I looked up that title and I don't think that is it. Thanks though. It's so frustrating! I KNOW it's a famous folk tale but I can't think of the title. Everyone I ask says it sounds familiar but no one can come up with specifics! LOL! I need to reference it for paper I'm writing.
Thanks again!
You mean THE FOX AND BRAIR RABBIT?
Search under UNCLE REMUS. The FOX and BRIAR RABBIT (I misspelled it earlier)
FINE um whar you will en wen you may, remarked Uncle Remus with emphasis, good chilluns allers gits tuck keer on. Dar wuz Brer Rabbits chilluns; dey minded der daddy en mammy fum days een ter days een. Wen ole man Rabbit say scoot, dey scooted, en wen ole Miss Rabbit say scat, dey scatted. Dey did dat. En dey kep der cloze clean, en dey aint had no smut on der nose nudder.
Involuntarily the hand of the little boy went up to his face, and he scrubbed the end of his nose with his coat-sleeve.
Dey wuz good chilluns, continued the old man, heartily, en ef dey hadnt er bin, der wuz one time wen dey wouldnt er bin no little rabbitsnaer one. Dats wat.
What time was that, Uncle Remus? the little boy asked.
De time wen Brer Fox drapt in at Brer Rabbit house, en didnt foun nobody dar ceppin de little Rabbits. Ole Brer Rabbit, he wuz off somers raiding on a collard patch, en ole Miss Rabbit she wuz tendin on a quiltin in de naberhood, en wiles de little Rabbits wuz playin hidin-switch, in drapt Brer Fox. De little Rabbits wuz so fat dat dey farly make his mouf water, but he member bout Brer Wolf, en he skeered fer ter gobble urn up ceppin he got some skuse. De little Rabbits, dey mighty skittish, en dey sorter huddle deysef up tergedder en watch Brer Fox motions. Brer Fox, he sot dar en study wat sorter skuse he gwineter make up. Bimeby he see a great big stalk er sugar-cane stanin up in de coruder, en he cler up his thoat en talk biggity:
Yer! you young Rabs dar, sail roun yer en broke me a piece er dat sweetnin-tree, sezee, en den he koff.
De little Rabbits, dey got out de sugar-cane, dey did, en dey rastle wid it, en sweat over it, but twant no use. Dey couldnt broke it. Brer Fox, he make like he aint watchin, but he keep on hollern:
Hurry up dar, Rabs! Im a waitin on you.
En de little Rabbits, dey hustle roun en rasfle wid it, but they couldnt broke it. Bimeby dey hear little bird singin on top er de house, en de song wat de little hird sing wuz dish yer.
Take yo toofies en gnyaw it, Take yo toofies en saw it, Saw it en yoke it, En den you kin broke it. |
Den de little Rabbits, dey git mighty glad, en dey guyawed de cane mos fo ole Brer Fox could git his legs oncrosst, en wen dey kyard im de cane, Brer Fox, he sot dar en study how he gwineter make some mo skuse fer nabbin un um, en bimeby he git up en git down de sifter wat wuz hangin on de wall, en holler out:
Come yer, Rabs! Take dish yer sifter, en run downt de spring en fetch me some fresh water.
De little Rabbits, dey run downt de spring, en try ter dip up de water wid de sifter, but cose hit all run out, en hit keep on runnin out, twell bimeby de little Rabbits sot down en gun ter cry. Den de little bird settin up in de tree he begin fer ter sing, en dish yers de song wat he sing:
Sifter hole water same ez a tray, Ef you fill it wid moss en dob it wid clay; De Fox git madder de longer you stay Fill it wid moss en dob it wid clay. |
Up dey jump, de little Rabbits did, en dey fix de sifter so twont leak, en den dey kyar de water ter ole Brer Fox. Den Brer Fox he git mighty mad, en pint out a great big stick er wood, en tell de little Rabbits fer ter put dat on de fier. De little chaps dey got roun de wood, dey did, en dey hef at it so hard twel dey could see der own sins, but de wood aint budge. Den dey hear de little bird singin, en dish yers de song wat he sing:
Spit in yo hans en tug it en toll it, En git behine it, en push it, en pole it; Spit in yo hans en rar back en roll it. |
En des bout de time dey got de wood on de fier, der daddy, he come skippin in, en de little bird, he flewd away. Brer Fox, he seed his game wuz up, en twant long fo he make his skuse en start fer ter go.
You better Stay en take a snack wid me, Brer Fox, sez Brer Rabbit, sezee. Sence Brer Wolf done quite comin en settin up wid me, I gittin so I feels right lonesome dese long nights, sezee.
But Brer Fox, he button up his coat-collar tight en des put out fer home. En dat wat you better do, honey, kaze I see Miss Sallys shadder sailin backerds en fords fo de winder, en de fus news you know shell be spectin un you.