Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-05-06
gtlonth's Column,
Why the Frogs Were Mad With
Brer Rabbit.


Mr.. Rabbit" said Crazy Sue. "Dey
err tryin' der best ter drive i'm outen
de swamp"
''What are they mad with the Rab-
bit for?" asked Lucien, thinking there
might be a story in the explanation.
''Hit' one er dem ole-time fuses, .
said Crazy Sue. Hits most too ole
ter talk about"
Don't you know what the fuss was
about?" asked Lucien.
"Well," said Crazy Sue, cone time
Mr.. Rabbit an Mr.. Coon live close
ter one anudder in de same neighbor-
hoods. How dey does now l amt
a-tellin' you; but in dem times dey
want no hard feelin's 'twix' UNI. Dey
DIES went long like two ole cronies.
Mr.. Rabbit, he wuz a fisherman, and
Mr.. Coon, he wuz a fisherman --''
"And put 'em in pens," said Lilli-
an, remembering an old rhyme she
had heard.
:'No, honey, dey amt no Willium-
Come-Trimbletoe in dis. Mr.. Rab-
bit an Mr.. Coon wuz bofe fishermans,
but Mr.. Rabbit, he kitch fish, an Mr..
Coon, he fshed fer frogs. Mr.. Rab-
bit, he had mighty good luck, an
Mr.. Coon, he had mighty bad luck.
MIR. Rabbit, he got fat an slick, an
Mr.. Coon, he got po' an sick.
''Hit went on dis away tell one
day Mr.. Coon meet Mr.. Rabbit in de
big road. Dey shook hans dey did,
an den Mr.. Coon, he low:
60 'Brer Rabbit, whar you git sech
fine chance er fish,
''Mr. Rabbit laugh an say: Il
kotch um outen de river, Brer Coon.
All 1 got ter do is ter bait my hook
seeze.
ssDen Mr.. Coon shake his head an
low: Den how come l amt kin ketch
no frogs"
''Mr. Rabbit sat down in de road
an scratched fer feas, an den he
low: Hits kaze you done make um
all mad, Brer Coon. One time in de
dark er de moon, you slipped down
ter de branch an kitch de ole King
Frog; an ever sence dat time, wen
ever you er passin' by, you kin year
UNI sing out, fus one an den anudder
Yer he come! Oar he goes Hit
i'm in de eye; hit i'm in de eye
Mash i'm an smash i'm; mash i'm
an smash hlmp Yasser, dat wat
dey say. [ year um constant, Brer
Coon, and dat DIES wat dey say
"Den Mr.. Coon up an say: EFF
dat de way dey gwine on, how de
name er goodness kin 1 ketch um,
Brer Rabbit? l bleeze ter have sum-
pm ter eat fer me an my family con-
nection.'
'Mr. Rabbit sorter grin in de corn
der er his mouf, an den he say:
well, Brer Coon, bein' ez you bin so
sociable long wild me, an amt never
showed yo' toofes wen pull yo' tail,
I'll DIES whirl in an hep you out
''AIr. Coon, he say: 'Thanky,
thanky-do, Brer Rabbit
''Mr. Rabbit hung his fish on a tree
linn, an say: Now, Brer Coon, you
bleeze ter do dies like tell you
"Mr. Coon lowed dat he would eff
de Lord spared i'm.
"Den Mr.. Rabbit say: Now, Brer
Coon, you des rack down yander, an
git on de big san'-bar 'twix' de river
and de branch. Wen you git dar you
mus stagger like you sick, an den
you mus whirl roun' an roun' an
drap down like you dead. After you
drap down, you mus sorter jerk yo'
legs once er twice, an den you mus
lay right still. Eff fly light on yo'
nose, let i'm stay dar. Don't move;
don't wink yo' eye: don't switch yo'
tail. Des lay right dar, an t won't
be long TO you year fun me. Yit
don't you move till give de word
"Mr. Coon, he paced off, he did,
an done DIES like Mr.. Rabbit tol' i'm.
He staggered 'roun' on de san'-bank,
an den he drapped down dead. After
so long a time, Mr.. Rabbit come lop-
in long, an soon s he git dar, he
squall out, Coon deadp Dis rousted
de frogs, an dey stuck dey heads up
fer ter see wat all de rippit wuz
bout. One great big green I'D up an
boiler, wat de matter? Wat de
natter?' He talk like he got a bad
col.
"Mr. Rabbit low: Coon dead !"
Frog say Don't believe it !
Don't believe it
"'N'er frog say: 'Yes, he is Yes,
he is!' Little bit er one say No,
he amt No, he ANTI
"Dey KEEP on 'sputin' an 'sputin',
tell bimeby hit look like he amt a.
yearin' ner a-keerin' wat dey do er
say. He sot dar in de san like he
gwine in mournin' fer Mr.. Coon. De
Frogs KEEP gittin' closer an closer.
Mr.. Coon, he amt move. Wen fly
d git on i'm, Mr.. Rabbit, he d bresh
i'm off.
''Bimeby he low: EFF you want
ter git i'm outen de way, now s yo'
time, Cousin Frogs. Des whirl in
an bury him deep in de SAM
Rio Ola ErOn COW. GHoxr NO Ominp