C007. Brer Rabbit Rides Brer Fox Again (original spelling)

7. Mr. Fox Is Again Victimized. Text Source: Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings by Joel Chandler Harris. Online at Project Gutenberg. I have removed the frame material; click here for the standardized spelling plus all notes to the story.

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BRER RABBIT RIDES BRER FOX AGAIN

Well, Brer Rabbit rid Brer Fox up, he did, en tied 'im to de rack, en den sot out in de peazzer wid de gals a smokin' er his seegyar wid mo' proudness dan w'at you mos' ever see.

Dey talk, en dey sing, en dey play on de peanner, de gals did, twel bimeby hit come time fer Brer Rabbit fer to be gwine, en he tell um all good-by, en strut out to de hoss-rack same's ef he wuz de king er de patter-rollers, en den he mount Brer Fox en ride off.

Brer Fox ain't sayin' nuthin' 'tall. He des rack off, he did, en keep his mouf shet, en Brer Rabbit know'd der wuz bizness cookin' up fer him, en he feel monstus skittish. Brer Fox amble on twel he git in de long lane, outer sight er Miss Meadows's house, en den he tu'n loose, he did.

He rip en he ra'r, en he cuss, en he swar; he snort en he cavort. He wuz tryin' fer ter fling Brer Rabbit off'n his back, bless yo' soul! But he des might ez well er rastle wid his own shadder.

Every time he hump hisse'f Brer Rabbit slap de spurrers in 'im, en dar dey had it, up en down.

Brer Fox fa'rly to' up de groun' he did, en he jump so high en he jump so quick dat he mighty nigh snatch his own tail off.

Dey kep' on gwine on dis way twel bimeby Brer Fox lay down en roll over, he did, en dis sorter onsettle Brer Rabbit, but by de time Brer Fox got back on his footses agin, Brer Rabbit wuz gwine thoo de underbresh mo' samer dan a race-hoss.

Brer Fox he lit out atter 'im, he did, en he push Brer Rabbit so close dat it wuz 'bout all he could do fer ter git in a holler tree. Hole too little fer Brer Fox fer ter git in, en he hatter lay down en res en gedder his mine tergedder.

While he wuz layin' dar, Mr. Buzzard come floppin' 'long, en seein' Brer Fox stretch out on de groun', he lit en view de premusses. Den Mr. Buzzard sorter shake his wing, en put his head on one side, en say to hisse'f like, sezee, "Brer Fox dead, en I so sorry," sezee.

"No I ain't dead, nudder," sez Brer Fox, sezee. "I got ole man Rabbit pent up in yer," sezee, "en I'm a gwine ter git 'im dis time ef it take twel Chris'mus," sezee.

Den, atter some mo' palaver, Brer Fox make a bargain dat Mr. Buzzard wuz ter watch de hole, en keep Brer Rabbit dar wiles Brer Fox went atter his axe. Den Brer Fox, he lope off, he did, en Mr. Buzzard, he tuck up his stan' at de hole.

Bimeby, w'en all git still, Brer Rabbit sorter scramble down close ter de hole, he did, en holler out, "Brer Fox! Oh! Brer Fox!"

Brer Fox done gone, en nobody say nuthin'. Den Brer Rabbit squall out like he wuz mad; sezee, "You needn't talk less you wanter," sezee; "I knows you er dar, en I ain't keerin'," sezee. "I des wanter tell you dat I wish mighty bad Brer Tukkey Buzzard wuz here," sezee.

Den Mr. Buzzard try ter talk like Brer Fox, "W'at you want wid Mr. Buzzard?" sezee.

"Oh, nuthin' in 'tickler, 'cep' dere's de fattes' gray squir'l in yer dat ever I see," sezee, "en ef Brer Tukkey Buzzard wuz 'roun' he'd be mighty glad fer ter git 'im," sezee.

"How Mr. Buzzard gwine ter git 'im?" sez de Buzzard, sezee.

"Well, dar's a little hole roun' on de udder side er de tree," sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, "en ef Brer Tukkey Buzzard wuz here so he could take up his stan' dar," sezee, "I'd drive dat squir'l out," sezee.

"Drive 'im out, den," sez Mr. Buzzard, sezee, "en I'll see dat Brer Tukkey Buzzard gits 'im," sezee.

Den Brer Rabbit kick up a racket, like he wer' drivin' sumpin' out, en Mr. Buzzard he rush 'roun' fer ter ketch de squir'l, en Brer Rabbit, he dash out, he did, en he des fly fer home.