Br'er Rabbit
1
9.5
- noun
- /ˈbrɛr ˈræbɪt/
- Literature
Examples
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Bugs Bunny has some similarities to figures from mythology and folklore, such as Br'er Rabbit, and might be seen as a modern trickster.
Blog text (17) -
In the stories of Joel Chandler Harris, Br'er Rabbit is known for his clever tricks and cunning nature.
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The tales featuring Br'er Rabbit highlight themes of wit and resourcefulness in overcoming obstacles.
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Children love hearing about Br'er Rabbit and his adventures outsmarting Br'er Fox in popular folk tales.
Synonyms
2
9.2
A clever rabbit in old Southern stories who tricks others
Surface Forms
Morphology
Br'er + Rabbit
This is a culturally specific proper name for a folktale trickster figure; knowing the literal parts (one dialectal element 'Br'er' and 'rabbit') does not allow a B1 learner to infer the character's role or cultural significance. 'Br'er' is a nonstandard contraction (of 'brother') unfamiliar to many learners and the name functions idiomatically as an established character rather than a compositional phrase.
Etymology
Br'er Rabbit comes from the short form of the phrase 'Brother Rabbit', where Br'er stands for 'Brother'. In old stories told by African-American storytellers in the American South, this small rabbit uses clever tricks to escape hunters and bigger animals, so Br'er Rabbit now stands for a clever trickster.