Brother Rabbit and His Famous Foot

The little boy was very glad, one night shortly after he had heard about

Daddy Jack's ghosts and witches and 'Tildy's "ha'nts," to find Uncle

Remus alone in his cabin. The child liked to have his venerable partner

all to himself. Uncle Remus was engaged in hunting for tobacco crumbs

with which to fill his pipe, and in turning his pockets a rabbit foot

dropped upon the hearth.

"Grab it, honey!" he exclaimed. "Snatch it up off'n de h'a'th. In de

name er goodness, don't let it git in de embers; 'kaze ef dat ar rabbit

foot git singe, I'm a goner, sho'!"

It was the hind foot of a rabbit, and a very large one at that, and the

little boy examined it curiously. He was in thorough sympathy with all

the superstitions of the negroes, and to him the rabbit foot appeared to

be an uncanny affair. He placed it carefully on Uncle Remus's knee, and

after the pipe had been filled, he asked:

"What do you carry that for, Uncle Remus?"

"Well, honey," responded the old man, grimly, "ef you want me ter make

shorts out'n a mighty long tale, dat rabbit foot is fer ter keep off

boogers. W'en I hatter run er'n's fer myse'f all times er night, en take

nigh cuts thoo de woods, en 'cross by de buryin'-groun', hits monst'us

handy fer ter have dat ar rabbit foot. Keep yo' head studdy, now; mine

yo' eye; I aint sayin' deyer any boogers anywhars. Brer Jack kin say

w'at he mineter; I aint sayin' nothin'. But yit, ef dey wuz any, en dey

come slinkin' atter me, I let you know dey'd fine out terreckly dat de

ole nigger heel'd wid rabbit foot. I 'ud hol' it up des dis a-way, en I

boun' you I'd shoo um off'n de face er de yeth. En I tell you w'at,"

continued Uncle Remus, seeing that the little boy was somewhat troubled,

"w'en it come to dat pass dat you gotter be dodgin' 'roun' in de dark,

ef you'll des holler fer me, I'll loan you dish yer rabbit foot, en

you'll be des ez safe ez you is w'en Miss Sally stannin' by yo' bed wid

a lit can'le in 'er han'.

"Strip er red flannil tied 'roun' yo' arm'll keep off de rheumatis;

stump-water 'll kyo 'spepsy; some good fer one 'zeeze,[27] en some good

fer n'er, but de p'ints is dat dish yer rabbit foot 'll gin you good

luck. De man w'at tote it mighty ap' fer ter come out right een' up w'en

dey's any racket gwine on in de neighborhoods, let 'er be whar she will

en w'en she may; mo' espeshually ef de man w'at got it know 'zactly w'at

he got ter do. W'ite folks may laugh," Uncle Remus went on, "but w'en

rabbit run 'cross de big road front er me, w'at does I do? Does I shoo

at um? Does I make fer ter kill um? Dat I don't--_dat_ I don't! I des

squots right down in de middle er de road, en I makes a cross-mark in de

san' des dis way, en den I spits in it."[28]

Uncle Remus made a practical illustration by drawing a cross-mark in the

ashes on the hearth.

"Well, but, Uncle Remus, what good does all this do?" the little boy

asked.

"Lots er good, honey; bless yo' soul, lots er good. W'en rabbit crosses

yo' luck, w'at you gwine do, less'n you sets down en crosses it out,

right den en dar? I year talk er folks shootin' rabbit in de big road,

yit I notices dat dem w'at does de shootin' aint come ter no good

een'--dat w'at I notices."

"Uncle Remus," the little boy asked, after a while, "how did people

happen to find out about the rabbit's foot?"

"Oh, you let folks 'lone fer dat, honey! You des let um 'lone. W'at de

wimmen aint up'n tell bidout anybody axin' un um, folks mighty ap' fer

ter fine out fer deyse'f. De wimmen, dey does de talkin' en de flyin',

en de mens, dey does de walkin' en de pryin', en betwixt en betweenst

um, dey aint much dat don't come out. Ef it don't come out one day it

do de nex', en so she goes--Ant'ny over, Ant'ny under--up one row en

down de udder, en clean acrosst de bolly-patch!"

It may be that the child did n't understand all this, but he had no

doubt of its wisdom, and so he waited patiently for developments.

"Dey's a tale 'bout de rabbit foot," continued Uncle Remus, "but yo' eye

look watery, like ole man Nod 'bout ter slip up behime you; en let 'lone

dat, I 'speck Miss Sally clock clickin' fer you right now."

"Oh, no, it is n't, Uncle Remus," said the child, laughing. "Mamma said

she'd make 'Tildy call me."

"Dar, now!" exclaimed the old man, indignantly, "'Tildy dis en 'Tildy

dat. I dunner w'at yo' mammy dreamin' 'bout fer ter let dat nigger gal

be a-holl'in' en a-bawlin' atter you all 'roun' dish yer plan'ation. She

de mos' uppity nigger on de hill, en de fus' news you know dey ull all

hatter make der bows en call 'er Mistiss. Ef ole Miss wuz 'live, dey

would n't be no sech gwines on 'roun' yer. But nummine.[29] You des let

'er come a-cuttin' up front er my do', en I lay you'll year squallin'.

Now, den," continued the old man, settling himself back in his chair,

"wharbouts wuz I?"

"You said there was a tale about the rabbit foot," the little boy

replied.

"So dey is, honey! so dey is!" Uncle Remus exclaimed, "but she got so

many crooks en tu'ns in 'er dat I dunner but w'at I aint done gone en

fergotted some un um off'n my min'; 'kaze ole folks lak me knows lots

mo' dan w'at dey kin 'member.

"In de days w'ence Brer Rabbit wuz sorter keepin' de neighborhoods

stirred up, de yuther creeturs wuz studyin' en studyin' de whole blessid

time how dey gwine ter nab 'im. Dey aint had no holiday yit, 'kaze w'en

de holiday come, dey'd go ter wuk, dey would, en juggle wid one er n'er

fer ter see how dey gwine ter ketch up wid Brer Rabbit. Bimeby, w'en all

der plans, en der traps, en der jugglements aint do no good, dey all

'gree, dey did, dat Brer Rabbit got some cunjerment w'at he trick um

wid. Brer B'ar, he up'n 'low, he did, dat he boun' Brer Rabbit is a

nat'al bawn witch; Brer Wolf say, sezee, dat he 'speck Brer Rabbit des

in cahoots wid a witch; en Brer Fox, he vow dat Brer Rabbit got mo' luck

dan smartness. Den Jedge B'ar, he drap he head one side, he did, en he

ax how come Brer Rabbit got all de luck on he own side. De mo' dey ax,

de mo' dey git pestered, en de mo' dey git pestered, de wuss dey worry.

Day in en day out dey wuk wid dis puzzlement; let 'lone dat, dey sot up

nights; en bimeby dey 'gree 'mungs deyse'f dat dey better make up wid

Brer Rabbit, en see ef dey can't fine out how come he so lucky.

"W'iles all dis gwine on, ole Brer Rabbit wuz a-gallopin' 'roun' fum

Funtown ter Frolicville, a-kickin' up de devilment en terrifyin' de

neighborhoods. Hit keep on dis a-way, twel one time, endurin' de

odd-come-shorts,[30] ole Jedge B'ar sont wud dat one er his chilluns done

bin tooken wid a sickness, en he ax won't ole Miss Rabbit drap 'roun' en

set up wid 'im. Ole Miss Rabbit, she say, co'se she go, en atter she

fill 'er satchy full er yerbs en truck, off she put.

"I done fergit," said Uncle Remus, scratching his head gravely, "w'ich

one er dem chilluns wuz ailin'. Hit mout er bin Kubs, en hit mout er bin

Klibs; but no marter fer dat. W'en ole Miss Rabbit git dar, ole Miss

B'ar wuz a-settin' up in de chimbly-cornder des a-dosin' en a-nussin' de

young un; en all de wimmin er de neighborhoods wuz dar, a-whispun en

a-talkin', des fer all de worl' lak wimmin does deze days. It 'uz:

"'Come right in, Sis Rabbit! I mighty proud to see you. I mighty glad

you fotch yo' knittin', 'kaze I'm pow'ful po' comp'ny w'en my chillun

sick. Des fling yo' bonnet on de bed dar. I'm dat flustrated twel I

dunner w'ich een's up, skacely. Sis Wolf, han' Sis Rabbit dat

rickin'-cheer dar, 'kaze 't aint no one step fum her house ter mine.'

"Dat de way ole Miss B'ar run on," continued Uncle Remus, "en dey set

dar en dey chatter en dey clatter. Ole Brer Wolf, he 'uz settin' out on

de back peazzer smokin' en noddin'. He 'ud take en draw a long whiff, he

would, en den he 'ud drap off ter noddin' en let de smoke oozle out thoo

he nose. Bimeby ole Sis Rabbit drap 'er knittin' in 'er lap, en sing

out, sez she:

"'Law, Sis B'ar! I smells 'barker smoke,' sez she.

"Ole Sis B'ar, she jolt up de sick baby, en swap it fum one knee ter de

yuther, en 'low:

"'My ole man bin smokin' 'roun' yer de whole blessid day, but soon'z

dish yer chile tuck sick, I des tuck'n tole 'im, sez I, fer ter take

hisse'f off in de woods whar he b'long at, sez I. Yessum! I did dat! I

pities any 'oman w'at 'er ole man is fer'verlastin' stuck 'roun' de

house w'en dey's any sickness gwine on,' sez she.

"Ole Brer Wolf sot out dar on de back peazzer, en he shot one eye, he

did, en open um 'g'in, en let de smoke oozle out'n he nose. Sis B'ar,

she jolt de sick baby en swap it fum one knee ter de yuther. Dey sot dar

en talk twel bimeby der confab sorter slack up. Fus' news dey know Sis

Rabbit drap 'er knittin' en fling up 'er han's en squall out:

"'De gracious en de goodness! Ef I aint done come traipsin' off en lef'

my ole man money-pus, en he got sump'n' in dar w'at he won't take a

purty fer, needer! I'm dat fergitful,' sez she, 'twel hit keep me

mizerbul mighty nigh de whole time,' sez she.

"Brer Wolf, he lif' up he year en open he eye, en let de smoke oozle

out'n he nose. Sis B'ar, she jolt de sick baby wuss en wuss, en bimeby,

she up'n say, sez she:

"'I mighty glad 't aint me, dat I is,' sez she, 'bekaze ef I wuz ter

lef' my ole man money-pus layin' 'roun' dat a-way, he'd des nat'ally rip

up de planks in de flo', en t'ar all de bark off'n de trees,' sez she.

"Ole Miss Rabbit, she sot dar, she did, en she rock en study, en study

en rock, en she dunner w'at ter do. Ole Sis B'ar, she jolt en jolt de

baby. Ole Brer Wolf, he let de 'barker smoke oozle thoo he nose, he did,

en den he open bofe eyes en lay he pipe down. Wid dat, he crope down de

back steps en lit out fer Brer Rabbit house. Brer Wolf got gait same lak

race-hoss, en it aint take 'im long fer ter git whar he gwine. W'en he

git ter Brer Rabbit house, he pull de latch-string en open de do', en

w'en he do dis, one er de little Rabs wake up, en he holler out:

"'Dat you, mammy?'

"Den Brer Wolf wish he kin sing 'Bye-O-Baby,' but 'fo' he kin make

answer, de little Rab holler out 'g'in:

"'Dat you, mammy?'

"Ole Brer Wolf know he got ter do sump'n', so he tuck'n w'isper, he

did:

"'Sh-sh-sh! Go ter sleep, honey. De boogers'll git you!' en wid dat de

little Rab 'gun ter whimple, en he whimple hisse'f off ter sleep.

"Den w'en it seem lak de little Rabs, w'ich dey wuz mighty nigh

forty-eleven un um, is all gone ter sleep, Brer Wolf, he crope 'roun',

he did, en feel on de mantel-shelf, en feel, en feel, twel he come ter

ole Brer Rabbit money-pus. Ef he want so light wid he han'," Uncle Remus

went on, glancing quizzically at the child, "he'd a knock off de

pollygollic vial w'at ole Miss Rabbit put up dar. But nummine! Brer

Wolf, he feel, en feel, twel he come ter de money-pus, en he grab dat,

he did, en he des flew'd away fum dar.

"W'en he git out er sight en year'n', Brer Wolf look at de money-pus,

en see w'at in it. Hit 'uz one er deze yer kinder money-pus wid tossle

on de een' en shiny rings in de middle. Brer Wolf look in dar fer ter

see w'at he kin see. In one een' dey wuz a piece er calamus-root en some

collard-seeds, en in de t'er een' dey wuz a great big rabbit foot. Dis

make Brer Wolf feel mighty good, en he gallop off home wid de

shorance[31] un a man w'at done foun' a gol' mine."

Here Uncle Remus paused and betrayed a disposition to drop off to sleep.

The little boy, however, touched him upon the knee, and asked him what

Brother Rabbit did when he found his foot was gone. Uncle Remus laughed

and rubbed his eyes.

"Hit 's mighty kuse 'bout Brer Rabbit, honey. He aint miss dat money-pus

fer mighty long time, yit w'en he do miss it, he miss it mighty bad. He

miss it so bad dat he git right-down sick, 'kaze he know he bleedz ter

fine dat ar foot let go w'at may, let come w'at will. He study en he

study, yit 't aint do no good, en he go all 'roun' 'lowin' ter

hisse'f:

"'I know whar I put dat foot, yit I dunner whar I lef' um; I know whar I

put dat foot, yit I dunner whar I lef' um.'

"He mope en he mope 'roun'. Look lak Brer Wolf got all de luck en Brer

Rabbit aint got none. Brer Wolf git fat, Brer Rabbit git lean; Brer

Wolf run fas', Brer Rabbit lope heavy lak ole Sis Cow; Brer Wolf feel

funny, Brer Rabbit feel po'ly. Hit keep on dis a-way, twel bimeby Brer

Rabbit know sump'n' n'er bleedz ter be done. Las' he make up he min' fer

ter take a journey, en he fix up he tricks, he do, en he go en see ole

Aunt Mammy-Bammy Big-Money."

"And who was old Aunt Mammy-Bammy Big-Money, Uncle Remus?" the little

boy inquired.

"Ah-yi!" exclaimed Uncle Remus, in a tone of triumph, "I know'd w'en I

fotch dat ole creetur name up, dey wa'n't gwine ter be no noddin' 'roun'

dish yer h'a'th. In dem days," he continued, "dey wuz a Witch-Rabbit,

en dat wuz her entitlements--ole Aunt Mammy-Bammy Big-Money. She live

way off in a deep, dark swamp, en ef you go dar you hatter ride some,

slide some; jump some, hump some; hop some, flop some; walk some, balk

some; creep some, sleep some; fly some, cry some; foller some, holler

some; wade some, spade some; en ef you aint monst'us keerful you aint

git dar den. Yit Brer Rabbit he git dar atter so long a time, en he

mighty nigh wo' out.

"He sot down, he did, fer ter res' hisse'f, en bimeby he see black smoke

comin' outer de hole in de groun' whar de ole Witch-Rabbit stay. Smoke

git blacker en blacker, en atter w'ile Brer Rabbit know de time done

come fer 'im ter open up en tell w'at he want."

As Uncle Remus interpreted the dialogue, Brother Rabbit spoke in a

shrill, frightened tone, while the voice of the Rabbit-Witch was hoarse

and oracular:

"'Mammy-Bammy Big-Money, I needs yo' he'p.'

"'Son Riley Rabbit, why so? Son Riley Rabbit, why so?'

"'Mammy-Bammy Big-Money, I los' de foot you gim me.'

"'O Riley Rabbit, why so? Son Riley Rabbit, why so?'

"'Mammy-Bammy Big-Money, my luck done gone. I put dat foot down 'pon de

groun'. I lef um dar I know not whar.'

"'De Wolf done tuck en stole yo' luck, Son Riley Rabbit, Riley. Go fine

de track, go git hit back, Son Riley Rabbit, Riley.'

"Wid dat," continued Uncle Remus, "ole Aunt Mammy-Bammy Big-Money sucked

all de black smoke back in de hole in de groun', and Brer Rabbit des put

out fer home. W'en he git dar, w'at do he do? Do he go off in a cornder

by hisse'f, en wipe he weepin' eye? Dat he don't--dat he don't. He des

tuck'n wait he chance. He wait en he wait; he wait all day, he wait all

night; he wait mighty nigh a mont'. He hang 'roun' Brer Wolf house; he

watch en he wait.

"Bimeby, one day, Brer Rabbit git de news dat Brer Wolf des come back

fum a big frolic. Brer Rabbit know he time comin', en he keep bofe eye

open en bofe years h'ist up. Nex' mawnin' atter Brer Wolf git back fum

de big frolic, Brer Rabbit see 'im come outer de house en go down de

spring atter bucket water. Brer Rabbit, he slip up, he did, en he look

in. Ole Miss Wolf, she 'uz sailin' 'roun' fryin' meat en gittin'

brekkus, en dar hangin' 'cross er cheer wuz Brer Wolf wes'cut where he

keep he money-pus. Brer Rabbit rush up ter do' en pant lak he mighty

nigh fag out. He rush up, he did, en he sing out:

"'Mawnin', Sis Wolf, mawnin'! Brer Wolf sont me atter de shavin'-brush,

w'ich he keep it in dat ar money-pus w'at I 'loant 'im.'

"Sis Wolf, she fling up 'er han's en let um drap, en she laugh en say,

sez she:

"'I 'clar' ter gracious, Brer Rabbit! You gimme sech a tu'n, dat I aint

got room ter be perlite skacely.'

"But mos' 'fo' she gits de wuds out'n 'er mouf, Brer Rabbit done grab de

money-pus en gone!"

"Which way did he go, Uncle Remus?" the little boy asked, after a while.

"Well, I tell you dis," Uncle Remus responded emphatically, "Brer Rabbit

road aint lay by de spring; I boun' you dat!"

Presently 'Tildy put her head in the door to say that it was bedtime,

and shortly afterward the child was dreaming that Daddy Jack was

Mammy-Bammy Big-Money in disguise.

[27] Disease.

[28] If, as some ethnologists claim, the animal myths are relics of zooetheism, there can scarcely be a doubt that the practice here described by Uncle Remus is the survival of some sort of obeisance or genuflexion by which the negroes recognized the presence of the Rabbit, the great central figure and wonder-worker of African mythology.

[29] Never mind.

[30] Sometime, any time, no time. Thus: "Run fetch me de ax, en I'll wait on you one er deze odd-come-shorts."

[31] Assurance.