C047. Fox, Rabbit, and King Deer's Daughter

13. Brother Fox, Brother Rabbit, and King Deer's Daughter. 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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FOX, RABBIT, and KING DEER'S DAUGHTER

Well, then, some time along in there, old Brer Fox and Brer Rabbit got to flying 'round King Deer daughter. They tells me she was a monstrous likely gal, and I expect may be she was; leastways, Brer Fox, he hanker after her, and likewise Brer Rabbit, he hanker after her. Old King Deer look like he sort of lean towards Brer Fox, 'cause to a settle man like him, it seem like that Brer Fox can stir 'round and keep the pot a-boiling, more specially being's he the biggest.

It go on this a-way till hardly a day pass that one or the other or them critters don't go sparkling 'round King Deer daughter, and it got so after while that all day long Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox keep the front gate a-screaking, and King Deer daughter ain't scarcely had time for to eat a meal vittles in no peace of mind.

In them days, when a critter go a-courting there weren't none of this here bouquet doings mixed up along of the courtship, and they ain't cut up no capers like folks does now. Stead of scalloping 'round and bowing and scraping, they just go right straight after the gal. Old Brer Rabbit, he might've had some bubby-blossoms wrap up in his handkerchief, but mostly him and Brer Fox's just drop in on King Deer daughter and begin to cast sheep-eyes at her time they sat down and cross their legs.

They went along this a-way, till it begun to look sort of skittish with Brer Rabbit, 'cause old King Deer done goodas say, says he, that he going to take Brer Fox into the family. Brer Rabbit, he  allow, he did, that this ain't going to do, and he study and study how he going to cut Brer Fox out.

LasT, one day, whiles he going through King Deer pasture lot, he up with a rock and killed two of King Deer goats. When he get to the house, he ask King Deer daughter whereabouts her pa, and she up and say she go call him, and when Brer Rabbit see him, he ask when the wedding took place, and King Deer ask which wedding, and Brer Rabbit say the wedding 'twixt Brer Fox and King Deer daughter. With dat, old King Deer ask Brer Rabbit what make he go on so, and Brer Rabbit, he up and respond that he see Brer Fox making monstrous free with the family, going 'round chunking the chickens and killing up the goats.

Ole King Deer strike he walking-cane down upon the floor, and allow that he don't put no dependence in no such tale like that, and then Brer Rabbit tell him that if he'll just take a walk down in the pasture lot, he can see the carcase of the goats. Old King Deer, he put out, and by and by he come back, and he allow he going to settle matters with Brer Fox if it take him a month.

Brer Rabbit say he a good friend to Brer Fox, and he ain't got no room to talk about him, but yet when he see him destroying King Deer goats and chunking at his chickens, and rattling on the palings for to make the dog bark, he pleased to come lay the case before the family.

"And more than that," says old Brer Rabbit, says he, "I'm the man what can make Brer Fox come an' stand right at the front gate an' tell you that he is kill them goat; an' if you just wait till tonight, I won't ask you to take my word," says he.

King Deer say if Brer Rabbit man enough to do that, then he can get the gal and thanky, too. With that, Brer Rabbit jump up and crack he heels together, and put out for to find Brer Fox. He ain't get far before he see Brer Fox coming down the road all primp up. Brer Rabbit, he sing out, he did, "Brer Foxy, where you goin'?"

And Brer Fox, he holler back, "Go 'way, Rab; don't bother with me. I'm goin' for to see my gal."

Brer Rabbit, he laugh 'way down in his stomach, but he don't let on, and after some more chat, he up and say that old King Deer done tell him about how Brer Fox going to marry he daughter, and then he tell Brer Fox that he done promise King Deer that they'd drop 'round tonight and give him some music.

"An' I up an' told him," says Brer Rabbit, says he, "that the music what we can't make ain't worth makin' —me with my quills, an' you with yo' triangle. The next motion we makes," says he, "we'll have to go off somewheres an' practise up on the song we'll sing, an' I got one here that'll tickle 'em that bad," says Brer Rabbit, says he, "till I lay they'll fetch out a hunk of that big chicken-pie what I see 'em puttin' in the pot just now," says he.

In a occasion like this, Brer Fox say he the very man what Brer Rabbit hunting, and he allow that he'll just about put off paying he call to King Deer house and go with Brer Rabbit for to practise on that song.

Then Brer Rabbit, he get he quills and Brer Fox he get he triangle, and they went down on the spring branch, and there they sing and play, till they get it all by heart. Old Brer Rabbit, he make up the song he own self, and he fix it so that he sing the call, like the captain of the corn-pile, and old Brer Fox, he have to sing the answer.

Don't talk about no songs to me. Gentlemens! That was a funny song from the word go. By and by, when they practise long time, they gets up and goes 'round in the neighborhoods of King Deer house, and when night come they took their stand at the front gate, and after all got still, Brer Rabbit, he give the wink, and they broke loose with their music. They played a tune or two on the quills and triangle, and then they got to the song. Old Brer Rabbit, he got the call, and he open up like this:

Some folks pile up more than they can tote,

And that what the atter with King Deer goat.

And then Brer Fox, he make answer:

That's so, that's so, and I'm glad that it's so!

Then the quills and the troangle, they come in, and then Brer Rabbit pursue on with the call:

Some kill sheep and some kill shote,

But Brer Fox kill King Deer goat.

And then Brer Fox, he join in with the answer:

I did, that I did, and I'm glad that I did!

And just about that time King Deer, he walk out of the gate and give Brer Fox a clip with his walking-cane, and he follow it up with another one that make Brer Fox fairly squall, and you just better believe he make tracks 'way from there, and the gal she come out, and they ask Brer Rabbit in.

They ask him in, and they give him a great big hunk of chicken-pie, but I won't make sure that he took and marry the gal. The point with me is the way Brer Rabbit run Brer Fox off from there.

(image source)

C047. Baer (p. 69). Brother Fox, Brother Rabbit and King Deer's Daughter

This is Chase047.

Types (none)
Motifs K1066 Dupe induced to incriminate himself. Taught incriminating song or persuaded to wear incriminating clothes.
Notes
See Klipple for Venda tale in which "Sankhambi teaches baboons an imcriminating song which makes lioness believe they have eaten her children."

Baer concludes: "All present evidence points to an African origin for this tale."

C047. Fox, Rabbit, and King Deer's Daughter (original spelling)

13. Brother Fox, Brother Rabbit, and King Deer's Daughter. 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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FOX, RABBIT, and KING DEER'S DAUGHTER

Notwithstanding Brother Rabbit's success with the drum, the little boy was still inclined to refer to Mr. Benjamin Ram and his fiddle; but Uncle Remus was not, [69]by any means, willing that such an ancient vagabond as Mr. Ram should figure as a hero, and he said that, while it was possible that Brother Rabbit was no great hand with the fiddle, he was a drummer, and a capital singer to boot. Furthermore, Uncle Remus declared that Brother Rabbit could perform upon the quills,[*The veritable Pan's pipes. A simple but very effective musical instrument made of reeds, and in great favor on the plantations.] an accomplishment to which none of the other animals could lay claim. There was a time, too, the old man pointedly suggested, when the romantic rascal used his musical abilities to win the smiles of a nice young lady of quality—no less a personage, indeed, than King Deer's daughter. As a matter of course, the little boy was anxious to hear the particulars, and Uncle Remus was in nowise loath to give them.


"W'en you come ter ax me 'bout de year en day er de mont'," said the old man, cunningly arranging a defence against criticism, "den I'm done, kaze de almanick w'at dey got in dem times won't pass muster deze days, but, let 'lone dat, I 'speck dey aint had none yit; en if dey is, dey aint none bin handed down ter Remus.

"Well, den, some time 'long in dar, ole Brer Fox en Brer Rabbit got ter flyin' 'roun' King Deer daughter. Dey tells me she 'uz a monst'us likely gal, en I 'speck may be she wuz; leas'ways, Brer Fox, he hanker atter 'er, en likewise Brer Rabbit, he hanker atter 'er. Ole King Deer look lak he sorter lean todes Brer Fox, kaze ter a settle man like him, hit seem lak dat Brer Fox kin stir 'roun' en keep de pot a-b'ilin', mo' speshually bein's he [70]de bigges'. Hit go on dis a-way twel hardly a day pass dat one er de yuther er dem creeturs don't go sparklin' 'roun' King Deer daughter, en it got so atter w'ile dat all day long Brer Rabbit en Brer Fox keep de front gate a-skreakin', en King Deer daughter aint ska'cely had time fer ter eat a meal vittels in no peace er min'.

"In dem days," pursued Uncle Remus, in a tone of unmistakable historical fervor, "w'en a creetur go a-courtin' dey wa'n't none er dish yer bokay doin's mix' up 'longer der co'tship, en dey aint cut up no capers like folks does now. Stidder scollopin' 'roun' en bowin' en scrapin', dey des go right straight atter de gal. Ole Brer Rabbit, he mouter had some bubby-blossoms[*A species of sweet-shrub growing wild in the South.] wrop up in his hankcher, but mostly him en Brer Fox 'ud des drap in on King Deer daughter en 'gin ter cas' sheep-eyes at 'er time dey sot down en cross der legs."

"En I bet," said 'Tildy, by way of comment, and looking as though she wanted to blush, "dat dey wa'n't 'shame', nuther."

"Dey went 'long dis a-way," continued Uncle Remus, "twel it 'gun ter look sorter skittish wid Brer Rabbit, kaze ole King Deer done good ez say, sezee, dat he gwine ter take Brer Fox inter de fambly. Brer Rabbit, he 'low, he did, dat dis aint gwine ter do, en he study en study how he gwine ter cut Brer Fox out.

"Las', one day, w'iles he gwine thoo King Deer pastur' lot, he up wid a rock en kilt two er King Deer goats. W'en he git ter de house, he ax King Deer daughter [71]whar'bouts her pa, en she up'n say she go call 'im, en w'en Brer Rabbit see 'im, he ax w'en de weddin' tuck place, en King Deer ax w'ich weddin', en Brer Rabbit say de weddin' 'twix' Brer Fox en King Deer daughter. Wid dat, ole King Deer ax Brer Rabbit w'at make he go on so, en Brer Rabbit, he up'n 'spon' dat he see Brer Fox makin' monst'us free wid de fambly, gwine 'roun' chunkin' de chickens en killin' up de goats.

"Ole King Deer strak he walkin'-cane down 'pon de flo', en 'low dat he don't put no 'pennunce in no sech tale lak dat, en den Brer Rabbit tell 'im dat ef he'll des take a walk down in de pastur' lot, he kin see de kyarkiss er de goats. Ole King Deer, he put out, en bimeby he come back, en he 'low he gwine ter settle marters wid Brer Fox ef it take 'im a mont'.

"Brer Rabbit say he a good frien' ter Brer Fox, en he aint got no room ter talk 'bout 'im, but yit w'en he see 'im 'stroyin' King Deer goats en chunkin' at his chickens, en rattlin' on de palin's fer ter make de dog bark, he bleedz ter come lay de case 'fo' de fambly.

"'En mo'n dat,' sez ole Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'I'm de man w'at kin make Brer Fox come en stan' right at de front gate en tell you dat he is kill dem goat; en ef you des wait twel ter-night, I won't ax you ter take my wud,' sezee.

"King Deer say ef Brer Rabbit man 'nuff ter do dat, den he kin git de gal en thanky, too. Wid dat, Brer Rabbit jump up en crack he heels tergedder, en put out fer ter fine Brer Fox. He aint git fur 'fo' he see Brer Fox [72]comin' down de road all primp up. Brer Rabbit, he sing out, he did:

"'Brer Foxy, whar you gwine?' "En Brer Fox, he holler back:

"'Go 'way, Rab; don't bodder wid me. I'm gwine fer ter see my gal.'

"Brer Rabbit, he laugh 'way down in his stomach, but he don't let on, en atter some mo' chat, he up'n say dat ole King Deer done tell 'im 'bout how Brer Fox gwine ter marry he daughter, en den he tell Brer Fox dat he done promise King Deer dat dey'd drap 'roun' ter-night en gin 'im some music.

"'En I up'n tole 'im,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'dat de music w'at we can't make aint wuth makin',—me wid my quills, en you wid yo' tr'angle.[* Triangle] De nex' motion we makes,' sezee, we'll hatter go off some'rs en practise up on de song we'll sing, en I got one yer dat'll tickle um dat bad,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'twel I lay dey'll fetch out a hunk er dat big chicken-pie w'at I see um puttin' in de pot des now,' sezee.

"In a 'casion lak dis, Brer Fox say he de ve'y man w'at Brer Rabbit huntin', en he 'low dat he'll des 'bout put off payin' he call ter King Deer house en go wid Brer Rabbit fer ter practise on dat song.

"Den Brer Rabbit, he git he quills en Brer Fox he git he tr'angle, en dey went down on de spring branch, en dar dey sing en play, twel dey git it all by heart. Ole Brer Rabbit, he make up de song he own se'f, en he fix it [73]so dat he sing de call, lak de captain er de co'n-pile, en ole Brer Fox, he hatter sing de answer."[19]

At this point Uncle Remus paused to indulge in one of his suggestive chuckles, and then proceeded:

"Don't talk 'bout no songs ter me. Gentermens! dat 'uz a funny song fum de wud go. Bimeby, w'en dey practise long time, dey gits up en goes 'roun' in de neighborhoods er King Deer house, en w'en night come dey tuck der stan' at de front gate, en atter all got still, Brer Rabbit, he gun de wink, en dey broke loose wid der music. Dey played a chune er two on de quills en tr'angle, en den dey got ter de song. Ole Brer Rabbit, he got de call, en he open up lak dis:

"'Some folks pile up mo'n dey kin tote,
En dot w'at de marter wid King Deer goat,'
en den Brer Fox, he make answer:

"'Dat 's so, dat 's so, en I'm glad dat it's so!'
Den de quills en de tr'angle, dey come in, en den Brer Rabbit pursue on wid de call:

"'Some kill sheep en some kill shote,
But Brer Fox kill King Deer goat,'
en den Brer Fox, he jine in wid de answer:

"'I did, dat I did, en I'm glad dat I did!'
En des 'bout dat time King Deer, he walk outer de gate en hit Brer Fox a clip wid his walkin'-cane, en he foller it [74]up wid 'n'er'n, dat make Brer Fox fa'rly squall, en you des better b'lieve he make tracks 'way fum dar, en de gal she come out, en dey ax Brer Rabbit in."

"Did Brother Rabbit marry King Deer's daughter, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy.

"Now, den, honey, you're crowdin' me," responded the old man. "Dey ax 'im in, en dey gun 'im a great big hunk er chicken-pie, but I won't make sho' dat he tuck'n marry de gal. De p'int wid me is de way Brer Rabbit run Brer Fox off fum dar."