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(Alabama. A. B. Johnson, April 27, 1937)'Way back in de old days when de creaturs was all people, Br'er Fox give a log rollin' and invite all deneighborhood. And dey all come to de log rollin'. Br'er Possum was dere, and Br'er Rabbit and all de rest. Old Sis
Fox and some de neighbor women was fixin' de dinner. Dey done de churnin' too, and Sis Fox go set de bucket ofbutter in de spring where it be good and cool for de big dinner.Br'er Rabbit he keep cuttin' he eye roun all de time, and he see Sis Fox put de butter in de spring. At dat he grin to
hisse'f and lick his mouf. When dey start rollin' de logs Br'er Rabbit right dar wid he shoulder down jest a-gruntin'.
But he ain't do no wuk.'Long up in de mornin' when de sun get hot Br'er Rabbit he let out a big holler: "Hooee, Br'er Fox, got to run backhome a li'l while!"
"Whut de matta now, Br'er Rabbit?""My wife gwine bring me a new heir."Den Br'er Rabbit he run over in de woods like he takin' de shawtcut home. But he jest creep round to de spring and
take up dat bucket of butter and eat it all. Den he wipe he mouf and he hands and lay down in de shade to take anap.Jest 'fore dinnertime he git up and come out of de woods walkin' slow and proud.Br'er Fox see him and holler, "Well, has you got de new heir, Br'er Rabbit?"Br'er Rabbit say, "unhunh, got a new heir."Br'er Fox say, "What you name dissun?"
Br'er Rabbit say, "he name Lickbottom." Br'er Rabbit tole dat kase he done lick de bottom of de butterbucket.Br'er Fox say, "Well, dat sho is fine; sho' hope he does well. And now it's 'bout de middle of de day, so le's knockoff and git dinner."
So dey all go up to de house, and Br'er Fox he go down to de spring to git de butter. When he git dere he find all de
butter gone.Br'er Fox he go back to de house and he say, "Somebody done been to de spring and et all de butter. Any of you-allde one what done it?"
Dey all say dey ain't seen no butter. Den Br'er Fox he say, "Well ain't nobody else been 'round heah so somebody
tole a lie. On'y way we kin find out is hold everbody up to de fiah and make de butter run out de one what done it." Dey all 'greed to dat and den dey start holdin' one nother up to de fiah, startin' off wid Br'er Possum kase he de greasiest lookin'. But ain't no butter run out Br'er Possum. So dey keep on till dey git to Br'er Rabbit, and when dey hold him up, here come all de butter runnin' out.
Den dey all say, "Unhunh, Br'er Rabbit got de butter. What us gwine do wid him?"
Some say th'ow him in de fiah and some day th'ow him in de brierpatch. Br'er Rabbit he don't say nothin'.
Den Br'er Fox say, "Br'er Rabbit which one you ruther us do?"
Br'er Rabbit he say, "Th'ow me in de fiah, please, Br'er Fox; dem ole briers jest tear my eyes out if you th'ow me in de brierpatch."
So dey tuk him and th'owed him in de brierpatch. And Br'er Rabbit he shook hese'f and jump 'way up on de hill and laugh and say: "Thank you, Br'er Fox. I was bred and born in uh brierpatch!"
Reference: Annie Reed, colored, age about 80, 2013 Ave. L., Ensley. April 27, 1937.
Annie Reed, who told this tale, is an ex-slave who was born on the plantation of James Montgomery, in Talladega County, Alabama. She gave it as one of the stories told in her childhood by her mother and other slaves in the "Quarters."
