All Terrain Thinking

A Compendium of things I think are Important

Wonderful strange stories from around the world

Brier Rabbit and the Tar Baby

Retold by Catharine Farrell from a story retold by Joel Chandler Harris

One day Brier Fox thought of how Brier Rabbit had been cutting up his capers and bouncing around until he'd come to believe that he was the boss of the whole gang. Brier Fox thought of a way to lay some bait for that uppity Brier Rabbit.

He went to work and got some tar and mixed it with some turpentine. He fixed up a contraption that he called a Tar-Baby. When he finished making her, he put a straw hat on her head and sat the little thing in the middle of the road. Brier Fox, he lay off in the bushes to see what would happen.

Well, he didn't have to wait long either, 'cause by and by Brier Rabbit came pacing down the road--lippity-clippity, clippity-lippity--just as sassy as a jaybird. Brier Fox, he lay low. Brier Rabbit came prancing along until he saw the Tar-Baby and then he sat back on his hind legs like he was astonished. The Tar-Baby just sat there, she did, and Brier Fox, he lay low.

"Good morning!" says Brier Rabbit, says he. "Nice weather we're having this morning," says he.

Tar-Baby didn't say a word, and Brier Fox, he lay low.

"How are you feeling this morning?" says Brier Rabbit, says he.

Brier Fox, he winked his eye real slow and lay low and the Tar-Baby didn't say a thing.

"What is the matter with you then? Are you deaf?" says Brier Rabbit, says he. "Cause if you are, I can holler louder," says he.

The Tar-Baby stayed still and Brier Fox, he lay low.

"You're stuck-up, that's what's wrong with you. You think you're too good to talk to me," says Brier Rabbit, says he. "And I'm going to cure you, that's what I'm going to do," says he.

Brier Fox started to chuckle in his stomach, he did, but Tar-Baby didn't say a word.

"I'm going to teach you how to talk to respectable folks if it's my last act," says Brier Rabbit, says he. "If you don't take off that hat and say howdy, I'm going to bust you wide open," says he.

Tar-Baby stayed still and Brier Fox, he lay low.

Brier Rabbit kept on asking her why she wouldn't talk and the Tar-Baby kept on saying nothing until Brier Rabbit finally drew back his fist, he did, and blip--he hit the Tar-Baby on the jaw. But his fist stuck and he couldn't pull it loose. The tar held him. But Tar-Baby, she stayed still, and Brier Fox, he lay low.

"If you don't let me loose, I'm going to hit you again," says Brier Rabbit, says he, and with that he drew back his other fist and blap--he hit the Tar-Baby with the other hand and that one stuck fast too.

Tar-Baby she stayed still, and Brier Fox, he lay low.

"Turn me loose, before I kick the natural stuffing out of you," says Brier Rabbit, says he, but the Tar-Baby just sat there.

She just held on and then Brier Rabbit jumped her with both his feet. Brier Fox, he lay low. Then Brier Rabbit yelled out that if that Tar-Baby didn't turn him loose, he was going to butt her crank-sided. Then he butted her and his head got stuck.

Brier Fox walked out from behind the bushes and strolled over to Brier Rabbit, looking as innocent as a mockingbird.

"Howdy, Brier Rabbit," says Brier Fox, says he. "You look sort of stuck up this morning," says he. And he rolled on the ground and laughed and laughed until he couldn't laugh anymore.

By and by he said, "Well, I expect I got you this time, Brier Rabbit," says he. "Maybe I don't, but I expect I do. You've been around here sassing after me a mighty long time, but now it's the end.

And then you're always getting into something that's none of your business," says Brier Fox, says he. "Who asked you to come and strike up a conversation with this Tar-Baby? And who stuck you up the way you are? Nobody in the round world. You just jammed yourself into that Tar-Baby without waiting for an invitation," says Brier Fox, says he. "There you are and there you'll stay until I fix up a brush pile and fire it up, "cause I'm going to barbecue you today, for sure," says Brier Fox, says he.

Then Brier Rabbit started talking mighty humble.

"I don't care what you do with me, Brier Fox, says he, "Just so you don't fling me in that briar patch. Roast me, Brier Fox, says he, "But don't fling me in that briar patch."

"It's so much trouble to kindle a fire," says Brier Fox, says he, "that I expect I'd better hang you," says he.

"Hang me just as high as you please, Brier Fox, says Brier Rabbit, says he, "but for the Lord's sake, don't fling me in that briar patch," says he.

"I don't have any string, " says Brier Fox, says he, "Now I expect I had better drown you, " says he.

"Drown me just as deep as you please, Brier Fox," says Brier Rabbit, says he, "But please do not fling me in that briar patch, " says he.

"There's no water near here," says Brier Fox, says he, "And now I reckon I'd better skin you," says he.

"Skin me Brier Fox," says he. "Snatch out my eyeballs, tear out my ears by the roots," says he, "But please, Brier Fox, don't fling me in that briar patch, " says he.

Of course, Brier Fox wanted to get Brier Rabbit as bad as he could, so he caught him by the behind legs and slung him right in the middle of the briar patch. There was a considerable flutter when Brier Rabbit struck the bushes, and Brier Fox hung around to see what was going to happen.

By and by he heard someone call his name and 'way up on the hill he saw Brier Rabbit sitting cross-legged on a chinquapin log combing the tar pitch out of his hair with a chip. Then Brier Fox knew he had been tricked.

Brier Rabbit hollered out, "Born and bred in the briar patch. I was born and bred in the briar patch!" And with that he skipped out just as lively as a cricket in the embers of a fire.

The End

 

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