C056. Brer Rabbit Frightens the Animals

22. How Brother Rabbit Frightened His Neighbors. 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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BRER RABBIT FRIGHTENS the ANIMALS

The other critters they was always a-laying traps for Brer Rabbit and getting caught in 'em theyself, and they was always a-pursuing after him day in and day out. I ain't denying but what some of Brer Rabbit pranks was mighty harsh, but why'n't they let him alone theyself?

In them days, the critters was same like folks. They had their ups and they had their downs; they had their hard times, and they had their soft times. Some seasons their crops'd be good, and some seasons they'd be bad. Brer Rabbit, he fared like the rest of 'em. What he'd make, that he'd spend. One season he took and made a fine chance of goobers, and he allow, he did, that if they fetch him anywheres nigh the money what he expect they would, he go to town and buy the truck what neccessity call for.

He ain't no sooner say that than old Miss Rabbit, she vow, she did, that it be a scandal and a shame if he don't whirl in and get seven tin cups for the chilluns for to drink out of, and seven tin plates for 'em for to sop out of, and a coffee-pot for the family. Brer Rabbit say that just exactly what he gonna do, and he allow, he did, that he going to town the coming Wednesday.

Brer Rabbit weren't more than out of the gate before Miss Rabbit, she slap on her bonnet, she did, and rush 'cross to Miss Mink house, and she ain't been there a minute before she up and tell Miss Mink that Brer Rabbit done promise to go to town Wednesday coming and get the chilluns something. Course, when Mr. Mink come home, Miss Mink she up and allow she want to know what the reason he can't buy something for his chilluns same as Brer Rabbit do for his, and they quarrel and quarrel just like folks. 

After that Miss Mink she carry the news to Miss Fox, and then Brer Fox he took and got a raking over the coals. 

Miss Fox she tell Miss Wolf, and Miss Wolf she tell Miss Bear, and it weren't long before everybody in them diggings know that Brer Rabbit going to town the coming Wednesday for to get his chilluns something; and all the other critters' chilluns ask their ma what the reason their pa can't get them something. So there it went.

Brer Fox, and Brer Wolf, and Brer Bear, they make up their minds, they did, that if they going to catch up with Brer Rabbit, that was the time, and they fix up a plan that they'd lay for Brer Rabbit and nab him when he come back from town. They took and make all their arrangerments, and wait for the day.

Sure enough, when Wednesday come, Brer Rabbit et he breakfast before sun-up, and put out for town. He took and got hisself a dram, and a plug of tobacco, and a pocket-handkerchief, and he got the old woman a coffee-pot, and he got the chillun seven tin cups and seven tin plates, and then towards sundown he start back home. He walk along, he did, feeling mighty biggity, but by and by when he get sort of tired, he sat down under a black-jack tree, and begun to fan hisself with one of their platters.

Whiles he doing this a little bit of teenchy sap-sucker run up and down the tree and keep on making mighty queer fuss. After while Brer Rabbit took and shoo at him with the platter. Seem like this make the teenchy little sap-sucker mighty mad, and he rush out on a limb right over Brer Rabbit, and he sing out:

Pilly-pee, pilly-wee!

I see what he no see!

I see, pilly-pee,

I see, what he no see!

He keep on singing this, he did, till Brer Rabbit begun to look 'round, and he ain't no sooner do this than he see marks in the sand where someone done been there before him, and he look little closer and then he see what the sap-sucker driving at. He scratch his head, Brer Rabbit did, and he allow to hisself, "Ah-yi! Here where Brer Fox been sittin', an' there the print of he nice bushy tail. Here where Brer Wolf been sittin', an' there the print of he fine long tail. Here where Brer Bear been squattin' on he hunkers, an' there the print which he ain't got no tail. They've all been here, an' I lay they're hidin' out in the big gully down there in the holler."

With that, old man Rab took and put he truck in the bushes, and then he run 'way 'round for to see what he can see. Sure enough, when Brer Rabbit get over against the big gully down in the holler, there they was. Brer Fox, he was on one side of the road, and Brer Wolf was on the the other side; and old Brer Bear he was curled up in the gully taking a nap.

Brer Rabbit, he took and peep at 'em, he did, and he lick he foot and roach back he hair, and then hold his hands 'cross he mouth and laugh. Brer Rabbit, he seed 'em all there, and he took and grin, he did, and then he lit out to where he done left he truck, and when he get there he dance 'round and slap hisself on the leg, and make all sorts of curious motions. Then he go to work and turn the coffee-pot upside down and stick it on he head; then he run he gallus through the handles of the cups, and sling 'em cross he shoulder; then he divide the platters, some in one hand and some in the other. After he get good and ready, he crept to the top of the hill, he did, and took a running start, and flew down like a hurricane—rickety, rackety, slambang!

Bless your soul, them critters ain't hear no fuss like that, and they ain't seed no man what look like Brer Rabbit do, with the coffee-pot on he head, and the cups a-rattling on he gallus, and the platters a-waving and a-shining in the air.

Now, mind you, old Brer Bear was laying off up the gully taking a nap, and the fuss scare him so bad that he make a break and run over Brer Fox. He rush out in the road, he did, and when he see the sight, he whirl 'round and run over Brer Wolf. With their scrambling and their scuffling, Brer Rabbit got right on 'em before they can get away. He holler out, he did, "Gimme room! Turn me loose! I'm old man Spewter-Splutter with long claws, and scales on my back! I'm snaggle-toothed and double-jointed! Gimme room!"

(image source)

Every time he'd fetch a whoop, he'd rattle the cups and slap the platters together—rickety, rackety, slambang! And I let you know when them critters got they limbs together they split the wind, they did that. old Brer Bear, he struck a stump what stand in the way, and I ain't gonna tell you how he tore it up 'cause you won't believe me, but the next morning Brer Rabbit and his chilluns went back there, they did, and they got enough splinters for to make 'em kindling wood all the winter. 

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C056. Baer (p. 74). How Brother Rabbit Frightened His Neighbors

This is Chase056.

Types
Motifs K0547 escape by frightening would-be captors
Notes
Owens has a version where only Wolf is waiting for Rabbit, and Rabbit had purchased the tinware specifically for frightening the wolf.
Baer cites version from Area, "a tale about hare and hyena, one day the hare covered his body with ashes and put an eggplant over his eyes" ... also Ellis's Gold Coast story of Spider and Farmer: "Spider saw a "something" with snail shells hanging from it, and their rattling in the breeze frightened him." (see Ellis for a note about scarecrows as scaring people).

Baer concludes: "The tinware and coffee-pot are certainly local elements and with two versions it is safe to call it an American Negro tale, with a possible African source."

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MY NOTES

The frame for the story reminds us of the will-o-the-wisp story earlier when Rabbit accidentally got in the honey and leaves. That story certainly could have prompted this one about another "monstrous" rabbit.

C056. Brer Rabbit Frightens the Animals (original spelling)

22. How Brother Rabbit Frightened His Neighbors. 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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BRER RABBIT FRIGHTENS the ANIMALS

When Uncle Remus was in a good humor he turned the most trifling incidents into excuses for amusing the little boy with his stories. One night while he was hunting for a piece of candle on the shelf that took the place of a mantel over the fireplace, he knocked down a tin plate. It fell upon the hearth with a tremendous clatter.

"Dar now!" exclaimed Uncle Remus. "Hit 's a blessin' dat dat ar platter is got mo' backbone dan de common run er crockery, 'kaze 't would er bin bust all ter flinderations long time ago. Dat ar platter is got dents on it w'at Miss Sally put dar w'en she 'uz a little bit er gal. Yet dar 't is, en right dis minnit hit'll hol' mo' vittles dan w'at I got ter put in it.

"I lay," the old man continued, leaning his hand against the chimney and gazing at the little boy reflectively,—"I lay ef de creeturs had a bin yer w'iles all dat clatterment gwine on dey'd a lef' bidout tellin' anybody good-bye. All 'ceppin' Brer Rabbit. Bless yo' soul, he'd er stayed fer ter see de fun, des lak he did dat t'er time w'en he skeer um all so. I 'speck I done tole you 'bout dat."

"When he got the honey on him and rolled in the leaves?"

Uncle Remus thought a moment.

[119]"Ef I make no mistakes in my 'membunce, dat wuz de time w'en he call hisse'f de Wull-er-de-Wust."

The little boy corroborated Uncle Remus's memory.

"Well, den, dish yer wuz n'er time, en he lak ter skeer um plum out'n de settlement. En it all come 'bout 'kaze dey wanter play smarty."

"Who wanted to play smarty, Uncle Remus?" asked the child.

"Oh, des dem t'er creeturs. Dey wuz allers a-layin' traps fer Brer Rabbit en gittin' cotch in um deyse'f, en dey wuz allers a-pursooin' atter 'im day in en day out. I aint 'nyin' but w'at some er Brer Rabbit pranks wuz mighty ha'sh, but w'y'n't dey let 'im 'lone deyse'f?"

Naturally, the little boy was not prepared to meet these arguments, even had their gravity been less impressive, so he said nothing.

"In dem days," Uncle Remus went on, "de creeturs wuz same lak folks. Dey had der ups en dey had der downs; dey had der hard times, and dey had der saf' times. Some seasons der craps 'ud be good, en some seasons dey'd be bad. Brer Rabbit, he far'd lak de res' un um. W'at he'd make, dat he'd spen'. One season he tuck'n made a fine chance er goobers, en he 'low, he did, dat ef dey fetch 'im anywhars nigh de money w'at he 'speck dey would, he go ter town en buy de truck w'at needcessity call fer.

"He aint no sooner say dat dan ole Miss Rabbit, she vow, she did, dat it be a scannul en a shame ef he don't whirl in en git sevin tin cups fer de chilluns fer ter drink out'n, en sevin tin plates fer 'm fer ter sop out 'n, en a [120]coffee-pot fer de fambly. Brer Rabbit say dat des zackly w'at he gwine do, en he 'low, he did, dat he gwine ter town de comin' We'n'sday."

Uncle Remus paused, and indulged in a hearty laugh before he resumed:

"Brer Rabbit wa'n't mo'n out'n de gate 'fo' Miss Rabbit, she slap on 'er bonnet, she did, en rush 'cross ter Miss Mink house, en she aint bin dar a minnit 'fo' she up'n tell Miss Mink dat Brer Rabbit done promise ter go ter town We'n'sday comin' en git de chilluns sump'n'. Co'se, w'en Mr. Mink come home, Miss Mink she up'n 'low she want ter know w'at de reason he can't buy sump'n' fer his chilluns same ez Brer Rabbit do fer his'n, en dey quo'll en quo'll des lak folks. Atter dat Miss Mink she kyar de news ter Miss Fox, en den Brer Fox he tuk'n got a rakin' over de coals. Miss Fox she tell Miss Wolf, en Miss Wolf she tell Miss B'ar, en 't wa'n't long 'fo' ev'ybody in dem diggin's know dat Brer Rabbit gwine ter town de comin' We'n'sday fer ter git his chilluns sump'n'; en all de yuther creeturs' chilluns ax der ma w'at de reason der pa can't git dem sump'n'. So dar it went.

"Brer Fox, en Brer Wolf, en Brer B'ar, dey make up der mines, dey did, dat ef dey gwine ter ketch up wid Brer Rabbit, dat wuz de time, en dey fix up a plan dat dey'd lay fer Brer Rabbit en nab 'im w'en he come back fum town. Dey tuck'n make all der 'rangerments, en wait fer de day.

"Sho' nuff, w'en We'n'sday come, Brer Rabbit e't he brekkus 'fo' sun-up, en put out fer town. He tuck'n got hisse'f a dram, en a plug er terbarker, en a [121]pocket-hankcher, en he got de ole 'oman a coffee-pot, en he got de chillun sevin tin cups en sevin tin plates, en den todes sundown he start back home. He walk 'long, he did, feelin' mighty biggity, but bimeby w'en he git sorter tired, he sot down und' a black-jack tree, en 'gun to fan hisse'f wid one er der platters.

"W'iles he doin' dis a little bit er teenchy sap-sucker run up'n down de tree en keep on makin' mighty quare fuss. Atter w'ile Brer Rabbit tuk'n shoo at 'im wid de platter. Seem lak dis make de teenchy little sap-sucker mighty mad, en he rush out on a lim' right over Brer Rabbit, en he sing out:

"'Pilly-pee, pilly-wee!
I see w'at he no see!
I see, pilly-pee,
I see, w'at he no see!'
"He keep on singin' dis, he did, twel Brer Rabbit 'gun ter look 'roun', en he aint no sooner do dis dan he see marks in de san' whar sum un done bin dar 'fo' 'im, en he look little closer en den he see w'at de sap-sucker drivin' at. He scratch his head, Brer Rabbit did, en he 'low ter hisse'f:

"'Ah-yi! Yer whar Brer Fox bin settin', en dar de print er he nice bushy tail. Yer whar Brer Wolf bin settin', en dar de print er he fine long tail. Yer whar Brer B'ar bin squattin' on he hunkers, en dar de print w'ich he aint got no tail. Dey er all bin yer, en I lay dey er hidin' out in de big gully down dar in de holler.'

[122]"Wid dat, ole man Rab. tuck'n put he truck in de bushes, en den he run 'way 'roun' fer ter see w'at he kin see. Sho' nuff," continued Uncle Remus, with a curious air of elation,—"sho' nuff, w'en Brer Rabbit git over agin de big gully down in de holler, dar dey wuz. Brer Fox, he 'uz on one side er de road, en Brer Wolf 'uz on de t'er side; en ole Brer B'ar he 'uz quiled up in de gully takin' a nap.

"Brer Rabbit, he tuck'n peep at um, he did, en he lick he foot en roach back he h'ar, en den hol' his han's 'cross he mouf en laff lak some chilluns does w'en dey t'ink dey er foolin' der ma."

"Not me, Uncle Remus—not me!" exclaimed the little boy promptly.

"Heyo dar! don't kick 'fo' you er spurred, honey! Brer Rabbit, he seed um all dar, en he tuck'n grin, he did, en den he lit out ter whar he done lef he truck, en w'en he git dar he dance 'roun' en slap hisse'f on de leg, en make all sorts er kuse motions. Den he go ter wuk en tu'n de coffee-pot upside down en stick it on he head; den he run he gallus thoo de han'les er de cups, en sling um crosst he shoulder; den he 'vide de platters, some in one han' en some in de yuther. Atter he git good en ready, he crope ter de top er de hill, he did, en tuck a runnin' start, en flew down like a harrycane—rickety, rackety, slambang!"

The little boy clapped his hands enthusiastically.

"Bless yo' soul, dem creeturs aint year no fuss lak dat, en dey aint seed no man w'at look lak Brer Rabbit do, wid de coffee-pot on he head, en de cups a-rattlin' on he gallus, en de platters a-wavin' en a-shinin' in de a'r.

[123]"Now, mine you, ole Brer B'ar wuz layin' off up de gully takin' a nap, en de fuss skeer 'im so bad dat he make a break en run over Brer Fox. He rush out in de road, he did, en w'en he see de sight, he whirl 'roun' en run over Brer Wolf. Wid der scramblin' en der scufflin', Brer Rabbit got right on um 'fo' dey kin git away. He holler out, he did:

"'Gimme room! Tu'n me loose! I'm ole man Spewter-Splutter wid long claws, en scales on my back! I'm snaggle-toofed en double-j'inted! Gimme room!'

"Eve'y time he'd fetch a whoop, he'd rattle de cups en slap de platters tergedder—rickety, rackety, slambang! En I let you know w'en dem creeturs got dey lim's tergedder dey split de win', dey did dat. Ole Brer B'ar, he struck a stump w'at stan' in de way, en I aint gwine tell you how he to' it up 'kaze you won't b'leeve me, but de nex' mawnin' Brer Rabbit en his chilluns went back dar, dey did, en dey got nuff splinters fer ter make um kin'lin' wood all de winter. Yasser! Des ez sho' ez I'm a-settin' by dish yer h'ath."