One evening, a little boy hurried into Uncle Remus’s room, eager to hear another animal adventure. But instead of greeting him with an ordinary story, the old storyteller began making a strange, bubbling sound.
“I-doom-er-ker-kum-mer-ker!”
The boy stared at him in confusion.
“What did you say, Uncle Remus?”
The old man repeated the peculiar expression, explaining that it was the language of Brer Terrapin, the turtle. He told the boy that growing old had its advantages. A person who had lived long enough and paid attention to the world might discover that even creatures that seemed unable to speak had plenty to communicate.
Uncle Remus then explained what had happened between Brer Fox and Brer Terrapin.
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Brer Terrapin had escaped from Brer Fox and slipped into a pond. Safe beneath the water, he began communicating through bubbles, making his strange bubbling sound.
Brer Fox stood on the bank, unable to understand what the turtle was saying. But nearby, a bullfrog heard the bubbling and joined in.
“Jug-er-rum-kum-dum! Jug-er-rum-kum-dum!” called the bullfrog.
Another frog responded with a curious announcement:
“Knee-deep! Knee-deep!”
The bullfrog immediately warned him:
“Don’t-you-believe-‘im! Don’t-you-believe-‘im!”
Brer Terrapin continued bubbling beneath the water, apparently carrying on a conversation with his new companions.
Then another frog called out:
“Wade in! Wade in!”
The bullfrog, speaking through his naturally hoarse voice, added an even more tempting invitation:
“Dar-you’ll-fine-yo’-brudder! Dar-you’ll-fine-yo’-brudder!”
Brer Fox listened carefully. Curious about what was happening beneath the surface, he peered into the pond.
There, looking straight back at him from the water, was another fox!
He had discovered his own reflection, but he did not recognise it. Convinced that another member of his kind was waiting beneath the surface, he became eager to meet him.
Without stopping to consider the danger, Brer Fox stretched out his paw as though preparing to shake hands with his supposed brother.
The next moment, he plunged headfirst into the pond!
Beneath the water, Brer Terrapin continued making his bubbling sound:
“I-doom-er-ker-kum-mer-ker!”
The little boy, fascinated by the story, immediately wanted to know what had become of the unfortunate fox.
“Was the Fox drowned, Uncle Remus?”
Uncle Remus answered cautiously. Brer Fox had not actually drowned. He had managed to struggle out of the water, but he had come dangerously close to being caught by the Mud Turtle. Had he been a little less fortunate, the consequences would have been much worse.
And so, once again, Brer Fox had allowed his own foolishness to lead him into trouble.
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Moral
The story teaches that gullibility and excessive curiosity can lead to trouble. Brer Fox’s failure to recognise his own reflection shows the danger of accepting appearances without thinking carefully.
Knowledge Check
1. Why was Uncle Remus making strange bubbling sounds?
He was imitating the unusual language of Brer Terrapin, who communicated through bubbles while underwater.
2. Which animals joined in the conversation with Brer Terrapin?
Brer Bull-Frog and another frog joined the exchange, calling out misleading messages that encouraged Brer Fox to enter the pond.
3. What did Brer Fox mistake for another animal?
He mistook his own reflection in the pond for another fox.
4. How did Brer Fox end up in the water?
Believing that the reflection was his brother, he reached out to shake its hand and fell headfirst into the pond.
5. Did Brer Fox drown?
No. He managed to scramble out, although he narrowly escaped being caught by Brer Terrapin.
6. What makes this story an example of African-American animal folklore?
It uses talking animals, trickery, humour and an oral storytelling framework to explore human behaviour through animal characters.
Source
Joel Chandler Harris, Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings: The Folk-Lore of the Old Plantation. New York: D. Appleton and Company, 1880. Section: Legends of the Old Plantation, Chapter XIV, “Mr. Fox and the Deceitful Frogs,” printed pages 68–69.
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