https://www.abelard.org/brer_fox_brer_rabbit_briar_patch.php
Who asked you to chat up the Tar-Baby? And who stuck you up the way you are? Nobody in the round world. You just jammed yourself on that Tar-Baby without waiting for any invitation, said Brer Fox,. And there you are, and there youll stay until I fix up a heap of brushwood and make a fire, cos Im going to barbeque you today for sure, said Brer Fox.
So Brer Rabbit talked in a mighty humble way.
I dont care what you do with me, Brer Fox said Brer Rabbit. Just dont fling me in that briar patch over there. Roast me, Brer Fox, but dont fling me in in that briar patch, said Brer Rabbit.
Its so much trouble to start a fire, said Brer Fox, that I think Id rather hang you.
Hang me just as high as you please, Brer Fox, said Brer Rabbit, but for Lords sake dont fling me in in that briar patch.
I dont have any string, said Brer Fox, so I think Id rather drown you.
Drown me just as deep as you please, Brer Fox, said Brer Rabbit, but for Lords sake dont fling me in in that briar patch.
Theres no water nearby, said Brer Fox, so I think Id rather skin you.
Skin me, Brer Fox, snatch out my eyeballs, tear out my ears by the roots, and cut off my legs, said Brer Rabbit. Only please, Brer Fox, please dont throw me into the briar patch.
Its not going to be much fun skinning you, said Brer Fox, youre not scared of that. But you are scared of the briar patch.
And with that, Brer Fox yanked Brer Rabbit off the Tar-Baby, and he flung him -KERPLUNK!- right into the briar patch.
Well, there was a flutter where Brer Rabbit landed, then Ooo! Oow! Ouch! he screeched and he squalled. Then after a while, there was only a weak whisper from Brer Rabbit. Brer Fox listened.
I got him! Brer Rabbit is dead! said Brer Fox.
But then he heard a scuffling away at the other end of the briar patch. And low and behold, who does Brer Fox see scrambling out but Brer Rabbit himself, playing a briar bush whistle.
Born and bred in the briar patch, thats me, laughed Brer Rabbit. I told you not to throw me there. In all the world, thats the place I love best!
Commentary from
Abelard.org:
Old tales of psychological manipulation translated into modern English.
Whatever you do, cried Brer Rabbit, Dont throw me into the briar patch, or how to get recalcitrant idiots to do what you want.
Notice that Brer Rabbit gets himself into a predicament, by making a foolish assumption and then behaving in an impulsive manner.
Tar baby is an expression used to describe a sticky situation. It is a situation or problem from which it is virtually impossible to disentangle oneself.