Brer Rabbit Tricks Brer Fox

Brer Rabbit Tricks Brer Fox is an original take on the familiar tale of Brer Rabbit Down the Well. Using rhyming couplets, Brer Rabbit tricks Brer Fox into going down the well. The rhyming makes it fun and easy for children to memorize. Once again, Brer Rabbit uses his cunning to get himself out of trouble.

Malcolm Henty is retired and living in East Devon in the United Kingdom. His theatre experience comes from writing and directing plays and pantomimes for the local children’s theatre group of which he is chairman. He also has the great fortune of working alongside his granddaughter Beth who is a primary school teacher. In addition to staging productions, the group also runs a very successful Drama Club for which he has written various plays. Happiness Stan and A Man for All Seasons, are about a raggedy old scarecrow and are both available on Drama Notebook. Hairgel and Hairgel 2 (Karma Chameleon) are full-length musicals. Hitler’s Ear is a play based on a true story of a boy who was evacuated three times in WW2, and All Hell at Allhallows is a murder mystery. Malcolm is also the co-author along with Kent playwright Paul Sherman, of a new play based on Cornish folklore which is awaiting its premiere.

More Brer Rabbit plays:

Brer Rabbit Meets Brer Lion
Mr. Man and the Candy Store, a Brer Rabbit Tale
Brer Rabbit and the Day of Learning
Brer Rabbit and Sister Swan’s Daughter
Brer Rabbit’s Christmas

Excerpt from the Play:

CHARACTERS
Brer Rabbit
Brer Fox
Brer Bear
Brer Turtle
Farmer
Narrator 1
Narrator 2
Narrator 3
Narrator 4
*Brer means brother or an informal title before someone’s name.

(Setting: It is a hot sunny day. Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, Brer Turtle, and Brer Bear are working hard to clear the weeds from the vegetable patch, getting it ready for planting. They are cheerful but hot.)

Brer Turtle:
What a day so much fun
Working hard beneath the sun
Clearing the weeds
Digging the ground
Ready for the seeds
To be scattered around

Brer Fox:
We will soon have the patch looking much better
Four good friends, all working together.
I’m getting mighty warm in my fur coat
An ice-cool drink would ease my throat.

Brer Rabbit:
Yes, a lovely drink nice and cool
Let’s all adjourn to Brer Turtle’s pool.

Brer Bear:
We can all have a rest when the work is through
Dig Brer Rabbit, I’ve been watching you.
You’ve only been moving at a snail’s crawl
I should be the most tired of us all.

Brer Turtle:
Come on you two you are always complaining
Whether it’s sunny or when it’s raining.
I’m the one who should moan it’s not fair
Carrying my house on my back everywhere.

Note: (During the narration the cast acts out the scenes.)

Narrator 1:
Brer Fox, Brer Rabbit, Brer Turtle, and Brer Bear
Carried on working without any care.
But as the sun rose higher and higher
Poor Brer Rabbit, he began to tire.
And being the crafty one that he was
He slipped away making no fuss.
To find somewhere in the woodland deep
Where he could rest for a while and have a nice sleep.