Trickster Tale

There was an old soldier who had been long in the wars—so long, that he was quite out-at-elbows, and he did not know where to go to find a living. So he walked up moors, down glens, till at last…

Once upon a time there was a woman, and she baked five pies. And when they came out of the oven, they were that overbaked the crusts were too hard to eat. So she says to her daughter: “Darter,” says…

Once upon a time there was a man and a wife had too many children, and they could not get meat for them, so they took the three youngest and left them in a wood. They travelled and travelled and…

Lady Mary was young, and Lady Mary was fair. She had two brothers, and more lovers than she could count. But of them all, the bravest and most gallant, was a Mr. Fox, whom she met when she was down…

Once upon a time there was a boy whose name was Jack, and he lived with his mother on a common. They were very poor, and the old woman got her living by spinning, but Jack was so lazy that…

Once upon a time there was an old man, and an old woman, and a little boy. One morning the old woman made a Johnny-cake, and put it in the oven to bake. “You watch the Johnny-cake while your father…

” What did Brother Rabbit do after that?” the little boy asked presently. “Now, den, you don’t wanter push ole Brer Rabbit too close,” replied Uncle Remus significantly. “He mighty tender-footed creetur, en de mo’ w’at you push ‘im, de…

One night when the little boy made his usual visit to Uncle Remus, he found the old man sitting up in his chair fast asleep. The child said nothing. He was prepared to exercise a good deal of patience upon…

” Uncle Remus,” said the child, “do you reckon Brother Rabbit really married the young lady?” “Bless yo’ soul, honey,” responded the old man, with a sigh, “hit b’long ter Brer Jack fer ter tell you dat. ‘T aint none…

The next night the little boy hardly waited to eat his supper before going to Uncle Remus’s house; and when Aunt Tempy failed to put in an appearance as early as he thought necessary, he did not hesitate to go…

One night while the little boy was sitting in Uncle Remus’s cabin, waiting for the old man to finish his hoe-cake, and refresh his memory as to the further adventures of Brother Rabbit, his friends and his enemies, something dropped…

” Uncle Remus,” said the little boy, one night, when he found the old man sitting alone in his cabin, “did you ever see Mammy-Bammy Big-Money?” Uncle Remus placed his elbows on his knees, rested his chin in the palms…

The little boy had heard Uncle Remus lamenting that his candle was getting rather short, and he made it his business to go around the house and gather all the pieces he could find. He carried these to the old…

” I ‘clar’ ter gracious, honey,” Uncle Remus exclaimed one night, as the little boy ran in, “you sholy aint chaw’d yo’ vittles. Hit aint bin no time, skacely, sence de supper-bell rung, en ef you go on dis a-way,…

The next night Daddy Jack was still away when the little boy went to see Uncle Remus, and the child asked about him. “Bless yo’ soul, honey! don’t ax me ’bout Brer Jack. He look lak he mighty ole en…

” Eve’y time I run over in my min’ ’bout the pranks er Brer Rabbit,” Uncle Remus continued, without giving the little boy time to ask any more embarrassing questions about Mr. Man and his wagon full of money, “hit…

When Uncle Remus was in a good humor he turned the most trifling incidents into excuses for amusing the little boy with his stories. One night while he was hunting for a piece of candle on the shelf that took…

One night, when the little boy had grown tired of waiting for a story, he looked at Uncle Remus and said: “I wonder what ever became of old Brother Tarrypin.” Uncle Remus gave a sudden start, glanced all around the…