Wednesday, December 12, 2018

C052. Wolf, Fox, and Buzzard

18. A Dream and a Story. 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. At the start of the frame, Uncle Remus tells the little boy about dreaming of the animals and how they play music in his dreams, as shown in this illustration:



WOLF, FOX, and BUZZARD

Well, then, one day, Brer Wolf and Brer Fox they got to disputing along of one another. Brer Wolf, he took and abuse Brer Fox 'cause Brer Fox let Brer Rabbit fool him, and then Brer Fox, he took and quarrel back at Brer Wolf, 'cause Brer Wolf let old man Rabbit likewise fool him. They keep on disputing and disputing, till by and by they clinch, and Brer Wolf, being the biggest man, it wouldn't've been long before he'd've wool Brer Fox, but Brer Fox, he watch he chance, he did, and he give him leg bail; he jerk loose from Brer Wolf, Brer Fox did, and, gentlemens, he just mosey through the woods.

Brer Wolf, he took after him, he did, andthere they had it, and Brer Wolf push Brer Fox so close, that the onliest way Brer Fox can save he hide is to find a hole somewhere, and the first hollow tree that he come 'cross, into it he dove. 

Brer Wolf fetched a grab at him, but he was just in time for to be too late.
Then Brer Wolf, he sat there, he did, and he study and study how he gonna get Brer Fox out, and Brer Fox, he lay in there, he did, and he study and study what Brer Wolf gonna do. 

By and by, Brer Wolf, he took and gather up a whole lot of chunks, and rocks, and sticks, and then he took and fill up the hole what Brer Fox went in so Brer Fox can't get out. 

Whiles this was going on, old Brer Turkey Buzzard, he was sailing 'round 'way up in the elements, with he eye peel for business, and it weren't long before he glance lit on Brer Wolf, and he allow to hisself, says he, "I'll just sort of flop down," says he, "and look into this, 'cause if Brer Wolf hiding he dinner there with the expectation of finding it there when he come back, then he done gone and put it in the wrong place," says he.

With that old Brer Turkey Buzzard, he flop down and sail 'round nigher, and he soon see that Brer Wolf ain't hiding no dinner. Then he flop down further, old Brer Buzzard did, till he lit on the top of the hollow tree. Brer Wolf, he done catch a glimpse of old Brer Buzzard shadow, but he keep on putting chunks and rocks in the hollow. Then, presently, Brer Buzzard, he open up, "What you doing there, Brer Wolf?"

"Making a tombstone, Brer Buzzard."

Course Brer Buzzard sort of feel like he got interest in matters like this, and he holler back, "Who dead now, Brer Wolf?"

"One of yo' acquaintance, which he name Brer Fox, Brer Buzzard."

"W'en he die, Brer Wolf?"

"He ain't dead yet, but he won't last long in here, Brer Buzzard."

Brer Wolf, he keep on, he did, till he done stop up the hole good, and then he brush the trash off of his clothes, and put out for home. Brer Turkey Buzzard, he sat up there, he did, and untangle his tail feathers, and listen and listen, but Brer Fox, he keep dark, and Brer Buzzard ain't hear nothing. Then Brer Buzzard, he flop he wings and sail away.

By and by, next day, bright and early, here he come back, and he sail all 'round and 'round the tree, but Brer Fox he lay low and keep dark, and Brer Buzzard ain't hear nothing. After while, Brer Buzzard he sail 'round again, and this time he sing, and the song what he sing is this here: 
Boo, boo, boo, my filler-mer-loo,
Man out here with news for you!

Then he sail all 'round and 'round another time and listen, and by and by he hear Brer Fox sing back:
Go 'way, go 'way, my little jug of beer,
The news you bring, I heard last year.

So, then, when Brer Buzzard hear Brer Fox sing back, he allow he ain't dead, and with that, Brer Buzzard, he sail off and attend to he other business. 

Next day back he come, and Brer Fox, he sing back, he did, just as lively as a cricket in the ashes, and it keep on this way till Brer Fox stomach begun to pinch him, and then he know that he got to study up some kind of plans for to get out from there. 

Another day pass, and Brer Fox, he took and lay low, and it keep on that a-way till it look like to Brer Fox, pent up in there, he must surely perish. 

Last, one day Brer Buzzard come sailing all 'round and 'round with that
"Boo, boo, boo, my filler-mer-loo," but Brer Fox, he keep dark and Brer Buzzard, he took and suspicion that Brer Fox was done dead. Brer Buzzard, he keep on singing, and Brer Fox he keep on laying low, till by and by Brer Buzzard lit and begun to clear 'way the trash and truck from the hollow. He hop up, he did, and took out one chunk, and then he hop back and listen, but Brer Fox stay still. then Brer Buzzard hop up and took out another chunk, and then hop back and listen, and all this time Brer Fox mouth was watering whiles he lay back in there and just naturally honed after Brer Buzzard. 

It went on this a-way, till just before he got the hole uncovered, Brer Fox, he break out he did, and grab Brer Buzzard by the back of the neck. There was a kind of scuffle amongst 'em, but it weren't for long, and that was the last of old Brer Turkey Buzzard.



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