More of Brer Rabbit's Tricks

Abstract

Up until now I have had the 1994 paperback version by Hyperion. Here is the earlier hardbound reprinting of the original 1968 book by Young Scott. As I wrote of that copy, this verse rendition of Brer Rabbit's further adventures is delightful. My hat is off to Rees for writing intelligible verse. The stories here include Brer Fox Bags a Lesson; Fishing for Suckers; and Brer Rabbit's Visit to Aunt Mammy-Bammy. The first story has Brer Rabbit playing dead twice in order to get Brer Fox to lay down his bag of cheese. Of course Brer Rabbit succeeds in walking away with Brer Fox's prize cheese. The second story's title is meant, I think, to suggest two ironically different understandings. Brer Rabbit is indeed fishing for suckers, as he tells Brer Fox. The latter is the chief sucker for whom he fishes! The plot is actually the story of the buckets in the well. Brer Rabbit is clever enough to get the fox to lift up Brer Rabbit's bucket by getting into the second, counterweight bucket. The third story is less a simple trickster tale. Brer Rabbit is depressed. He takes off on a journey to see his attorney. In fact, he visits the witch, Aunt Mammy-Bammy Big-Money. She wants the nearby squirrel. Brer Rabbit catches her by a strange trick. Now Aunt Mammy-Bammy wants a nearby snake. Brer Rabbit tricks him into stretching out his full length along the ground. Pretending to measure him, Brer Rabbit gets a noose around his neck and brings him to Aunt Mammy-Bammy. She complements him, and he has his spirits back about him. As to the illustrations, one would not have thought that orange, brown, and green could yield so much! Do not miss the frog who has hoisted himself onto the rim of Brer Rabbit's bucket in the well in the second story. A tour de force is the double-page showing Brer Rabbit's travels to get to Aunt Mammy-Bammy.