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BRER RABBIT

Retold by

ENID BLYTON

J. COKER & CO. LTD.FARRINGDON AVENUE, LONDON, E.C.4

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TRINTED IN EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND, BY W. & A. K. JOHNSTON, LIMITED

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LIST OF CONTENTS

1. The Wonderful Tar-Baby 5Story: Sunny Stories for Little Folks No.2 Jul 1926

2. Brer Rabbit Goes A-Riding 18Story: Sunny Stories for Little Folks No.12 Dec 1926

3. Brer Rabbit Tricks Brer Buzzard 30Story: Sunny Stories for Little Folks No.12 Dec 1926

4. Brer Rabbit and Sis Cow 39Story: Sunny Stories for Little Folks No.12 Dec 1926

5. Brer Rabbit Goes Visiting 46Story: Sunny Stories for Little Folks No.12 Dec 1926

6. Brer Rabbit and Brer Terrapin 55Story: Sunny Stories for Little Folks No.12 Dec 1926

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BRER RABBIT

1THE WONDERFUL TAR-BABY

BRER FOX couldn't seem to catch Brer Rabbit and make a dinner of him, no matter how he tried. So one day he sat himself down and had a very hard think.

He scratched himself behind his left ear; and he couldn't think of anything. He scratched himself behind his right ear, and still he couldn't think of anything. But when he scratched both ears at once he thought of a mighty fine idea indeed. He chuckled very loudly, and went off

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to get some tar. He mixed it up with turpentine and stirred it into a sort of thick paste. Then he worked it about and worked it about until he had made

a thing with arms, legs and head that he called a Tar-Baby.

He put some grass on its head for hair, and stuck an old hat on top. Then he sat back on his hind legs and laughed when

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he thought of what Brer Rabbit would do when he saw the Tar-Baby.

He took it and sat it down in the middle of the road. Then he went and lay in some bushes to wait for old Brer Rabbit to come along.

By and by along came Brer Rabbit, lippitty-clippitty, humming a little song as jolly as a jay-bird. Brer Fox didn't make a movement. He just lay low and grinned to himself,

When Brer Rabbit saw the Tar-Baby he was most surprised. He stopped: short and stared at him. The Tar-Baby sat

still and stared back, and didn't make a sound.

" Good morning to you ! " said Brer Rabbit. " Seems I haven't met you before."

The Tar-Baby didn't say a word.

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"GOOD MORNING!" said Brer Rabbit in a louder tone. " Nice weather to-day, isn't it ? "

The Tar-Baby said nothing, and Brer Fox lay low.

" Is anything the matter with you ? " asked Brer Rabbit. " If you're a bit deaf I can shout in your ear."

Still the Tar-Baby said nothing, and Brer Foxs chuckled inside himself.

" Look here," said Brer Rabbit fiercely, " if you don't answer, I'll call you stuck-up ! I always box the ears of stuck-up people, so just you answer me ! "

The Tar-Baby stared and said nothing. Brer Fox lay low.

" I'll soon teach you how to speak to polite folk like me ! " shouted Brer Rabbit, dancing round the Tar-Baby. " If you don't take off that old hat of yours and

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say ' How do you do? ' like a gentleman, I'll hit you."

The Tar-Baby didn't take his hat off and he didn't say a word.

Brer Rabbit didn't wait any longer; he raised his hand and hit the Tar-Baby on the head. Blip !

That's just where he made his mistake. His fist stuck in the tar, and he couldn't pull it out. The Tar-Baby still said nothing, and Brer Fox almost killed him-self with laughing.

" Let me go ! " yelled Brer Rabbit in a terrible rage. " If you don't let go my hand, I'll' hit you with the other, and that will teach you to be polite ! "

He banged the Tar-Baby with his other hand as hard as ever he could, and that stuck too ! Brer Rabbit couldn't pull it out anyhow.

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The Tar-Baby said never a word, and Brer Fox lay as low as anything.

" Let me loose or I'll kick you all to bits!" shouted Brer Rabbit. But the Tar-Baby held on tight and kept as still as still.

So Brer Rabbit kicked as hard as he could with one leg, and then with the other, and got them both stuck in the Tar-Baby. He couldn't move an inch, not an inch.

" You let me go ! " said Brer Rabbit. " If you don't I'll butt you in with my head, and a mighty hard head it is, I can tell you ! Do you want to be butted into next week, because if you don't, you just let me go ! "

The Tar-Baby held on and said nothing. Brer Fox still lay low.

Then Brer Rabbit butted with his head,

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and that got stuck too. So he couldn't move his head, or his arms or his legs. He was in a very pretty pickle, and didn't he hope old Brer Fox wouldn't come along at that moment!

Well, of course, that's just what Brer Fox did do ! He wasn't going to lie low any more with a nice dinner waiting for him like that 1

So out he sauntered from the bushes looking just as innocent as a day-old lamb.

" Good morning, Brer Rabbit," he said, pretending to be most surprised.

" Have you been talking to that stuck-up Tar-Baby ? He's made you sort of stuck-up too, hasn't he? "

Then Brer Fox rolled over on the ground and laughed and laughed till he hadn't got a laugh left in him. Brer

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Rabbit didn't say anything at all. He was just thinking very hard.

" Now, Brer Rabbit,”' said Brer Fox, when he had stopped rolling on the ground, " won't you come home to dinner with me ? I've got some calamus root that you'll simply love, so don't make excuses not to come ! "

Then Brer Fox rolled on the ground again and laughed some more. He felt mighty good about his dinner, for he'd had his eye on Brer Rabbit for a long time.

" Well, well," said 'Brer Fox at last, wiping His eyes. " I think you're caught this time, Brer Rabbit. Maybe you're not, but I somehow think you are! You've been playing tricks on me for a long time, but they've come to an end now. You've been rushing round thinking

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you're the most important person anywhere, and you're always going where you're not wanted ! "

Brer Rabbit said nothing. He just stuck there and thought hard.

" Look at this Tar-Baby," said Brer Fox. " There he sat as peaceful as any-body, and you come up and worry him to death with your talking. And who stuck you up there where you are ? Nobody in the world ! You just went and jumped on that Tar-Baby for nothing! Well, well! There you are and there you can stay till I fix up a wood-pile and light it. Because I'm going to COOK you to-day—yes, COOK you, Brer Rabbit,” said Brer Fox.

Then Brer Rabbit talked back in a humble voice.

" Cook me if you like," he said.

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" Roast me as much as you please, Brer Fox—but don't—please don't, throw me into that prickly bramble-bush over there! I don't care what else you do with me, if only you won't do that! "

" Let me see," said Brer Fox ; " there's not much dry wood about here. I think —yes, I really think, I'll drown you, Brer Rabbit."

" Do," said Brer Rabbit. " You just drown me as deep as ever you please, Brer Fox—but, oh ! don't throw me into that prickly bramble-bush ! "

" I think perhaps I won't drown you after all," said Brer Fox; " it would be too much bother to carry a scarecrow like you all the way to the pond. Maybe I'll hang you."

" Yes, you hang me," said Brer Rabbit. " I don't care a bit about hanging—but The Wonderful Tar-Baby

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don't—don't throw me into that prickly bramble-patch ! "

" I haven't got a rope," said Brer Fox, " so I don't think I'll hang you. I'll skin you all alive oh ! "

" Yes, that's fine," said Brer Rabbit. " You just skin me alive, Brer Fox, and pull my ears and chop off my legs,— but, whatever you do, don't—don't throw me into that prickly bramble-bush ! "

" It's too much bother to skin you alive," said Brer Fox, " so I think I'll shoot you dead."

" Yes, do shoot me, Brer Fox," said Brer Rabbit. "I've always thought I'd like to be shot, if I had to die—but, oh 1 don't, don't, DON'T throw me into that prickly bramble-bush ! "

Well, Brer Fox wanted to hurt Brer Rabbit just as much as ever he could, so

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he decided he would throw him into the prickly bramble-bush, and see what dreadful thing would happen to Brer Rabbit. So he took hold of Brer Rabbit by his

trousers and pulled him away from the Tar-Baby. Then he slung him quickly into the prickly bramble-bush.

Blip ! blap ! Brer Rabbit went rolling head over heels in the bush, making a

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tremendous flurry and flutter, while Brer Fox hung round to see what would happen to him.

When everything was still he ran up to see where Brer Rabbit was. But he wasn't there at all!

Then he heard someone calling out a long way behind him, and when he looked round he saw Brer Rabbit sitting on a log up the hill, combing the tar out of his hair with a wood chip.

Brer Fox couldn't believe his eyes, then all of a sudden he saw he had been tricked. Brer Rabbit called out as cheeky as ever:

." Hi, Brer Fox, hi! I was brought up in a bramble-bush, I was—yes, born and brought up in a bramble-bush ! "

Then off he skipped as lively as a chicken on hot coals, while old Brer Fox went home with never a word.

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II

BRER RABBIT GOES A-RIDING

One day Brer Rabbit went to visit Mrs Meadows and her girls, who were friends of his. When they saw him coming, they began to nudge each other and giggle.

" Ho ! ho ! " they laughed. " Who got tricked by Brer Fox ? Who got caught in the Tar-Baby Brer Fox fixed up, and had to stay at home for days to get the tar out of his hair ? "

Brer Rabbit listened, and he felt mighty cross that the tale of the Tar-Baby had gone round. He didn't like being teased, and he sat and listened, and wondered

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what he could say to make Mrs. Meadows and the girls think better of him.

They went on teasing him. Brer Rabbit sat there like a lamb. By and by he crossed his legs, and winked his left eye very slowly.

" Ladies” said Brer Rabbit, speaking up loudly, 'Met me tell you this. Brer Fox was my father's riding-horse for thirty years. It might have been longer, but, anyway, I know it was thirty years at least."

Then he got up, said good-bye, put On his hat and marched off, looking as stuck-up as a fire-stick.

Mrs. Meadows and the girls didn't know what to make of it at all. So next day, when Brer Fox called, they thought they would tell him what Brer Rabbit had said. "Brer Rabbit's going round

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saying you were his father's riding-horse for thirty years," said Mrs. Meadows.

Brer Fox looked so surprised that his eyebrows nearly reached his ears. He ground his teeth together, arid looked as cross as two sticks.

" Ladies," he said, " I'm not going to say anything just now—but just you see if I don't bring old Brer Rabbit here, and make him chew up his words, and own

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up what great big fibs he goes round telling you."

And off he marched as proud as a pea-cock. Directly he got to the high road he shook the dew off his tail and made straight for Brer Rabbit's house, just as fast as ever he could.

When he got there, Brer Rabbit was expecting him, and the door was shut fast.

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Brer Fox knocked.Nobody answered.Brer Fox knocked again. .Nobody

answered.Then he knocked again, mighty loud

— BLIM-BLAM, BLIM-BLAM.Then Brer Rabbit shouted out in a

veryweak Voice :«Is that you, Brer Fox ? I want you to

run and fetch the doctor. I must have eaten something that's poisoning me ; I feel so ill. Do please, Brer Fox, run quickly ! "

"Ho!" said Brer Fox. "There's going to be a fine party up at Mrs. Meadows', and I promised than I'd fetch you. The girls said the party wouldn't be right without you, Brer Rabbit."

" I'm too ill to come to any party,” said Brer Rabbit in a still weaker voice. No, you're not," said Brer Fox.

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"Yes, I am, then," said Brer Rabbit." You don't know how ill I am, so don't talk in that silly fashion."

" Silly fashion yourself ! " said Brer Fox crossly. " You come along with me to that party."

"I- can't," said Brer Rabbit. " I couldn't possibly walk all that way; my legs shake at the knees."

"Well, I'll take you along all right," said Brer Fox.

" How ? " asked Brer Rabbit:"In my arms," said Brer Fox." Huh ! " said Brer Rabbit. " You'll

drop me in the first puddle. I know you, Brer Fox."

" I won't then," said Brer Fox. " You come along now, Brer Rabbit."

" I’ll-go if you carry me on your back," said Brer Rabbit at last.

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“All right," said Brer Fox. "Comeon.""Well, I can't ride without a saddle,”

said Brer Rabbit." I'll get a saddle” said Brer Fox, "but

do come on, Brer Rabbit.""I can't sit in the saddle unless I've got

a bridle to hold on by," said Brer Rabbit. " I should fall off."

" I'll get a bridle too," said Brer Fox." Then I'll go with you," said Brer

Rabbit in a much stronger voice." Well, I shall only carry you as far as

the field behind Mrs. Meadows' house," said Brer Fox. "Then you'll have to get off and walk up to the house with me."

" All right," said Brer Rabbit. "You go and get that saddle and bridle!" Off went Brer Fox. Of course, Brer

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Rabbit knew quite well Brer Fox wasn't taking him to any party, and he determined to trick him if he could. By the time he had combed his hair and brushed his whiskers, Brer Fox came up all saddled and bridled, looking as smart as a circus pony.

He trotted up to the door, and stood there pawing the ground and champing the bit like a sure-enough horse. Brer Rabbit mounted him, and they ambled off.

By and by Brer Fox felt Brer Rabbit lift up one of his feet.

" What are you doing, Brer Rabbit ? " he asked.

" Pulling up my sock' said Brer Rabbit.

By and by Brer Rabbit lifted up the other foot.

" What are you doing now, Brer Rabbit ? " said Brer Fox.

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" Just buttoning my shoe," said Brer Rabbit.

But he was doing nothing of the sort, He was putting on sharp spurs, and when the two got to the place where Brer Rabbit was to get off, and Brer Fox stood still, Brer Rabbit suddenly slipped the spurs into Brer Fox's side, and my! he got such a shock that he H galloped along like lightning!

He raced right up to the gate of the house with Brer Rabbit on his back. Mrs. Meadows and the girls were all on the verandah, so Brer Rabbit quickly jumped off Brer Fox, hitched the reins tightly over the gate-post, and sauntered up to the house to greet Mrs. Meadows.

He shook hands with her and the girls and sat down to smoke a big cigar. By and by he drew in a great puff, and blew

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it out in a cloud, sat up straight and said :

" Ladies, I told you Brer Fox was the riding-horse of my family, didn't I ? He's not so fast as he used to be, but I think he'll suit me all right for some time yet."

Then he gave a grin, and all the girls giggled.

"He surely is a fine pony," said Mrs. Meadows, looking down the garden to where poor Brer Fox was tied up tight. He was champing his teeth angrily, and pulling at the post, but he couldn't get free to come after Brer Rabbit.

Brer Rabbit had a fine time. He stayed to tea, and talked and sang, and then it was time for him to say good-bye and go Borne.

So he put on his hat and stalked off

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to the gate-post, mounted Brer Fox and rode off.

Brer Fox said nothing at all. He just rushed off and kept his mouth shut, but Brer Rabbit knew quite well there was going to be trouble soon, and he felt a bit uncomfortable.

Brer Fox ambled on till he got to the lane out of sight of Mrs. Meadows' house. Then he let himself go.

He reared and bucked and shouted and shook. He snorted and tore round and round and round.

He was trying to fling Brer Rabbit off his back ! But he might just as well have tried to get rid of his own shadow. Every time he reared up Brer Rabbit slapped the spurs into him, and so they went at it, up and down, up and down.

Brer Fox fairly tore up the ground, and

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jumped so high and so quickly that he could almost have put his head beneath his body and snatched his own tail off.

They kept going on like this until suddenly Brer Fox lay down on the ground and rolled right over.

This rather upset Brer Rabbit, and off he tumbled. But by the time Brer Fox was on his feet again, Brer Rabbit was tearing through the bushes faster than a racehorse !

Brer Fox leapt after him, and was so near him that Brer Rabbit had to run into a hollow tree. The hole was too little for Brer Fox to get in, so he lay down outside it to rest, and to make up his mind what to do.

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III

BRER RABBIT TRICKS BRER BUZZARD

While Brer Fox was lying there, Brer Turkey Buzzard came flying along. He saw Brer Fox stretched out on the ground, and he flew down to see what was happening.

Then he shook his wings, put his head on one side and said out loud :

" Brer Fox is dead, and I'm sorry to see it ! "

" No, I'm not dead, then," said Brer Fox. " I've got old Brer Rabbit fixed up in this hollow tree, and I'm going to catch him this time if it takes me till Christmas!"

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After some more talk, Brer Fox made a bargain with Brer Buzzard.

" You watch the hole in this tree," said Brer Fox, " and keep Brer Rabbit in there while I go and fetch an axe to chop down the tree."

Then Brer Fox loped off, and Brer Buzzard took up his stand at the hole.

By and by, when all was still, Brer Rabbit made a scrambling noise close to the hole, and shouted out:

" Brer Fox ! Brer Fox ! "Brer Fox had gone, of course, and

Brer Buzzard said nothing.Then Brer Rabbit squalled out as if he

were most excited." You needn't talk unless you want to,

Brer Fox," he said ; " I know you're there, and I'm sure I don't care. I just

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want to tell you that I do wish Brer Turkey Buzzard was here ! "

Then Brer Buzzard tried to talk like Brer Fox.

" What do you want with Brer Buzzard ? " he asked.

"Oh, nothing much," said Brer Rabbit; " but there's the fattest grey squirrel in here that ever I saw in my life, and if Brer Turkey Buzzard was anywhere near he'd be mighty glad to catch him and eat him!"

" How could Brer Buzzard get him ? " asked Brer Buzzard, still trying to speak like Brer Fox.

" Well, there's a little hole round the other side of this tree," said Brer Rabbit, " and if Brer Buzzard was here, and could stand just outside the hole, I would drive that squirrel out to him."

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" Drive him out then/' said Brer Buzzard, " and I'll see that Brer Buzzard gets him."

Then Brer Rabbit made a tremendous noise just as if he were driving something out, and Brer Buzzard rushed round the tree hoping to catch the squirrel.

And, of course, directly he left the big hole Brer Rabbit dashed out and fled for home !

Well, Brer Buzzard just caught sight of him, and he knew he'd been tricked. But he'd promised Brer Fox to stay there till he came back, so he thought he would wait and see what Brer Fox thought of Brer Rabbit's trick.

He hadn't waited long before Brer Fox came galloping through the woods with his axe over his shoulder.

" How do you think Brer Rabbit's getting on, Brer Buzzard ? " asked Brer Fox.

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" Oh, he's in there,' said Brer Buzzard. " He's mighty still, though. I expect he's taking a nap."

"Then I'm just in time to wake him up," said Brer Fox. And with that he flung off his coat and took up his axe.

Then POW! He chopped the tree with his axe. And every time he brought his axe down—POW !—Brer Buzzard did a little dance and shouted out :

" Oh, he's in there, Brer Fox; he's in there, sure enough ! "

And every time a chip flew off Brer Buzzard jumped and dodged it, put his head on one side and shouted :

" He's in there, Brer Fox. I heard him squeal! He's in there, for sure ! "

Brer Fox lammed away at that hollow tree, till by and by, after he had almost cut it in half, he stopped to get breath—

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and he suddenly saw Brer Buzzard laughing at him behind his back ! And then and there Brer Fox knew there was something queer going on. But Brer Buzzard kept on shouting :

" He's in there, Brer Fox. He's in there, sure and certain. I've just seen him."

Then Brer Fox pretended to peep in the hole, and he said :

" Come here, quick, Brer Buzzard, and tell me if this is Brer Rabbit's foot sticking out here ! "

So Brer Buzzard came stepping up and stuck his head in the hole ; and no sooner had he done that than Brer Fox grabbed him!

Brer Buzzard flapped his wings and tried to get away, but it wasn't a bit of use. Brer Fox held him tight.

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" You let me alone, Brer Fox! " squalled Brer Buzzard. " Let me go. If you don't, Brer Rabbit will get out of that tree. You're getting very near to him, and a few more blows with the axe will fetch him out! "

" Huh, I'm nearer to you than I am to Brer Rabbit," said Brer Fox. " What do you want to trick me for like that, Brer Buzzard? "

" Let me go," said Brer Buzzard. " My old woman is waiting for me. I tell you, Brer Rabbit's in there."

" You look at that bit of rabbit fur on this blackberry bush," said Brer Fox. " That tells me Brer Rabbit's gone, plain as anything."

Then Brer Buzzard thought he had better tell Brer Fox what had happened. He told him of Brer Rabbit's trick, and

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said he was just the trickiest, wickedest scamp that ever lived.

"That's neither here nor there, Brer Buzzard," said Brer Fox. '"I. left you here to watch that hole, and I left Brer Rabbit in there. I come back and I find you at the hole, but no Brer Rabbit, and I'm going to make you pay for it. I'm going to fling you on a fire and burn you up."

" If you fling me on a fire, I'll fly away, Brer Fox," said Brer Buzzard.

" Well, then, I'll finish you off straight-away," said Brer Fox, and caught Brer Buzzard by the tail as if he were going to dash him to the ground.

But it happened to be just about the time of year that Turkey Buzzards moult, so all that happened was Brer Buzzard's tail-feathers came off in Brer Fox's hand,

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and Brer Buzzard sailed off in the air like a balloon. As he rose, he shouted out:" You've given me a jolly good start, Brer Fox ! "

And there was Brer Fox sitting on the ground looking at a handful of tail-feathers, while Brer Turkey Buzzard flew slowly out of sight!

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IV

BRER RABBIT AND SIS COW

AFTER Brer Rabbit had run out of the hollow tree, and escaped from

Brer Buzzard, he went skipping along home just as saucy as a jackdaw. Soon he felt so thirsty that he thought he really would die if he didn't get something to drink.

By and by, when he was nearly home, he spied old Sis Cow feeding in a field, and he determined to see if he could get a drop of milk from her.

Now Brer Rabbit knew quite well Sis Cow wouldn't give him any milk if he asked for it, because she had often said no.

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But still, that didn't make him despair.He danced up alongside the fence and

shouted at her." How do you do, Sis Cow ? "" How's yourself ? " answered Sis

Cow." I say, Sis Cow," said Brer Rabbit,

pointing to an apple tree, " there's some mighty fine apples up that tree ; I'd like some of them very much ! "

" How are you going to get them ? " asked Sis Cow.

" I thought perhaps if I asked you nicely, you'd be so kind as to butt against the tree and shake some down, Sis Cow," said Brer Rabbit.

Sis Cow marched up to the apple tree and hit it a rap with her horns—BLAM !

But the apples were as green as grass, and not one of them dropped.

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Then Sis Cow butted the tree—BLIM!

Not an apple dropped.Sis Cow backed off a little, and ran

against the tree—BLIP !No apples fell.Sis Cow backed off a little farther,

hoisted up her tail on to her back and ran hard up against the tree — KER-BLAM!

And she came so fast and so hard that one of her horns went right through the tree, and there she was, stuck fast. She couldn't go backwards, and she couldn't go forwards.

That was exactly what Brer Rabbit was waiting for, and he no sooner saw Sis Cow all fastened up like that than he jumped up in delight.

" Come and help me out, Brer Rabbit," said Sis Cow.

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"I can't climb up as far as your horn/' said Brer Rabbit. " But I'll go and get Brer Bull to help you."

And with that he set off for his home, and it wasn't long before he was back again with his old woman and all his children. They all carried pails, and very soon Sis Cow was milked and the pails were full.

When they were full, Brer Rabbit took off his hat and bowed to Sis Cow.

" I wish you mighty well, Sis Cow," he said; "I'm sorry you'll have to be camping out here all night."

When Brer Rabbit and all his family had gone, Sis Cow stood by the tree and tried her hardest to think how she could get free. But her horn was jammed so tight in the tree that it was early morning before she could loosen it. After she

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had got loose, she began to graze around, for she was hungry.

" I guess old Brer Rabbit will be hop-ping along this way soon," said she to

herself. " When I see him coming. I’ll put my horn in the tree again, and pretend I'm still held fast. Then I’ll give him a bad time if he comes near me ! "

She kept a sharp eye on the road, and very soon, away in the distance, whom

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should she see but old Brer Rabbit coming along, lippitty-clippitty, as saucy as a sparrow.

Then Sis Cow ran quickly to the apple tree, and stuck her horn back in the hole there.

Pretty soon up came Brer Rabbit as perky as ever.

" Morning, Sis Cow," he said. " How do you feel this morning ? "

" Poorly, Brer Rabbit, poorly," said Sis Cow. " I haven't had any rest all night. I can't pull myself loose. But if only you'll come and catch hold of my tail, Brer Rabbit, I guess I can get my horn out all right then."

Brer Rabbit came a bit closer. He carried a pail with him, and that made

Sis Cow feel just as angry as angry." Come closer," she said. " Just hold

my tail and pull hard, Brer Rabbit."

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Brer Rabbit thought it would be mighty fine to have a pull at Sis Cow's tail for nothing, so he went boldly up and pulled it.

And ker-blunkity-blink ! Old Sis Cow took her horn out of the tree, and she went after Brer Rabbit just as if she was a racehorse out to win a prize.

Brer Rabbit didn't stop for anything. He put his ears back and ran for his life across the field and down the road.

Well, Sis Cow chased him right up to his house, and he got in all but the last few hairs of his tail—and those Sis Cow bit off and chewed to bits !

And I haven't heard that Brer Rabbit has been visiting Sis Cow lately, but maybe it will all blow over, and they'll be friends again soon.

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V

BRER RABBIT GOES VISITING

One day Brer Rabbit thought he would go and visit Mrs. Meadows and the girls again, so he got out his bit of looking-glass, pulled his whiskers straight, and made himself tidy. Then he set out.

As he was going along the road, who should Brer Rabbit run up with but Brer Tortoise Terrapin, looking just the same old one-and-sixpence. Brer Rabbit stopped and rapped on Brer Terrapin's shell.

" Heyo, Brer Terrapin," he said. " Are you at home ? "

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" Yes, I’m at home," answered Brer Terrapin.

" How are you, then ? " said Brer Rabbit.

" Much of a muchness," said Brer Terrapin. " How's yourself ? "

" Oh, so-so, so-so," said Brer Rabbit. "I'm on my way to see Mrs. Meadows and the girls. Won't you come along with me ? "

" I don't care if I do," said Brer Terrapin, and off they went together.

Mrs. Meadows and the girls welcomed them in, and Brer Rabbit sat down on a chair. But Brer Terrapin was so flat-footed that he was too low on the floor, and he wasn't high enough on a chair, and while they were all scrambling round trying to get Brer Terrapin a high enough chair, Brer Rabbit picked him up and

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put him on a shelf by the water-bucket, and old Brer Terrapin lay back up there as proud as a peacock.

Of course everyone began talking about Brer Fox, and Mrs. Meadows and the girls said what a splendid riding-horse Brer Fox was, and how fine Brer Rabbit looked on his back,

Brer Rabbit sat there in his chair smoking his cigar. Then he cleared his throat and said .

"I'd have ridden him over this morn-ing, ladies, but I rode him so hard yester-day that he went lame in one of his front legs, and I'm afraid Fll have to sell him.".

" Well," said Brer Terrapin, up on the shelf, " if you're thinking of selling him, Brer Rabbit, sell him to someone who'll take him away from this neighbourhood, because he's been here too long already.

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Why, it was only the day before yesterday that Brer Fox passed me on the road, and what do you think he shouted to me ? "

" What ? " asked everybody. "He called out, ' Heyo ! Is that

you, you flat-footed stump-tailed crawl-about ? ' "

" Oh, my goodness! Fancy that now ! " cried Mrs. Meadows. " Fancy Brer Fox calling you a crawl-about! He must be a horrid thing to call anyone as nice as Brer Terrapin such a nasty name."

But, dear me! Whilst all this talking was going on, Brer Fox himself happened to be standing at the back door with one I ear at the keyhole, listening. Eaves-droppers never hear any good of them-selves, so Brer Fox didn't either. He just boiled over with rage to hear the way they all talked of him.

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By and by Brer Fox stuck his head in at the door and shouted out :

" Good evening to you, folks; I wish you mighty well! " Then he made a dash at Brer Rabbit. Mrs. Meadows and the girls began to shout and squeal, and Brer Terrapin began to scramble round on his shelf.

Then suddenly he fell off, and BLIP ! he struck Brer Fox on the back of the head, and made him tumble down sense-less on the floor.

When Brer Fox opened his eyes again, all he saw was a pot of greens overturned in the fireplace and a broken chair. Brer Rabbit was gone, Brer Terrapin was gone, and Mrs. Meadows and the girls were gone.

Brer Rabbit had shot up the chimney and upset the pot of greens in the fire-

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place. Brer Terrapin had crept under the bed and got behind the wardrobe, and Mrs. Meadows and the girls rushed out into the yard.

Brer Fox blinked his eyes, and felt the big bump on the back of his head where Brer Terrapin had fallen on to him. He couldn't see anything of Brer Rabbit at all.

But suddenly the smoke and ashes going up the chimney tickled Brer Rabbit's nose so much that he felt he really must sneeze.

Huckychow! He sneezed up in the chimney, and Brer Fox heard him.

" Aha ! " said Brer Fox. " You're up there, are you ? Well, Brer Rabbit, I'm just going to smoke you out of there, if it takes a week to do it! You're mine this time, sure enough ! "

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Brer Rabbit said nothing." Aren't you coming down ? " asked

Brer Fox.Brer Rabbit said nothing.Then Brer Fox went out to get some

wood to set on the fire, and when he came back he heard Brer Rabbit laughing and laughing.

" What are you laughing at ? " asked Brer Fox in surprise.

" Can't tell you, Brer Fox; can't tell you ! " said Brer Rabbit.

" Go on, now, you'd better tell me," said Brer Fox.

" No," said Brer Rabbit, and began laughing fit to kill himself.

" You'd better tell me right now what's tickling you," said Brer Fox, who was wondering whatever it was.

" Why, somebody's gone and left a box

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of money up here in a crack of the chimney ! " said Brer Rabbit*

" Huh ! I don't believe that! " said Brer Fox.

" You just look up and see for yourself, then ! " said Brer Rabbit.

So Brer Fox poked his head up the chimney and looked up—and just at that moment Brer Rabbit let loose a whole heap of soot, and down it went all over Brer Fox's head and into his eyes !

Brer Fox spluttered and coughed and choked. He rushed out into the yard to shake the black soot off himself, and to wash it out of his eyes.

Then Brer Rabbit came down from the chimney, dusted himself, and went to say good-bye to the ladies !

They were most surprised to see him.

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" How did you manage to send away Brer Fox?." they asked.

" Oh," said Brer Rabbit, putting on his hat to go, " I just went and told him that he'd better go home and behave himself, and stop playing pranks on other people. If he didn't, I told him I'd take him outside and whip him."

With that, off he went, leaving the ladies looking after him in the greatest admiration. But he took care not to go home the same way as Brer Fox !

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VI

BRER FOX AND BRER TERRAPIN

ONE day Brer Fox met Brer Terrapin walking up the road. Now Brer Terrapin remembered how he had hit Brer Fox on the head when he fell off the shelf at Mrs. Meadows', and he felt a bit scared. So he just tucked his tail and head in under his shell, and sat down and waited to see what Brer Fox was going to do.

But Brer Fox was mighty polite, and began to speak to Brer Terrapin as if he hadn't seen him since last Christmas.

" Heyo, Brer Terrapin, where have you been all this long while ? " said Brer Fox.

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" Lounging round, Brer Fox; lounging round," said Brer Terrapin.

" You don't look as smart as you used to," said Brer Fox.

"I'm not very well," said Brer Terrapin.

" What's up with you ? " asked Brer Fox.

" Your eyes look mighty red, what I can see of them."

" My! Brer Fox," said Brer Terrapin, " you just don't know what trouble is."" Both your eyes are red, and you look

mighty weak," said Brer Fox." I tell you, Brer Fox, you don't know

what trouble is ! " said Brer Terrapin." What's been the matter with you,

then? " asked Brer Fox." Oh, I took a walk in a field the other

day” said Brer Terrapin, "and a man came along and set fire to the field."

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" How did you get out of the fire, then? " asked Brer Fox.

" I didn't,”' said Brer Terrapin ; " I just sat there with it all round me,

and the smoke got into my eyes, and the flames scorched my back."

" And I see they burnt your tail off,” said Brer Fox.

" Oh no, there's my tail,” said Brer Terrapin, and uncurled his tail from under his shell for Brer Fox to see. And no sooner did he do that than Brer Fox grabbed it and shouted :

" Oh yes, Brer Terrapin ! Oh yes ! Now I've got you ! So you're the one that hit me on the head at Mrs. Meadows', are you ! You're a friend of Brer Rabbit's, are you ! Well, I'm going to pay you out!"

Brer Terrapin begged and begged for

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mercy, but it wasn't a bit of use. Brer Fox had been tricked so often that he was quite determined to pay Brer Terrapin out for the blow on his head.

" Well, Brer Fox,” said Brer Terrapin, " don't you go and drown me, that's all I ask!"

" I'm not going to make any promises," said Brer Fox.

" You burn me, Brer Fox," begged Brer Terrapin, " because I'm used to fire. You burn me ; don't drown me."

Brer Fox said nothing, he just dragged Brer Terrapin to the stream, and soused him right under the water.

Then Brer Terrapin began to shout :" Leave go my tail and catch hold of

me ! Leave go my tail and catch hold of me ! ''

Brer Fox still held on to Brer Terrapin's tail.

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" Catch hold of me; I'm a-drowning, I'm a-drowning! " gurgled Brer Terrapin. " Leave go my tail and catch hold of me."

Brer Fox grinned and let go Brer Terrapin's tail, meaning to get hold of him, drag him out of the water, and give him another sort of punishment.

But Brer Terrapin was too quick. Down he went to the bottom—ker-blunkity-blink!

And there he sat, grinning up at Brer Fox—because, as everybody knows, terrapins are as much at home in water as on land.

He gurgled and chuckled, and the sound came up to Brer Fox.

"I - doom - er - ker - kummer - ker ! I-doom - er - ker - kummer - ker ! " said Brer Terrapin.

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Brer Fox said nothing, but he listened hard, and tried to understand.

Brer Bull-Frog, who was sitting on the bank, and had seen all that Brer Fox had done, shouted back to Brer Terrapin :

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" Jug-er-rum-kum-dum ! Jug-er-rum-kum-dum ! "

Then another frog called out: " Knee-deep ! Knee-deep ! " Then Brer Bull-Frog shouted back :

" Don't-you-believe-him ! Don't-you- believe-him ! " Then bubbles came up from Brer

Terrapin, and Brer Fox heard him say: " I-doom-er-ker-kummer-ker !

" Then the second frog called out : " Wade in! Wade in ! "

Brer Fox listened and listened. Then he heard Brer Bull-Frog say :

" There - you'll - find - your - brother!There-you'll-find-your-brother ! "Sure enough, when Brer Fox looked

over the bank into the stream, he saw another fox looking at him out of the water. He didn't stop to think it was

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just his reflection, and he reached out to shake hands.

And in he went, head over heels, and Brer Terrapin chuckled in glee and bubbled :

" I-doom-er-ker-kummer-ker! "Brer Fox just managed to scramble

out before the Mud Turtles got him, and he raced off home to dry himself by his fire.

On the way he met Brer Rabbit." Heyo, Brer Fox ! " laughed Brer

Rabbit. " You been visiting Brer Bull-Frog ? Seems as if you have ! "

Brer Fox didn't answer, he just ran indoors and decided he'd never try to get hold of old Brer Terrapin again !

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