Characters - narrator 1 and 2, Brother Rabbit, Brother Fox

NARRATOR 1 - Brother Fox certainly wanted to catch Brother Rabbit. The fox tried many different tricks but he had never been able to catch the rabbit.

NARRATOR 2 - One day Brother Fox had an idea for a new trick. He got a doll and a pail full of soft, black, sticky tar. He set the doll in the middle of the road and covered it with plenty of tar.

FOX - This Tar Baby is the best trick I have ever thought of. Now I will hide in the bushes and wait for Brother Rabbit to come along.

NARRATOR 1 - By and by Brother Rabbit came down the road. When he saw Tar Baby he stood up on his hind legs in surprise.

RABBIT - Good morning! Nice weather we're having.

NARRATOR 1 - Tar Baby did not say a word.

RABBIT - Is that the way to behave? I spoke to you and you had better speak to me. Can't you hear me? I'll talk a little louder…Good morning! Nice weather we're having!

NARRATOR 2 - But Tar Baby still did not say a word.

RABBIT - You're stuck-up fellow. Speak to me or I'll hit you. I can hit hard.

NARRATOR 2 - Tar Baby did not say a word.

RABBIT - I'll teach you a lesson, you naughty boy.

NARRATOR 1 - Raising his left front foot the rabbit hit Tar Baby hard. Of course his foot stuck in the tar and he could not get it loose.

RABBIT - Let me go you naughty fellow! If you don’t behave, I'll hit you much harder!

NARRATOR 1 - Tar Baby did not say a word. So the rabbit hit Tar Baby with his right front foot. That foot stuck, too.

RABBIT - Now I am really angry!

NARRATOR 2 - Next the rabbit hit Tar Baby with both hind feet and they stuck. Finally he tried to bump his head hard against Tar Baby. Now his head stuck tight also.

NARRATOR 1 - Brother Fox came out of the bushes as pleased as could be. He certainly was enjoying himself.

FOX - Hello Brother Rabbit. So you think Tar Baby is a naughty stuck-up fellow. It seems to me that you're the one that's stuck up. Ho, ho, ho !!

NARRATOR 2 - The fox laughed so hard that he rolled on the ground with tears running down his face.

RABBIT - Dear Brother Fox please pull me loose.

FOX - Oh, no I won't! I'll cook you and I'll have you for my dinner.

RABBIT - Oh, Brother Fox please don't eat me. Eat something else instead.

FOX - I don't want anything else. I can hardly wait for my first bite of roast rabbit.

NARRATOR 1 - The fox raked a big pile of leaves over a log nearby. He set the pile on fire. As the fire burned, the rabbit got hotter and hotter. He twisted and turned trying to get away from the smoke and the heat.

NARRATOR 2 - Suddenly Brother Rabbit felt his head pulling loose from Tar Baby. The hot fire was making the tar soft. He thought he would soon be able to pull his feet loose too.

NARRATOR 1 - Brother Rabbit had an idea. He must get rid of Brother Fox so the fox couldn't see what was happening. Then he could get away.

RABBIT - Brother Fox, this fire is not hot enough. You need a much bigger fire.

FOX - I'll bring plenty of logs to make a bigger and hotter fire.

NARRATOR 2 - As soon as Brother Fox left, the rabbit began to twist and turn some more. Soon his hind feet were loose. Then his front feet were loose and away he hopped.

NARRATOR 1 - Brother Rabbit hid in some bushes, far away from the smoke and flames and waited for the fox to return.

RABBIT - Ho, ho, ho! I have spoiled your plans, Brother Fox. Build your fire big and hot, but what will you have to cook?

NARRATOR 2 - Then Brother Rabbit hopped off to his home, laughing about the way he had fooled Brother Fox. He certainly was enjoying himself.