The Tales of Uncle Remus / Сказки дядюшки Римуса. Книга для чтения на английском языке

Brer Rabbit saw a tree with a hole and ran in it just as the shadow of Brer Fox’s teeth was going up his back.

The hole was too little for Brer Fox to get into, so he lay down on the ground beside it to do some serious thinking.

He was lying there with his eyes closed (a fox always closes his eyes when he’s doing serious thinking), when Brer Buzzard came flopping along. He saw Brer Fox lying there like he was dead, and said, “Looks like supper has come to me.”

“No, it ain’t, fool!” said Brer Fox, opening his eyes.

“I ain’t dead. I got Brer Rabbit trapped in this tree here, and I ain’t letting him get away this time if it takes me six Christmases.”

Brer Buzzard and Brer Fox talked over the situation for a while. Finally, Brer Buzzard said he’d watch the tree if Brer Fox wanted to go get his axe to chop the tree down.

Soon as Brer Fox was gone and everything was quiet, Brer Rabbit moved close to the hole and yelled, “Brer Fox! Brer Fox!”

Brer Rabbit acted like he was annoyed when Brer Fox didn’t answer.

“I know you out there, Brer Fox. Can’t fool me. I just wanted to tell you how much I wish Brer Turkey Buzzard was here.”

Brer Buzzard’s ears got kind of sharp. He put on his best Brer Fox voice and said, “What you want with Brer Buzzard?”

“Oh, nothing, except there’s the fattest gray squirrel in here that I’ve ever seen. If Brer Buzzard was here, I’d drive the squirrel out the other side of the tree to him.”

“Well,” said Brer Buzzard, still trying to sound like Brer Fox and not doing too good a job[41 - not doing too good a job – (разг.

) получалось у него не очень похоже], “you drive him out and I’ll catch him for Brer Buzzard.”

Brer Rabbit started making all kinds of noises like he was trying to drive the squirrel out and Brer Buzzard ran around to the other side of the tree. Quite naturally, Brer Rabbit ran out of the tree and headed straight for home.

Brer Buzzard was mighty embarrassed when he realized he’d been tricked[42 - realized he’d been tricked – (разг.) понял, что его надули]. Before he could think of what to tell Brer Fox, Brer Fox came marching up with his axe on his shoulder.

“How’s Brer Rabbit?” Brer Fox wanted to know.

“Oh, he doing fine, I reckon. He’s mighty quiet, but he’s in there.”

Brer Fox took his axe and – POW! – started in on the tree.