Story: In The Pot
Book: “Folklore from St. Helena, South Carolina” in the Journal of American Folklore, volume 38
Author(s): Elsie Clews Parsons
Published: 1925
Internet Archive link.

Notes: Lightly edited for paragraphing and punctuation. I also changed the “Shinerly Shinly” to “Shinerly Shinely.” Parsons collected these stories from students at the Penn School in St. Helena in 1923. The school, founded in 1862, was the first school for African American children in the southern United States. It served as a school until 1948, and is now a museum and cultural center.

Wolf and Rabbit in the Pot

Once upon a time Brer Rabbit said to Brer Wolf, “Come and let us go into the woods and get some wood.” So they went and get their wood. After they have got their wood, Brer Rabbit said to Brer Wolf again, “Now let us go and get a big boiling pot large enough to hold one of us at a time.” The plan please Brer Wolf very much, because he was very willing to do any thing Brer Rabbit told him to do.

They went and made up a little fire, put on their pot of water. Brer Rabbit said to Brer Wolf, “When one of us go in the pot, we must say to one another: I am a Shinerly Shinely.” Brer Rabbit went in the pot for the first time. And when he got tired staying in the boiler, he said, “Brer Wolf, I am a Shinerly Shinely.” Brer Wolf took the top of the boiler and Brer Rabbit came out heartily.

Brer Wolf went in for the second time, and when he got tired staying in the boiler, he said, “Brer Rabbit, I am Shinerly Shinely,” and Brer Rabbit took the top of the boiler and out jumped Brer Wolf still heartily. They done this trick several times.

So Brer Rabbit said, “Brer Wolf, I tired with this plan. You go in for the last time and let us quit.” Brer Wolf done as he was told. And when he was tired staying in the boiler he said, “Brer Rabbit, I am Shinerly Shinely. ”

Brer Rabbit said, “Ah! You can Shinerly Shinely just as much as you wish, but I am not going to let you out no more. ”

So Brer Rabbit went outdoors and got a arm full of wood, came back into the house and cooked Brer Wolf, and I guess you ought to know what happen.

Stepped on the tin, the tin bended.
That is the way my story ended.

wolf with mouth openHillebrand Steve, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Photo of red wolf at Pixnio, https://pixnio.com/fauna-animals/foxes-and-wolves/wonderful-close-shot-of-the-beautiful-red-wolf-canis-rufus