Br'er Fox was determined to finally catch Br'er Rabbit. He lay down in the middle of the dusty road, stiff as a board, pretending to be dead. Br'er Rabbit came hopping along and spotted his old nemesis. Suspecting a trap, he stopped a safe distance away and said loudly to the air, 'That's strange. I've always heard that when a fox dies, he raises his hind leg and shouts Wahoo! to show he's truly gone.' Hearing this, Br'er Fox didn't want to ruin the disguise. He immediately kicked his leg up and hollered 'Wahoo!' at the top of his lungs. Br'er Rabbit laughed and took off into the brush, shouting back, 'I never knew a dead man could talk, Br'er Fox!'
Intelligence and quick thinking are more effective weapons than physical strength or deception.
Questions about this story
What is the moral of Br'er Rabbit Tricks Br'er Fox?
The moral is that intelligence and quick thinking can overcome physical threats and deception. It highlights how the underdog can succeed by using their brain instead of brawn.
How does Br'er Rabbit outsmart Br'er Fox?
Br'er Rabbit uses psychology by claiming that truly dead foxes always shout and kick their legs. Br'er Fox, wanting to appear convincingly dead, follows the instructions and reveals he is actually alive.
Who wrote the Br'er Rabbit stories?
While these are traditional African-American folktales, they were most famously compiled and published by Joel Chandler Harris in the late 19th century. They have since become a staple of American folklore.
What are the origins of the Br'er Rabbit tales?
These stories originated from the oral traditions of enslaved Africans brought to the Americas. They often feature trickster animals like the Hare, which were common in West African mythology.
Advertisement
Good night.