African-American Folk Tales
African-American folk tales
originated with peoples who were
brought from Africa against their will
as slaves. They were torn from their
individual cultures, families,
languages and customs. The
African in them was forcibly
suppressed by the white slave
owners.
They were not to speak their own
languages. The slave owners made
them speak English but forbade
them to learn to read or write it.
They were compelled to do hard
labor and were punished for
resisting, slacking off, and running
away. They had no citizenship, no
rights, and were treated as property.
But no amount of hard labor and
suffering could suppress their
powers of imagination. Out of their
contacts with other slaves,
combined with memories and habits
from Africa, came a body of folk
tales about the slaves and their
experiences.
The slaves created tales in which
various animals—such as the rabbit,
fox, bear, wolf, terrapin (turtle),
snake, and possum—took on the
characteristics of the people found
in the environment of the plantation.
The rabbit, called Brer or “Brother”
Rabbit, became a particular favorite
of the slave tellers.
Brer Rabbit was small and
apparently helpless compared to the
powerful bear, the wily fox, and the
ferocious wolf. But the slave teller
made the rabbit smart, tricky, and
clever, the winner over larger and
stronger animals.
Still, Brer Rabbit sometimes got into
trouble, just as the slaves did, which
made him seem all the more human.
To the slaves, the rabbit came to be
identified with themselves.
Brer Rabbit and the Tar Baby
The
Tar
Baby
Brer
Rabbit
Brer
Fox
Brer
Bear