Story: Brer Rabbit’s Cool Air Swing
Book: Folk-Tales from Georgia, in Journal of American Folklore, v. 13.
Author(s): Emma Backus
Published: 1900
Internet Archive link.

Notes: Eye-dialect removed, plus editing for paragraphing, and punctuation.

Brer Rabbit’s Cool Air Swing

Mr. Man he have a fine garden. Brer Rabbit he visit Mr. Man’s garden every day and destroy the lastest thing in it, till Mr. Man plumb wore out with old Brer Rabbit. Mr. Man he set a trap for old Brer Rabbit down alongside the big road.

One day when Mr. Man going down to the cross-roads, he look in his trap, and sure enough, there old Brer Rabbit. Mr. Man he say, “Oh! So, old man, here you is. Now I’ll have you for my dinner.” Mr. Man he take a cord from his pocket, and tie Brer Rabbit high on a limb of a sweet gum tree, and he leave Brer Rabbit swinging there till he come back from the cross-roads, when he aim to fetch Brer Rabbit home and cook him for his dinner.

Brer Rabbit he swing this a-way in the wind and that a-way in the wind, and he swing this a-way in the wind and that a-way in the wind, and he think he time done come. Poor old Brer Rabbit don’t know where he’s at.

Presently here come Brer Wolf loping down the big road. When Brer Wolf see old Brer Rabbit swinging this a-way and that a-way in the wind, Brer Wolf he stop short and he say, “God almighty, man! What you doing up there?”

Brer Rabbit he say, “This just my cool air swing. I just taking a swing this morning.”

But Brer Rabbit he just know Brer Wolf going to make way with him. Brer Rabbit he just turn it over in his mind which way he going to get to. The wind it swing poor Brer Rabbit way out this a-way and way out that a-way. While Brer Rabbit swinging, he work his brain, too.

Brer Wolf he say, “Brer Rabbit, I got you fast; now I going eat you up.”

Brer Rabbit he say, “Brer Wolf, open your mouth and shut your eyes, and I’ll jump plumb in your mouth.”

So Brer Wolf turn his head up and shut his eyes. Brer Rabbit he feel in his pocket and take out some pepper, and Brer Rabbit he throw it plumb down Brer Wolf’s throat. Brer Wolf he nigh about distracted with the misery. He cough and he roll in the dirt, and he get up and he strike out for home, coughing to beat all.

And Brer Rabbit he swing this a-way and that a-way in the wind.

Presently here come Brer Squirrel. When Brer Squirrel he see the wind swing Brer Rabbit way out this a-way and way out that a-way, Brer Squirrel he that astonished, he stop short. Brer Squirrel he say, “‘Fore the Lord, Brer Rabbit, what you done done to yourself this here time?”

Brer Rabbit he say, “This here my cool air swing, Brer Squirrel. I taking a fine swing this morning.” And the wind it swing Brer Rabbit way out this a-way and way back that a-way. Brer Rabbit he fold his hands, and look mighty restful and happy, like he sitting back fanning hisself on his front porch.

Brer Squirrel he say, “Please sir, Brer Rabbit, let me try your swing one time.”

Brer Rabbit he say, “Certainly, Brer Squirrel, you do me proud,” and Brer Rabbit he make like he make haste to turn hisself loose. Presently Brer Rabbit he say, “Come up here, Brer Squirrel, and give me a hand with this knot,” and Brer Squirrel he make haste to go up and turn Brer Rabbit loose, and Brer Rabbit he make Brer Squirrel fast to the cord.

The wind it swing Brer Squirrel way out this a-way and way out that a-way, and Brer Squirrel he think it fine.

Brer Rabbit he say, “I go down to the spring to get a fresh drink. You can swing till I come back.”

Brer Squirrel he say, “Take your time, Brer Rabbit, take your time.” Brer Rabbit he take his time, and scratch out for home fast as he can go, and he ain’t caring how long Brer Squirrel swing.

Brer Squirrel he swing this a-way and he swing that a-way, and he think it fine.

Presently here come Mr. Man. When Mr. Man he see Brer Squirrel, he plumb astonished. He say, “Oh! So, old man, I done hear of many and many your fine tricks, but I never done hear you turn yourself into a squirrel before. Powerful kind of you, Brer Rabbit, to give me fine squirrel dinner.”

Mr. Man he take Brer Squirrel home and cook him for dinner.

Rabbit in Louisiana, from Pixnio. https://pixnio.com/fauna-animals/bunny-rabbit/rabbit-in-louisiana