C081. Fox, Rabbit, and the Supply of Beef

47. Brother Rabbit Lays in His Beef Supply. 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 the SUPPLY of BEEF

There was a time when Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox joined in with one another and killed a cow. In spite of they falling out, they took and go into cahoots and killed a cow, and it weren't they own cow.

And after they done skinned 'er, Brer Rabbit, he up and allow, he did, that if Brer Fox want to get the good of the game, he better run home and fetch a tray of something for put the giblets in. That's what we-all calls the liver, the lights, the heart, and the melt. Some calls 'em giblets and some calls 'em hasletts, but if you'll lemme take 'em and carry 'em home, you can just up and call 'em most by any name what creep into your mind. 

They killed the cow, they did, and Brer Rabbit tell Brer Fox about the giblets, and whiles Brer Fox going on home after the bucket for to put 'em in, he say to hisself that Brer Rabbit ain't bad as he cracked up to be. 

But no sooner is Brer Fox out of sight than Brer Rabbit cut out the giblets, he did, and carried 'em off and hide 'em. Then he come back and took a piece of the meat and drop blood 'way off the other way.

By and by here come Brer Fox with he bucket, and when he get there Brer Rabbit was sitting down crying. Man, he was just a-boohoo-ing. Brer Fox, he allow, "Name of goodness, Brer Rabbit! What the matter?"

"Enough the matter — enough the matter. I wish you'd've stayed here whiles you was here — that I does, Brer Fox!"

"How come, Brer Rabbit, — how come?"

"Man come, Brer Fox, and stole all yo' nice giblets. I been a-running after 'im, Brer Fox, but he outrun me."

"Which a-way he go, Brer Rabbit?"

"Here the way he went, Brer Fox; here where he drop the blood. If you be right pert, Brer Fox, you'll catch 'im."

Brer Fox he dropped the bucket, he did, and put out after the man what took the giblets, and he weren't out of sight good, 'fore old Brer Rabbit sail in and cut out all the fat and tallow, and carry it off and hide it. 

After while, here come Brer Fox back just a-puffing and a-panting. He ain't see no man. Brer Rabbit, he hail 'im, "You ain't come a minute too soon, Brer Fox, that you ain't. Whiles you been gone another man come 'long and carried off all the tallow and fat. He went right off that a-way, Brer Fox, and if you'll be right pert, you'll catch 'im."

Brer Fox, he took and put out, he did, and run, and run, yet he ain't see no man. Whiles he done gone Brer Rabbit carry off one of the behind quarters. Brer Fox come back; he ain't see no man. Brer Rabbit holler and tell 'im that another man done come and got a behind quarter and runned off with it.

Brer Fox sort of study 'bout this, 'cause it look like nobody ever see the like of mens folks passing by that one lonesome cow. He make out he going to run after the man what steal the behind quarter, but he ain't get far 'fore he took and turn 'round and crept back, and he was just in time for to see Brer Rabbit making off with the other behind quarter. Brer Fox mighty tired with running hither and yon, and backwards and forwards, but he get so mad when he see Brer Rabbit going off that a-way that he dash up and ask 'im where is he going with that there beef.

Brer Rabbit lay the beef down, he did, and look like he feelings hurted. He look at Brer Fox like he feel mighty sorry for folks what can ask foolish questions like that. He shake he head, he did, and allow, "Well, well, well! Who'd've thunk that Brer Fox would've come asking me 'bout this here beef, which anybody would've knowed I was a-carryin' off for to save for 'im, so nobody couldn't get it?"

But this here kinder talk don't suit Brer Fox, and he took and make a motion as if to catch Brer Rabbit, but Brer Rabbit he give 'im leg bail, and there they had it through the woods till Brer Rabbit come upon a hollow tree, and into that he went, just like one of these streaked lizards goes into a hole in the sand.

Old Brer Buzzard was there, and Brer Fox ask 'im for to watch the hole, but he ain't been there long 'fore Brer Rabbit sing out, "I got the advantage of you, that's what, Brer Buzzard, I surely is."

"How that, Brer Rabbit?"

"'Cause I can see you, and you can't see me."

With that Brer Buzzard stuck he head in the hole, and look up; and no sooner is he do this than Brer Rabbit fill he eyes full of sand, and whiles he gone to the branch for to wash it out, Brer Rabbit he come down out of the hollow and went back to where the cow was; and more than that, Brer Rabbit got the balance of the beef.

C081. Baer (p. 94). Brother Rabbit Lays in His Beef Supply

This is Chase081.

Types ATU0073 blinding the guard
Motifs K0343.3 companion sent away so that rascal may steal common food supply
Notes
See notes to Chase007 and Chase010 for this tale type.

Baer contrast Indian and European versions where after character escapes into hole, "the pursuing animal gives up and goes away, sometimes later devising a new trick" ... but in the African versions, Mofokeng observes, "the deceived animal decides to wait... or leaves somebody else waiting."

conclusion "this tale appears to be an Afro-American version of a well-known African tale"

C081. Fox, Rabbit, and the Supply of Beef (original spelling)

47. Brother Rabbit Lays in His Beef Supply. 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 the SUPPLY of BEEF

"I wonder where Daddy Jack is," said the little boy, one night after he had been waiting for some time for Uncle Remus to get leisure to tell him a story.

Uncle Remus, who was delightfully human in his hypocrisy, as well as in other directions, leaned back in his chair, looked at the little boy with an air of grieved resignation, and said:

"I boun' you does, honey, I boun' you does. Ole Brer Jack look mighty weazly ter de naked eye, but I lay he's a lots mo' likelier nigger dan w'at ole Remus is. De time done gone by w'en a po' ole no-'count nigger lak me kin hol' he han' wid a bran new nigger man lak Brer Jack."

The child stared at Uncle Remus with open-eyed astonishment.

"Now, Uncle Remus! I did n't mean that; you know I did n't," he exclaimed.

"Bless yo' heart, honey! hit don't pester me. I done got de speunce un it. Dat I is. Plough-hoss don't squeal en kick w'en dey puts 'n'er hoss in he place. Brer Jack got de age on 'im but he new ter you. Ole er young, folks is folks, en no longer'n day 'fo' yistiddy, I year you braggin' 'bout how de vittles w'at dey feeds you on up at de big house aint good ez de vittles w'at yuther childun gits. Nummine ole Remus, honey; you en Brer Jack des go [281]right erlong en I'll be much 'blige ef you'll des lemme set in de cornder yer en chunk de fier. Sho'ly I aint pas' doin' dat."

The child was troubled to think that Uncle Remus should find it necessary to depreciate himself, and he made haste to explain his position.

"I thought that if Daddy Jack was here he could tell me a story while you are working, so you would n't be bothered."

A broad grin of appreciation spread over Uncle Remus's face. He adjusted his spectacles, looked around and behind him, and then, seeing no one but the child, addressed himself to the rafters and cobwebs:

"Well! well! well! ef dish yer don't beat all! Gentermens! dish yer little chap yer, he puny in de legs, yit he mighty strong in de head."

He paused, as if reflecting over the whole matter, and then turned to the child:

"Is dat w'at make you hone atter Daddy Jack, honey—des 'kaze you wanter set back dar en lissen at a tale? Now, den, ef you had n't 'a' got me off'n de track, you'd 'a' bin settin' yer lis'nen at one un um dis blessid minnit, 'kaze des time I year talk dat Mars John gwine ter have dat ar long-hornded steer kilt fer beef, hit come 'cross my min' 'bout de time w'ence Brer Rabbit en Brer Fox j'ined in wid one er 'n'er en kilt a cow."

"Killed a cow, Uncle Remus?"

"Des ez sho' ez youer settin' dar," replied the old man with emphasis. "Look lak dey wa'n't no kinder doin's [282]w'at dem ar creeturs wa'n't up ter, mo' speshually ole Brer Rabbit. Day in en day out, fum mawnin' twel night en fum night twel mawnin', he 'uz constant a-studyin' up some bran new kinder contrapshun fer ter let de yuther creeturs know he 'uz some'rs in de neighborhoods.

"Come down ter dat, you kin b'leeve me er not b'leeve me, des ez you er min' ter; you kin take yo' choosement; but ole Brer Rabbit en ole Brer Fox, spite er dey fallin' out, dey tuck'n go inter cahoots en kilt a cow. Seem lak I disremember who de cow b'long ter," continued the old man, frowning thoughtfully, and thus, by a single stroke, imparting an air of reality to the story; "but she sho'ly b'long'd ter some er de neighbors, 'kaze you kin des put it down, right pine-blank, dat Brer Rabbit aint gwine ter kill he own cow, en needer is Brer Fox.

"Well, den, dey tuck'n kilt a cow, en 't wa'n't dey own cow, en alter dey done skunt 'er Brer Rabbit, he up'n 'low, he did, dat ef Brer Fox wanter git de good er de game, he better run home en fetch a tray er sump'n fer put de jiblets in."

"Jiblets, Uncle Remus?"

"Tooby sho', honey. Dats w'at we-all calls de liver, de lights, de heart, en de melt. Some calls um jiblets en some calls um hasletts, but ef you'll lemme take um en kyar um home, you kin des up en call um mos' by any name w'at creep inter yo' min'. You do de namin'," the old man went on, smacking his lips suggestively, "en I'll do de eatin', en ef I'm de loser, I boun' you won't year no complaints fum me.

[283]"But, law bless me! w'at is I'm a-doin'? De time's a-passin', en I'm aint skacely got start on de tale. Dey kilt de cow, dey did, en Brer Rabbit tell Brer Fox 'bout de jiblets, en w'iles Brer Fox gwine on home atter de bucket fer ter put um in, he say ter hisse'f dat Brer Rabbit aint bad ez he crackt up ter be. But no sooner is Brer Fox outer sight dan Brer Rabbit cut out de jiblets, he did, en kyar'd um off en hide um. Den he come back en tuck a piece er de meat en drap blood 'way off de udder way.

"Bimeby yer come Brer Fox wid he bucket, en w'en he git dar Brer Rabbit wuz settin' down cryin'. Mon, he 'uz des a-boohoo-in'. Brer Fox, he 'low:

"'Name er goodness, Brer Rabbit! w'at de marter?'

"''Nuff de marter—'nuff de marter. I wish you'd 'a' stayed yer w'iles you wuz yer—dat I does, Brer Fox!'

"'How come, Brer Rabbit,—how come?'

"'Man come, Brer Fox, en stole all yo' nice jiblets. I bin a-runnin' atter 'im, Brer Fox, but he outrun me.'

"'W'ich a-way he go, Brer Rabbit?'

"'Yer de way he went, Brer Fox; yer whar he drap de blood. Ef you be right peart, Brer Fox, you'll ketch 'im.'

"Brer Fox he drapt de bucket, he did, en put out atter de man w'at tuck de jiblets, en he wa'n't out'n sight good, 'fo' ole Brer Rabbit sail in en cut out all de fat en taller, en kyar' it off en hide it. Atter w'ile, yer come Brer Fox back des a-puffin' en a-pantin'. He aint see no man. Brer Rabbit, he hail 'im:

"'You aint come a minnit too soon, Brer Fox, dat you aint. W'iles you bin gone 'n'er man come 'long en kyar'd [284]off all de taller en fat. He went right off dat a-way, Brer Fox, en ef you'll be right peart, you'll ketch 'im.'

"Brer Fox, he tuck'n put out, he did, en run, en run, yit he aint see no man. W'iles he done gone Brer Rabbit kyar off one er de behime quarters. Brer Fox come back; he aint see no man. Brer Rabbit holler en tell 'im dat 'ne'r man done come en got a behime quarter en run'd off wid it.

"Brer Fox sorter study 'bout dis, 'kaze it look lak nobody yuver see de like er mens folks passin' by dat one lonesome cow. He make out he gwine ter run atter de man w'at steal de behime quarter, but he aint git fur 'fo' he tuck'n tu'n 'roun' en crope back, en he 'uz des in time fer ter see Brer Rabbit makin' off wid de yuther behime quarter. Brer Fox mighty tired wid runnin' hether en yan, en backards en forrerds, but he git so mad w'en he see Brer Rabbit gwine off dat a-way, dat he dash up en ax 'im whar is he gwine wid dat ar beef.

"Brer Rabbit lay de beef down, he did, en look lak he feelin's hurted. He look at Brer Fox lak he feel mighty sorry fer folks w'at kin ax foolish questions lak dat. He shake he head, he did, en 'low:

"'Well, well, well! Who'd 'a' thunk dat Brer Fox would 'a' come axin' me 'bout dish yer beef, w'ich anybody would er know'd I 'uz a-kyar'n off fer ter save fer 'im, so nobody could n't git it?'

"But dish yer kinder talk don't suit Brer Fox, en he tuck'n make a motion 'zef[*As if.] ter ketch Brer Rabbit, but Brer Rabbit he 'gun 'im leg bail, en dar dey had it thoo de [285]woods twel Brer Rabbit come 'pon a holler tree, en inter dat he went, des lak one er deze streaked lizzuds goes inter a hole in de san'."

"And then," said the little boy, as Uncle Remus paused, "along came Brother Buzzard, and Brother Fox set him to watch the hole, and Brother Rabbit said he had found a fat squirrel which he would run out on the other side; and then he came out and ran home."

This was the climax of a story that Uncle Remus had told a long time before, and he looked at his little partner with astonishment not unmixed with admiration.

"I 'clar' ter gracious, honey!" he exclaimed, "ef you hol's on ter yo' pra'rs lak you does ter deze yer tales youer doin' mighty well. But don't you try ter hol' Brer Rabbit down ter one trick, you won't never keep up wid 'im in de 'roun' worl'—dat you won't.

"Ole Brer Buzzard wuz dar, en Brer Fox ax 'im fer ter watch de hole, but he aint bin dar long 'fo' Brer Rabbit sing out:

"'I got de 'vantage un you, dis whet, Brer Buzzard, I sho'ly is.'

"'How dat, Brer Rabbit?'

"''Kaze I kin see you, en you can't see me.'

"Wid dat Brer Buzzard stuck he head in de hole, en look up; en no sooner is he do dis dan Brer Rabbit fill he eyes full er san', en w'iles he gone ter de branch fer ter wash it out, Brer Rabbit he come down outer de holler, en went back ter whar de cow wuz; en mo' dan dat, Brer Rabbit got de ballunce un de beef."