C021. Rabbit, Buzzard, and the Gold Mine

21. Mr. Rabbit Meets His Match Again. Text Source: Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings by Joel Chandler Harris. Online at Project Gutenberg.

---

BRER RABBIT, BRER BUZZARD and the GOLD MINE

One time Brer Rabbit and old Brer Buzzard concluded they'd sort of go shares, and crop together. It was a mighty good year, and the truck turn out monstrous well, but by and by, when the time come for dividing, it come to light that old Brer Buzzard ain't got nothing.

(image source)

The crop was all gone, and there weren't nothing there for to show for it. Brer Rabbit, he make like he in a worse fix than Brer Buzzard, and he mope 'round, he did, like he feared they going to sell him out.

(image source)

Brer Buzzard, he ain't saying nothing, but he keep up a monstrous thinking, and one day he come along and holler and tell Brer Rabbit that he done fine rich gold-mine just across the river.

"You come an' go 'long with me, Brer Rabbit," says Brer Turkey Buzzard, says he. "Ill scratch an' you can grabble, an' between the two of us we'll make short work of that gold-mine," says he.

Brer Rabbit, he was high up for the job, but he study and study, he did, how he going to get across the water, 'cause every time he get his foot wet all the family catch cold.

(image source)

Then he up and ask Brer Buzzard how he gonna do, and Brer Buzzard he up and say that he carry Brer Rabbit across, and with that old Brer Buzzard, he squat down, he did, and spread his wings, and Brer Rabbit, he mounted, and up they riz.

(image source)

They riz, and when they lit, they lit in the top of the highest sort of pine, and the pine what they lit in was growing on an island, and the island was in the middle of the river, with the deep water running all 'round.

(image source)

They ain't more than lit before Brer Rabbit, he know which way the wind was blowing, and by the time old Brer Buzzard got hisself balance on a limb, Brer Rabbit, he up and say, says he, "Whiles we are restin' here, Brer Buzzard, an' bein's you been so good, I got somethin' for to tell you," says he.

(image source)

"I got a gold-mine of my own, one what I make myself, and I 'spect we better go back to mine before we bother along with yourn," says he.

(image source)

Then old Brer Buzzard, he laugh, he did, till he shake, and Brer Rabbit, he sing out, "Hold on, Brer Buzzard! Don't flap your wings when you laugh, 'cause then if you does, something'll drop from up here, and my gold-mine won't do you no good, and neither will yourn do me no good."

But before they got down from there, Brer Rabbit done told all about the crop, and he had to promise for to divide fair and square. So Brer Buzzard, he carry him back, and Brer Rabbit he walk weak in the knees a month afterwards.

(image source)

C021. Baer (p. 46). Mr. Rabbit Meets his Match Again
This is Chase021.

Types ATU0009 The Unjust Partner (given in discussion)
Motifs K1041 Borrowed feathers: dupe lets himself be carried aloft by bird and dropped
Notes
Baer admits this motif does not quite fit: "This tale is in the African and Afro-American tradition of rabbit avoiding work, then trying to enjoy the results of the work once the other animals have done it. He's not always successful, but he always tries."

For farming partnership, see Hausa story in Johnston, with Johnston's note: "Zomo, the Hausa hare, is unquestionably one of Brer Rabbit's grandfathers"

Baer also notes: "The partnership to farm is also common in Europe (cf. ATU0009 The Unjust Partner); however, it is not the focus of this tale. Buzzard's outsmarting Rabbit is."

plus Baer comments on Native American parallel: "The incident of Buzzard carrying Rabbit across a stream but stopping on top of a tree is comparable to North American Indian tales in which Buzzard undertakes to carry the trickster across a stream but midway drops him into a hollow tree (Mooney p. 448; Radin p. 20). These North American Indian tales seem closer to this tale in the relationship of the two animal characters and in this rare and temporary triumph of Buzzard over the trickster."

C021. Rabbit, Buzzard, and the Gold Mine (original spelling)

21. Mr. Rabbit Meets His Match Again. 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.

---

One time Brer Rabbit en ole Brer Buzzard 'cluded dey'd sorter go shares, en crap tergedder. Hit wuz a mighty good year, en de truck tu'n out monstus well, but bimeby, w'en de time come fer dividjun, hit come ter light dat ole Brer Buzzard ain't got nuthin'. De crap wuz all gone, en dey want nuthin' dar fer ter show fer it. Brer Rabbit, he make like he in a wuss fix'n Brer Buzzard, en he mope 'roun', he did, like he fear'd dey gwineter sell 'im out.

Brer Buzzard, he ain't sayin' nuthin', but he keep up a monstus thinkin', en one day he come 'long en holler en tell Brer Rabbit dat he done fine rich gol'-mine des 'cross de river.

"You come en go longer me, Brer Rabbit," sez Brer Tukkey Buzzard, sezee. "Ill scratch en you kin grabble, en 'tween de two un us we'll make short wuk er dat gol'-mine," sezee.

Brer Rabbit, he wuz high up fer de job, but he study en study, he did, how he gwineter git 'cross de water, kaze ev'y time he git his foot wet all de fambly kotch col'.

Den he up'n ax Brer Buzzard how he gwine do, en Brer Buzzard he up'n say dat he kyar Brer Rabbit 'cross, en wid dat ole Brer Buzzard, he squot down, he did, en spread his wings, en Brer Rabbit, he mounted, en up dey riz.

Dey riz, en w'en dey lit, dey lit in de top er de highest sorter pine, en de pine w'at dey lit in wuz growin' on er ilun, en de ilun wuz in de middle er de river, wid de deep water runnin' all 'roun'.

Dey ain't mo'n lit 'fo' Brer Rabbit, he know w'ich way de win' 'uz blowin', en by de time ole Brer Buzzard got hisse'f balance on a lim', Brer Rabbit, he up'n say, sezee, "W'iles we er res'n here, Brer Buzzard, en bein's you bin so good, I got sump'n fer ter tell you," sezee. "I got a gol'-mine er my own, one w'at I make myse'f, en I speck we better go back ter mine 'fo' we bodder 'longer yone," sezee.

Den ole Brer Buzzard, he laff, he did, twel he shake, en Brer Rabbit, he sing out, "Hol' on, Brer Buzzard! Don't flop yo' wings w'en you laff, kaze den if you duz, sump'n 'ill drap fum up yer, en my gol'-mine won't do you no good, en needer will yone do me no good."

But 'fo' dey got down fum dar, Brer Rabbit done tole all 'bout de crap, en he hatter prommus fer ter 'vide fa'r en squar. So Brer Buzzard, he kyar 'im back, en Brer Rabbit he walk weak in de knees a mont' atterwuds.