Week 7: Reading Diary- Brer Rabbit

These are my thought on the African tales of Brer Rabbit...

The Calamus Root:

Well, the dialect definitely makes this a chore to read. However, reading it out loud makes it a lot easier. I always wondered where the "Brer" came from in Brer rabbit, but it seems, based on the dialect, that it is a truncation of brother. I do find it interesting that Brer Rabbit outsmarted Brer Fox. Usually, the fox is the most cunning creature, but not this time!

The Wonderful Tar-Baby Story:

So the Fox does outsmart the rabbit this time! I wonder what the lesson in this story is? It seems like Brer Rabbit should have kept on going after he got ignored, but instead he gets offended. He eventually turns to hitting the Tar-Baby and that is his undoing. It's interesting that this is the most famous of all the Brer Rabbit stories.

Why Mr. Possum Loves Peace:

I kind of like that the Possum got called by the Raccoon for being a coward. the explanation we get is a little interesting though. Brer Possum is good in any fight that doesn't involve tickling. It is the tickling that causes him to play dead, which is a likely story!

How Mr. Rabbit was too Sharp for Mr. Fox:

So this is the story with the famous brier patch. Brer Rabbit manages to trick Brer Fox into throwing him into the brier patch, where he is able to escape. Naturally, he still can't keep his mouth shut, so he calls back to Brer Fox. Cleverness is looking like the most desirable trait based on these stories.

Mr. Fox is Outdone by Mr. Buzzard:

Reading the dialect is getting easier. I kind of like it actually, because it adds a little more character to the story. It feels like I'm reading an original, not a translation. Brer Fox seems like he gets outsmarted by everyone haha. Even the Buzzard is smarter than he is.

Mr. Wolf Makes a Failure:

Brer Wolf does a good job of setting up Brer Rabbit, but Brer Fox ends up ruining it. Brer Rabbit gets him to holler out, proving that he's not dead. I also like the little saying that Brer Rabbit has. Like "Too many friends spoils dinner." You can tell that these stories are meant to teach lessons, as well as entertainment.

Mr. Fox Tackles Old Man Tarrypin:

So from the notes, it sounds like the turtle has been a key character in many fables. The turtle always finds a way to get back to the water. Mr. Fox, though, can't do anything haha. He always ends up losing whatever he wants.

The Awful Fate of Mr. Wolf:

So Brer Rabbit kills Brer Wolf by pouring scalding water on him. That seems pretty brutal for a story like this. Brer Rabbit's children are even laughing at Brer Wolf, because they know what is about to happen. I guess different cultures have different expectations for children's stories.