OUTWITTING BRER WOLF

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 47, 25 February 1939, Page 12

OUTWITTING BRER WOLF

Brer Rabbit was walking through the woods ojie day, as happy and bright as could be, when suddenly he heard someone shouting for help. He looked about to see where the sound was coming from, and soon he found the cause of all the noise—it was old Brer Wolf, who had been pinned to the ground by a falling boulder. He lay helpless on the ground, the heavyrock on top of him, and when he saw Brer Rabbit he redoubled his cries. “Help me, Brer Rabbit,” he cried, “or I will be flattened out like a pancake.” So Brer Rabbit, very kindly, took a big stick, and prised up on* edge c* the rock until there was a space big enough for Brer Wolf to wriggle from under the rock. “Thank goodness, none of my bones are broken,” muttered Brer’ Wolf. “And since you were good enough to help me, you must come home to dinner with me,” he said , grabbing Brer Rabbit. “Don’t touch me,” said Brer Rabbit, trying to wriggle out of his grasp. “If you hurt me I’ll never do you another good turn.” “Of course, you won’t,” said Brer Wolf grimly. 'Not after I have eaten you.” Brer Rabbit thought, for a few seconds, while Brer Wolf dragged him nearer and nearer towards his home. “Look here, Brer Wolf,” he said at length, “it’s against, the law to kill anyone who has done you a good turn. You ask Brer Tortoise.” He kept on talking like this until Brer Wolf finally decided to put the matter before Brer Tortoise. “But,” he said, “if Brer Tortoise decides against me, I’ll take him along as well as you.” They went along until they found Brer Tortoise, and explained matters to him. Brer Tortoise considered for a few minutes, then said that before he could judge the case he would have to see where Brer Rabbit had found Brer Wolf. So the three of them went back to the boulder. “Now,” said Brer Tortoise, “show me just how you were when Brer Rabbit found you.” Brer Rabbit took up the stick, and raised a corner of the rock, and Brer Wolf slid in underneath it again. “Hurry up, this is heavy.” he said. “I see now that you were in the wrong, Brer Rabbit,” said Brer Tortoise. “Quite clearly, you should never have touched Brer Wolf. You found him under the rock, and that’s where he should stay. So you go off now, and mind your own business. ’ And with that Brer Rabbit and Brer Tortoise ran off, hand in hand, laughing hard, and leaving old Brer Wolf under the big, heavy rock A little boy had been shopping with his mother. When coming home he saw a little girl with her hair curled in rags. “Mummy.” he asked, “has that little girl got sore hair?”