Essay for Week 6: Brer Rabbit

The unit I read this week was called Brer Rabbit and the story I really enjoyed reading was Old Mr. Rabbit, He's a Good Fisherman. Although I really liked this unit, I am not sure if this unit is for everyone. I have read a few units so far that may use words or a language that is harder to read. I do not mind reading units like this, but some people may be looking for a unit that is an easy read. One good side that may be an incentive to read this unit is the audio available to listen to because it's almost near to impossible to understand the stories if you try to read them yourself. Just look at the first story, and you'll know what I'm talking about! Haha Laura Gibbs is nice enough to give a heads up about this use of dialect to tell the story and will suggest you listen to the audio. Listen to her! Also, I was only able to listen to the second half of the reading due to my absolutely crazy schedule this week. Two math tests two days in a row consumed all my time this week. I am sure the first half was just as great as the second half, but if you end up only reading the second half like me, it is important to know that the stories are told by Uncle Remus to his nephew. I also think I enjoyed this story because even though I could not actually read the story myself, it was easy for me to understand the dialect. I am from Louisiana. I lived there for 21 years, and let me tell you, some (not all) people talk like this back home. No joke. So this story gave me a little piece of home. Hope others enjoy it as much as I did!

Joe Dirt - Louisiana

Source: Fark

 

I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. When I read this story, all I could think about is the scene from Joe Dirt, when he goes to Louisiana and runs into this guy.

Storytelling for Week 6: Mr. Hopper

Brer Rabbit

Source: Wikimedia

It was a hot typical Louisiana summer day. Hopper, Fox, and Coon had been working since dawn on their garden, but Hopper was ready to throw in the towel.

"Maybe I can just sneak off somewhere for a quick nap. It's too dang hot out here. And besides, I planted last years garden all by myself. It's these two goons' turns to slave away in the heat." Hopper thought to himself. "There's got to be somewhere I can rest out of site. If these guys see me napping, I'll never hear the end of it."

Hopper caught a glance of a well off in the woods to his right. "Ahh yes, the well! That would be perfect, but I have to think of a way to get away for a second."

"Ooooooooooouch!!" Hopper yelped. "Oww oww oww."

"What in the world are you crying over there for?" Coon asked Hopper.

"I cut my finger on the weasel." Hopper tried to choke up some fake tears.

"Oh, you big baby! You're always hurting yourself. Quit being so clumsy. Let me see it." Fox snapped out Hopper. He knew Hopper was up to something. He was always trying to get out of working. Lazy rabbit.

"Oh no, I don't want to gross you out. It's a pretty nasty cut. I'm going to go clean it up. I'll be back out to help when I'm done. See ya!" Hopper hopped off towards the well. When he got there, he noticed a bucket on a rope that was dangling above the well.

"Perfect. I can get in this bucket and take my nap. No one will every find me in here!" Just as Hopper climbed into the bucket, it descended so quickly he didn't have time to think. "Dang it! Now what? I'm stuck down here. I'm going to die down here." Little did Hopper know that Fox, who always knew Hopper was up to no good, watched Hopper as he snuck off to the well.

"Whatcha doing down there, Hopper?" Hopper was startled. He looked up to see his buddy Fox peeking over the edge of the well.

"If I can get Fox to jump into the other bucket, his weight will carry me back up to the top, and I can get out of this stinkin' well." Hopper thought to himself.

"Oh, you know. Just fishing. I thought I would make us some dinner tonight." Hopper shouted from the bottom of the well.

"There's fish down there?" Fox questioned.

"Yeah lots of them. Come see for yourself!"

"How do I get down there?"

"Just hop in that other bucket like I did. It's easy!"

"Okay, here I come!"

What Fox didn't realize was once he got down to the bottom, Hopper would be at the top. Of course, Hopper couldn't let this situation go to waste. He had to pick on Fox just a little bit.

"See ya later friend!" Hopper chuckled as he walked back to Coon to tell him the story. Poor Fox stayed in the well until dinner time when his friends finally rescued him. Until this day, they never let him forget.

Author's Note:
This story is a retelling of the original story Old Mr. Rabbit, He's a Good Fisherman . I kept the story pretty much the same except that the original story is told by Uncle Remus to his nephew. Also, the original story is in dialect, which makes it a little harder to read. I decided not to tell this story in dialect and write it in a way that is easier to understand.

"Old Mr. Rabbit, He's a Good Fisherman" by Joel Chandler Harris. Website: Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings

Week 6 Reading Diary: Brer Rabbit

Brer Rabbit

The story Old Mr. Rabbit, He's a Good Fisherman was probably my favorite. It is interesting the way these stories are told because the stories are told in dialect. Also, these stories are told from an Uncle Remus to his nephew. In this particular story, the rabbit, fox, coon, and boar are working on their garden, and the rabbit gets tired. He tells his friends he got something in his hand and was going to try to get it out. Instead, he found a well with a bucket and thought that would be a nice place to take a nap. When he got in the bucket, it fell to the bottom of the well. The fox happened to sneak off to keep on eye on the rabbit. The rabbit was afraid and was able to trick the fox into jumping into the other bucket by telling him he was fishing down in the well. When the fox jumped in the other bucket, it caused the rabbit's bucket to lift, so he could get out of the well. Eventually the fox gets out and they get back to work on the garden, although the rabbit still picks on the fox about it.