C061. Brer Wolf Says Grace

27. Brother Wolf Says Grace. 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 WOLF SAYS GRACE

It done come 'cross my remembrance that there was one time when Brer Wolf caught Brer Rabbit. In them days, the critters was constant going a-courting. If it weren't Miss Meadows and the gals they was flying 'round, it was Miss Motts. They was constant a-courting. And it weren't none of this here "Howdy-do-ma'am-I-'spect-I-better-be-going" neither. It was go after breakfast and stay till after supper.

Brer Rabbit, he got took with a liking for Miss Motts, and soon one morning, he took and slick hisself up, he did, and put out to call on her. When Brer Rabbit get to where Miss Motts live, she done gone off somewheres.

Some folks'd've sat down and wait till Miss Motts come back, and then again some folks'd've took their foot in their hand and went back; but old Brer Rabbit, he ain't the man for to be outdone, and he just took and go in the kitchen and light he cigar, and then he put out for to pay a call on Miss Meadows and the gals.

When he get there, lo and beholds, he find Miss Motts there, and he tipped in, old Brer Rabbit did, and he galanted 'round amongst 'em, same like one of these here town chaps, what you see come out to Harmony Grove meeting-house. They talk and they laugh; they laugh and they giggle. By and by, 'long towards night, Brer Rabbit allow he better be going. The women folks there all ask him for to stay till after supper, 'cause he such lively company, but Brer Rabbit feared some of the other critters be hiding out for him; so he took and pay his respects, he did, and start for home.

He ain't get far till he come up with a great big basket sitting down by the side of the big road. He look up the road; he ain't see nobody. He look down the road; he ain't see nobody. He look before, he look behind, he look all 'round; he ain't see nobody. He listen, and listen; he ain't hear nothing. He wait, and he wait; nobody ain't come.

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Then, by and by Brer Rabbit go and peep in the basket, and it seem like it half full of green truck. He reach he hand in, he did, and get some and put it in he mouth. Then he shut he eye and do like he studying about something. After while, he allow to hisself, "It look like sparrow-grass, it feel like sparrow-grass, it taste like sparrow-grass, an' I be bless if it ain't sparrow-grass.'

With that Brer Rabbit jump up, he did, and crack he heel together, and he fetch one leap and land in the basket, right spang in amongst the sparrow-grass. There where he miss he footing, 'cause when he jump in amongst the sparrow-grass, right then and there he jump in amongst old Brer Wolf, which he were curl up at the bottom.

Time Brer Wolf grab him, Brer Rabbit knowed he was a gone case; yet he sing out, he did, "I just tryin' to scare you, Brer Wolf; I just tryin' to scare you. I knowed you was in there, Brer Wolf, I knowed you by the smell!" says Brer Rabbit, says he.

Ole Brer Wolf grin, he did, and lick he chops, and up and say, "Mighty glad you knowed me, Brer Rabbit, 'cause I knowed you just time you dropped in on me. I took an' tell Brer Fox yesterday that I was gonna take a nap 'longside of the road, an' I bound you'd come 'long an' wake me up, an' sure enough, here you come an' here you is," says Brer Wolf, says he.

When Brer Rabbit hear this, he begun to get mighty scared, and he whirl in and beg Brer Wolf for to please turn him loose; but this make Brer Wolf grin worser, and he tooth look so long and shine so white, and he gum look so red, that Brer Rabbit hush up and stay still. He so scared that he breath come quick, and he heart go like flutter-mill. He tune up like he going cry, "Where you gonna carry me, Brer Wolf?"

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"Down by the branch, Brer Rabbit."

"What you goin' down there for, Brer Wolf?"

"So I can get some water to clean you with after I done skinned you, Brer Rabbit."

"Please, sir, lemme go, Brer Wolf."

"You talk so young you make me laugh, Brer Rabbit."

"That sparrow-grass done make me sick, Brer Wolf."

"You'll be sicker than that 'fore I get done with you, Brer Rabbit."

"Where I come from nobody dare to eat sick folks, Brer Wolf."

"Where I come from they ain't dare to eat no other kind, Brer Rabbit."

They went on this a-way, plumb till there get to the branch. Brer Rabbit, he beg and cry, and cry and beg, and Brer Wolf, he refuse and grin, and grin and refuse. When they come to the branch, Brer Wolf lay Brer Rabbit down on the ground and held him there, and then he study how he going make way with him. He study and he study, and whiles he studying Brer Rabbit, he took and study some on he own hook. Then when it seem like Brer Wolf done fix all the arrangerments, Brer Rabbit, he make like he crying worser and worser; he just fairly blubber.

"Ber—ber—Brer Wooly—ooly—oolf! Is you going—is you going to sacrifice me right now—ow—ow?"

"That I is, Brer Rabbit; that I is."

"Well, if I puh-pleased to be killed, Brer Wooly—ooly—oolf, I wants to be killed right, an' if I puh-pleased to be et, I wants to be et ri—ight, too, now!"

"How that, Brer Rabbit?"

"I want you to show yo' politeness, Brer Wooly—ooly—oolf!"

"How I gonna do that, Brer Rabbit?"

"I want you to say grace, Brer Wolf, an' say it quick, 'cause I getting mighty weak."

"How I gonna say grace, Brer Rabbit?"

"Fold yo' hands under yo' chin, Brer Wolf, an' shut yo' eyes, an' say: Bless us an' bind us, an' put us in crack where the Old Boy can't find us. Say it quick, Brer Wolf, 'cause I failing mighty fast."

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Brer Wolf, he put up he hands, he did, and shut he eyes, and allow, "Bless us an' bind us;" but he ain't get no further, 'cause just time he take up he hands, Brer Rabbit fetch a wiggle, he did, and lit on he foots, and he just naturally left a blue streak behind him.

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Chase061. Baer (p. 78). Brother Wolf Says Grace

This is Chase061.

Types ATU0122B squirrel persuades fox to pray before eating
Motifs K0562.1 captive trickster persuades captor to pray before eating
Notes

In Thompson: K0561.1 animal captor persuaded to talk and release victim from his mouth
(Baer says this is clearly just a "typo" but I can see some similarity...?)

Harris notes Cock and Jackal in Bleek: "Please pray before you kill me, as the white man does" ... "The irony of this statement in a stor told by a black man to a white man excited no comment, neither from Bleek nor Harris."

Flowers has four parallels where dupe clasped his hands in prayer that lets trickster escape

Baer: "There is no controversy or question about this tale; even Dorson sees it as of African provenance."

C061. Brer Wolf Says Grace (original spelling)

27. Brother Wolf Says Grace. 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 WOLF SAYS GRACE

'Tildy, the house-girl, made such a terrible report of the carryings on of Daddy Jack that the little boy's mother thought it prudent not to allow him to visit Uncle Remus [147]so often. The child amused himself as best he could for several nights, but his play-things and picture-books finally lost their interest. He cried so hard to be allowed to go to see Uncle Remus that his mother placed him under the care of Aunt Tempy,—a woman of large authority on the place, and who stood next to Uncle Remus in the confidence of her mistress. Aunt Tempy was a fat, middle-aged woman, who always wore a head-handkerchief, and kept her sleeves rolled up, displaying her plump, black arms, winter and summer. She never hesitated to exercise her authority, and the younger negroes on the place regarded her as a tyrant; but in spite of her loud voice and brusque manners she was thoroughly good-natured, usually good-humored, and always trustworthy. Aunt Tempy and Uncle Remus were secretly jealous of each other, but they were careful never to come in conflict, and, to all appearances, the most cordial relations existed between them.

"Well de goodness knows!" exclaimed Uncle Remus, as Aunt Tempy went in with the little boy. "How you come on, Sis Tempy? De rainy season aint so mighty fur off w'en you come a-sojourneyin' in dis house. Ef I'd a-know'd you'd a-bin a-comin' I'd a-sorter steered 'roun' en bresh'd de cobwebs out'n de cornders."

"Don't min' me, Brer Remus. Luck in de house whar de cobwebs hangs low. I 'uz des a-passin'—a-passin' 'long—en Miss Sally ax me ef I kin come fur ez de do' wid dat chile dar, but bless you, 't aint in my manners ter tu'n back at de do'. How you come on, Brer Remus?"

[148]"Po'ly, Sis Tempy; en yit I aint complainin'. Pain yer, en a ketch yander, wid de cramps th'ow'd in, aint no mo' dan ole folks kin 'speck. How you is, Sis Tempy?"

"I thank de Lord I'm able to crawl, Brer Remus, en dat 's 'bout all. Ef I wa'n't so sot in my ways, deze yer niggers would er run me 'stracted d'reckly."

Daddy Jack was sitting in the corner laughing and talking to himself, and the little boy watched him not without a feeling of awe. After a while he said:

"Uncle Remus, won't Daddy Jack tell us a story to-night?"

"Now, den, honey," responded the old man, "we aint got ter push Brer Jack too closte; we ull des hatter creep up on 'im en ketch 'im fer er tale wence he in de humors. Sometimes hoss pull, sometime he aint pull. You aint bin down yer so long, hit sorter look lak it my tu'n; 'kaze it done come 'cross my 'membunce dat dey wuz one time w'en Brer Wolf kotch Brer Rabbit, w'ich I aint never gun it out ter you yit."

"Brother Wolf caught Brother Rabbit, Uncle Remus?" exclaimed the little boy, incredulously.

"Yasser! dat 's de up en down un it, sho'," responded the old man with emphasis, "en I be mighty glad ef Sis Tempy yer will 'scuze me w'iles I runs over de tale 'long wid you."

"Bless yo' soul, Brer Remus, don't pay no 'tention ter me," said Aunt Tempy, folding her fat arms upon her ample bosom, and assuming an attitude of rest and contentment. "I'm bad ez de chillun 'bout dem ole tales, [149]'kaze I kin des set up yer un lissen at um de whole blessid night, un a good part er de day. Yass, Lord!"

"Well, den," said Uncle Remus, "we ull des huddle up yer en see w'at 'come er Brer Rabbit, w'en ole Brer Wolf kotch 'im. In dem days," he continued, looking at Daddy Jack and smiling broadly, "de creeturs wuz constant gwine a-courtin'. Ef 't wa'n't Miss Meadows en de gals dey wuz flyin' 'roun', hit 'uz Miss Motts. Dey wuz constant a-courtin'. En 't wa'n't none er dish yer 'Howdy-do-ma'm-I-'speck-I-better-be-gwine,' n'er. Hit 'uz go atter brekkus en stay twel atter supper. Brer Rabbit, he got tuk wid a-likin' fer Miss Motts, en soon one mawnin', he tuck'n slick hisse'f up, he did, en put out ter call on 'er. W'en Brer Rabbit git ter whar Miss Motts live, she done gone off some'rs.

"Some folks 'ud er sot down en wait twel Miss Motts come back, en den ag'in some folks 'ud er tuck der foot in der han' en went back; but ole Brer Rabbit, he aint de man fer ter be outdone, en he des tuck'n go in de kitchen en light he seegyar, en den he put out fer ter pay a call on Miss Meadows en de gals.

"W'en he git dar, lo en beholes, he fine Miss Motts dar, en he tipped in, ole Brer Rabbit did, en he galanted 'roun' 'mungs um, same lak one er dese yer town chaps, w'at you see come out ter Harmony Grove meetin'-house. Dey talk en dey laff; dey laff en dey giggle. Bimeby, 'long todes night, Brer Rabbit 'low he better be gwine. De wimmen folks dey all ax 'im fer ter stay twel atter supper, 'kaze he sech lively comp'ny, but Brer Rabbit fear'd some [150]er de yuther creeturs be hidin' out fer 'im; so he tuck'n pay his 'specks, he did, en start fer home.

"He aint git fur twel he come up wid a great big basket settin' down by de side er de big road. He look up de road; he aint see nobody. He look down de road; he aint see nobody. He look befo', he look behime, he look all 'roun'; he aint see nobody. He lissen, en lissen; he aint year nothin'. He wait, en he wait; nobody aint come.

"Den, bimeby Brer Rabbit go en peep in de basket, en it seem lak it half full er green truck. He retch he han' in, he did, en git some en put it in he mouf. Den he shet he eye en do lak he studyin' 'bout sump'n'. Atter w'ile, he 'low ter hisse'f, 'Hit look lak sparrer-grass, hit feel lak sparrer-grass, hit tas'e lak sparrer-grass, en I be bless ef 't aint sparrer-grass.'

"Wid dat Brer Rabbit jump up, he did, en crack he heel tergedder, en he fetch one leap en lan' in de basket, right spang in 'mungs de sparrer-grass. Dar whar he miss he footin'," continued Uncle Remus, rubbing his beard meditatively, "'kaze w'en he jump in 'mungs de sparrer-grass, right den en dar he jump in 'mungs ole Brer Wolf, w'ich he wer' quile up at de bottom."

"Dar now!" exclaimed Aunt Tempy, enthusiastically. "W'at I tell you? W'at make him pester t'er folks doin's? I boun' Brer Wolf nail't 'im."

"Time Brer Wolf grab 'im," continued Uncle Remus, "Brer Rabbit knowed he 'uz a gone case; yit he sing out, he did:

[151]"'I des tryin' ter skeer you, Brer Wolf; I des tryin' ter skeer you. I know'd you 'uz in dar, Brer Wolf, I know'd you by de smell!' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.

"Ole Brer Wolf grin, he did, en lick he chops, en up'n say:

"'Mighty glad you know'd me, Brer Rabbit, 'kaze I know'd you des time you drapt in on me. I tuck'n tell Brer Fox yistiddy dat I 'uz gwine take a nap 'longside er de road, en I boun' you 'ud come 'long en wake me up, en sho' nuff, yer you come en yer you is,' sez Brer Wolf, sezee.

"Oh-ho, Mr. Rabbit! How you feel now?" exclaimed Aunt Tempy, her sympathies evidently with Brother Wolf.

"W'en Brer Rabbit year dis," said Uncle Remus, paying no attention to the interruption, "he 'gun ter git mighty skeer'd, en he whirl in en beg Brer Wolf fer ter please tu'n 'im loose; but dis make Brer Wolf grin wusser, en he toof look so long en shine so w'ite, en he gum look so red, dat Brer Rabbit hush up en stay still. He so skeer'd dat he bref come quick, en he heart go lak flutter-mill. He chune up lak he gwine cry:

"'Whar you gwine kyar me, Brer Wolf?'

"'Down by de branch, Brer Rabbit.'

"'W'at you gwine down dar fer, Brer Wolf?'

"'So I kin git some water ter clean you wid atter I done skunt you, Brer Rabbit.'

"'Please, sir, lemme go, Brer Wolf.'

"'You talk so young you make me laff, Brer Rabbit.'

"'Dat sparrer-grass done make me sick, Brer Wolf.'

[152]"'You'll be sicker'n dat 'fo' I git done wid you, Brer Rabbit.'

"'Whar I come fum nobody dast ter eat sick folks, Brer Wolf.'

"'Whar I come fum dey aint dast ter eat no yuther kin', Brer Rabbit.'"

"Ole Mr. Rabbit wuz a-talkin', mon," said Aunt Tempy, with a chuckle that caused her to shake like a piece of jelly.

"Dey went on dis a-way," continued Uncle Remus, "plum twel dey git ter de branch. Brer Rabbit, he beg en cry, en cry en beg, en Brer Wolf, he 'fuse en grin, en grin en 'fuse. W'en dey come ter de branch, Brer Wolf lay Brer Rabbit down on de groun' en hilt 'im dar, en den he study how he gwine make way wid 'im. He study en he study, en w'iles he studyin' Brer Rabbit, he tuck'n study some on he own hook.

"Den w'en it seem lak Brer Wolf done fix all de 'rangerments, Brer Rabbit, he make lak he cryin' wusser en wusser; he des fa'rly blubber."

Uncle Remus gave a ludicrous imitation of Brother Rabbit's wailings.

"'Ber—ber—Brer Wooly—ooly—oolf! Is you gwine—is you gwine ter sakerfice-t me right now—ow—ow?'

"'Dat I is, Brer Rabbit; dat I is.'

"'Well, ef I blee-eedz ter be kilt, Brer Wooly—ooly—oolf, I wants ter be kilt right, en ef I blee-eedz ter be e't, I wants ter be e't ri—ight, too, now!'

[153]"'How dat, Brer Rabbit?'

"'I want you ter show yo' p'liteness, Brer Wooly—ooly—oolf!'

"'How I gwine do dat, Brer Rabbit?'

"'I want you ter say grace, Brer Wolf, en say it quick, 'kaze I gittin' mighty weak.'

"'How I gwine say grace, Brer Rabbit?'

"'Fol' yo' han's und' yo' chin, Brer Wolf, en shet yo' eyes, en say: "Bless us en bine us, en put us in crack whar de Ole Boy can't fine us." Say it quick, Brer Wolf, 'kaze I failin' mighty fas'.'"

"Now aint dat des too much!" exclaimed Aunt Tempy, as delighted as the little boy. Uncle Remus laughed knowingly and went on:

"Brer Wolf, he put up he han's, he did, en shot he eyes, en 'low, 'Bless us en bine us;' but he aint git no furder, 'kaze des time he take up he han's, Brer Rabbit fotch a wiggle, he did, en lit on he foots, en he des nat'ally lef a blue streak behime 'im."

"Ah-yi-ee!" exclaimed Daddy Jack, while Aunt Tempy allowed her arms to drop helplessly from her lap as she cried "Dar now!" and the little boy clasped his hands in an ecstasy of admiration.

"Oh, I just knew Brother Rabbit would get away," the child declared.

"Dat 's right, honey," said Uncle Remus. "You put yo' pennunce in Brer Rabbit en yo' won't be fur out er de way."

There was some further conversation among the negroes, [154]but it was mostly plantation gossip. When Aunt Tempy rose to go she said:

"Goodness knows, Brer Remus, ef dis de way you all runs on, I'm gwine ter pester you some mo'. Hit come 'cross me like ole times, dat it do."

"Do so, Sis Tempy, do so," said Uncle Remus, with dignified hospitality. "You allers fine a place at my h'a'th. Ole times is about all we got lef'."

"Trufe, too!" exclaimed Aunt Tempy; and with that she took the child by the hand and went out into the darkness.