Cane Cutter’s Last Visit

Everybody knows the story about the race between the tortoise and the rabbit, however, most folk have no idea the race took place right here in Cottenville, and they don’t know the race was between Old Man Terrapin’s Granddaddy, and Brier Rabbits Great-Great Granddaddy. Now this didn’t bother Brier Rabbit much, but his relations down in Sunflower County saw it a bitty bit different. They’d throw a conniption fit whenever they heard the story told, and none of them cackled any louder than his cousin Cane Cutter. Cane Cutter was a big old swamp rabbit with a mouth to match. He was always carrying on some sort of foolishness about how their Papa Hare had somehow been cheated that day. Brother, I tell you he was some kind of an unhappy critter. If the Lord himself came down and gave him a five dollar bill he’d complain about how it would have been ten in not for that stupid race


Late one spring old Cane Cutter came up to Cottenville, with all his kin in tow, to visit with his Aunt June, Brier Rabbits mama. Brier Rabbit never really took a liking to his big loudmouth delta cousins, especially Cane Cutter. In fact Brier Rabbit did almost everything he could to cause Cane Cutter to throw a hissy fit. The way Brier Rabbit saw it, if he had to be around Cane Cutter, and being around Cane Cutter made his life miserable, the least he could do, was to make his cousin’s lives miserable as well. Of course this was common knowledge to anyone that knew Brier Rabbit, since he loved to brag about it. On this particular trip, Miss June, as we all called her, asked Brier Rabbit not to excite Cane Cutter. Well now you can guess how that went over. It was like asking a dog not to chase a cat. Brier Rabbit was more determined than ever to get that big mouth bully all riled up.

The second morning of the visit, Brier Rabbit asked Cane Cutter to take a walk with him. This drew the suspicion of, well everybody, since Brier Rabbit would normally have had nothing to do with Cane Cutter. Miss June was sure he must be up to something, but Brier Rabbit could talk his way out of the clutches of death, and he usually had to at least once or twice a week, so convincing his mama was really not much of a test at all.

Brier Rabbit had a plan. He knew Old Man Terrapin would be under the big oak tree, next to the pond, behind Supervisor Smith’s house. He also knew there was a little road that ran along the back side of the Smith place. All he had to do is tell Cane Cutter about Supervisor Smith’s garden, and he could put Cane Cutter and Old Man Terrapin right on top of each other. Nobody would even suspect poor little Brier Rabbit had anything at all to do with it.

Everything was going well till Brier Rabbit got half-way around the curve just before you get to Mr. Fox’s house. About that time he got a snoot full of something sweet. We all know there’s nothing on God’s green earth, Brier Rabbit loves more, than a sweet potato pie. And there was nobody, Miss June included, bless her soul, who made a sweet potato pie any better than Ms. Fox. Brier Rabbit could smell it all the way down the road. It did smell good. And when he turned the curve he could see not one, but two pies sitting on the window sill cooling off. Man alive he wanted those pies, but Old Man Terrapin wouldn’t be waiting there long. Brier Rabbit didn’t like it, but he knew he didn’t have time to stop. It was all he could do to let those pies go, but he did, which says a lot about how bad he wanted to ruffle Cane Cutters feathers.

Well it took what seemed like a month of Sundays to get Cane Cutter as far as the cut off to go to Supervisor Smiths garden, but they made it, and without a single second to spare. Just as Brier Rabbit topped the bank of the pond he saw Old Man Terrapin getting ready to hit the road.

“Morning Neighbor,” Brier Rabbit said with a big old grin on his face.

“Good Morning Brier Rabbit, sorry I can’t stay and chew the fat with ya, but I was just a leavin’,” he said before he saw Cane Cutter hop on top of the bank.

Cane Cutter couldn’t keep his mouth shut. “Well don’t let us hold you up; I reckon it’ll take you till half past sundown just to get to that log over yonder.”

“And you brought that loud mouth cousin of yourns along,” Terrapin said. “And how are you today Cane Cutter, I declare you do look more like your great-great granddaddy every day.” Old Man Terrapin knew how to get Cane Cutters grits.

Cane Cutter took a giant hop off of the bank and Terrapin sunk back on his hind two legs. The whole time Brier Rabbit was laughing like he had lost his mind. They yelled and they screamed back and forth for about an hour. They were just about to go to fist city when Brier Rabbit stepped in.

“Come on now there’s no reason to be carrying on this kind of mess,” Brier Rabbit said.”I’m sure we can all find a solution to this problem.”

Terrapin spoke up first, “That no count cousin of yourns could go back to where he come from.”

“Yea! Well that slow poke-cheating-scallywag could shut up and race me,” Cane Cutter yelled.

Brier Rabbit couldn’t have been happier. Although he was enjoying the fight, a fight was never his real intention. He had a plan to put Old Man Terrapin over the finish line in front of Cane Cutter in a rematch, shutting that bully of a rabbit’s big old mouth once and for all. And his plan couldn’t be going any better.

“So you really want to race cousin,” Brier rabbit asked.

“Now Brier Rabbit you know I want to race, it’s that stupid turtle’s the one what’s a lily livered, just like his granddaddy.” Cane Cutter was fit to be tied.

“What about you my old friend Terrapin, I’m sure you ain’t gonna sit here and listen to Cane Cutter bad mouth your kin folk like that are you.”

Old Man Terrapin looked up at Brier Rabbit and scratched his head. “That cousin of yourns is as full of wind as a corn eating horse. I ain’t got no time for his foolishness, unlike his great-great granddaddy, and I don’t mean no disrespect to you Brier Rabbit, or your mama, but unlike his great-great granddaddy I got thangs to be’a doin’.” He knew Brier Rabbit was up to something, but he couldn’t figure out what.

Cane Cutter stood up and poked his chest out and said, “Don’t you go talking about Papa Hare. It was that cheating granddaddy of yours that started the whole thing. If he’d only give us a fair re-race back then, we’d be done with this nonsense.”

Brier Rabbit jumped up on the bank and spoke. “So, cousin, if Old Man Terrapin agrees to race you, once and for all, would you let the matter go, and live without all this commotion, and accept the outcome, no matter what happens.”

Cane cutter shook his head and agreed. Then Brier Rabbit turned to Old Man Terrapin, smiled, and gave him a big wink. Then he turned back to Cane Cutter and said, “You be up on that hill across from Mr. Fox’s house, where the first race took place, in the morning at 8:00 on the dot, and I’ll make sure Old Man Terrapin’s there.”

“But you know the rest of the family’s going to be leaving to visit Uncle Jack Rabbit by 7:00 in the morning, and I want them to see me win,” Cane Cutter said.

“Do you want to race, or are you getting scared,” Brier Rabbit shouted. “If’n you’re scared, just say scared, and we can call the whole thing off.”

“I ain’t scared,” he mumbled. “I’ll be there; you just make sure he’s there.”

“Okedoke, now you get back and tell everybody, and I’m gonna stay and talk Terrapin in to it.

Cane Cutter was about as happy as a hog in the mud. He was flipping and flopping and smiling like nobody’s business when he left the pond.

“What in tarnation do you got in mind,” Old Man Terrapin said as Cane Cutter left. “There ain’t no way I’m a gonna be able to beat him in a race. You no he ain’t ever gonna lay down and take a nap like your Granddaddy did. And by the way you know I always thought highly of your Papa Hare. He was good people. I was at that race Brier Rabbit, and he never ask for no re-race.”

I know that, “Brier Rabbit said. “That’s just the Cutters acting up. But I do have a way for you to shut him up forever. Just show up at the race sight at 7:30, with your three boys, and four white goose feathers.”

So that’s what happened. Early the next morning, while Cane Cutter was having breakfast, Brier Rabbit excused himself to make sure Old Man Terrapin didn’t over sleep. But what he did was meet Terrapin at the race ground. It was late spring and there had been plenty of rain, and the grass was tall. So tall in fact, you could even see Terrapin on the ground. Brier Rabbit let the whole Terrapin family in on the secret. The oldest son, who was the spitting image of his daddy, would be waiting at the start holding a white feather so it could be seen over the grass as he walked. The other two would wait just as you started up the next two hills with their feather hid on the ground. And almost at the top of the last hill, just before you get to the finish line, would be Old Man Terrapin, laying in wait.

Everybody was in place when Cane Cutter showed up with the whole Cutter clan; there were more Rabbits than Carter had liver pills. Behind the parade of rabbits was almost everybody in Cottonville, animal and human alike. Brier Rabbit was afraid they might see the Terrapins if they stayed at the start, so he had them all move to the finish line. From there they couldn’t really see anything until the racers topped the last hill, and they had almost made it to the finish line. Then it would be Old Man Terrapin they saw win the race.

Cane Cutter stepped up to the starting line and Brier Rabbit explained about the goose feather. Cane Cutter pushed the grass aside so he could see Old Man Terrapin. He could just make out a Terrapin, but not well enough to figure out it was Junior Terrapin, and not his Daddy. Then he yawned and stretched and got in place.

When everybody was set, Brier let out a hoot that started the race. They were off and running. Cane Cutter didn’t hold anything back. He ran lickidy split down that hill and started up the other side as fast as his big old long rabbit legs would carry him.

“Where did he go Cane Cutter, where did he go,” Brier rabbit yelled. When he did, Old Man Terrapin’s oldest boy pulled down his feather.

When Cane Cutter looked back he didn’t see anything. He couldn’t figure out what had happened. When did Old Man Terrapin pass him? He hadn’t seen a thing.

“There he goes,” Brier Rabbit yelled. When he did the second son threw up his feather and as Cane Cutter was topping the first hill, he turned to see Old Man Terrapin already headed up the second hill.

He took off again as fast as he could down the first hill, and up the next hill past Terrapin. He was running as fast as he could. He was breathing hard, but he didn’t give up. He had no Idea Old Man Terrapin was that fast. Then he heard Brier Rabbit yell again, and when he looked back, that feather was gone. Then, when he heard Brier Rabbit yell the second time, he topped the next hill, and saw Terrapin in front of him going up the third hill. But he didn’t stop, he kept on running. Soon he was back in front.. Then, once again, he heard Brier Rabbit, and when he looked back, once again there was no feather. When he went over the hill this time, he saw Terrapin almost at the top of the last hill closing in on the finish line.

He ran as fast as he could, but he couldn’t catch Old man Terrapin this time. He was too far ahead, When Cane Cutter topped the last hill he could see that Terrapin was crossing the finish line, ahead of him, and in front of the forty members of the Cutter family, and all of Cottonville.

By the time they had all caught their breath, Brier Rabbit was there with them.

“I want a re-race,” Cane Cutter said. “Something was wrong, there ain’t no way a Terrapin can beat a Rabbit at a foot race.”

“You a story teller Cane Cutter,” Terrapin yelled. “It done happened twict now, right here in the same place.”

Brier Rabbit jumped between them and said, “Cane Cutter you said you’d let the matter go, no matter what happened, now are gonna keep your word or not. If you ain’t I’m sure Old Man Terrapin would be more than happy to write a publishment in the newspaper about it. Do you really want people to know you just got out run by a Terrapin? Your kids would be laughed out of these parts completely. I’m sure every newspaper in the world would repeat the story.”

Brier Rabbit was right. Cane Cutter and the whole clan hopped back to Sunflower County with their heads hung low. To this day not a single swamp rabbit has ever been back to Cottonville. Brier Rabbit, Old Man Terrapin, nor anybody else in Cottonville, animal or human, has heard as much as a single word from any of them to this day.

How Brier Rabbit Lost His Tail

Like all the other rabbits in the south, and I reckon in the world now that I mention it, Brier Rabbit has a pathetic little puff of cotton riding on his backside, that he calls a tail. You can usually see it hanging out the back of his over-alls, but it really ain’t much to look at, to be quite honest. But it wasn’t always that way. Once, a long time ago, he had a long bushy beautiful tail. It was the envy of pert near everybody in Cottonville, animal and human alike. And of course Brier Rabbit was not the least bit shy about showing it off. He thought it was about as pretty as a poky dotted puppy in little red wagon. He brushed it and kept it all dolled up. It was his pride and joy.


Then, one year, it came a cold snap like nobody could remember. It got so cold, and for so long, that even the Coldwater River down to Savage froze over. One afternoon, Brier Rabbit was out looking for some food to eat. He was cold and hungry, and his belly was slapping against his backside, when he came upon Mr. Fox with a mess of catfish. Normally, Brier wasn’t much on eating meat, but he was so cold and so hungry, that everything was starting to look good.

“Well pick my peas,” he said, “if it ain’t my old friend Mr. Fox, with a mighty big mess of catfish.”

“I don’t know what you’re up to Brier Rabbit, but you ain’t getting none of these fish, so you might as well not even try.” Mr. Fox knew Brier Rabbit about as well as anybody in Cottonville, and he knew what that tricky scoundrel was up to.

“I wouldn’t dare ask you for one of those beautiful things Mr. Fox.” Brier Rabbit summed up the situation pretty quick like, and he figured he stood a better chance of finding out where Mr. Fox got them fish, than he did beating him out of them. Everybody knew Mr. Fox was so tight he’d squeeze a nickel till the buffalo screamed, Brier Rabbit knew the river was frozen over, and so where ever he got them catfish, there had to be more.

“You wouldn’t dare ask me,” Mr. Fox said with a smile. “Since when.”

“Now don’t be like that Mr. Fox. You done flung a craving on me, and all I want to know is where you caught them things, so I can do the same.”

Mr. Fox was used to being beat by Brier Rabbit, and he suddenly saw a chance to give him some of his own medicine. He had an idea of his own.

“I’ll tell you Brier Rabbit, I went down to the river, cut me a hole in the ice, put my tail in the water, and waited. In no time at all, I had a bite. All I did was pull it out, and I had a catfish. I’d still be down there except Ms. Fox is expecting me home any time now.”

Brier Rabbit never thought Mr. Fox would be pulling one over him, so he took off lickety split without even saying a thank you. Mr. Fox just laughed and went own home.

Brier Rabbit did just what Mr. Fox said to do. He dug a hole in the ice and he put his tail in, and he waited. He could taste those fish already. Soon it started getting cold but he didn’t move. He waited and he waited. And he waited, and he waited, and he waited some more. But nothing bit. Directly he chuckled a bitty-bit when he figured out old Mr. Fox had beat him at his own game. By that time it was about as cold as a well digger’s backside on Christmas Eve, so he decided to take his cold, tired, hungry carcass home. But when he tried to get up, he couldn’t move. He squealed like a stuck pig. He thought a haint done grabbed him. But he looked around and nobody else was there. Then he saw what had happened. The hole had done froze over. The ice done took hold of him and wouldn’t let go, and he couldn’t move an inch. He pulled and he pulled, but he was stuck. After a while he was plumb tuckered out and it looked like dark was about to slip up on him. It was so cold he was about to freeze to death. Then all the sudden like, he could hear man-eater howling up on the bluff, and he knew he had to get out of there before somebody decided to take a mess of Brier Rabbit home for supper. So he decided to pull one last time as hard as he could pull. He slipped his hind two legs back on either side of his tail. Then he counted to three. One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three. And he gave a tug. But the ice didn’t let go. However, his tail did. When he looked down, he’d done pulled his tail completely off. There wasn’t nothing left but a little bloody nub.

Oh it looked mighty pathetic. His big bushy tail was all gone. But he didn’t have time to morn none, because he saw Man Eater coming his direction. So he scampered on home as fast as he could, picked a little piece of cotton to doctor up his nub, and he went to sleep, cold, hungry, and with no tail to speak of.