


An’ hid um under his bed!
And hid them under his bed!











When de creeturs come home, Brer Rabbit wuz ready,
When the creatures came home, Brer Rabbit was ready,


An’ he tell um he gwineter set down;
And he tells them he’s going to sit down;


“Well, set,” sez dey, “an’ we’ll try ter be ste’dy,”
"Alright, let's do it," they said, "and we'll try to stay steady,"


An’ wid dat, Brer Rabbit kinder frown;
And with that, Brer Rabbit kind of frowned;


Bang-bang! went de gun—de barrels wuz double—
Bang-bang! went the gun—the barrels were double—


An’ de creeturs wuz still ez mice;
And the creatures were as still as mice;


Brer B’ar he say, “Dy must be some trouble,
Brer Bear said, "There must be some trouble,


But I hope heedon’t loosen de j’is!”
But I hope he doesn’t loosen the j’is!”











Brer Rabbit, he say, “Wharbouts mus’ I spit at?”
Brer Rabbit says, "Where should I spit?"


An’ Brer Wolf answer, wid a grin,
And Brer Wolf replied with a grin,


“Des wharsomever you kin make it hit at!”
"Do whatever you can to make it work!"


Brer Fox, he rub his chin;
Brer Fox rubs his chin;


Brer Rabbit, he tuck de tub er water,
Brer Rabbit, he took the tub of water,


An’ empty it all on de sta’rs,
And empty it all on the stars,


An’ it come nigh drownin’ Brer Coon’s daughter.
And it almost drowned Brer Coon’s daughter.


An’ likewise one er Brer B’ar’s!
And just like one of Brer Bear’s!











Brer Rabbit say, “When I sneeze I’ll skeer you,
Brer Rabbit said, “When I sneeze, I’ll scare you,


An’ I hate fer ter have it ter do!”
"And I hate to have to do this!"


Brer Fox say, “We’ll lissen an’ hear you
Brer Fox said, “We’ll listen and hear you


Des go right ahead wid yo’ sneeze-a-ma-roo!”
"Go ahead with your sneeze-a-ma-roo!"


Boom-a-lam! went de cannon, an’ de creeturs, dey lit out
Boom-a-lam! went the cannon, and the creatures, they took off.


Thoo window-sash an’ do’
That window sash and door


Any way, any way dat dey kin git oot,
Anyway, any way that they can get out,


An’ dey aint come dar no mo’!
And they haven't come there anymore!






BRER RABBIT AND THE PARTRIDGE NEST









Oh, what’s de matter wid de Whipperwill,
Oh, what's the matter with the Whipperwill,


Dat she sets an’ cries on de furder hill?
Is that where she sits and cries on the far hill?


An’ what’s de matter wid Miss Bob White,
And what's the matter with Miss Bob White,


Dat she choke herse’f wid sayin’ Good-night?
Did she choke herself with saying Goodnight?


You know mighty well dat sump’n is wrong
You know very well that something is wrong.


When dey sets an’ sings dat kinder song,
When they set and sing that kind of song,


’Twix’ a call an’ a cry, ’twix’ a weep an’ a wail—
'Twixt a call and a cry, 'twixt a weep and a wail—


Dey must be tellin’ a mighty sad tale.
They must be telling a very sad story.











Miss Whipperwill’s troubles, an’ what she say
Miss Whipperwill's problems and what she says


Will do fer ter tell some yuther day;
I will do it for you another day;


But Miss Bob White—my! aint she a sight?—
But Miss Bob White—wow, isn't she something?—


I’ll hatter tell why she hollers Good-night.
I'll honestly explain why she shouts Good-night.


Dey once wuz a time (needer mo’ ner less)
Once upon a time (neither more nor less)


When she ain’t try ter hide ner kivver her nes’;
When she isn’t trying to hide or cover her nest;


She built it in de open, whar all kin see,
She built it out in the open, where everyone can see, 


An’ wuz des ez perlite ez she kin be.
And was just as polite as she could be.











She’d make her house facin’ eas’ an’ wes’,
She would position her house facing east and west,


An’ den wid eggs she’d fill her nes’;
And then with eggs she’d fill her nest;


Fer ter keep um warm she’d brood an’ set,
To keep them warm, she'd brood and sit, 


An’ keep her house fum gittin’ wet.
And keep her house from getting wet.


Whiles dis gwine on, Brer Rabbit come by,
While this was happening, Brer Rabbit passed by,


A-wigglin’ his mouf, an’ a-blinkin’ his eye:
Wiggling his mouth and blinking his eye:


“De top er de mornin’, Miss Bob,” sezee;
"Good morning, Miss Bob," he said;


“De same ter you, Brer Rabbit,” se’ she.
"Same to you, Brer Rabbit," she said.











Sez ol’ Brer Rabbit, “I been missin’ you long,
Says old Brer Rabbit, “I’ve been missing you for a long time,


I wuz mighty fear’d dat sump’n wuz wrong,
I was really worried that something was wrong,


But here you set ez still ez a mouse,
But here you stay easy, just like a mouse,


Not doin’ nothin’ but keepin’ house!”
"Not doing anything but taking care of the house!"


“Oh, well,” se’ she, “I’m too ol’ ter gad,
"Oh, well," she said, "I'm too old to roam,


I use’ ter do it, but I wish I never had!
I used to do it, but I wish I never had!


De only thing I want is ter wash my dress,
The only thing I want is to wash my dress,


But I can’t do dat whiles I’m on my nes’.”
But I can't do that while I'm on my nes'.”











Brer Rabbit, he say, “Can’t I he’p you out?
Brer Rabbit says, "Can’t I help you out?


I ain’t doin’ nothin’ but walkin’ about,
I'm just walking around,


An’ my ol’ ’oman is willin’ fer ter bet
My old lady is willing to bet


Dat ef settin ’s de thing, I’m ol’ man Set!”
"That’s the setting, I’m the old man Set!”


“I know mighty well,” sez Miss Bob White,
“I know very well,” says Miss Bob White,


“Ef you set a-tall, it’ll be done right.”
"If you set a goal, it will be done right."


“Thanky-do, Miss Bob! Go wash yo’ dress,
"Thank you, Miss Bob! Go wash your dress,


An’ I’ll do what I kin fer ter kivver yo’ nes’!”
"I'll do what I can to cover your nest!"











So off she put, wid a flutter an’ a flirt,
So off she went, with a flutter and a flirt,


An’ washed her dress in a pile er clean dirt;
And washed her dress in a pile of clean dirt;


Brer Rabbit see de eggs, an’ shuck his head;
Brer Rabbit sees the eggs and shakes his head;


His mouf ’gun ter dribble, an’ his eye turn red;
His mouth was about to drool, and his eye turned red;


Sezee, “It’d sholy be hard fer ter match um,
Sezee, "It would surely be hard to match them,


So I’ll des take um home an’ try fer ter hatch um!”
"So I'll take them home and try to hatch them!"


So said, so done! An’ den when he come back,
So said, so done! And then when he came back,


He come in a gait ’twix’ a lope an’ a rack.
He walked with a style between a lope and a rack.











An’ Miss Bob White, atter washin’ her dress,
And Miss Bob White, after washing her dress,


Went a-runnin’ back ter house an’ nes’;
I ran back home and nested;


“Much erbleege, Brer Rabbit,” an’ den she bowed.
“Thank you very much, Brer Rabbit,” and then she bowed.


“Say nothin’, ma’am, fer ter make me proud,
"Don't say anything, ma'am, to make me proud,


Kaze I been a-waitin’ here, frettin’ an’ sweatin’,
I've been waiting here, worrying and sweating, 


Fer fear I ain’t sech a good han’ at settin’;
I'm afraid I'm not that great at setting things up;


My ol’ ’oman say I got a slow fever,
My old lady says I have a slow fever,


An’ I ’clar’ ter goodness, I’m ready ter b’lieve her!
And I swear to goodness, I'm ready to believe her!











“I felt sump’n move, I hear’ sump’n run,
"I felt something move, I heard something run,


An’ de eggs done gone—dey ain’t na’er one!
And the eggs are all gone—there isn’t a single one!


I sho is seed sights, I done hear folks talk—
I’ve seen things, and I’ve heard people talk—


But never befo’ is I seed eggs walk!”
"But I have never seen eggs walk before!"


“My goodness, me!” sez Miss Bob White,
“Oh my goodness!” says Miss Bob White,


A-peepin’ in de nes’, “You sho is right!”
Peeking into the nest, “You’re absolutely right!”


An’ y’ever sence den, when darkness falls,
And ever since then, when darkness falls,


She gives de lost chillun her Good-night calls!
She gives the lost children her goodnight calls!


An’ y’ever sence den, when darkness falls,
And ever since then, when night falls,


She gives de lost chillun her Good-night calls!
She says goodnight to the lost children!











        
        
    

    
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