Brought to this country by slaves from Africa, the stories of Brer Rabbit, that lovable trickster, are an important and delightful part of American 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. The three tales in this volume are "Fishing for Suckers," Brer Fox Bags a Lesson," and "Brer Rabbit's Visit to Aunt Mammy-Bammy."
Edward Gorey, one of the 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.
