Brer Rabbit and The Vegetable Patch

“Mmm, I fancy something different tonight. What shall I take?” He looked around and spotted a line of cucumbers.

“Perhaps just a few leaves from them and a few carrot tops.” And with a nibble here and a nibble there Brer Rabbit soon had an armful of cucumber leaves and carrot tops. But as he nibbled there was the pitter-patter of raindrops.

“Better hurry,” he said to himself. “I don’t want to get too wet.” He slipped back through the gap and hopped home to enjoy his feast.

The next morning the very old farmer visited his vegetable patch. As he closed the gate, he noticed more carrots tops were missing and some of his cucumbers were missing their leaves.

“The cheek of it! They’ve been in my vegetables again,” he said, shaking his head. “Perhaps they’ve left me a clue.” The very old farmer bent down and looked and what did he see? Some little rabbit footprints in the damp earth.

“So that’s who’s been visiting my vegetable patch,” he said with a smile. “I think I should introduce that cheeky Brer Rabbit to my old friends, Blue, Black and Brown.”

That evening as Brer Rabbit slipped into the vegetable patch he noticed something was different. He sniffed the air and heard a whimper and a whine.

 “I know who that is. That’s those old hounds dogs,” he said. “I’d better get out of here.”

Brer Rabbit carefully hopped back to the gap, trying to make sure he wasn’t noticed. But it was too late: Blue, Black and Brown could smell him.

“Go get that rascal, boys!” shouted the very old farmer, opening his front door. The three old hound dogs dashed out.

Brer Rabbit started to run. He wove in and out of the tree stumps and under the bushes. Soon he reached the road that led to his burrow. In the distance he could hear Blue, Black and Brown looking for his scent. They whimpered, whined and barked with excitement as they picked up his trail.

Just then who should Brer Rabbit bump into but Brer Raccoon, Brer Fox and Brer Bear?

Brer Rabbit had an idea. He ran up to them, then around and around.

“Hello, dear friends. How are you on this fine night?” Brer Rabbit asked between gasps.

He gave Brer Raccoon a big hug, then Brer Fox and finally Brer Bear, well at least, Brer Bear’s legs. Now this hug wasn’t just a little hug, it was a big hug, a best friend type of hug.

“I’m sorry,’ Brer Rabbit said. “I’m running late and I must dash but it would have been rude not to say hello.”

Brer Rabbit then quickly hopped in the direction of his burrow, leaving three friends very confused.

“What was all that about?” asked Brer Raccoon.

“Not a clue,” replied Brer Fox.

“Do you think it has anything to do with those hound dogs?” asked Brer Bear, pointing down the lane.

“I wouldn’t…” said Brer Raccoon, but he didn’t have time to finish his sentence because just then Blue, Black and Brown came into view.

Blue, Black and Brown stopped running and looked at each other, confused.

“None of them looks like Brer Rabbit,” said Blue.

“But they all smell like Brer Rabbit,” said Black.

“So which one do we chase?” asked Brown.

The old hound dogs looked at one another, grinned and said, “ALL of them!”

“I’ll chase the one on the left,” said Blue.

“I’ll chase the one in the middle,” said Black.

“I’ll chase the one on the right,” said Brown.

As the three hounds decided which friend to chase the three friends looked at one another.

“I think they’re going to chase us,” said Brer Raccoon.

“I think you’re right,” said Brer Fox.

“We’d better run,” said Brer Bear.

Blue, Black and Brown barked with excitement. “After them!”

The old hound dogs started to run and so did the three friends.

As he ran, Brer Raccoon looked over his shoulder and he saw to his dismay Blue getting nearer and nearer. Just as Blue was about to nip Brer Raccoon’s tail he reached a tree and climbed it faster than he’d ever climbed a tree before.

Blue crashed into the tree with a large thump!

“I didn’t know rabbits could do that,” he said rubbing his head.

Suddenly Brer Raccoon knew why Brer Rabbit had hugged him so tightly. “That crafty old rabbit,” he said. “He left his scent on me so those old hound dogs would chase me and not him. I’ll have to get back at him for this.”

Whilst Blue was chasing Brer Raccoon, Black was chasing Brer Fox. Unlike raccoons, foxes can’t climb trees. So Brer Fox used his cunning to outwit the old hound dog and hid, crouching on a large rock on the riverbank. As he watched Black trying to find his scent he heard the old hound dog say, “I didn’t know rabbits could just disappear like that.”

Suddenly Brer Fox knew why Brer Rabbit had hugged him so tightly. “That crafty old rabbit,” he said. “He left his scent on me so those old hound dogs would chase me and not him. I’ll have to get back at him for this.”

As Blue was pacing around the base of the tree and Black was trying to sniff out the disappearing rabbit, Brown was chasing Brer Bear.

Now Brer Bear knew the very old farmer’s hound dogs didn’t like water, so when he reached the river he jumped in and swam. As he swam he looked over his shoulder to see Brown sitting on the riverbank, confused. He then heard him say, “I didn’t know rabbits could swim.”

Suddenly Brer Bear knew why Brer Rabbit had hugged him so tightly. “That crafty old rabbit,” he said. “He left his scent on me so those old hounds would chase me and not him. I’ll have to get back at him for this.”

And as this mayhem was going on Brer Rabbit nibbled on the last of the carrots and cucumber leaves. “Delicious!” he said with a smile.

Note: This story comes from my collection of stories "Brer Rabbit, Traditional Tales Retold Volume One."