Harris says that "it needs no scientific investigation to show why he [the
negro] selects as his hero the weakest and most harmless of all animals,
and brings him out victorious in contests with the bear, the wolf, and the
fox. It is not virtue that triumphs, but helplessness; it is not malice,
but mischievousness." Sometimes, as is shown in _The Wonderful Tar Baby
Story_, a trick of the fox causes serious trouble to the rabbit; but the
rabbit usually invents most of the pranks himself. The absurdly incongruous
attitude of the rabbit toward the other animals is shown in the following
conversation, which occurs in the story of _Brother Rabbit and Brother
Tiger_, published in _Uncle Remus and His Friends_:--
"Brer Tiger 'low, 'How come you ain't skeer'd er me, Brer Rabbit? All de
yuther creeturs run when dey hear me comin'.'
"Brer Rabbit say, 'How come de fleas on you ain't skeer'd un you? Dey er
lots littler dan what I is.'
"Brer Tiger 'low, 'Hit's mighty good fer you dat I done had my dinner,
kaze ef I'd a-been hongry I'd a-snapped you up back dar at de creek.'
"Brer Rabbit say, 'Ef you'd done dat, you'd er had mo' sense in yo' hide
dan what you got now.
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