"Den Brer Rabbit talk mighty 'umble.

"I don't keer w'at you do wid me, Brer Fox,' sezee, 'so you don't fling me in dat brier patch. Roas' me, Brer Fox,' sezee, 'but don't fling me in dat brier patch,' sezee.

"Hit's so much trouble fer ter kindle a fier,' sez Brer Fox, sezee, 'dat I speck I'll hatter hang you,' sezee.

"Hang me des as high as you please, Brer Fox,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'but do fer de Lord's sake don't fling me in dat brier patch,' sezee.

"I ain't got no string,' sez Brer Fox, sezee, ''en now I speck I'll hatter drown you,' sezee.

666

“Drown me des ez deep ez you please, Brer Fox,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'but do don't fling me in dat brier patch,' sezee. "Dey ain't no water nigh,' sez Brer Fox, sezee, "'en now I speck I'll hatter skin you,' sezee.

"Skin me, Brer Fox,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'snatch out my eyeballs, t'ar out my years1 by de roots, en cut off my legs,' sezee, 'but do

please, Brer Fox,

don't fling me in

dat brier patch,'

sezee.

"Co'se Brer Fox wanter hurt Brer Rabbit bad ez he kin, so he cotch 'im by de behime legs en slung 'im right in de middle er de brier patch. Dar wuz a considerbul

flutter whar Brer Rabbit struck de bushes, en Brer Fox sorter hang 'roun' fer ter see w'at wuz gwineter happen.

1 Ears.

Bimeby he hear somebody call 'im, en way up de hill he see Brer Rabbit settin' cross-legged on a chinkapin log koamin' de pitch outen his har wid a chip. Den Brer Fox know dat he bin swop off mighty bad. Brer Rabbit wuz bleedzed1 fer ter fling back some er his sass, en he holler out: "Bred en bawn in a brier patch, Brer Fox bred en bawn in a brier patch!' en wid dat he skip out des ez lively ez a cricket in de embers."

STUDY HINTS

Note how Brer Fox enjoys worrying Brer Rabbit with planning the various forms of his death. Why are Brer Rabbit's replies to Brer Fox's suggestions very wise? Does Brer Rabbit ever lose sight of his purpose? Would there be any difference in your facial expression and other actions if a wealthy pompous man or a ragged cripple slipped in a mud puddle? How is suspense employed in this story?

SUGGESTIONS FOR ORAL AND WRITTEN ENGLISH
THEME SUBJECTS

Tell orally in your own language at least two of the other stories of Uncle Remus and one or two by some other author, for instance by Kipling. Tell a short story of an animal that has played a clever trick.

After comparing some of Kipling's animal stories, such as those in the Just So Stories and the Jungle Books, with those by Joel Chandler Harris, write one story of your own. Try writing a part of this in the form of a dialogue. Note in the above selection how the dialogue form is paragraphed and punctuated.

SUGGESTIONS FOR ADDITIONAL READINGS

Nights with Uncle Remus. Joel Chandler Harris.

Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings. Joel Chandler Harris. A Story of the War (from Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings). Joel Chandler Harris.

A Story of Seven Devils (in Amos Kilbright). Frank R. Stockton. Marse Chan (from In Ole Virginia). Thomas Nelson Page.

1 Obliged.

Meh Lady (from In Ole Virginia). Thomas Nelson Page.

Polly. Thomas Nelson Page.

Bred in the Bone. Thomas Nelson Page.

Solomon Crow's Christmas Pockets.

Ruth McEnery Stuart.

For the teacher to read to the class:

The Wonderful Tar-Baby Story, The Story of the Deluge and How It Came About, Mr. Fox is Again Victimized, Miss Cow Falls a Victim to

Mr. Rabbit (from Uncle Remus; His Songs and His Sayings).

Kipling's Rikki-Tikki-Tavi (Jungle Book, I).

Grahame's The River Bank (The Wind in the Willows).

CHRISTIAN AND HOPEFUL IN THE DUNGEON1

JOHN BUNYAN

John Bunyan (1628-1688), born in a little village of England, was the son of a tinker, and followed his father's trade for several years. When grown, he became a preacher but was arrested for preaching without the sanction of the Episcopal Church, and thrown into prison. During his twelve years of imprisonment, he wrote Pilgrim's Progress, the greatest of all allegories. It is the story of Christian's journey through this life. He has many experiences, such as with Faintheart, Mr. Worldly Wiseman, Giant Despair, and others, but finally reaches his destination, the Celestial City. Bunyan knew the Bible from end to end, and its influence is clearly seen in the simple, direct language of this story. He was finally allowed to return to his preaching, which he continued with the greatest enthusiasm until his death. See also:

Halleck's New English Literature, pp. 228-233.

Macaulay's Essay on Southey's Edition of the Pilgrim's Progress.
Macaulay's Life of Bunyan in his Essays.

Now there was, not far from the place where they lay, a castle, called Doubting Castle, the owner whereof was Giant Despair, and it was in his grounds they now were sleeping. Wherefore he, getting up in the morning early, and walking up and down in his fields, caught Christian and Hopeful asleep in his grounds. Then with a grim and surly voice he bid them awake, and asked them whence they were, and what they did in his grounds. They told him they were pilgrims, and that they had lost their way. Then said the giant, "You have this night trespassed on me by trampling in and lying on my grounds, and therefore you must go along

1 From The Pilgrim's Progress (1678).

2 An allegory is a story told with the purpose of teaching a moral lesson. The characters are usually personified qualities.

with me." So they were forced to go, because he was stronger than they.

Now Giant Despair had a wife, and her name was. Diffidence. So when he was gone to bed he told his wife what he had done, to wit, that he had taken a couple of prisoners, and cast them into his dungeon for trespassing on his grounds. Then he asked her also what he had best do further to them. So she asked him what they were, whence they came, and whither they were bound, and he told her. Then she counseled him, that when he arose in the morning he should beat them without mercy. So when he arose, he getteth him a grievous crab-tree cudgel, and goes down into the dungeon to them, and there first falls to rating of them as if they were dogs, although they gave him never a word of distaste. Then he falls upon them, and beats them fearfully, in such sort that they were not able to help themselves, or to turn them upon the floor. This done, he withdraws and leaves them there to condole their misery, and to mourn under their distress: so all that day they spent the time in nothing but sighs and bitter lamentations. The next night, she, talking with her husband further about them, and understanding that they were yet alive, did advise him to counsel them to make away with themselves. So when morning was