Page "Song of the South" Paragraph 4

As Uncle Remus cooks, he mentions Br ' er Rabbit again and the boy, curious, asks him to tell him more.

After Uncle Remus tells a tale about Br ' er Rabbit's attempt to run away from home, Johnny takes the advice and changes his mind about leaving the plantation, letting Uncle Remus take him back to his mother.

Johnny makes friends with Toby, a little black boy who lives on the plantation, and Ginny Favers, a poor white neighbor.

However, Ginny's two older brothers, Joe and Jake — who are meant to resemble Br ' er Fox and Br ' er Bear " a big Bubba " from Uncle Remus's stories, for one is slick and fast-talking, while the other is big and a little slow — are not friendly at all ; they constantly bully Ginny and Johnny.

When Ginny gives Johnny a puppy, her brothers want to drown it.

A rivalry breaks out among the three boys.

Heartbroken because his mother won't let him keep the puppy, Johnny takes the dog to Uncle Remus and tells him of his troubles.

Uncle Remus takes the dog in and delights Johnny and his friends with the fable of Br ' er Rabbit and the Tar Baby, stressing that people shouldn't go messing around with something they have no business with in the first place.