It’s in the “Uncle Remus” stories by J.C. Harris, adapted as Song of the South by Disney before being unceremoniously extirpated for P.C. reasons. I had a record/storybook combo from the Disney version as a kid.
(Holy cripes, I’m old enough to remember record/storybook combos. Now I feel ancient. I’m only 28!)
{laugh} I’ll see you and raise you–I’m old enough to remember Atari 2600s, the first Star Wars movie being run in theatres, and even Pong! (FYI, 46–or as I like to think of it, “16 years past Lastday”.)
Wait, you mean yankees don’t grow up with that story? (I grew up in a border state, not the deep south, and everybody around here seems to get references to it, FWIW.)
I’m British, but I was lucky enough to read Enid Blyton’s version of the Brer Rabbit stories as a kid. They seem to be less well-known than her other books. The two stories people are most likely to have heard of over here are the tar baby one and the briar patch.
I’m Australian, and I knew the reference, but I can’t remember from where. On a related topic, it turns out that Ginny was kicking their arses all along and needed to inform them, and us, of the fact.
I’m also familiar with the story without knowing where I heard it. I have the impression I must have read it as a kid… I wonder if it was ever translated to Spanish?
I’m from New Zealand and I know the story – mainly from having the soundtrack of the Disney version as a kid.
I always thought the Rabbit was a jerk. :p
Using you!
Laying here in herbal mud with cucumbers on their eyes …
Using you!
Tip turns to his lady and says, “I must apologize …
Using you!
Artie is, and so am I, our motive are not so pure …
Using you!”
Ginny says, “How horrible this is, for sure …
Got to dance with high society!
Got a lecture on mycology!
Pinball and aromatherapy!
Woe is me!”
You’d think a rabbit would be hard to confuse with a spider, but you’d be wrong. Its all how you tell the story.
‘Neil Gaiman (paraphrased), Anansi Boys
Actually,….If Tip and Artie are using Ginny and Ginny is using them then I myself would be inclined to say that a relationship of perfect symbiosis has been achieved! ^_^
For those of you who weren’t born in the Deep South, a handy link: http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2010/07/brer_rabbit_meets_a_tar_baby.html
Thanks for the pointer. I had no clue about the reference otherwise… 🙂
born and raised in Minnesota and I know this story. My dad, from International Falls, used to tell it to me. I think we had a book.
It’s in the “Uncle Remus” stories by J.C. Harris, adapted as Song of the South by Disney before being unceremoniously extirpated for P.C. reasons. I had a record/storybook combo from the Disney version as a kid.
(Holy cripes, I’m old enough to remember record/storybook combos. Now I feel ancient. I’m only 28!)
{laugh} I’ll see you and raise you–I’m old enough to remember Atari 2600s, the first Star Wars movie being run in theatres, and even Pong! (FYI, 46–or as I like to think of it, “16 years past Lastday”.)
“I wuz BORN in dat dere briar patch!” ^_^
I’m from California (bay area). I do know the story, but did not catch the reference at all, so thanks!
I felt practically elated to catch that reference myself. Cards well played.
Canadian born and raised but with a love of myth and legend and tricksters in particular. Damn right I know about Brer Rabbit!
Are they in Calistoga? I love that place.
I bet they are
That place is awesome
This reminds me of Dave in the desert island. In fact, I think the very same line was used…
“No, Br’er Narbon! Don’t toss me in that thar briar patch!” Close enough.
🙂
Hee.
Wait, you mean yankees don’t grow up with that story? (I grew up in a border state, not the deep south, and everybody around here seems to get references to it, FWIW.)
Us non-Americans definitely don’t grow up with it. I know the reference from other modern works of fiction referencing it (Narbonic, obviously :p).
I’m British, but I was lucky enough to read Enid Blyton’s version of the Brer Rabbit stories as a kid. They seem to be less well-known than her other books. The two stories people are most likely to have heard of over here are the tar baby one and the briar patch.
I’m Australian, and I knew the reference, but I can’t remember from where. On a related topic, it turns out that Ginny was kicking their arses all along and needed to inform them, and us, of the fact.
I’m also familiar with the story without knowing where I heard it. I have the impression I must have read it as a kid… I wonder if it was ever translated to Spanish?
Sorry to tell you, but, um… Those are the same story….
I’m from Pittsburgh, and I heard it when I was a child. It may have fallen out of favor a bit among the younger set.
The real problem is that Uncle Remus, the narrator of those wonderful stories, is now politically incorrect.
I’m from New Zealand and I know the story – mainly from having the soundtrack of the Disney version as a kid.
I always thought the Rabbit was a jerk. :p
(TUNE: “Closing Time”, Semisonic)
Using you!
Laying here in herbal mud with cucumbers on their eyes …
Using you!
Tip turns to his lady and says, “I must apologize …
Using you!
Artie is, and so am I, our motive are not so pure …
Using you!”
Ginny says, “How horrible this is, for sure …
Got to dance with high society!
Got a lecture on mycology!
Pinball and aromatherapy!
Woe is me!”
I think Shaenon must of done the whole series for that line, I was setting here at 5:40 in the morning laughing out loud
There are worse reasons to create a story line 🙂
You’d think a rabbit would be hard to confuse with a spider, but you’d be wrong. Its all how you tell the story.
‘Neil Gaiman (paraphrased), Anansi Boys
Elilhrairah, of course, stole some stories from Anansi in a fit of mischief. Their rivalry continues to this day, to the delight of all onlookers.
I know those are supposed to be cucumbers on their eyes, but I keep seeing lime slices and cringing.
Tarbaby appears in Stalky and co. Nobody reads Kipling?
i loved briar rabbit as a child, its nice to finally see the story get a cameo in anything, even more so by garrity and wells.
(Collapses from laughter)
(Pulls himself back up to laptop)
The hunted becomes the hunter. Ginny is going to milk this for all its worth.
Actually,….If Tip and Artie are using Ginny and Ginny is using them then I myself would be inclined to say that a relationship of perfect symbiosis has been achieved! ^_^
Bonus for the Narbonic callback.
You mean a racist caricature. I don’t have a problem with the stories themselves, but might as well call things what they are.
Oh, he was always a racist caricature. It is only now that he is politically incorrect.
I believe this story also has forms in East African mythology (likely where the American version came from) and Alaskan/Northwest mythology.