Story: When Brer Rabbit Help Brer Terrapin
Book: “Negro Tales from Georgia,” in Journal of American Folklore v. 25
Author(s): Emma Backus and Ethel Leitner
Published: 1912
Internet Archive link.

Notes: This is one of the stories recorded by Emma Backus. I’ve removed the eye-dialect removed, plus I’ve edited for paragraphing and punctuation.

When Brer Rabbit Help Brer Terrapin

In the old days Brer Wolf he have a mighty grudge against Brer Terrapin, Brer Wolf do, and one day Brer Wolf come up with old Brer Terrapin in the woods, and he say, Brer Wolf do, how he just going to make a end of Old Brer Terrapin. But Brer Terrapin he just draw in his foots and shut the door, and he draw in his arms and shut the door, and then if the old man don’t bodaciously draw in his head and shut the door right in Brer Wolf’s face.

That make old Brer Wolf mighty angry, sure it naturally do, but he bound he ain’t going to be outdone that a-way, and he study about how he going smash Brer Terrapin’s house in, but there ain’t no rock there, and he feared to leave the old man, ’cause he know directly he leave him the old chap gonna open the doors of his house and tote hisself off.

Well, while Brer Wolf study about it, here come Brer Rabbit; but he make like he don’t see Brer Wolf, ’cause they ain’t the bestest of friends in them days, Brer Wolf and Brer Rabbit ain’t, no, that they ain’t. But Brer Wolf he call out, he do, “O Brer Rabbit, Brer Rabbit, come here!”

So Brer Rabbit he draw up, and he see Old Brer Terrapin’s house with the doors all shut, and he say, “Morning, Brer Terrapin!” but Brer Terrapin never crack his door.

So Brer Wolf say, he do, “Brer Rabbit, you stay here and watch the old man, while I go and fetch a rock to smash his house!” and Brer Wolf he take hisself off.

Directly Brer Wolf gone, old Brer Terrapin he open his door and peek out. Now, Brer Rabbit and Brer Terrapin was the best friends in the old time; and Brer Rabbit, he say, he do, “Now, Brer Terrapin, Brer Wolf done gone for to tote a rock to smash your house;” and Brer Terrapin say he going move on.

Then Brer Rabbit know if Brer Wolf come back and find he let Brer Terrapin make off with his house, Brer Wolf gonna fault hisself, and Brer Wolf are a strong man, and he are a bad man, and poor old Brer Rabbit he take his hindermost hand and he scratch his head, and clip off right smart. Brer Rabbit was a pert man them days.

Directly he come up with old Sis Cow, and he say, “Howdy, Sis Cow! Is you got a tick you could lend out to your friends?” and he take a tick and tote it back, and put it on the rock just where Brer Terrapin was.

Presently here come Brer Wolf back, toting a big rock, and he see Brer Rabbit just tearing his hair and fanning his hands, and crying, “Oh, dear! Oh, dear! I’se feared of my power, I’se feared of my power!”

But Brer Wolf he say, “Where old man Terrapin gone with his house? I done told you to watch.”

But Brer Rabbit he only cry the more, and he say, “That what I done tell you, don’t you see what my power done done? There all what left of poor old Brer Terrapin right there.” And Brer Rabbit he look that sorrowful-like, he near about broke down, and he point to the cow-tick.

But Brer Wolf he done live on the plantation with Brer Rabbit many a day, and Brer Wolf he say, “Quit your fooling, old man. You done turn Brer Terrapin loose, and I just going to use this yer rock to smash your head.”

Then Brer Rabbit he make haste to make out to Brer Wolf how that little chap surely are all what’s left of poor old Brer Terrapin. And Brer Rabbit, he make out how the power are in his left eye to make a big man perish away, and Brer Rabbit he allow how he just happen to strike his left eye on his old friend Brer Terrapin, and directly he get smaller and smaller, till that all there be left of the poor old man. When Brer Rabbit say that, he turn and cut his left eye sharp at Brer Wolf, Brer Rabbit do. Brer Wolf, he just look once on the little tick, and he say, “Don’t look at me, Brer Rabbit! Don’t look at me!” and Brer Wolf he strike out, and he just burn the wind for the woods.

Then Brer Rabbit he clip it off down the road till he come up with old Brer Terrapin, and they strike a fire, and make a good pot of coffee, and talk it over.

Painted turtle hiding in shell https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hiding_Painted_Turtle.jpg