Reading Notes: Brer Rabbit, Part B
A Story about the Little Rabbits
Brer Rabbits children were good children you listened to their mommy and daddy. They kept their clothes clean, were obedient, and they didn't even have a dirty nose like other children. They were good children indeed.
One day Brer Frox dropped by Brer Rabbit's house and didn't find anyone home except the little rabbits. Both the parents had engagements and errands to do that day so the children stayed home. While they were playing hide-and-switch they saw Brer Fox come in.
He saw these plump little rabbits and the sight of the fat little creatures made his mouth water. He remembered Brer wolf and was too scared to eat them.
The little Rabbits were so scared they huddled up together making sure not to miss one of Brer Fox's movements. Brer Fox watched them just as much trying to conjure up an excuse to eat them. He saw a great big stalk of sugar can in the corner and he cleared his throat and said loudly,
" Hey, little Rabbits go round there and break me a piece of that sugar-cane." Then he coughed.
The little ones obediently went and tried to break a piece of sugar-cane but they could not.
Brer Fox yelled, " Hurry up! I am waiting for you!"
They tried again all together to break it and couldn't but as they were trying they heard the little birds song outside:
" Take your toothies and gnaw it,
Take your toothies and saw it,
Saw it and yoke it,
And then you can broke it"
The little Rabbits gathered all their might and they gnawed at the cane. They carried him the cane and Brer Fox sat there trying to make up another excuse and then he got up and grabbed the sifter that was hanging on the wall and said, " Come here and take this sifter from me and run and get me some freshwater."
They grabbed the sifter and went to a spring to get fresh water and they dipped the sifter in the water and every time the water would leak through the sifter. They got so frustrated that they started to cry but then they hear the little bird sit up and sing:
"Sifter hold water same as a tray,
If you fill it with moss and dob it with clay;
The Fox get madder the longer you stay—
Fill it with moss and dob it with clay."
They did as the bird and carried the water to the old Brer Fox. Brer Fox got mad and pointed at a big piece of wood and told the little rabbits to put it in the fire. The little rabbits did as he said and they lifted hard but the wood would not move. They heard the little bird sing:
Spit in your hands and tug it and toll it,
And get behind it, and push it, and pole it;
Spit in your hands and rear back and roll it.
They did as the bird said and about the time they got the wood in the fire their daddy came skipping home and the little bird flew away.
Brer Fox knew his game was up and went home defeated.
 |
| Little Rabbits |
Comments
Post a Comment