XII. Translation: Mr. Fox Tackles Old Man Tarrypin

XII.

MR. FOX TACKLES OLD MAN TARRYPIN  *

"One day, said Uncle Remus, sharpening his knife on the palm of his hand -- "one day Brer Fox strike up wid Brer Tarrypin right in de middle of the big road.  Brer Tarrypin heard him coming, and he allowed to himself that he'd sort of keep one eye open; but Brer Fox was monstrous polite, and he opened up the confab he did, like he aint' see Brer Tarrypin since the last freshit. FN 1

" 'Heyo, Brer Tarrypin, where you been this long come short?' says Bref Fox, says he.

" ' Lounging around, Brer Fox, lounging around," says Brer Tarrypin.

" 'You don't look sprucy like you did, Brer Tarrypin,' says Brer Fox, says he.

" 'Lounging around and suffering,' says Brer Tarrypin, says he.

" 'Lord, Brer Fox, you don't know hwat trouble is. You ain't been lounging around and suffering,' says Brer Tarrypin, says he.

" 'Both eyes red, and you look like you mighty weak, Brer Tarrypin, says he.

" 'What ails you now, Brer Tarrypin?' says Brer Fox, says he.

" 'Took a walk, the other day, and man come along and set the field afire.  Lord, Brer Fox, you don't know what trouble is,' says Brer Tarrypin, says he.

" 'How you get out off the fire, Brer Tarrypin,' says he. 

" 'Sort of took it, Brer Fox,' says Brer Tarrypin, says he.  'Sort of took it, and the smoke sift in my eye, and the fire scorched my back,' says Brer Tarrypin, says he.

" 'Likewise it burned your tail off,' says Brer Fox, says he.

" 'Oh no, there's the tail, Brer Fox,' says Brer Tarrypin, says he, and with that he uncurled his tail from under the shell, and no sooner did he do that than Brer Fox grab it and holler out:

" 'Oh, yes, Brer Tarrypin! Oh yes! And so you're the man what lam me on the head at Mis Meadows's (FN 2) is you? Well, I'm going to out you.'

"Brer Tarrypin beg and beg, but it wasn't any use.  Brer Fox had been fooled so much that he looked like he was determined to have Brer Tarrypin haslett FN 2.  Then Brer Tarrypin begged Brer Fox not to drown him, but Brer Fox was making no promise, and then he begged Brer Fox to burn him, in case he was used to fire, but Brer Fox don't say nothing.  By and by Brer Fox dragged Brer Tarrypin off a little ways below the spring-house, and shoves him under the water.  The Brer Tarrypin begin to holler:

" 'Turn loose that stump root and catch hold of me -- turn loose that stump root and catch hold of me.'

"Brer Fox he holler back:

" 'I ain't got hold of no stump root, and I have got hold of you.'

"Brer Tarrypin he kept on hollering:

" 'Catch hold of me -- I'm drowning -- I'm drowning -- turn loose the stump root and catch hold of me.'

"Sure enough, Brer Fox turned loose the tail, and Brer Tarrypin, he want down to the bottom -- kerblunkity-blink!"

No typographical combination or description could do justice to the gutteral sonorousness -- the peculiar intonation -- which Uncle Remus imparted to this combination.  It was so peculiar, indeed, that the little boy askede:

"How did he go to the bottom, Uncle Remus?"

"Kerblunkity-blink!"

"Was he drowned, Uncle Remus?"

"Who?  Ole man Tarrypin? Is you drownded when your ma tucks you in the bed?"

"Well, no," replied the little boy, dubiously.

"Ole man Tarrypin was at home I tell you, honey.  Kerblinkity-blunk!"


.................................................................
*  Tarrypin - a terrapin, or kind of "Chelonian" -- of which there appear to be three kinds.  One is a turtle (sea-farer), and another is a tortoise (land-lubber).  A terrapin, however is different.  It lives in or near brackish water, part salt; or fresh water;  and its shell is in two parts, joined at the center. Horny mouths, no teeth.  See more at  ://www.planetozkids.com/oban/animals/animal-facts-terrapin.htm/

FN 1  Freshit.  Perhaps a flood.  See these references, fair use of tiny bits:

"Y-a-as — y-a-as," drawled old Toler, "but you know's 
well as I do that ther great freshit of four year' ago 
turned that crick outen ther old bed an' it cut right 
inter the path of that little brook of mine, ****"

from http://www.archive.org/stream/leftincharge00morrgoog/leftincharge00morrgoog_djvu.txt/.

And this one: " 'Yes, pard,' he said, 'that's the real stuff an' no mistake. We've 
struck it now ! An' to think that that there freshit what we thought 
was goin' to destroy all our work has jest done the hull thing fer us ! '***"

from http://www.archive.org/stream/outwestland12archrich/outwestland12archrich_djvu.txt/ 
 

FN 2.  Mis Meadows' is the local ladies entertainment house. What was the event with Brer Tarrypin?  Look back at Chapter X - Mr. Terrapin Appears Upon the Scene.  Remember that Terrapin is Tarrypin. 

FN 3. Haslett - derivation unknown. "have Brer Tarrypin haslett" - have Brer Tarrypin himself?

XI. Translation. Mr. Wolf Makes A Failure

XI

.

MR. WOLF MAKES A FAILURE

.

"I bet your ma got company," said Uncle Remus, as the little boy entered the old man's door with a huge piece of mince-pie in his hand. "And if she ain't got company, then she dropped the cupboard key somewhere where you run up with it."

"Well, I saw the pie lying there, Uncle Remus, and I just thought I'd fetch it out to you."

"To be sure, honey," replied the old man, regarding the child with admiration. "To be sure, honey, that changes matters.  Christmas doings is out of date, and they ain't got no business laying around loose.  Dish your pie," Uncle Remus continued, holding it up and measuring it with an experienced eye. "Give me strength to pursue after Brer Fox and Brer Rabbit and the other creatures that they roped in along with them."

Here the old man paused, and proceeded to demolish the pie -- a feat accomplished in a very short time.  Then he wiped the crumbs from his beard and began:

"Brer Fox felt so bad, and he got so mad 'bout Brer Rabbit, that he didn't know what to do, and he looked mighty down-hearted.  By and by, one day while he was going along the road, old Brer Wolf came up with them.  When they done howdying and asking after one another's family connection, Brer Wolf, he allowed, he did, that there was something wrong with Brer Fox, and Brer Fox, he allowed there weren't, and he went on and laugh and make great to-do 'cause Brer Wolf looked like he suspected something.  But Brer Wolf, he got a mighty long head (FN 1) and he sort of broached about Brer Rabbit's carryings on, because the way that Brer Rabbit deceived Brer Fox had got to be the talk of the neighborhood.  Then Brer Fox and Brer Wolf they sort of palavered * on, they did, until by and by Brer Wolf he up and said that he had a plan fixed  to trap Brer Rabbit.  Then Brer Fox say how.  Then Brer Wolf up and tell him that the way to get the drop on Brer Rabbit was to get him in Brer Fox House.  Brer Fox knew Brer Rabbit had a hole, and he know that sort of game done wore him to a frazzle, but Brer Wolf, he talked mighty persuading.

" 'How you going to get him there?' says Brer Fox, says he.

" 'Fool him there,' says Brer Wolf, says he.

" 'Who going to do the fooling,' says Brer Fox, says he.

" 'I'll do the fooling,' says Brer Wolf, says he, 'if you'll do the gaming,' says he.

" 'How you going to do it?' says Brer Fox, says he.

" 'You run along home, and get on the bed, and make you're dead, and don't you say nothing until Brer Rabbit comes in and put his hands on to you,' says Brer Wolf, says he, 'and if we don't get him for supper, Joe's dead and Sal's a widow,' says he.

"This looked like a mighty nice game, and Brer Fox agreed. So then he ambled off home, and Brer Wolf, he marched off to Brer Rabbit's house. When he got there, it looked like nobody at home, but Brer Wolf he walk up and knock on the door' --blam! blam!  Nobody came.  Then he let loose and knock again -- blim! blim!

" 'Who's there?" says Brer Rabbit, says he.

" 'Friend,' says Brer wolf.

" 'Too many friends spoils the dinner,' says Brer Rabbit, says he, 'which one's this?' says he.

" 'I fetch bad news, Brer Rabbit,' says Brer Wolf, says he.

" 'Bad news is soon told,' says Brer Rabbit, says he.

"By this time, Brer Rabbit done come to the door, with his head tied up in a red handkerchief.

" 'Brer Fox died this morning,' says Brer Wolf, says he.

" 'Where's your mourning gown, Brer Wolf?' says Brer Rabbit, says he.

" 'Going after it now,' says Brer Wolf, says he.  'I just called by for to bring the news.  I went down to Brer Fox house a little bit ago, and there I found him stiff,' says he.

"Then Brer Wolf loped off.  Brer Rabbit sat down and scratched his head, he did, and by and by he say to himself that he believe he sort of drop around by Brer Fox house for to see how the land lay.  No sooner said than done.  Up he jumped, and out he went.  When Brer Rabbit got close to Brer Fox house, all looked lonesome.  Then he went up nigh.  Nobody stirring.  Then he looked in, and there lay Brer Fox stretched out on the bed just as big as life.  Then Brer Rabbit made like he was talking to himself.

" 'Nobody around for to look after Brer Fox --  not even Brer Turkey Buzzard ain't come to the funeral,' says he. 'I hope Brer Fox ain't dead, but I expect he is,' says he. 'Even down to Brer Wolf done gone and left him.  It's the busy season with me, but I'll set up with him.  He seems like he dead, yet he may not be,' says Brer  Rabbit, says hee.  'When a man goes to see dead folks, dead folks always raises up their behind leg and hollers, wahoo! says he.

" 'Brer Fox he stay still.  Then Brer Rabbit he talk a little louder:

" 'Mighty funny.  Brer Fox looks like he dead, yet he don't do like he's dead.  Dead folks hoists their behind leg and hollers wahoo! when a man come to see him,' says Brer Rabbit, says he.

"Sure enough, Brer Fox lifted up his foot and holler wahoo! and Brer Rabbit he tear out of the house like the dogs was after him.  Brer Wolf mighty smart, but next time you hear from him, honey, he'll be in trouble.  You just hold your breath and wait."

---------------------------------------

* Palaver - a long discussion or "parley" between people of different culture levels or sophistication; beguiling or idle speech, see ://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/PALAVER/  From late Latin, "parable" to Portuguese "palavra" or word.

FN 1 - Dialect, idiom.  Long head.  A long face, or "sad"?  Not necessarily at all.

Other uses:  Abraham Lincoln, the lawyer, was said to have a long head for managing a case, in the views who wanted his services, "and he's honest and friendly to us...." See ://www.archive.org/stream/graysonsstoryofa00eggluoft/graysonsstoryofa00eggluoft_djvu.txt/ (do a search for "long head")

Here is means, perhaps, independence - "a long head of your own" - see http://www.archive.org/stream/nellyssilvermine00jackiala/nellyssilvermine00jackiala_djvu.txt/

Here it seems to mean courage - see ://infomotions.com/etexts/gutenberg/dirs/1/0/0/3/10038/10038.txt/

X. Translation. Mr. Terrapin Appears Upon The Scene

X.


MR. TERRAPIN APPEARS UPON THE SCENE
.

“Miss Sally’s” little boy again occupying the anxious position of auditor, Uncle Remus took the shovel and put the noses of the hunks together, FN 1 as he expressed it, and then began:
.

“One day, after Sis Cow done run past her own shadow trying for to catch him. Brer Rabbit took and allowed that he was going to drop in and see Miss Meadows and the gals, and he got out his piece of looking glass and primped up, he did, and set out.  Going cantering along the road, who should Brer Rabbit run up with but old Brer Terrapin – the same old one and sixpence. FN 2   Brer Rabbi stopped, he did, and rapped on the roof of Brer Terrapin’s house.
.

“On the roof of his house, Uncle Remus?” interrupted the little boy.
.

“  ‘Course honey, Brer Terrapin carries his house with him.  Rain or shine, hot or cold, strike up with old Brer Terrapin when you will and while you may, and where you find him, there you’ll find his shanty.  It’s just like I tell you. So then! Brer Rabbit he rapped on the roof of Brer Terrapin’s house, he did, and asked was he in, and Brer Terrapin allowed that he was, and then Brer Rabbit he asked him howdy, and ten Brer Terrapin he likewise respond howdy, and then Brer Rabbit he say where was Brer Terrapin gong, and Brer Terrapin, he say which he weren’t going nowhere scarcely. Then Brer Rabbit allow he was on his way for to see Miss Meadows and the gals, and he asked Brer Terrapin if he won’t join in and go along, and Brer Terrapin respond he don’t care if he do, and they they set out.  They had plenty of time for confabbing along the way, but by and by they got there, and Miss Meadows and the gals they came to the door, the did, and asked them in, and in they went.
.

“When they got in, Brer Terrapin was so flat-footed that he was too low on the floor, and he weren’t high enough in a chair, but while they was all scrabbling around trying for to get Brer Terrapin a chair Brer Rabbit, he pick him up and put him on the shelf where the water bucket sat, and old Brer Terrapin, he lay back up there, he did, just as proud as a nigger with a cooked ‘possum.
.

“ Course the talk fell on Brer Fox, and Miss Meadows and the gals make a great admiration about what a gaily riding-horse Brer Fox was, and they make lots of fun, and laugh and giggle sake like gals does these days.  Brer Rabbit, he set there in the chair smoking his cigar, and he sort of clear up his throat, and say, says he:
.

“ ‘I’d have rid him over this morning, ladies,’ says he, ‘but I rid him so hard yesterday that he went lame in the off fore leg, and I expect I’ll have to swop him off yet,’ says he.
.

“Then Brer Terrapin, he up and say, says he:
.

“ ‘Well, if you’re going to sell him, Brer Rabbit,’ says he, ‘ sell him somewhere out of this neighborhood, ‘cause he done been here too long now,’ says he.  ‘No longer than a day before yesterday,’ says he, ‘Brer Fox passed me on the road, and what do you reckon he say?’ says he.
.

“ ‘Law, Brer Terrapin,’ says Miss Meadows, says she, ‘you don’t mean to say he cussed?’ says she, and then the gals held their fans up before their faces.
.

“ ‘Oh, no, ma’am,’ says Brer Terrapin, says he, ‘he didn’t cuss, but he holler out – “Heyo, Stinkin’ Jim!” ‘says he.
.

“ ‘Oh, my! You hear that, gals?” says Miss Meadows, says she; ‘Brer Fox call Brer Terrapin Stinkin’ Jim,’ says she, and then Miss Meadows and the gals make great wonderment how Brer Fox can talk that way about a nice man like Brer Terrapin.
.

“But bless gracious, honey! While all this going on, Brer Fox was standing at the back door with one ear at the cat-hole listening. Eavesdroppers don’t hear no good of themselves, and the way Brer Fox was abused that day was a caution.
.

“By and by Brer Fox stick his head in the door and holler out:
.

“ ‘Good evening, folks, I wish you mighty well,’ says he, and with that he makes a dash for Brer Rabbit, but Miss Meadows and the gals they holler and squall, they did, and Brer Terrapin he got to scrambling round up there on the shelf, and off he come, and blip he took Brer Fox on the back of the head.  This sort of stunned Brer Fox, and when he gathered his remembrance the most he saw was a pot of greens turned over in the fireplace, and a broken chair.  Brer Rabbit was gone, and Brer Terrapin was gone, and Miss Meadows and the gals, they run out in the yard.
.

“Brer Fox, he sort of look around and feel for the back of his head, where Brer Terrapin lit, but he don’t see no sign of Brer Rabbit.  But the smoke and the ashes going up the chimney got the best of Brer Rabbit, and by and by he sneeze – huckychow!

“ ‘Aha!’ says Brer Fox, says he; ‘you are there, are you?’ says he. ‘Well, I’m going to smoke you out, if it takes a month.  You’re mine this time,’ says he.  Brer Rabbit ain’t saying nothing.
.

“ ‘Ain’t you coming down?’ says Brer Fox, says he. Brer Rabbit ain’t saying nothing. Then Brer fox, he went out after some wood, he did, and when he come back, he hear Brer Rabbit laughing.
.

“ ‘What you laughing at, Brer Rabbit?’ says Brer Fox, says he.
.

“ ‘Can’t tell you, Brer Fox,’ says Brer Rabbit, says he.
.

“ ‘It ain’t nothing but a box of money somebody gone and left up here in the chink of the chimney,’ says Brer Rabbit, says he.
.

“ ‘Don’t believe you,’ says Brer Fox, says he.
.

“ ‘Look up and see,’ says Brer Rabbit, says he, and when Brer Fox look up, Brer Rabbit spit his eyes full of tobacco juice, he did, and Brer Fox, he make a break for the branch, FN 3, and Brer Rabbit he come down and told the ladies good-by.
.

“ ‘How you get him off, Brer Rabbit?” says Miss Meadows, says she.
.

“And what became of the Terrapin?” asked the little boy.
.

“Oh, well then!” exclaimed the old man, “children can’t expect to know all about everything before they get some rest. Them eyelids of yours want to be propped with straws this minute.”


……………………

FN 1 Sounds like a reference to building a stone wall – nose of this chunk against the nose of that chunk
.

FN 2 – the same old one and sixpence?? Possible: London's Langham Hotel began serving afternoon tea in Victorian times for one schilling and a sixpence, and still does - see ://www.asiatraveltips.com/news08/135-AfternoonTea.shtml.  Does the phrase then mean, same old, same old? Here's another: same old sixpence means "much the same as always" - example is given from a Civil War diary - 1863 soldier writes, "The same old seven and six. I am on camp guard duty today." See ://books.google.com/books?id=i33BWgxbvXgC&pg=PA719&lpg=PA719&dq=%22same+old+one+and+sixpence%22&source=web&ots=QvpR5YHtDY&sig=oNGQ7nZVaJ_SwIIhyKA6XrI7jbI&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result
.

FN 3 – make a break for the branch? Short for branch water? Branch water means water from a stream, Southern US, says ://www.thefreedictionary.com/branch+water; or plain water as used with whiskey (same site). Perhaps a branch of a stream nearby

 

VII. The Big Bethel Church - His Songs

VIII

THE BIG BETHEL CHURCH

.
The Big Bethel church! The Big Bethel church!

Done put old Satan behind him.

If a sinner gets loose from any other church,

The Big Bethel church will find him!
.

It's good to be there, and it's sweet to be there,

With the sistering all around you --

A-shaking those shackles of mercy and love

Wherewith the Lord has bound you.
.

It's sweet to be there and listen to the hymns,

And hear those mourners a-shoutin' --

They done reached the place where there ain't no room

For any weepin' and doubtin'.
.

It's good to be there, when the sinners all join

With the brothering in there singin',

And it looks like Gabriel going to rack up and blow

And set  them heaven bells to ringin'.
.

Oh, the Big Bethel church! the Big Bethel church,

Done  put old Satan behind him.

If a sinner gets loose from any other church

The Big Bethel church will find him.

2. A Plantation Serenade - Transcriptions

2.  A PLANTATION SERENADE

The old bee makes the honeycomb,y,
The young bee makes the honey,
The niggers make the cotten and corn,
And the white folks gets the money.

The raccoon he a curious man,
He never walks 'til dark,
And nothing never disturbs his mind,
'Til he hears old Bringer bark.

The raccoon totes a bushy tail,
The 'possum totes no hair,
Mr. Rabbit, he comes skippin' by,
He ain't got none to spare./

Monday morning break of day.
White folks got me going,
But Saturday night, when the sun goes down,
That yellow gal's in my mind.

Fifteen pound of meat a week,
Whiskey for to sell,
Oh, how can a yound man stay at home,
Them gals they look so well?

Met a 'possum in the road -
Brother 'Possum, where you going?
I thank my stars, I bless my life
I'm a huntin' for the muscadine. FN 1

.......................................................

FN 1 - Muscadine. A species of grape, for winemaking, see ://www.muscadine.com/. The heritage includes a grape geneology with the "scuppernong" and the "passion fruit of the south" - see site for details. Here is the botanical scoop: ://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/muscadinegrape.html. If you live in a climate like the State of Georgia, and ok soil, here's how to get in business: ://www.smallfruits.org/Muscadines/production/MuscadineGro/toc.htm.