More of Brer Rabbit’s Tricks

by Ennis Rees, Edward Gorey (Illustrator)

Brought to this country by slaves from Africa, the stories of Brer Rabbit, that lovable trickster, are an important and delightful part of our cultural heritage. Yet, they are virtually unknown to most children today because of the difficult dialect in which they were originally told and recorded.

Ennis Rees, distinguished poet and Professor of English at the University of South Carolina, has turned his rich talents to making three more of these folktales available to all readers and listeners too. By re-creating them in rhymed verse, he has renewed the wonderful wit and rhythm of the early dialect versions. In Brer Rabbit and His Tricks, published by William R. Scott, Inc., in 1967, Mr. Rees includes “Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby,” “Hello, House!” and “Winnianimus Grass.” The three tales in the present volume are “Fishing for Suckers,” “Brer Fox Bags a Lesson,” and “Brer Rabbit’s Visit to Aunt Mammy-Bammy.”

In both books, Edward Gorey, one of this country’s most provocative illustrators, has matched the simplicity and humor of the folk-tales with his spare but detailed drawings in colors as vivid and striking as Brer Rabbit himself.

Hardcover

First published June 1, 1968

Reviews

[Boxofdelights · Rating 2 out of 5]

Three traditional Brer Rabbit tales, retold in verse. I'm keeping it for the Edward Gorey illustrations, but I think the poetry is just bad.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm unsure how there are quite so few ratings of this book here. EDWARD GOREY ARTWORK. That alone merits a quick read of both this and the first collection.