# Journal of American Folk-Lore/Volume 12/Issue 45/Tales of the Rabbit from Georgia Negroes

TALES OF THE RABBIT FROM GEORGIA NEGROES.
HOW BRER RABBIT PRACTISE MEDICINE.
Ole Brer Rabbit had a bad name for a partner, but one time he get Mr. Wolf to work a crop on shares with him, and they have a 'greement writ out on paper, how in the harvest they gwine divide half and half. Mr. Rabbit know Ole Mr. Wolf mighty good hand in the field, and sure to make a good crop. But when Ole Brer Rabbit set in to work, he get mighty tired, and the corn rows, they look so mighty long, and he 'gin to lag behind and work he brain.
Presen'ly he jump to the work, and make he hoe cut the air, and soon cotch up with Mr. Wolf, and he open the subject of the education in medicine, and he tell how he am a reg'lar doctor, and got his 'plomy in a frame to home, but he say he don't know how all the patients gwine get on. Now he turn over the farming, and Ole Mr. Wolf ax how much money he get for he doctoring, and when he hear so much, he tell Mr. Rabbit to go when he have a call, and put by the money, and in the fall put in the crop money and then divide. So that night Mr. Rabbit, he 'struct his chillens how they got for to run and call him frequent, and how they got to tell Mr. Wolf they wants the doctor.
And sure 'nough, Mr. Rabbit ain't more 'n in the front row next clay, when here come little Rab all out of breath and say, "Somebody send in great 'stress for the doctor." Mr. Rabbit make out like he can't go and leave Mr. Wolf to do all the work, but Mr. Wolf studying 'bout that big fee Brer Rabbit gwine turn in the company, and he tell him, "Go 'long, he can get on with the work." So Mr. Rabbit clips off in great haste, and he just go down on the edge of the woods, and what you 'spect he do? Well, sah, he just stretch hisself out in the shade of a swamp maple and take a nap, while Ole Mr. Wolf was working in the corn rows in the hot sun. When Mr. Rabbit sleep he nap out, he set up and rub he eyes, then he loony off down by the spring for a drink, then he come running and puffing like he been running a mile, and tell Mr. Wolf what a mighty sick patient he got, and make out like he that wore out he can't more 'n move the hoe.
Well, when they come back from dinner, Mr. Rabbit, he strike and make he hoe fly, but directly here come little Rab for the doctor, and Ole Mr. Rabbit, he take hisself off for 'nother nap, and matters goes on just dis yer way all summer Ole Mr. Wolf, he have to do all the work, but he comfort himself with the 'flection, that he have half them big fees what Brer Rabbit turning in to the company money.
​Well, when the fodder done pulled, and all the crop done sold, and they go for to count the money, Mr. Wolf ax Brer Rabbit where the doctor's fees what he gwine turn in. Brer Rabbit say they all such slow pay, he can't collect it. Then they fell out, and Mr. Wolf that mad, he say he gwine eat Brer Rabbit right there, and make an end of he tricks. But Mr. Rabbit beg that they take the trouble up to the court-house to Judge Bar. So they loony off to the court-house, and the old judge say it were a jury case, and he send Sheriff Coon out to fetch the jurymans, and he say, "Don' you fotch no mans here, 'cepter they be more fool than the parties in the case." But Sheriff Coon 'low he don' know where he gwine find any man what 's more fool than Brer Wolf 's in dis yer case, but he take out down the county, and by and by he seed a man rolling a wheelbarrow what ain't got nothing in it round the house and round the house, and he ax him what he doing that for? And he say, he trying to wheel some sunshine in the house. Sheriff Coon say, "You is the man I wants to come with me and sot on the jury."
They go 'long, and directly they see a man pulling a long rope up a tall tree that stand 'longside a house; they ax him what he gwine do? He say he gwine to haul a bull up on top of the house to eat the moss off the roof, and Sheriff Coon say, "I '11 be bound you is my man for the jury, and you must go long with we all to the court." So they take their way back to the court-house, then they have a great time taking evidence and argufying.
Ole Brer Wolf, he set up there, and 'sider every word of the evidence, but Ole Brer Rabbit he lean back and shut he eye, and work he brain on he own account. He settin' right close to the door; when the lawyer done get everybody worked up so they take no noticement, Brer Rabbit just slip softly out the back door, and he creep 'round the side of the cabin back to where ole Judge Bar set wid de bag of money on the floor, and what you 'spect? When they all talking, Ole Brer Rabbit just slide he hand in the crack, and softly slip out the bag of money, and take out home, and leave the case in the care of the court. That just like ole man Rabbit.
WHY THE PEOPLE TOTE BRER RABBIT FOOT IN THEIR POCKET.
Well, sah, that 's cause Ole Brer Rabbit done killed the last witch what ever live.
They tells how they done hang some of 'em, and burn some, till they get mighty scarce, but there was one ole witch what was risin' on five hundred years old, and 'cause she keep clear of all the folks what try to catch her, they done name her Ole Mammy Witch Wise.
Well, she do carry on to beat all them times, she 'witch all the ​folks, and she 'witch all the animals, and when they go to get their meal out some of the gardens, she just watch them animals, and they can't get in to save 'em, and they all nigh 'bout starved out, that they was, and they all hold a big consertation and talk over what they gwine do.
They was a mighty ornery lookin' set, just nigh 'bout skin an' bone, but when Ole Brer Rabbit come in, they 'serve how he mighty plump and fine order, and they ax him, however he so mighty prosp'rous and they all in such powerful trouble. And then he 'low, Brer Rabbit did, dat Ole Mammy Witch Wise can't 'witch him, and he go in the gardens more same as ever.
Why, Ole Mammy Wise don't 'low the animals get in the garden, she just want the pick of 'em herself, cause she don't have no garden that year; but when she set her mind on some Major Brayton's pease, she just put the pot on the fire, an' when the water bile smart, she just talk in the pot and say, "Bile pease, bile pease," and there they come, sure 'nough, for dinner; but you see if the animals done been troubling them pease, and there ain't no pease on the vine, then she call 'em in the pot.
So she just keep the creeters out till they nigh 'bout broke down, and they ax Brer Rabbit, can't he help 'em? Brer Rabbit scratch he head, but he don't say nothin', 'cause I tell you, when Ole Brer Rabbit tell what he gwine do, then you just well know that just what he ain' gwine do, 'case he 's a man what don't tell what he mind set on.
So he don't make no promise, but he study constant how he gwine kill Ole Mammy Witch Wise. He know all 'bout how the old woman slip her skin every night, and all the folks done try all the plans to keep her out till the rooster crow in the morning, 'cause every witch, what 's out the skin when the roosters crow, can't never get in the skin no mo'; but they never get the best of the Ole Witch Wise, and she rising five hundred years old. Brer Rabbit he go off hisself, and set in the sun on the sand bed and rum'nate. And you may be sure, when you see the old man set all to hisself or. the sand bed, he mind just working. Well, sah, that night, he go in the garden and take a good turn of peppers, and tote them up to Ole Mammy Witch Wise house, and just he 'spect, there he find her skin in the porch, just where she slip it off to go on her tricks, and what you 'spect he do? Well, sah, he just mash them peppers to a mush, and rub 'em all inside the Ole Witch Wise skin, and then he set hisself under the porch for to watch.
Just 'fore crowing time, sure 'nough, there come the ole woman, sailing along in a hurry, 'cause she know she ain't got long, but when she go for to put on her skin, it certainly do bite her, and she say, ​"Skinnie, skinnie, don't you know me, skinnie?" But it bite more same than before, and while she fooling with it, sure 'nough the rooster done crow, and the ole woman just fall over in a fit. And in the morning Brer Rabbit notify the animals, and they gravel a place and burn her. And the colored people, they find out how Brer Rabbit get the best of the Mammy Witch Wise, and then they tell the white folks, and that why nigh 'bout all the rich white folks totes a rabbit foot in their pocket, 'cause it keeps off all the bad luck, and it do that, sure 's yo' born.
BRER RABBIT BORN TO LUCK.
You hear, sah, how Brer Rabbit's left foot fetch you luck when you tote it constant in your pocket. It most surely do that, sah, 'cause that Ole Brer Rabbit be just born to luck. Now this yer one time when the luck come to hisself.
Ole Miss Rabbit, she 'low she 'bliged to have a spring house; she say, Ole Miss Rabbit did, how Miss Fox and Miss Coon have the nice spring house, and she 'clare she plum broke down worritting herself trying to keep house, and no spring house.
Now Brer Rabbit, he promise and he promise, but Brer Rabbit don't have no honing to handle the mattocks, no sah, that he don't. Brer Rabbit is pow'ful dext'rous to work with he head, but Brer Rabbit ain't no half strainer to work with he hands.
But Ole Miss Rabbit, she kept worriting the old man constant; she 'low how she 'bliged to have that spring house, and she 'bliged to have it to once.
Well, when she rear and charge on the old man, that powerful that he can't put her off no more, then Brer Rabbit, he just go off to hisself, and study what he gwine do 'bout that ornery old spring house, but he can't see he way, till it come to he mind 'bout Ole Mammy Witch Wise, her what were the old woman what save up a bag of gold. Then, the night 'fore she die, she bury the bag where the creeters can't find it. That night she pass by all the creeters' houses and shake the bag, and they hear the chink of the gold, and in the morning Ole Mammy Witch Wise was dead and the gold was gone.
Well, sah, Brer Rabbit he go and see all the creeters, and he let on how he done have a token what tell him where Ole Mammy Witch Wise bury the gold, and that Ole Brer Rabbit, he bodaciously 'low how the token point to the bed in the spring what run 'long side he garden, and he say, Brer Rabbit do, if they all turn in and ​make a dam and hold the water back, they most surely find the gold.
Now Ole Brer Rabbit don't have no feelings that gold anywhere in them parts. Well, sah, the creeters they 'low to theyselves Brer Rabbit a mighty generous man to let them in, and they fetch they mattocks and they spades, and they dig, and Brer Rabbit he sit up on the dam and locate the spot, and he say to hisself that old spring house getting on mighty smart, when I 'clare 'fore the Lord, Brer Wolf's mattocks strike kerchink, an' out fly the gold, it most surely did, and the creeters they just jump in the hole and pick up the money. But Ole Brer Rabbit never lose he head, that he don't, and he just push the rocks out the dam, and let the water on and drown the lastest one of them critters, and then he picks up the gold, and course Ole Miss Rabbit done get her spring house, but bless your soul, sah, that only just one they times when Ole Brer Rabbit have luck.
WHY MR. DOG RUNS BRER RABBIT.
One morning, Mr. Buzzard he say he stomach just hungry for some fish, and he tell Mrs. Buzzard he think he go down to the branch, and catch some for breakfast. So he take he basket, and he sail along till he come to the branch.
He fish right smart, and by sun up he have he basket plum full. But Mr. Buzzard am a powerful greedy man, and he say to hisself, he did, I just catch one more. But while he done gone for this last one, Brer Rabbit he came along, clipity, clipity, and when he see basket plum full of fine whitefish he stop, and he say, "I 'clare to goodness, the old woman just gwine on up to the cabin, 'cause they got nothing for to fry for breakfast. I wonder what she think of this yer fish," and so he put the basket on he head, Brer Rabbit did, and make off to the cabin.
Direc'ly he meet up with Mr. Dog, and he ax him where he been fishing that early in the day, and Brer Rabbit he say how he done sot on the log 'longside of the branch, and let he tail hang in the water and catch all the fish, and he done tell Mr. Dog, the old rascal did, that he tail mighty short for the work, but that Mr. Dog's tail just the right sort for fishing.
So Mr. Dog, he teeth just ache for them whitefish, and he go set on the log and hang he tail in the water, and it mighty cold for he tail, and the fish don't bite, but he mouth just set for them fish, and so he just sot dar, and it turn that cold that when he feel he gin up, sure 's you born, Mr. Dog, he tail froze fast in the branch, and he call he chillens, and they come and break the ice.
And then, to be sure, he start off to settle Ole Brer Rabbit, and ​he get on he track and he run the poor ole man to beat all, and directly he sight him he run him round and round the woods and holler, "Hallelujah! hallelujah!" and the puppies come on behind, and they holler, "Glory! glory!" and they make such a fuss, all the creeters in the woods, they run to see what the matter. Well, sah, from that day, Mr. Dog he run Brer Rabbit, and when they just get gwine on the swing in the big woods, you can hear ole Ben dar just letting hisself out, "Hallelujah! hallelujah!" and them pups just gwine "Glory! glory!" and it surely am the sound what has the music dar, it surely has the music dar.
HOW BRER RABBIT BRING DUST OUT OF THE ROCK.
Mr. Fox, he have a mighty handsome daughter, and all the chaps was flying round her to beat all.
Brer Coon, Brer Wolf, Brer Rabbit, and Brer Possum was a courting of her constant, and they all ax Brer Fox for he daughter.
Now the gal, she favor Brer Rabbit in her mind, but she don't let on who her favor is, but just snap her eyes on 'em all.
Now Ole Brer Rabbit, he ain't so mighty handsome, and he ain't no proudful man, that 's sure, but somehow it 'pears like he do have a mighty taking way with the gals.
Well, wen they all done ax Ole Man Fox for his daughter, he ax the gal, do she want Brer Wolf? And she toss her head and 'low Brer Wolf too bodaciously selfish; she say, "Brer Wolf's wife never get a bite of chicken breast while she live."
Then the ole man, he ax her how she like Brer Possum? and she just giggle and 'low "Brer Possum mighty ornery leetle ole man, and he 'longs to a low family anyhow." And Ole Man Fox, he 'low, "Dat 's so for a fact," and he sound her 'fections for Brer Coon, but she make out Brer Coon pass all 'durance. Then the ole man he tell her Brer Rabbit done ax for her too, and she make out like she mighty took 'back, and 'low she don't want none of that lot.
Then Ole Brer Fox, he say that the gal was too much for him; but he tell the chaps to bring up the big stone hammer, and they can all try their strength on the big step rock what they use for a horse block, and the one what can pound dust out of the rock shall have the gal.
Then Brer Rabbit, he feel mighty set down on, 'cause he know all the chaps can swing the stone hammer to beat hisself, and he go off sorrowful like and set on the sand bank. He set a while and look east, and then he turn and set a while and look west, but may be you don't know, sah, Brer Rabbit sense never come to hisself 'cepting when he look north.
​When it just come to hisself what he gwine to do, he jump up and clip it off home, and he hunt up the slippers and he fill them with ashes, and Lord bless your soul, the ole chap know just what them slippers do 'bout the dust out of the rock.
Well, the next morning they was all dar soon. Ole Brer Rabbit, the last one, come limping up like he mighty lame, and being so, he the last one on the land, 'cause he have last chance.
Now Brer Wolf, he take the big hammer and he fotch it down hard, and Brer Wolf mighty strong man in them days, but he ain't fetch no dust. Then Brer Coon and Brer Possum, they try, but Ole Man Fox he say, he don't see no dust, and Miss Fox she to 'hind the window curtain and giggle, and Ole Man Fox he curl the lip and he say, Brer Rabbit, it you turn now. Brer Wolf he look on mighty scornful, and Brer Rabbit have just all he can do to fotch up the big hammer; it so hard he just have to stand on tiptoe in he slippers, and when the hammer come down, he heels come down sish, and the dust fly so they can't see the ole chap for the dust.
But Ole Brer Rabbit, he don't count that nothing but just one of his courting tricks.
WHEN BRER RABBIT SAVE THE PIG.
One winter, 'bout a week to Christmas, Brer Rabbit he have a pen full of powerful fat hogs, just honing for the smoke-house. Now you mightn't think it, sah, but Brer Rabbit was a mighty frolicsome chap when he was a young man, attending on the gals nigh 'bout every night.
Now Brer Bar and Brer Wolf have they mind on them hogs constant, but they feared Brer Rabbit got some trap set unbeknownst to theyselves.
One night Brer Rabbit, he go up to pay he 'dresses to Mr. Wolf's daughter. Now this yer Miss Wolf was a mighty prideful gal, and she keep Brer Rabbit waiting on the porch a powerful long time, while she get on her meeting clothes.
Well, whiles Brer Rabbit was a waiting, all to once he hear he name round the corner the porch, and he cock up he ear, and sure 'nough dar he hear Brer Bar and Brer Wolf in cahoots for to steal he bestest pig.
Brer Rabbit he listen, and they lay out they plans, how they gwine dress off the pig, and leave it un'neath the black gum-tree whilst they go for the cart, 'cause they 'spicious if they stop for to cut it up, Brer Rabbit gwine catch up with 'em.
Well, Brer Rabbit, he shake hisself and go in, and pay he 'spects to Miss Wolf, but right soon he say he 'bliged to say good-night, and he clip it off to the black gum-tree, and he hide hisself in the ​bushes. And sure 'nough, directly here come Brer Wolf and Brer Bar, with the pig done dressed for the smoke-house; they lay it down and cover it with brush, and strike out for the cart.
Then that bodacious Brer Rabbit, he go softly through the bresh, and just creep inside that pig and lay hisself down, and he lay out to keep he eye open and watch out for the cart, but 'fore he know hisself he fall asleep.
De firstest Brer Rabbit know, Brer Wolf and Brer Bar, they done lift the pig in the cart, and that ere Brer Rabbit on the inside the pig.
Then Brer Rabbit, he grow faint-like, and then he just turn in and groan harder and harder; and Brer Wolf and Brer Bar, they make sure it am ole Satan hisself in the pig, and they just strike out the cart and burn the wind for home, and Brer Rabbit, he drive the cart home, and hang the pig in the smoke-house.
Emma M. Backus.