The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THE FOX AND THE RABBIT

THE FOX AND THE RABBIT HAD A FARM TOGETHER. ONE YEAR THE RABBIT
TOLD THE FOX THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO DIVIDE THE LAND UP THIS YEAR.
THE RABBIT SAID: THIS TIME YOU WILL TAKE WHAT IS ON TOP OF THE
GROUND, AND WHAT'S UNDER THE GROUND BELONGS TO ME.
SO THAT YEAR THEY PLANTED SWEET POTATOES; SO THE RABBIT GOT ALL
THE SWEET POTATOES AND THE FOX GOT THE VINES.
SO THE NEXT YEAR: THE FOX SAID WE ARE GOING TO CHANGE THIS YEAR,
SO THEY PLANTED CORN, BUT, THE RABBIT STILL GOT WHAT WAS ON TOP
OF THE GROUND AND THE FOX GOT NOTHING. SO THE FOX GOT TIRED OF
THIS, SO HE WENT DOWN AND GOT HIM SOME FISH, AND HE CAME BACK
AND SAID: BROTHER RABBIT! (RABBIT HAD FOOLED HIM SO MUCH THAT
HE THOUGHT HE WOULD FOOL THE RABBIT. SO HE WENT DOWN BY THE
CREEK AND SAT ON THE SIDE OF THE BANK, HE BROUGHT A BUNCH OF FISH
BACK WITH HIM. THE RABBIT WANTED TO KNOW WHERE HE GOT THEM FROM.
HE SAID:) OH I FISHED LAST NIGHT. THE RABBIT ASKED: HOW DID
YOU CATCH THEM? HE SAID: I SAT ON A LOG DOWN THERE AND PUT MY
TAIL IN THE WATER. SO THE OLD RABBIT THOUGHT, HMM, HE WOULD GO
DOWN AND PUT HIS TAIL IN THE WATER AND CATCH HIM A BUNCH OF
FISH. SO HE WAS SITTING DOWN ON A LOG, GOT HIS TAIL THROWN UP
AND HE HOLLERED. HE HAD SO MANY FISH HE COULDN'T HARDLY MOVE, HE THOUGHT. SO HE HOLLERED FOR THE OLD OWL TO COME AND GIVE HIM A PULL: HE PULLED ON ONE END, AND HE PULLED ON THE OTHER, HE FINALLY BROKE HIS TAIL. HE HAD NO FISH AT ALL. THE FOX LAUGHED AT HIM AND SAID: I TOLD YOU I WOULD GET EVEN WITH YOU.

Data entry tech comment:

Folklore item collected on more than one card. Entered last part of story in database, based on card I had. Other cards not yet found/compared.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT