Brer Rabbit and the Tar-Baby
by
One evening recently, the lady whom Uncle Remus calls Miss Sally missed her little seven-year-old. Making search for him through the house and through the yard, she heard the sound of voices in the old mans cabin, and looking through the window, saw the child sitting by Uncle Remus. His head rested against the old mans arm, and he was gazing with an expression of the most intense interest into the rough, weather-beaten face that beamed so kindly upon him. This is what Miss Sally heard:
Bimeby, one day, after Brer Fox bin doin all dat he could fer ter ketch Brer Rabbit, en Brer Rabbit bin doin all he could fer ter keep im fum it, Brer Fox say to hissef dat hed put up a game on Brer Rabbit, en he aint mon got de wuds outn his mouf twel Brer Rabbit come a-lopin up de big road, lookin des ez plump en ez fat en ez sassy ez a Moggin hoss in a barley-patch.
Hol on dar, Brer Rabbit, sez Brer Fox, sezee.
I aint got time, Brer Fox, sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, sorter mendin his licks.
I wanter have some confab wid you, Brer Rabbit, sez Brer Fox, sezee.
All right, Brer Fox, but you better holler fum whar you stan: Im monstus full er fleas dis mawnin, sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.
I seed Brer Bar yistiddy, sez Brer Fox, sezee, en he sorter raked me over de coals kaze you en me aint make frens en live naberly, en I told him dat Id see you.
Den Brer Rabbit scratch one year wid his off hine-foot sorter jubusly, en den he ups en sez, sezee:
All a-settin, Brer Fox. Sposen you drap roun ter-morrer en take dinner wid me. We aint got no great doins at our house, but I speck de ole oman en de chilluns kin sort o scramble roun en git up sumpn fer ter stay yo stummuck.
Im greeble, Brer Rabbit, sez Brer Fox, sezee.
Den Ill pen on you, says Brer Rabbit, sezee.
Nex day, Mr. Rabbit an Miss Rabbit got up soon, fo day, en raided on a gyarden like Miss Sallys out dar, en got some cabbiges, en some roasn-years, en some sparrer-grass, en dey fix up a smashin dinner. Bimeby one er de little Rabbits, playin out in de backyard, come runnin in hollerin, Oh, ma! oh, ma! I seed Mr. Fox a-comin! En den Brer Rabbit he tuck de chilluns by der years en make um set down, and den him en Miss Rabbit sorter dally roun waitin for Brer Fox. En dey keep on waitin, but no Brer Fox aint come. Atter while Brer Rabbit goes to de do, easy like, en peep out, en dar, stickin out fum behime de cornder, wuz de tip-een er Brer Foxs tail. Den Brer Rabbit shot de do en sot down, en put his paws behime his years, en begin fer ter sing: De place wharbouts you spill de grease, Nex day Brer Fox sont word by Mr. Mink en skuze hissef kaze he wuz too sick fer ter come, en he ax Brer Rabbit fer ter come en take dinner wid him, en Brer Rabbit say he wuz greeble. Bimeby, wen de shadders wuz at der shortes, Brer Rabbit he sorter brush up en santer down ter Brer Foxs house, en wen he got dar he yer somebody groanin, en he look in de do, en dar he see Brer Fox settin up in a rockin-cheer all wrop up wid flannil, en he look mighty weak. Brer Rabbit look all roun, he did, but he aint see no dinner. De dish-pan wuz settin on de table, en close by wuz a kyarvin-knife. Look like you gwineter have chicken fer dinner, Brer Fox, sez Brer Rabbit, sezee. Yes, Brer Rabbit, deyer nice en fresh en tender, sez Brer Fox, sezee. Den Brer Rabbit sorter pull his mustarsh, en say, You aint got no calamus-root, is you, Brer Fox? I done got so now dat I cant eat no chicken ceppin shes seasoned up wid calamus-root. En wid dat Brer Rabbit lipt out er de do and dodge mong de bushes, en sot dar watchin fer Brer Fox; en he aint watch long, nudder, kaze Brer Fox flung off de flannil en crope out er de house en got whar he could close in on Brer Rabbit, en bimeby Brer Rabbit holler out, Oh, Brer Fox! Ill des put yo calamus-root out yer on dis yer stump. Better come git it while hits fresh. And wid dat Brer Rabbit gallop off home. En Brer Fox aint never kotch im yit, en wats mo, honey, he aint gwineter.
Right dar youer boun ter slide,
An whar you fine a bunch er har,
Youll sholy fine de hide!