The tale of how Brer Rabbit had got mixed up with the Tar Baby got around the neighborhood. At least Miss Meadows and the gals got wind of it, and the next time Brer Rabbit paid them a visit, Miss Meadows asked him about it, and burst out laughing. Brer Rabbit sat up just as cool as a cucumber and let them giggle as much as they wanted.
He was quiet as a lamb and, by and by, he crossed his legs, winked his eye slowly, and said, "Ladies, Brer Fox was my daddy's riding horse for thirty years, maybe more, but thirty years that I know of, for sure." Then he paid them his respects, tipped his hat, and marched off just as stiff and stuck-up as a poker. Next day, Brer Fox came calling, and, when he began to laugh about Brer Rabbit, Miss Meadows and the gals told him what Brer Rabbit said.
Brer Fox gritted his teeth and looked mighty grumpy, and when he rose to go, he said, "Ladies, I'm not disputing what you report, but I'll make Brer Rabbit chew up his words and spit them out right here where you can see him." And with that, off he went.
When he got onto the main road, he shook the dew from his tail and made straight for Brer Rabbit's house. Brer Rabbit was expecting him, so the door was shut fast. Brer Fox knocked by nobody answered. So, he knocked again-Blam!Blam!Blam! Brer Rabbit hollered out weakly, "Is that you Brer Fox? I want you to run and fetch the doctor. That parsley I ate this morning made me feel sick. Go, please, Brer Fox, run quick," said Brer Rabbit.
"I came to get you, Brer Rabbit," said Brer Fox. "There's going to be a party up at Miss Meadow's, and all the gals will be there. I promised that I'd fetch you. The gals say it won't be a party if I don't bring you."
Brer Rabbit claimed he was too sick, while Brer Fox swore he wasn't, and they argued the matter up and down, disputing and contending. Brer Rabbit said he couldn't walk. Brer Fox said he'd carry him. Brer Rabbit asked how? Brer Fox said in his arms. Brer Rabbit said he'd drop him. Brer Fox promised he wouldn't. by and by, Brer Rabbit said he would go if Brer Fox would carry him on his back, and Brer Fox agreed. But Brer Rabbit claimed he couldn't ride without a saddle, so Brer Fox promised to get a saddle. Next, Brer Rabbit said he couldn't sit in the saddle unless he had a bridle to hold, and Brer Fox offered to get a bridle. Brer Rabbit said he couldn't ride without a bridle with blinders, because Brer Fox would by shying at stumps along the road and fling him off, so Brer Fox even said he'd get a blind bridle. Finally, Brer Rabbit agreed to go! Brer Fox said he'd let Brer Rabbit ride almost up to Miss Meadow's, if he'd get down and walk the rest of the way, and Brer Rabbit agreed to that, so Brer Fox ran off to get the saddle and bridle.
Of course, Brer Rabbit knew the game that Brer Fox was playing, and he determined to outdo him. By the time he had combed his hair, twisted his mustache, and cleaned up, Brer Fox was back, wearing his saddle and bridle, looking as pert as a circus pony. He trotted up to the door and stood there pawing the ground and chomping the bit like an honest-to-goodness horse, and Brer Rabbit mounted and off they went. Brer Fox couldn't see behind him with the blind bridle on, but, by and by, he felt Brer Rabbit raise one of his feet.
"What you doing now, Brer Rabbit?" he asked. "Shortening the left stirrup, Brer Fox."
Then Brer Rabbit raised up the other foot. "What you doing now, Brer Rabbit?" he asked. "Pulling down my pants, Brer Fox." All this time, Brer Rabbit was putting on his spurs, and when they got close to Miss Meadow's where Brer Rabbit was to get off, Brer Fox came to a halt. With that, Brer Rabbit slapped the spurs into Brer Fox's flanks, and you better believe that Brer Fox moved mighty fast! When they got to the house, Miss Meadows and all the gals were sitting on the porch, but instead of stopping at the gate, Brer Rabbit rode on by, and then came galloping down the road and up to the horse rack. He hitched Brer Fox to it, sauntered into the house, and shook hands with the gals. Then he sat down and smoked his cigar, just like a gentleman.
By and by, he drew in a long puff, letting it out in a cloud, sat up straight and hollered out, "Ladies, haven't I told you Brer Fox was the riding horse for our family? He's sort of losing his gait now, but I expect I can make him all right in a month or so."
Brer Rabbit grinned, the gals giggled,, and Miss Meadows praised the pony. And there was Brer Fox, hitched fast to the rack, not able to do a blessed thing about it.
