[What Miss Sally heard when she found her son in Uncle Remus' cabin, listening to stories][p.4ff]
I.
UNCLE REMUS INITIATES THE LITTLE BOY
"By and by, one day, after Brer Fox been doin' all that he could for to catch Brer Rabbit, and Brer Rabbit been doin' all he could for to keep him from it, Brer Fox say to himself that he'd put up a game on Brer Rabbit, and he ain't more than got the words out of his mouth 'til Brer Rabbit come a lopin' up the big road, lookin' just as plump, and as fat, and as sassy as a Morgan Horse FN 1 in a barley-patch.
"'Hold on there, Brer Rabbit,' says Brer Fox, says he.
"'I ain't got the time, Brer Fox,' says Brer Rabbit, says he, sort of mendin' his licks.
"'I want to have some confab with you, Brer Rabbit,' says Brer Fox, says he.
"'All right, Brer Fox, but you better holler from where you stand. I'm monstrous full of fleas this morning,' says Brer Rabbit, says he.
"I saw Brer B'ar (Bear) yesterday,' says Brer Fox, says he,' and he sort of rake me over the coals 'cause you and me ain't make friends and live neighborly, and I told him that I'd see you.'
"Then Brer Rabbit scratch one ear with his off hind-foot sort of dubiously, and then he ups and says, says he:
"'All a settin', Brer Fox. Supposing you drop around tomorrow and take dinner with me. We ain't got no great doin's at our house, but I expect the old woman and the children can sort of scramble around and get up something for to stay your stomach.'
"'I'm agreeable, Brer Rabbit,' says Brer Fox, says he.
"'Then I'll depend on you,' says Brer Rabbit, says he.
"Next day, Mr. Rabbit and Miss Rabbit got up soon, before day, and raided on a garden like Miss Sally's out there, and got some cabbages and some roasting ears, and some asparagus, and they fix up a smashin' dinner. By and by one of the little Rabbits, playin' out in the backyard, come runnin' in hollerin', 'Oh, ma! oh, ma! I saw Mr. Fox comin'!' And then Brer Rabbit he took the children by their ears and make them sit down, and then he and Miss Rabbit sort of dally around, waitin' for Brer Fox. And they keep on waitin', but no Brer Fox ain't come. After a while, Brer Rabbit goes to the door, easy like, and peep out, and there, sticking from behind the corn there, was the tip end of Brer Fox's tail. Then Brer Rabbit shut the door and sat down, and put his paws behind his ears and begin for to sing:
"'The place whereabouts you spill the grease,
Right there you're bound to slide,
And where you find a bunch of hair,
You'll surely find the hide.'
"Next day, Brer Fox sent word by Mr. Mink, and excused himself 'cause he was too sick for to come, and he asks Brer Rabbit for to come and take dinner with him, and Brer Rabbit say he was agreeable.
"By and by, when the shadows was at their shortest, Brer Rabbit he sort of brush up and then saunter down to Brer Fox's house, and when he got there, he hear somebody groanin', and he look in the door and ther he see Brer Fox settin' up in a rockin' chair, all wrapped up with flannel and he look mighty weak. Brer Rabbit look all around, he did, but he ain't see no dinner. The dishpan was settin' on the dable, and close by was a carvin' knife.
"'Look like you goin' to have chicken for dinner, Brer fox,' says Brer Rabbit, says he.
"'Then Brer Rabbit sort of pull his mustache, and say: 'You ain't got no calamus root, FN 2 have you, Brer Fox? I done got so now that I can't eat no chicken except she's seasoned up with calamus root.' And with that, Brer Rabbit leaped out of the door and dodge among the bushes, and sat there watching for Brer Fox; and he ain't watch long, neither, 'cause Brer Fox flung off the flannel and crept out of the house and got where he could close in on Brer Rabbit, and by and by Brer Rabbit holler out: 'Oh, Brer Fox! I'll just put your calamus root out here on this here stump. Better come get it while it's fresh,' and with that Brer Rabbit gallop off home. And Brer Fox ain't never catch him yet, and what's more, honey, he ain't goin' to."
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FN 1 Morgan Horse. A breed of recehorse, known for versatility, elegance and strength, see http://www.morganhorse.com/about_the_morgan/
FN 2 Calamus root, or bittersweet, has a venerable history in itself, or not, depending on your perspective. The calamus root has been a source of folk medicine for digestive ills and other medical problems,and also is said to make you feel very good. Look up why it was declared "unsafe." See Uncle Remus Tales, calamus root post. See note at Uncle Remus, Calamus Root Post
Bittersweet: (another name for calamus) A woody vine, with berries that ripen and drop the shell to reveal a red-orange berry, often used for decorating. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/bittersweetSee
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General comment on the tale - Pretend friendship, while plotting behind all the while, and watch the other guy find out and get the better of you anyway. Read original text at http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG97/remus/initiate.html; and an analysis there at http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG97/remus/aninit.html
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