The next morning Brother Fox came out to see how the tar baby was getting along. He saw Brother Rabbit, and he laughed to himself until his sides ached.
“Hey, Brother Rabbit!” he called. “What are you doing? How do you like my tar baby? I thought you drank dew from the grass and the flowers! I have you now, Brother Rabbit, I have you now.”
“Let me go, Brother Fox!” cried Brother Rabbit. “Let me go! I am your friend. Don’t hurt me!”
“Friend? You are a thief,” said Brother Fox. “Who wants a thief for a friend?” Then he ran quickly to his home in the woods and built a big fire.
Soon Brother Fox tore Brother Rabbit loose from the tar baby, threw him over his shoulder, and started for the fire.
“Roast rabbit is good,” said Brother Fox.
“Roast me! Burn me! Anything!” said Brother Rabbit, “Only don’t throw me into the brier patch.”
“I’ve a mind to throw you into the well,” said Brother Fox, as he turned and looked back.
“Drown me! Kill me! Anything! Only don’t throw me into the brier patch,” said Brother Rabbit. “The briers will tear my flesh and scratch my eyes out. Throw me into the fire! Throw me into the well!”
“Ah, ha, Brother Rabbit!” said Brother Fox. “So you don’t like briers? Then here you go!” and he threw Brother Rabbit away over into the brier patch.