C072. The Pimmerly Plum

38. The Pimmerly Plum. Text Source: Nights with Uncle Remus by Joel Chandler Harris. Online at Project Gutenberg. I have removed the frame material and standardized the spelling; click here for the original spelling plus all notes to the story.

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THE PIMMERLY PLUM

One time when the sun shine down mighty hot, old Brer Terrapin was going 'long down the road. He was going 'long down, and he feel mighty tired; he puff, and he blow, and he pant. He breath come like he got the asthma 'way down in he wind-pipe; but, nevermind! He the same old Creep-'em-crawl-'em Have-some-fun-'em. He was going 'long down the big road, old Brer Terrapin was, and by and by he come to the branch. He took and crawl in, he did, and got him a drink of water, and then he crawl out on the other side and set down under the shade of a tree. After he sort of catch he wind, he look up at the sun for to see what time of day is it, and, lo and beholds! He took and discover that he sitting in the shade of the sycamore tree. No sooner is he discover this than he sing the old song:
Good luck to them what come and go,
What sit in the shade of the sycamore.

Brer Terrapin he feel so good and the shade so cool, that it weren't long 'fore he got to nodding, and by and by he dropped off and went sound asleep. Course, Brer Terrapin carry he house with him everywhere he go, and when he fix for to go to sleep, he just shut the door and pull to the window-shutters, and there he is just as snug as the old black cat under the barn.

Brer Terrapin lay there, he did, and sleep, and sleep. He don't know how long he sleep, but by and by he feel somebody fooling 'long with him. He keep the door shut, and he lay there and listen. He feel somebody turning he house 'round and 'round. This sort of scare Brer Terrapin, 'cause he know that if they turn he house upside down he'll have all sorts of times getting back. With that, he open the door little ways, and he see Brer Fox projecting with him. He open the door little further, he did, and he break out in a great big horse-laugh, and holler, "Well! Well, Well! Who'd've thunk it! Old Brer Fox, cuter than the common run, is done come and caught me. And he come at such a time, too! I feels that full till I can't see straight scarcely. If there was any jealousness proned into me, I'd just lay here and pout 'cause Brer Fox done find out where I gets my Pimmerly Plum."

In them days, the Pimmerly Plum was monstrous scarce. Leaving out Brer Rabbit and Brer Terrapin there weren't none of the other critters that ever got a glimpse of it, let 'lone a taste. So then when Brer Fox hear talk of the Pimmerly Plum, bless gracious! He hoist up he head and let Brer Terrapin 'lone. Brer Terrapin keep on laughing and Brer Fox allow, "Hush, Brer Terrapin! You makes my mouth water! Where'bouts the Pimmerly Plum?"

Brer Terrapin, he sort of clear up the hoarseness in he throat, and sing, 

Pound of sugar, and a pint of rum,

Ain't nigh so sweet as the Pimmerly Plum!

Brer Fox, he lift up he hands, he did, and holler, "Oh, hush, Brer Terrapin! You makes me dribble! Where'bouts that Pimmerly Plum?"

'You standing right under the tree, Brer Fox!"

"Brer Terrapin, surely not!"

"Yet there you stands, Brer Fox!"

Brer Fox look up in the tree there, and he was astonished.

Well, then, when old Brer Terrapin vouch that them there sycamore balls was the genuine Pimmerly Plum, old Brer Fox, he feel mighty good, yet he don't know how he going get at 'em. Push him close, and maybe he might beat Brer Terrapin climbing a tree, but this here sycamore tree was too big for Brer Fox for to get he arms 'round. Then he up and allow, "I sees 'em hangin' there, Brer Terrapin, but how I gonna get 'em?"

Brer Terrapin open he door little ways and holler out, "Ah-yi! There where old Slickum Slow-come got the advantage! You are mighty pert, Brer Fox, yet somehow or other you ain't been a-keepin' up with old Slickum Slow-come."

"Brer Terrapin, how the name of goodness does you get 'em?"

"Don't do no good for to tell you, Brer Fox. Nimble heel make restless mind. You ain't got time for to wait and get 'em, Brer Fox."

"Brer Terrapin, I got all the week before me."

"If I tells you, you'll go an' tell all the the other critters, an' then that'll be the last of the Pimmerly Plum, Brer Fox."

"Brer Terrapin, that I won't. Just try me one time an' see."

Brer Terrapin shut he eye like he studying, and then he allow, "I tell you how I does, Brer Fox. When I wants a bite of the Pimmerly Plum right bad, I just takes my foot in my hand an' comes down here to this here tree. I comes an' I takes my stand. I gets right under the tree, an' I rears my head back an' opens my mouth. I opens my mouth, an' when the Pimmerly Plum drops, I bound you she drops right spang in there. All you got to do is to sit an' wait, Brer Fox."

Brer Fox ain't saying nothing. He just sat down under the tree, he did, and reared he head back, and open he mouth, and I wish to goodness you might've been had a chance for to see him setting there. He look scandalous, that's the long and the short of it; he just look scandalous.

(image source)

He sat there with he mouth wide open, and every time Brer Terrapin look at him, much as he can do for to keep from busting aloose and laughing.

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But by and by he make he way towards home, Brer Terrapin did, chuckling and laughing, and it weren't long 'fore he meet Brer Rabbit tipping 'long down the road.

Brer Rabbit, he hail him. "What amuse you so mighty well, Brer Terrapin?"

Brer Terrapin catch he breath after so long a time, and he allow, "Brer Rabbit, I'm that tickled till I can't shuffle 'long, scarcely, an' I'm feared if I up an' tell you the occasion of it, I'll be took with one of my spells where folks have to set up with me 'cause I laugh so loud an' laugh so long."

Yet after so long a time, Brer Terrapin up and tell Brer Rabbit, and they sat there and chawed tobacco and carried on just like sure enough folks. That they did!

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C072. Baer (p. 86). The Pimmerly Plum

This is Chase072.

Types ...
Motifs J2066.3 Men (animals) wait in vain for nuts to fall from tree.

Notes

Tuggle has a Creek myth in Swanton: rabbit chose sycamore and his tree "and nearly starved waiting for sycamore balls to drop. Since then he has stolen fruit from other animals."

Bear mentions K1035 stone (hard fruit) thrown into greedy dupe's mouth as related motif, also African, but it doesn't seem especially relevant; this is clearly a fool's errand type of story.

See also Dundes.

Baer: "This would appear to be another example of an African tale adopted by the American Indian."

C072. The Pimmerly Plum (original spelling)

38. The Pimmerly Plum. Text Source: Nights with Uncle Remus by Joel Chandler Harris. Online at Project Gutenberg. You can click here for the standardized spelling plus all notes to the story.

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THE PIMMERLY PLUM

One night, when the little boy had grown tired of waiting for a story, he looked at Uncle Remus and said:

"I wonder what ever became of old Brother Tarrypin."

Uncle Remus gave a sudden start, glanced all around the cabin, and then broke into a laugh that ended in a yell like a view-halloo.

"Well, well, well! How de name er goodness come you ter know w'at runnin' on in my min', honey? Mon, you skeer'd me; you sho'ly did; en w'en I git skeer'd I bleedz ter holler. Let 'lone dat, ef I keep on gittin' skeerder en skeerder, you better gimme room, 'kaze ef I can't git 'way fum dar somebody gwine ter git hurted, en deyer gwine ter git hurted bad. I tell you dat right pine-blank.[*Point-blank.]

"Ole Brer Tarrypin!" continued Uncle Remus in a tone of exultation. "Ole Brer Tarrypin! Now, who bin year tell er de beat er dat? Dar you sets studyin' 'bout ole Brer Tarrypin, en yer I sets studyin' 'bout ole Brer Tarrypin. Hit make me feel so kuse dat little mo' en I'd 'a' draw'd my Rabbit-foot en shuck it at you."

The little boy was delighted when Uncle Remus went off into these rhapsodies. However nonsensical they might seem to others, to the child they were positively thrilling, and he listened with rapt attention, scarcely daring to stir.

[224]"Ole Brer Tarrypin? Well, well, well!—

"'W'en in he prime
He tuck he time!'
"Dat w'at make he hol' he age so good. Dey tells me dat somebody 'cross dar in Jasper county tuck'n kotch a Tarrypin w'ich he got marks cut in he back dat 'uz put dar 'fo' our folks went fer ter git revengeance in de Moccasin war. Dar whar yo' Unk' Jeems bin," Uncle Remus explained, noticing the little boy's look of astonishment.

"Oh!" exclaimed the child, "that was the Mexican war."

"Well," responded Uncle Remus, closing his eyes with a sigh, "I aint one er deze yer kinder folks w'at choke deyse'f wid names. One name aint got none de 'vantage er no yuther name. En ef de Tarrypin got de marks on 'im, hit don't make no diffunce whe'er yo' Unk' Jeems Abercrombie git his revengeance out'n de Moccasin folks, er whe'er he got it out'n de Mackersons."

"Mexicans, Uncle Remus."

"Tooby sho', honey; let it go at dat. But don't less pester ole Brer Tarrypin wid it, 'kaze he done b'long ter a tribe all by he own-'lone se'f.—I 'clar' ter gracious," exclaimed the old man after a pause, "ef hit don't seem periently lak 't wuz yistiddy!"

"What, Uncle Remus?"

"Oh, des ole Brer Tarrypin, honey; des ole Brer Tarrypin en a tale w'at I year 'bout 'im, how he done tuck'n do Brer Fox."

"Did he scare him, Uncle Remus?" the little boy asked, as the old man paused.

[225]"No, my goodness! Wuss'n dat!"

"Did he hurt him?"

"No, my goodness! Wuss'n dat!"

"Did he kill him?"

"No, my goodness! Lots wuss'n dat!"

"Now, Uncle Remus, what did he do to Brother Fox?"

"Honey!"—here the old man lowered his voice as if about to describe a great outrage—"Honey! he tuck'n make a fool out'n 'im!"

The child laughed, but it was plain that he failed to appreciate the situation, and this fact caused Uncle Remus to brighten up and go on with the story.

"One time w'en de sun shine down mighty hot, ole Brer Tarrypin wuz gwine 'long down de road. He 'uz gwine 'long down, en he feel mighty tired; he puff, en he blow, en he pant. He breff come lak he got de azmy 'way down in he win'-pipe; but, nummine! he de same ole Creep-um-crawl-um Have-some-fun-um. He 'uz gwine 'long down de big road, ole Brer Tarrypin wuz, en bimeby he come ter de branch. He tuck'n crawl in, he did, en got 'im a drink er water, en den he crawl out on t'er side en set down und' de shade un a tree. Atter he sorter ketch he win', he look up at de sun fer ter see w'at time er day is it, en, lo en beholes! he tuck'n skivver dat he settin' in de shade er de sycamo' tree. No sooner is he skivver dis dan he sing de ole song:

"'Good luck ter dem w'at come and go,
W'at set in de shade er de sycamo'.'
"Brer Tarrypin he feel so good en de shade so cool, dat [226]'t wa'n't long 'fo' he got ter noddin', en bimeby he drapt off en went soun' asleep. Co'se, Brer Tarrypin kyar he house wid 'im eve'ywhar he go, en w'en he fix fer ter go ter sleep, he des shet de do' en pull to de winder-shetters, en dar he is des ez snug ez de ole black cat und' de barn.

"Brer Tarrypin lay dar, he did, en sleep, en sleep. He dunner how long he sleep, but bimeby he feel somebody foolin' 'long wid 'im. He keep de do' shet, en he lay dar en lissen. He feel somebody tu'nin' he house 'roun' en 'roun'. Dis sorter skeer Brer Tarrypin, 'kaze he know dat ef dey tu'n he house upside down he ull have all sorts er times gittin' back. Wid dat, he open de do' little ways, en he see Brer Fox projickin' wid 'im. He open de do' little furder, he did, en he break out in a great big hoss-laff, en holler:

"'Well! well, well! Who'd 'a' thunk it! Ole Brer Fox, cuter dan de common run, is done come en kotch me. En he come at sech a time, too! I feels dat full twel I can't see straight skacely. Ef dey wuz any jealousness proned inter me, I'd des lay yer en pout 'kaze Brer Fox done fine out whar I gits my Pimmerly Plum.'

"In dem days," continued Uncle Remus, speaking to the child's look of inquiry, "de Pimmerly Plum wuz monst'us skace. Leavin' out Brer Rabbit en Brer Tarrypin dey wa'n't none er de yuther creeturs dat yuvver got a glimp' un it, let 'lone a tas'e. So den w'en Brer Fox year talk er de Pimmerly Plum, bless gracious! he h'ist up he head en let Brer Tarrypin 'lone. Brer Tarrypin keep on laffin' en Brer Fox 'low:

[227]"'Hush, Brer Tarrypin! you makes my mouf water! Whar'bouts de Pimmerly Plum?'

"Brer Tarrypin, he sorter cle'r up de ho'seness in he th'oat, en sing:

"'Poun' er sugar, en a pint er rum,
Aint nigh so sweet ez de Pimmerly Plum!'
"Brer Fox, he lif' up he han's, he did, en holler:

"'Oh, hush, Brer Tarrypin! you makes me dribble! Whar'bouts dat Pimmerly Plum?'

"'You stannin' right und' de tree, Brer Fox!'

"'Brer Tarrypin, sho'ly not!'

"'Yit dar you stan's, Brer Fox!'

"Brer Fox look up in de tree dar, en he wuz 'stonish'."

"What did he see in the sycamore tree, Uncle Remus?" inquired the little boy.

There was a look of genuine disappointment on the old man's face, as he replied:

"De gracious en de goodness, honey! Aint you nev' is see dem ar little bit er balls w'at grow on de sycamo' tree?"[48]

The little boy laughed. There was a huge sycamore tree in the centre of the circle made by the carriage way in front of the "big house," and there were sycamore trees of various sizes all over the place. The little balls alluded to by Uncle Remus are very hard at certain stages of their growth, and cling to the tree with wonderful tenacity. Uncle Remus continued:

[228]"Well, den, w'en ole Brer Tarrypin vouch dat dem ar sycamo' balls wuz de ginnywine Pimmerly Plum, ole Brer Fox, he feel mighty good, yit he dunner how he gwine git at um. Push 'im clos't, en maybe he mought beat Brer Tarrypin clammin' a tree, but dish yer sycamo' tree wuz too big fer Brer Fox fer ter git he arms 'roun'. Den he up'n 'low:

"'I sees um hangin' dar, Brer Tarrypin, but how I gwine git um?'

"Brer Tarrypin open he do' little ways en holler out:

"'Ah-yi! Dar whar ole Slickum Slow-come got de 'vantage! Youer mighty peart, Brer Fox, yit somehow er nudder you aint bin a-keepin' up wid ole Slickum Slow-come.'

"'Brer Tarrypin, how de name er goodness does you git um?'

"'Don't do no good fer ter tell you, Brer Fox. Nimble heel make restless min'. You aint got time fer ter wait en git um, Brer Fox.'

"'Brer Tarrypin, I got all de week befo' me.'

"'Ef I tells you, you'll go en tell all de t'er creeturs, en den dat'll be de las' er de Pimmerly Plum, Brer Fox.'

"'Brer Tarrypin, dat I won't. Des try me one time en see.'

"Brer Tarrypin shet he eye lak he studyin', en den he 'low:

"'I tell you how I does, Brer Fox. W'en I wants a bait er de Pimmerly Plum right bad, I des takes my foot in my han' en comes down yer ter dish yer tree. I comes [229]en I takes my stan'. I gits right und' de tree, en I r'ars my head back en opens my mouf. I opens my mouf, en w'en de Pimmerly Plum draps, I boun' you she draps right spang in dar. All you got ter do is ter set en wait, Brer Fox.'

"Brer Fox aint sayin' nothin'. He des sot down und' de tree, he did, en r'ar'd he head back, en open he mouf, en I wish ter goodness you mought er bin had er chance fer ter see 'im settin' dar. He look scan'lous, dat 's de long en de short un it; he des look scan'lous."

"Did he get the Pimmerly Plum, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy.

"Shoo! How he gwine git plum whar dey aint no plum?"

"Well, what did he do?"

"He sot dar wid he mouf wide open, en eve'y time Brer Tarrypin look at 'im, much ez he kin do fer ter keep from bustin' aloose en laffin'. But bimeby he make he way todes home, Brer Tarrypin did, chucklin' en laffin', en 't wa'n't long 'fo' he meet Brer Rabbit tippin' 'long down de road. Brer Rabbit, he hail 'im.

"'W'at 'muze you so mighty well, Brer Tarrypin?'

"Brer Tarrypin kotch he breff atter so long a time, en he 'low:

"'Brer Rabbit, I'm dat tickle' twel I can't shuffle 'long, skacely, en I'm fear'd ef I up'n tell you de 'casion un it, I'll be tooken wid one er my spells whar folks hatter set up wid me 'kaze I laff so loud en laff so long.'

"Yit atter so long a time, Brer [230]Tarrypin up'n tell Brer Rabbit, en dey sot dar en chaw'd terbacker en kyar'd on des lak sho' 'nuff folks. Dat dey did!"

Uncle Remus paused; but the little boy wanted to know what became of Brer Fox.

"Hit 's mighty kuse," said the old man, stirring around in the ashes as if in search of a potato, "but endurin' er all my days I aint nev' year nobody tell 'bout how long Brer Fox sot dar waitin' fer de Pimmerly Plum."