Week 7 Story: Brer Rabbit Catches the Big One

Brer Rabbit HATED working, especially when Brer Fox was presented. He knew that the fields had to be tended if he and his family were to have food, but Brer Rabbit was tired, and just wanted to take a nap instead. Brer Fox would not stop talking, and Brer Rabbit just had to get away. If he was careful, he knew he could sneak away from the crop without Brer Bear and the others noticing. So, Brer Rabbit bided his time, and when a moment of distraction came, he bounded off into the forest.
______________________________________________________________________________

An idyllic well, but is it good for naps?

Brer Rabbit had not been gone long when he came upon a clearing in the forest with a small well in the middle. Admiring the well bucket, Mr. Rabbit thought it might be an excellent and cozy place for a snooze. Surely Brer Fox could not find him there. He hopped right in, and to his dismay, was lowered directly into the water below. Suddenly trapped, Brer Rabbit started to PANIC.
______________________________________________________________________________

Brer Fox was ASTONISHED. He had snuck away behind the Rabbit, determined that this would the best opportunity since the Tar Baby to embarrass Brer Rabbit. Leave it to that vermin to weasel his way out of work, and probably only to go fishing. But without warning, Brer Rabbit had disappeared from the Fox's sight.

At that time, Brer Fox heard a SPLASH. He peaked his head over the edge of the well, only to find Brer Rabbit sitting in the bucket at the bottom. Immediately, Brer Fox began to wonder what Brer Rabbit could possible be up to at the bottom of a well. Could he be hiding treasure of some sort? Or was this another trick intended to make a monkey of Brer Fox?
______________________________________________________________________________

"Hello, Mr. Fox!" called Brer Rabbit. "Fancy meeting you here!"

"Brer Rabbit," retorted the Fox, "what are you hiding down there? Gold and riches?!"

"Of course not, silly Fox. I've skipped out on work to go fishing."

How stupid did the Rabbit think Brer Fox was? Of course he knew there weren't fish at the bottom of a drinking well. But, he decided to play Brer Rabbit's game, if only to learn where it led.

"I'm sure the fishing in the well is EXCEPTIONAL," said Brer Fox, heavily laying on the sarcasm.

"It sure is. I've found catfish bigger than me, and am working on a catch large enough for lunch for our crew as they finish today's job. Why don't you come down and help, Brer Fox? You'd be the hero of the day, discovering a new fishing hole and feeding everyone from it."

That foolish Rabbit must find the Fox so gullible. But still, the Brer Fox could not resist the opportunity to show up Brer Rabbit. He would go down into the well and find out what the Rabbit was truly doing.

"Okay, Brer Rabbit, how do I get down?"

"Climb into the bucket, Brer Fox," said the Rabbit, innocently.
______________________________________________________________________________

As Brer Fox fell into the well, Brer Rabbit was drawn UP, UP, UP. As he passed the Fox, he laughed, knowing he had succeeded in his trickery and captured a very big fish indeed.

"Goodbye, Brer Fox! Don't get too wet!"

Author's Note: "Brer Rabbit Catches the Big One" is a retelling of Old Mr. Rabbit, He's a Good Fisherman. The original story proceeds in much the same way, with Brer Rabbit skipping work to take a nap, and landing himself at the bottom of a well. In this version, however, I worked to make his rivalry with Brer Fox more apparent. I also rewrote the ending. This time, Brer Rabbit leaves Brer Fox trapped, instead of sending humans to retrieve him. Ultimately, I think my ending better depicts the relationship between the Fox and the Rabbit.