You will see that there are quite a few illustrations here, and that's because Harris's books were extremely popular in their time, appearing in several illustrated editions.
This story is actually a prelude to the next story, the famous "tar-baby" story. Many of the Brer Rabbit stories consist of cycles of revenge: this story ends with Brer Rabbit as the winner, but that just means Brer Fox is going to have to think up another trick to play next time.
[Notes by LKG]
This story is part of the Brer Rabbit unit. Story source: Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings by Joel Chandler Harris (1881).
The Calamus Root
By and by, one day, after Brer Fox been doing all that he could for to catch Brer Rabbit, and Brer Rabbit been doing all he could for to keep him from it, Brer Fox say to hisself that he'd put up a game on Brer Rabbit, and he ain't more than got the words out of his mouth till when Brer Rabbit came a loping up the big road, looking just as plump, and as fat, and as sassy as a Morgan horse in a barley-patch.
(image source; colorized)
"Hod on there, Brer Rabbit," says Brer Fox, says he.
"I ain't got time, Brer Fox," says Brer Rabbit, says he, sort of mending 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 stad'. I'm monstrous full of fleas this morning," says Brer Rabbit, says he.
"I seed Brer 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-setting, Brer Fox. Supposing you drop round tomorrow and take dinner with me. We ain't got no great doings at our house, but I expect the old woman and the chilluns can sort of scramble round 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, and got some cabbages, and some roasting ears, and some sparrow-grass, and they fix up a smashing dinner.
By and by one of the little Rabbits, playing out in the back yard, come running in hollering, "Oh, ma! Oh, ma! I seed Mr. Fox a-coming!"
After a while Brer Rabbit goes to the door, easy like, and peep out, and there, sticking from behind the corner, was the tip-end of Brer Fox 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 excuse hisself 'cause he was too sick for to come, and he ask 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 saunter down to Brer Fox's house, and when he got there, he hear somebody groaning, and he look in the door and there he see Brer Fox setting up in a rocking-chair all wrap up with flannel, and he look mighty weak.
Brer Rabbit look all round, he did, but he ain't see no dinner. The dish-pan was sitting on the table, and close by was a carving knife.
"Look like you going to have chicken for dinner, Brer Fox," says Brer Rabbit, says he.
"Yes, Brer Rabbit, they are nice, and fresh, and tender," says Brer Fox, says he.
Then Brer Rabbit sort of pull his mustache, and say, "You ain't got no calamus root, is you, Brer Fox? I done got so now that I can't eat no chicken excepting she's seasoned up with calamus root."
And with that Brer Rabbit leaped out of the door and dodged 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, he ain't going to.
(700 words)
