The Witch and the Wolf
The Witch and the Wolf
Embedded Files
Brer Rabbit had been angry at Brer Wolf before, but never so bad as now, and Mammy-Bammy Big-Money had her own grudges against him too. That's how come she sent word to Brer Rabbit, inviting him to come see her.
Brer Rabbit had been angry at Brer Wolf before, but never so bad as now, and Mammy-Bammy Big-Money had her own grudges against him too. That's how come she sent word to Brer Rabbit, inviting him to come see her.
"Ordering me to come is more like it," Brer Rabbit thought to himself. But you don't say no to the Witch-Rabbit so he rid, slid, zipped, skipped, slipped, skiddled, skaddled, waddled and waded all the way through the swamp.
"Ordering me to come is more like it," Brer Rabbit thought to himself. But you don't say no to the Witch-Rabbit so he rid, slid, zipped, skipped, slipped, skiddled, skaddled, waddled and waded all the way through the swamp.
"Mammy-Bammy Big-Money! O Mammy-Bammy Big-Money! I got your word, as you can see. Say what you want... 'cause here I be."
"Mammy-Bammy Big-Money! O Mammy-Bammy Big-Money! I got your word, as you can see. Say what you want... 'cause here I be."
"Riley Rabbit, Wiley Rabbit," replied the witch, "the time has come to get rid of that wolf." And thus the two of them made their plan, and it was a fine plan, very fine. Just the kind of plan Brer Rabbit liked.
"Riley Rabbit, Wiley Rabbit," replied the witch, "the time has come to get rid of that wolf." And thus the two of them made their plan, and it was a fine plan, very fine. Just the kind of plan Brer Rabbit liked.
So, soon as he got home, Brer Rabbit went looking for Brer Wolf, as if they were the best of friends and always had been.
So, soon as he got home, Brer Rabbit went looking for Brer Wolf, as if they were the best of friends and always had been.
"Brer Wolf!" he shouted. "Brer Wolf! I got news for you! I was just down by the river and I saw old Mammy-Bammy lying there on the riverbank, stone cold dead. I say we go eat her! There's some mighty good eating on that witch."
"Brer Wolf!" he shouted. "Brer Wolf! I got news for you! I was just down by the river and I saw old Mammy-Bammy lying there on the riverbank, stone cold dead. I say we go eat her! There's some mighty good eating on that witch."
Brer Wolf was astonished. "You sure she's dead?"
Brer Wolf was astonished. "You sure she's dead?"
"Dead as a tree stump. I think she must have been flying about in the sky as witches do when something killed her up high and down she fell to the ground below. I don't know for sure, but I do know time's a-wasting! I'm going there now; come with me or not, that's up to you."
"Dead as a tree stump. I think she must have been flying about in the sky as witches do when something killed her up high and down she fell to the ground below. I don't know for sure, but I do know time's a-wasting! I'm going there now; come with me or not, that's up to you."
And Brer Rabbit raced off to the river, with Brer Wolf right behind him. When they got to the river, there was a whole crowd of folks there, and Mammy-Bammy herself stretched out big as life, except she was dead, just like Brer Rabbit said.
And Brer Rabbit raced off to the river, with Brer Wolf right behind him. When they got to the river, there was a whole crowd of folks there, and Mammy-Bammy herself stretched out big as life, except she was dead, just like Brer Rabbit said.
Soon as he saw the witch was dead, Brer Wolf felt himself to be king of the animals, and he started parading around, putting himself in charge. Just like Mammy-Bammy and Brer Rabbit expected him to do.
Soon as he saw the witch was dead, Brer Wolf felt himself to be king of the animals, and he started parading around, putting himself in charge. Just like Mammy-Bammy and Brer Rabbit expected him to do.
"Folks," he said to all the animals there, "I'm sure there's enough of this feast to go 'round, but first we got to divide it up, so tell me: just how we gonna do that? Brer Mink, what do you say?"
"Folks," he said to all the animals there, "I'm sure there's enough of this feast to go 'round, but first we got to divide it up, so tell me: just how we gonna do that? Brer Mink, what do you say?"
"You go first, Brer Wolf," he said. "You got the biggest appetite, so you go first, and the rest of us'll divide what's left."
"You go first, Brer Wolf," he said. "You got the biggest appetite, so you go first, and the rest of us'll divide what's left."
Brer Coon agreed. "You go first, Brer Wolf!"
Brer Coon agreed. "You go first, Brer Wolf!"
"And we'll just take what you leave us," said Brer Possum.
"And we'll just take what you leave us," said Brer Possum.
"I agree!" said Brer Turtle, and Brer Rabbit said the same.
"I agree!" said Brer Turtle, and Brer Rabbit said the same.
You could see Brer Wolf was moved by their kindness, 'cause it brought a tear to his eye, it did, and he thanked them kindly. Then he said, "And just how much do you think I should take for my share?"
You could see Brer Wolf was moved by their kindness, 'cause it brought a tear to his eye, it did, and he thanked them kindly. Then he said, "And just how much do you think I should take for my share?"
Brer Mink said, "That right forequarter looks mighty fine."
Brer Mink said, "That right forequarter looks mighty fine."
Brer Wolf was shocked. "Brer Mink," he exclaimed, "I thought you was my friend, but now I see you have no regard for me at all."
Brer Wolf was shocked. "Brer Mink," he exclaimed, "I thought you was my friend, but now I see you have no regard for me at all."
Brer Coon spoke up. "I'm sure he meant both forequarters, Brer Wolf, right and left."
Brer Coon spoke up. "I'm sure he meant both forequarters, Brer Wolf, right and left."
Brer Wolf got even more angry. "Some friend you are, Brer Coon! I expected better of you."
Brer Wolf got even more angry. "Some friend you are, Brer Coon! I expected better of you."
Brer Possum squeaked, "Take the whole front half, Brer Wolf: head and neck and forequarters too."
Brer Possum squeaked, "Take the whole front half, Brer Wolf: head and neck and forequarters too."
Brer Wolf shook his fist at the Possum and yelled, "You ain't no friend of mine, I can see that now."
Brer Wolf shook his fist at the Possum and yelled, "You ain't no friend of mine, I can see that now."
Brer Turtle then chimed in, "If you just leave one of them back legs, that should be enough for us."
Brer Turtle then chimed in, "If you just leave one of them back legs, that should be enough for us."
Before Brer Wolf could start yelling at Brer Turtle, Brer Rabbit intervened. "Friends," he said, "friends! Stop and think on this for just a minute. Brer Wolf is a hungry animal, always is, always will be. I say we tie Brer Wolf right onto Mammy-Bammy and leave him till he's eaten every last bite he can eat. Us small folk don't need much; we can just pick the bones after he's done.
Before Brer Wolf could start yelling at Brer Turtle, Brer Rabbit intervened. "Friends," he said, "friends! Stop and think on this for just a minute. Brer Wolf is a hungry animal, always is, always will be. I say we tie Brer Wolf right onto Mammy-Bammy and leave him till he's eaten every last bite he can eat. Us small folk don't need much; we can just pick the bones after he's done.
"Brer Rabbit, my friend," exclaimed Brer Wolf, "my most good and loyal and true friend, I thank you. You are my honey-partner for sure!"
"Brer Rabbit, my friend," exclaimed Brer Wolf, "my most good and loyal and true friend, I thank you. You are my honey-partner for sure!"
So they tied Brer Wolf onto Mammy-Bammy, and he started chewing on her. But soon as he took his first bite: WHAM, up came Mammy-Bammy, writhing and jumping.
So they tied Brer Wolf onto Mammy-Bammy, and he started chewing on her. But soon as he took his first bite: WHAM, up came Mammy-Bammy, writhing and jumping.
And then Brer Wolf, he started to howl, "Get me off! Help! Untie me! This witch ain't dead yet! She's on the move!"
And then Brer Wolf, he started to howl, "Get me off! Help! Untie me! This witch ain't dead yet! She's on the move!"
Brer Rabbit shouted back, "She's dead for sure, Brer Wolf! Just bite her again and you'll see. Bite her again, Brer Wolf!"
Brer Rabbit shouted back, "She's dead for sure, Brer Wolf! Just bite her again and you'll see. Bite her again, Brer Wolf!"
Mammy-Bammy had flopped back down, so Brer Wolf did what Brer Rabbit told him and took another bite, but when he did that, Mammy-Bammy jumped up again and screamed like only a witch can scream. Then she started heading for the river, taking Brer Wolf with her.
Mammy-Bammy had flopped back down, so Brer Wolf did what Brer Rabbit told him and took another bite, but when he did that, Mammy-Bammy jumped up again and screamed like only a witch can scream. Then she started heading for the river, taking Brer Wolf with her.
"Help me, Brer Rabbit!" shouted the wolf. "She's not even close to dead."
"Help me, Brer Rabbit!" shouted the wolf. "She's not even close to dead."
"She's dead, Brer Wolf! I know she is! Bite her! Gnaw her! She's all yours, Brer Wolf, just like you wanted!"
"She's dead, Brer Wolf! I know she is! Bite her! Gnaw her! She's all yours, Brer Wolf, just like you wanted!"
By then, Mammy-Bammy had reached the end of the river and she fell right in with a kersplash bersplash and gurgle gurgle gurgle down into the water. That was the last anyone saw of Brer Wolf.
By then, Mammy-Bammy had reached the end of the river and she fell right in with a kersplash bersplash and gurgle gurgle gurgle down into the water. That was the last anyone saw of Brer Wolf.
Brer Rabbit then ran off to his Laughing Place where he laughed till he couldn't laugh no more. "You are my honey-partner for sure, Brer Wolf!" he cackled. "My sweet honey-partner, but now you are dead and gone."
Brer Rabbit then ran off to his Laughing Place where he laughed till he couldn't laugh no more. "You are my honey-partner for sure, Brer Wolf!" he cackled. "My sweet honey-partner, but now you are dead and gone."
As for Mammy-Bammy, she made it home just fine. Everything had gone according to plan, and getting bit was a fair price to pay. She took Brer Wolf's skin and hung it up on her wall. "That wolf might turn out useful after all," she thought to herself...
As for Mammy-Bammy, she made it home just fine. Everything had gone according to plan, and getting bit was a fair price to pay. She took Brer Wolf's skin and hung it up on her wall. "That wolf might turn out useful after all," she thought to herself...
Author's Note. I kept the plot the same as in the story reported by Joel Chandler Harris, just changing the details and telling the story in my own words. The phrase "honey partner" came from Harris, and I thought that was so charming, so I kept that. The idea for Brer Rabbit's "laughing-place" comes from a different story: "Brother Rabbit's Laughing-Place' in Harris's book Told by Uncle Remus. The laughing-place also figures in the Brer Rabbit Disney ride called Splash Mountain (thanks to Emily B. for reminding me about that!).
Author's Note. I kept the plot the same as in the story reported by Joel Chandler Harris, just changing the details and telling the story in my own words. The phrase "honey partner" came from Harris, and I thought that was so charming, so I kept that. The idea for Brer Rabbit's "laughing-place" comes from a different story: "Brother Rabbit's Laughing-Place' in Harris's book Told by Uncle Remus. The laughing-place also figures in the Brer Rabbit Disney ride called Splash Mountain (thanks to Emily B. for reminding me about that!).
The detail about the witch keeping the wolf skin at the end was inspired by the way she had a skin ready to use in Taily-Po. I was also thinking about the witch-wolf in another Joel Chandler Harris story: "Uncle Remus's Wonder Story" in the book Daddy Jake, The Runaway. In that story, a man marries a woman, but she's actually a witch-wolf in disguise. The man suspects nothing, but the farm animals can smell there is something wrong with her. When the woman goes to milk the cow, the cow refuses to go near her. The woman goes running off, jumping over the fence, and the man sees that she doesn't have human feet: she has wolf's feet!
The detail about the witch keeping the wolf skin at the end was inspired by the way she had a skin ready to use in Taily-Po. I was also thinking about the witch-wolf in another Joel Chandler Harris story: "Uncle Remus's Wonder Story" in the book Daddy Jake, The Runaway. In that story, a man marries a woman, but she's actually a witch-wolf in disguise. The man suspects nothing, but the farm animals can smell there is something wrong with her. When the woman goes to milk the cow, the cow refuses to go near her. The woman goes running off, jumping over the fence, and the man sees that she doesn't have human feet: she has wolf's feet!
I also like the similarity between this story and the Aesop's fable of the lion's share. In that story, the lion goes hunting a goat, a sheep, and a cow as his hunting partners. When they catch a deer, the lion divides into four parts, and he ends up taking all the parts for himself, the proverbial "lion's share." In this story, the wolf expected to take everything for himself too, but things did not work out as he planned. Instead, it all went according to the plan of Brer Rabbit and Mammy-Bammy Big-Money. They are a dangerous duo when working in tandem!
I also like the similarity between this story and the Aesop's fable of the lion's share. In that story, the lion goes hunting a goat, a sheep, and a cow as his hunting partners. When they catch a deer, the lion divides into four parts, and he ends up taking all the parts for himself, the proverbial "lion's share." In this story, the wolf expected to take everything for himself too, but things did not work out as he planned. Instead, it all went according to the plan of Brer Rabbit and Mammy-Bammy Big-Money. They are a dangerous duo when working in tandem!
Bibliography. The original story is "Brother Wolf Falls a Victim" from the book Nights with Uncle Remus by Joel Chandler Harris. Online here.
Bibliography. The original story is "Brother Wolf Falls a Victim" from the book Nights with Uncle Remus by Joel Chandler Harris. Online here.
The illustrations are both by James Affleck Shepherd. The top illustration is from the title page of Uncle Remus, or Mr. Fox, Mr. Rabbit, and Mr. Terrapin and the illustration for the events of the story comes from Nights with Uncle Remus.
The illustrations are both by James Affleck Shepherd. The top illustration is from the title page of Uncle Remus, or Mr. Fox, Mr. Rabbit, and Mr. Terrapin and the illustration for the events of the story comes from Nights with Uncle Remus.
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