Alligatur call to de Jay-Bud, an eh quire: “Wudder dat you say?” An de
Jay-Bud keep a sing: “Yaller-belly Alligatur ferry me ober.” Alligatur,
him say: “Me hard er yearin. Come close, so me kin yeddy you song.”
De Bud fly down dist by Buh Alligatur, an eh sing gen: “Yaller-belly
Alligatur ferry me ober.” Buh Alligatur yeddy um berry well, but eh so
bex say de Bud done fine out, an der talk eh secret, dat eh want fuh
kill um sho. So eh say gen: “Me tell you me deef; come close; set on me
nose, so me kin yeddy wuh you duh sing.” De fool Bud come an light on
eh nose, an eh holler gen: “Yaller-belly Alligatur ferry me ober.” De
wud yent leff eh mouf befo Buh Alligatur trow open him mouf an ketch
um, an chaw de life outer um.
Bad plan fur stranger fuh meddle long tarruh people bidness.
XXII.
DE CAT, DE RAT, DE CHEESE, AN DE FOX.
De Cat an de Rat, dem fine one big piece er cheese een er closet. Dem
cahr um way fuh share um. Dem cant gree how eh fuh dewide, an dem call
een de Fox fuh jedge between um.
De Fox, eh berry cunnin, an eh nebber furgit ehself. Eh bring eh
scale, an eh pit de cheese een um. Den eh tek eh knife an eh cut off
big piece, an eh pit um one side an eh say dis fuh de jedge. Den eh
weigh de cheese gen een de scale, an eh tek um out an eh cut off narrur
slice, an eh pit um one side an eh say dat fuh de jedge.
By dis time eh done tek mo ner half de cheese. Wen eh pit de cheese
back een de scale, an hole um up gen, Buh Cat an Buh Rat, dem bofe call
out: “Hole on, Jedge! Dis ting wrong. You gwine tek all we cheese an
leff we none.” Buh Fox, him berry bex, on eh gedder de cheese an eh
fole up eh scale, an eh holler out: “Begone, you rogue. You lib pon
tief, an you gwine tell me how fer do jestice? Good fuh you me only tek
de cheese, an leh you go wid you life. Me great mine fuh kill you bofe.”
Wid dat, Buh Cat an Buh Rat, dem leff, an Buh Fox, wuh bin de jedge,
eat all de cheese.
Wen tief git plunder, better fuh dem fuh share um mongst demself den
trus ter call een bigger rogue fur dewide um.
XXIII.
BUH RABBIT AN DE TARRUH BEASTISES.
All de animel conjunct togedder fuh buil house an gedder dem winter
perwision. Buh Rabbit prommus fuh help, but wen dem call pon um fuh
help tote de pole and de bresh, him mek scuse, say him wife berry sick
and him bleege fuh tay home an nuss um. All dis bin a lie. Buh Rabbit,
him scheemy an lazy. Eh always ready fuh mek big brag bout wuh him
gwine do, but eh nebber does come up ter eh wud. Eh hate fuh wuk, an eh
lub fuh lib offer tarruh people labuh.
Wen de house done buil, de animel, dem fetch ebry man eh own perwision,
an pack um way een eh own place way eh kin git um wen fros fall, an de
grass done dead, an de tree done drap eh leaf an eh fruit. De Possum,
him bring an pile up pussimmun. De Squirle fetch eh hickry not an eh
acorn. De Deer, de Elephant, de Cow, dem gedder an pack way grass an
leaf. De Lion and de Tiger an de Wolf an all dem animel wuh lib offer
meat, dem ketch dem meat and dry um, an bring um an pit um way een
de house. De Bud, dem bring dem seed an dem wurrum. De Cooter, him
hab him corner too, an eh full um long him bittle. Wen ebry body done
gedder eh perwision, dem shet de do an gone ter dem house fuh ten ter
dem bidness an wait tel winter come, wen dem gwine lib offer wuh dem
bin pit way. Buh Rabbit, him bin a dodge bout way nobody kin shum, duh
notus wuh gwine on, an bin a mek eh plan.
Soon es de house full, an de do shet, an ebry body leff, eh slip een de
house an pit eh yeye on ebry ting, an mek up eh mine fuh lib topper wuh
all dem people bin gedder. Eh fix one bed fur ehself. Eh gedder water
in piggin an calabash fuh lass um, an den eh git two oncommon big horn,
an eh gone eenside an fassen up de do, an mek ehself saterfy. Eh lib
day, eh eat, eh sleep, eh pledjur ehself, an eh fine eh bittle right
ter eh han. Dis wuh Buh Rabbit lub. Nuttne mek um so merry es to lib
offer tarruh people.
Fros fall, an de animel biggin fuh tink bout dem perwision wuh dem bin
lay up een de house. Fus come de Deer, an eh try fuh open de do fuh
git ter him pile er grass. De do fastne. Buh Deer couldnt mek out how
dat. Eh knock ter de do. Eh knock. Eh knock. Bimeby Buh Rabbit--wuh
bin a yeddy um all de time--tek eh horn, an eh talk tru um fuh mek er
woice big, an eh say: “Wudduh dat?” Buh Deer, him sorter skittish, an
eh faid fuh trus ehself, an de big woice kinder skade um, but eh mek
out fuh answer: “Duh me, Buh Deer.” Den Buh Rabbit talk tru eh horn:
“Wuh you want yuh, anyhow?” Buh Deer answer: “Me want fuh come een fuh
git me bittle wuh me bin pit way fuh me fuh eat der winter.” Buh Rabbit
answer loud tru eh horn: “You cant come een.” Buh Deer quire: “Who you
day eenside?” Den Buh Rabbit tek eh biggis horn, an eh holler tru um so
loud eh mek de house shake: “Better man den ebber bin yuh befo.”
De woice so sewere Buh Deer skade, an eh leff, an eh gone tell all
dem tarruh animel say big Sperit gone tek de house way dem perwision
done gedder. De animel stonish, an dem all conclude fuh go een gang
ter de house an fine out wuh de ting yiz. Wen dem all gedder, dem
tell de Lion--wuh bin de king beast--fuh quire bout who day eenside.
Buh Lion, him gone ter de do. All de beastises tan roun fuh yeddy wuh
gwine happne. Buh Lion knock. No answer. Eh knock gen. No answer. Den
eh say: “Who duh dat day een yuh?” Buh Rabbit graff eh big horn, an
eh answer back tru um wid all eh strenk: “Better man den ebber bin yuh
befo.” De woice soun so outlandish, an eh come wid sich er big noise,
de beastises all conclude wuh Buh Deer bin tell dem bin so, an dat de
Sperit, him bin tek persession er de house. Dem faid fuh bus een de do,
an dem all gree fuh leff. Dem did leff, an dem yent fine out tel dis
day dat eh been Buh Rabbit wuh fool um, an dat no Sperit bin day none
tall.
XXIV.
BUH WOLF, BUH RABBIT, AN DE BUTTER.
Buh Wolf, him hire Buh Rabbit fuh help um wuk eh crap. Eh crap, eh day
een de grass, an Buh Wolf faid eh gwine loss um. Befo dem state der
fiel, Buh Rabbit notus say Buh Wolf hab een him house er nice pan er
fresh butter. Eh mout water fuh git some, but eh shame fuh bague Buh
Wolf. Buh Rabbit, him berry lub fuh tief, an eh mek eh plan fuh git
some er dat butter.
Buh Wolf an Buh Rabbit done gone der fiel an tun een fuh wuk. De sun
hot, an befo long Buh Rabbit biggin fuh drap behine. Den all ob er
sutten eh trow down eh hoe, an eh look way off, an eh cock up eh yez,
an eh holler out: “Me yeddy you. Me duh comin.” Buh Wolf, him tun roun,
an eh say: “Buh Rabbit, wuh you duh do? You mus be der tun fool. Nobody
duh call you.” Buh Rabbit, him mek answer: “Somebody yiz bin er call
me, an me know who dem yiz, an wuffer dem duh call me. Enty you sabe me
duh preacher? Well, me prommus fuh bactize er chile dis berry hour, an
me mus go fuh keep me pintment.” “Berry well,” answer Buh Wolf, “dont
you loss no time, fuh dis crap want wuk berry bad.”
Buh Rabbit hop off luk eh bin gwine in anarruh direction from dat
wuh lead to Buh Wolf house. Wen eh git een de wood, eh slip roun
onbeknowinst ter Buh Wolf, an gone een him house an eat hebby outer de
pan er butter. Eh wipe eh mouf, an eh sukkle back tell eh git ter de
place een de fiel way eh bin leff eh hoe. Eh seem berry merry, an wen
Buh Wolf ax um ef he done bactize de chile, eh say yes. Den Buh Wolf ax
um wuh dem bin name de chile, an Buh Rabbit tell um say dem bin call um
_Fus Biginnin_.
Buh Wolf an Buh Rabbit wuk on. Dem binner hoe tetter. De butter sweeten
Buh Rabbit. Him couldnt stop from tink topper um. Eh biggin fuh want
mo. De mo eh study bout um de slower eh wuk. Buh Wolf call ter um an
tell um fuh hurry. Buh Rabbit mek answer an say eh yiz duh hurry.
Bless you soul! een a little while Buh Rabbit, him drap eh hoe an eh
holler out: “You right; me bin mose furgit; me comin right off.” Buh
Wolf, him stonish, an eh say: “Buh Rabbit, you must be loss you sense;
who you duh holler teh? Nobody duh call you.” Buh Rabbit mek answer:
“Somebody yiz bin a call me. Enty you yeddy um?” Buh Wolf say: “No, me
no yeddy.” Den Buh Rabbit up an tell um say eh hab gagement fur bactize
nurrur chile at dis berry hour, an eh mose bin furgit bout um tell
eh murrer an eh farruh holler ter um outer de wood an member um. Buh
Wolf mek jection gainst Buh Rabbit gwine, but wen Buh Rabbit tell um
de chile gwine loss ef eh no git bactize, Buh Wolf lem go. Buh Rabbit
do dist iz eh bin done befo. Eh gone een Buh Wolf house, eh tek down
de pan gen, an eh eat mona half de butter. Wen eh ketch de fiel, Buh
Wolf ax um ef eh done bactize tarruh chile, an eh answer eh yiz. Buh
Wolf say: “Duh him duh gal er boy?” Buh Rabbit mek answer say: “Him duh
gal.” “Wuh eh name?” questun Buh Wolf. “_Half-way_,” answer Buh Rabbit.
Dem wuk on tel de sun biggin fuh lean een de wes. Buh Rabbit still duh
study bout dat butter. Eh yent willin fuh go ter eh home an leff any
behine. So een de tree hour eh pit eh han up ter eh yez an eh listne.
Den eh holler out de turd time, an eh say: “Go on, me duh comin.” Buh
Wolf ax um. “Way you duh gwine now? Enty you done bactize chillun?” Buh
Rabbit tell um eh hab one mo fuh bactize befo sun down, but eh wunt
tek um long becase eh lib close by. Den Buh Rabbit slip roun ter Buh
Wolf house an clean up de las er de butter. Eh yent leff one grain een
de pan.
Wen eh git back Buh Wolf say: “You bactize dat chillun een er hurry;
wuh eh name?” Buh Rabbit up an tell um say eh name _Scrapin er de
bottom_. Buh Wolf, him nebber bin spicion wuh Buh Rabbit bin up teh. De
time come fuh knock off wuk, an wen Buh Wolf want fuh dock Buh Rabbit
fuh de time eh loss wen eh bin gone fuh bactize dem tree chillun, Buh
Rabbit plead so harde case him bin preacher, dat Buh Wolf, him furgib
um an pay um eh full wager. Den eh inwite Buh Rabbit fuh come long um
an tek supper wid um. But Buh Rabbit scuse ehself, an light out fer him
house, an leff Buh Wolf een de fiel. Buh Rabbit berry scheemy. Eh know
say ef eh did bin gone home wid Buh Wolf eh would er see eh track, an
fine out who eat eh butter, an dat eh would er lick um.
XXV.
DE EAGLE AN EH CHILLUN.
De Eagle, him duh er wise bud. Eh mek eh nes on one tall pine tree
close de ribber, er de sea, way nuttne kin git at um. Eh saterfy wid
two chillun. Eh tek good care er um. Ebry hour eh fetch um snake an
fish, an eh garde um from win an rain an fowl-hawk, an mek um grow fas.
Wen eh wing kibber wid fedder an eh strong nough fur fly, wuh Buh Eagle
do? Eh wunt leff dem chillun een de nes fuh lazy an lib pon topper eh
farruh an eh murrer, but eh tek um on eh wing, an eh sail ober de sea,
an eh tell eh chillun: “De time come fuh you fuh mek you own libbin.
Me feed you long nough. Now you haffer look out fuh youself.” Wid dat,
eh fly from onder dem, an de noung bud, wen eh fine out eh murrer yent
gwine cahr um no furder, an dat dem haffer shif fuh demself, dem try eh
wing an sail off een de element duh hunt bittle.
People orter tek notus er Buh Eagle an do jes es him do. Wen you
chillun git big nough fuh wuk, mek um wuk. Dont leh um set bout de
house duh do nuttne, an duh spek eh farruh an eh murrer fuh fine bittle
an cloze fuh um. Ef you does, you chillun gwine mek you shame, an eh
will tun out berry triflin. Eh will keep you dead po, too.
Do same luk Buh Eagle. Mine you chillun well wen dem leetle; an soon es
dem big nough fuh wuk, mek um wuk.
XXVI.
CHANTICLEER AN DE BAN-YAD ROOSTER.
You nebber bin see er finer bud den Buh Chanticleer. Eh fedder eh
glisten same luk silber een de sun. Eh step so high, an eh yent faid
nuttne. Wen eh crow you could yeddy um all tru de settlement. De hen
all lub um, an run ter um wenebber him call. Eh can lick all dem tarruh
rooster; an jist es soon es eh mek motion at dem, dem run.
Befo eh bin fine um out fuh true, day bin er big yaller Rooster een
de gang wuh try fuh spute Buh Chanticleer, an mek eh brag say eh kin
lick um. Dem fight. De big yaller Rooster couldnt tan up befo Buh
Chanticleer. Eh gaff um, eh pick um een eh back, eh knock um ober, an
eh run um out de yad.
Arter dat, de yaller Rooster faid fuh come nigh Buh Chanticleer. Eh run
ebry time eh see Buh Chanticleer duh walk towuds um, but eh hab a way
fuh debble Buh Chanticleer. Eh go way off, an ebry time eh yeddy Buh
Chanticleer flap eh wing an crow, him do de same. Soon a mornin wen Buh
Chanticleer crow fuh day, de big yaller Rooster, him crow too. De ting
bodder Buh Chanticleer, an eh want fuh kill um. Eh try hard fuh fine
out way eh roose. One day one er de hen wuh blanks ter Buh Chanticleer
fambly mek um sensible jist way de yaller Rooster blan roose. Den Buh
Chanticleer, him sen fuh Buh Fox. Eh come, an Buh Chanticleer ax um
say: “You want one fat Rooster fuh eat?” Buh Fox, him answer: “Yes, me
berry glad fuh git um, an heap er tenky ter you too.”
Den Buh Chanticleer tell um fuh come de fus moon-shiny night, an him
will show um way eh kin git a good supper. Buh Fox happy, an eh prommus
fuh come. Eh did come de fus moon-shiny night, an Buh Chanticleer gone
long um an pint out de big yaller Rooster duh sleep een one low cedar
tree. Buh Fox creep up easy, an graff um an eat um. Wen eh done eat um,
an eh duh lick eh mout, Buh Chanticleer ax um: “How you luk um?” Buh
Fox mek answer: “Me luk um berry well. Eh bin fat. Eh meat sweet. Me
luk um summuch me want mo.” Wid dat, an befo Buh Chanticleer kin mek
out wuh eh tend fuh do, eh jump pon topper Buh Chanticleer, an mash um
ter det, an eat um up.
Wen you want somebody fuh do you sarbis, call pon you fren, but dont
trus you eenemy fuh done um.
XXVII.
BUH RABBIT AN DE GROUN-MOLE.
Day nebber bin a man wuh kin equel Buh Rabbit fuh mek plan fuh lib
offer tarruh people bedout wuk isself. Groun-mole, bin berry tick. On
ebry side dem bin er root up de tetter patch, and stroy pinder. Nobody
know how fuh ketch um, case eh wuk onder de groun, an wen you go fuh
fine um eh yent dedday.
Buh Rabbit, him see eh chance, an eh tell ebry body him know how fuh
stroy um. De ting come ter Buh Wolf yez, an eh sen fuh Buh Rabbit. Buh
Rabbit gone ter Buh Wolf, an eh tell um yes, him hab plan fuh clear
de fiel er Groun-mole, an dat him wunt charge Buh Wolf nuttne but him
board an lodgment wile him duh ketch an kill de Groun-mole. Buh Wolf,
him say Buh Rabbit berry kine, an eh gree fuh fine um. Den Buh Wolf hab
one nice bed mek up fuh Buh Rabbit, an eh tell eh wife fuh feed um well.
Buh Wolf hab some bidness wuh call um way from home, an eh spec fuh
gone bout one week. Eh leff Buh Rabbit fuh clean de Groun-mole outer eh
fiel, an den eh gone. Buh Rabbit, him well saterfy. Ebry mornin, arter
brukwus, eh mobe off luk eh bin gwine ter Buh Wolf fiel, an nobody shum
tel dinner time. Arter eh done eat er hebby dinner, eh gone gen tel
supper time, wen eh come back an eat er hebby supper, an den eh leddown
der bed.
Nobody kin see any Groun-mole wuh Buh Rabbit der ketch, but eh tell
Buh Wolf wife dat eh bin er kill heap er dem ebry day, an dat eh gwine
soon clear de fiel. De ting gone on dis way tel Buh Wolf tun home. Wen
eh retch eh house eh quire bout Buh Rabbit, an eh wife tell um wuh Buh
Rabbit bin er say an er do, an dat Buh Rabbit gone der fiel dist arter
brukwus. Buh Wolf say him gwine see fuh ehself wuh Buh Rabbit duh do,
an wuh plan eh fix fuh ketch de Groun-mole.
Wen eh git der fiel eh look up an down, an eh yent see no sign er Buh
Rabbit. Eh notus eh crap, an de Groun-mole duh eat um wus den nebber.
Eh sarche fuh Buh Rabbit track, an eh cant shum no way. Buh Wolf mek up
eh mine dat Buh Rabbit yent do de fus ting een de fiel. De sun hot. Buh
Wolf gone een de edge er de wood, an day eh come pon topper Buh Rabbit
tretch out een er bed wuh eh bin mek outer pine straw onder one tree,
fas tersleep. Eh yent bin study bout Buh Wolf, er de Groun-mole wuh bin
er bodder de fiel. Buh Wolf slip up, an eh graff um tight. Buh Rabbit
so skade eh furgit fuh lie, an Buh Wolf mek um confess eh yent know how
fuh ketch Groun-mole, dat eh nebber did kill none, an dat eh bin lib
offer Buh Wolf bittle ebber sence eh leff.
Buh Wolf, him so bex eh git grape wine an eh tie Buh Rabbit han an
foot, an eh lick um tel eh tired. All dis time Buh Rabbit bin eh holler
an er bague. At lenk Buh Wolf loose um, an run um offer de place.
Eh yent offen Buh Rabbit ketch at him trick, but eh meet eh match dis
time.
XXVIII.
BUH RABBIT AN DE ROCK-SOUP.
Anurrer way Buh Rabbit hab fuh mek eh libbin bedout wuk bin dis. Eh hab
een eh pocket er pooty, smoode rock, bout de size ob er tukrey agg. Wid
dem people wuh no quaintun wid um eh pass ehself off fuh er fus-class
cook, an eh tell um say eh hab one rock wuh mek pruppus fuh gie soup de
bes tase; an dat de soup wuh mek long dat rock sweeter den all edder
soup.
Eh gone ter Buh Bear house, an Buh Bear hearky ter um, an gage um fuh
mek some soup long eh rock. Buh Rabbit pit on de pot, an eh bile water
een um long de stone. Den eh call fuh meat, an wegetable, an all kind
er seaznin, an eh stir um an eh cook um all togerrur, an eh did mek er
nice soup. Eh fool Buh Bear, an eh mek um bliebe say eh bin de rock
wuh gib sich er rich flaber ter de soup, wen de fac bin say de rock
yent hab nuttne fuh do long um, but de tarruh ting wuh gone een de pot,
dem duh de ting wuh mek de soup. Buh Rabbit git big dinner at Buh Bear
house dat day.
Anurrer time, wen eh bin berry hongry, eh gone ter Buh Cooter house, an
eh fool um same fashion, an eh git er hebby dinner day too.
Eh do dis way fuh some time, guine from house teh house.
At lenk eh miss an gone ter Buh Fox house, an tell um bout eh
rock-soup. Buh Fox, him no fool. Him duh er smate man, an eh see tru de
ting right off. But eh yent leh Buh Rabbit see dat eh spicion anyting,
an eh tell um fuh go head an mek eh soup. Eh han out wuhebber Buh
Rabbit call fuh, an eh wait topper um tel de soup done. Den eh tase um,
an wen eh fine eh tase same luk any edder soup mek long de ting wuh eh
han Buh Rabbit fuh pit een de pot, eh tek Buh Rabbit rock, an eh trow
um down de well, an eh cuss Buh Rabbit fur er swindler, an mek um shame
befo all eh fambly, an mek um leff.
Buh Rabbit an Buh Fox, bofe er dem berry cunnin, but dis time Buh Fox
him cunnin moner Buh Rabbit.
XXIX.
DE TWO FREN AN DE BEAR.
Two fren, dem bin a mek one journey togerruh. Dem haffer go tru one
tick swamp wuh full er bear an edder warmint. Dem prommus fuh tan ter
one anurrer, an help one anurrer out ef de warmint should tack dem. Dem
yent bin git half way tru de swamp wen one big black Bear jump outer de
bush an mek fur dem. Steader one er dem tan fur help fight um, eh leff
eh fren an clime one tree. De tarruh fren bin yeddy say Bear no gwine
eat dead people, so him leddown on de groun, an hole eh bref, an shet
eh yeye, an mek out say him bin dead. De Bear come up ter um, an smell
um, an tun um ober, an try fuh ketch eh bref. Wen eh fine eh cant ketch
eh bref, eh gone off leely way an eh watch um. Den eh tun back an smell
um gen, an notus um close. At lenk eh mek up eh mine say de man bin
dead fuh true; an wid dat eh leff um fuh good an gone back der wood.
All dis time de tarruh fren duh squinch ehself up een de tree duh watch
wuh bin gwine on. Eh dat skade eh wunt do nuttne fuh help eh fren, er
try fuh run de Bear off.
Wen eh fine de Bear done gone fuh sho, eh holler ter him fren say:
“Wuh de Bear bin tell you? Him an you seem luk you bin hab close
combersation.” Den eh fren mek answer: “Eh bin tell me nebber fuh trus
nobody wuh call ehself fren, an wuh gwine run luk er coward soon es
trouble come.”
XXX.
DE OLE MAN AN DET.
One Ole Man bin berry tired long wuk. Him want fuh stop an tek eh
pledjur all day een him house. Eh bex long de Buckra wuh gie um task,
an mek um ten ter um. Eh constant duh pray, so people kin yeddy um, dat
Det would come an cahr way eh Mossa, an eh Mistis, an de Obersheer.
De Obersheer him yeddy wuh de Ole Man bin a pray fuh, an eh tell de
Mossa, an dem fix plan fuh hab fun long de Ole Man. Wen night come, an
ebryting on de plantation done gone bed, de Mossa, him tek one long
white gown wuh ketch down ter eh foot, an eh pit um on, an eh gone ter
de Ole Man house. Eh push de do open, an day bin de Ole Man duh siddown
on eh bench duh nod by de fire. De Ole Man yeddy say some body come
ter him do, an wen eh tun roun fuh look, eh see one tall somebody all
wrop up head an yez een white. Eh git skade, an tink duh Sperit. Eh
quire: “Who duh dat?” De Sperit, wuh bin de Mossa dress up een de white
gown wuh kibber um all ober, mek answer way down een him troat: “Duh
me, Det, wuh you bin a pray fuh.” Den de Ole Man say: “You come fuh
Mossa?” De Sperit shake eh head. Eh say gen: “You come fuh Mistis?” De
Sperit shake eh head gen. De Ole Man quire gen: “Den you musser come
fuh de Obersheer?” De Sperit shake eh head gen. De Ole Man rale skade
now, an eh study fuh leely while, an den eh questun gen: “Ef you no
come fuh Mossa, ner Mistis, ner de Obersheer, who de Debbie you come
fuh?” Den de Sperit, eh bow eh head low an eh mek answer: “Me come fuh
you.” De Ole Man hair rise. Eh git up. Eh bus tru de back do. Eh run
tru de gaden, an eh mek fuh de wood. Nobody yent shum tel arter brukwus
next mornin, an den eh tell ebry body say Det bin come fur um last
night, but dat him bin dodge um. Arter dat nobody ebber yeddy um mek no
mo prayer bout Det.
XXXI.
DE KING AN EH RING.
One time dere was a King wuh bin done git marry, an eh bin hab one fine
Ring wuh him bin call eh gagement Ring. Dat King, him bin hab tree
serbant wuh wait bout him table, an clean him shoes, an do wuhebber
him want um fuh do. Dem bin tek tun een clean de shoes. One clean um
one mornin, anurrur one clean um nex mornin, an de edder one clean um
de nex. One er dem serbant tief de King Ring. De King try fuh fine out
which one er de tree bin tek um, an eh fail. Dem wunt tell topper one
anurrur, an de ting bodder de King berry bad. Eh faid say ef eh cant
git back eh gagement Ring all eh good luck gwine leff um. Eh call een
eh fren an wise man fuh help um pint out de tief an fine dat Ring, an
dem cant.
One day de King notus er strange man duh walk bout him gaden, an eh
sen an hab um brung ter um. Wen eh questun um, de man tell um say him
bin a po man, an dat eh mek eh libbin by cunjur. De King tell um eh
bin dis de man eh duh hunt fur, an eh want um fuh fine eh Ring. Eh mek
um quaintun bout wen de Ring tuk, an who eh tink tief um; an eh say
eh gwine gie um fibe day time fuh pint out de man wuh bin tek de Ring,
an mek um tun um. Mo na dat, eh prommus um big money ef eh git back de
Ring widin de fibe day; but eh treaten um fuh kill um ef eh fail fuh
fine um eenside dat time. Eh charge eh serbant fuh tek good care er de
conjur man, an feed um high.
De rale name er dis cunjur man bin _Robin_, but him yent bin gib dis
name ter de King.
De cunjur man try fuh fine out de tief, but eh miss. Four day gone,
an de Ring yent fine. De cunjur man, him berry sad, an eh faid say eh
gwine fail, an de King gwine tek eh head off.
De mornin ob de fibe day de King git up soon, an pledjur ehself by
tek er walk een eh gaden. Wile eh duh tan onder one berry tree, one
robin-red-bres, wuh bin er eat de berry, choke an fall der groun. De
King pick um up, an eh dead in eh han. Den eh tek um, an wrop um up
een eh henkerchef, an pit um een eh hat. Eh sen fuh de cunjur man, an
eh tell um eh time mose out, an dat ef eh no fine de Ring by sundown
eh gwine kill um. Eh say ter um, moöber, dat eh doubt um, an dat eh
yent bliebe eh kin cunjur none tall; dat ef eh kin cunjur eh mus tell
um right off wuh eh got een him hat. De cunjur man so skade eh yent say
nuttne cept pity ehself, an say: “Po Robin! Po Robin!” De King tek um
say eh bin mean de bud, an eh confidance rise, an eh mek answer: “You
right, me yiz hab one robin een me hat; an becase you tell true, me
gwine gie you six day mo fuh fine out who tief de Ring.” De cunjur man
rale glad, an de ting mek de King an all eh fren an de serbant bliebe
say eh kin cunjur fur true. De tree serbant wuh bin een cohoot fuh tief
de Ring, an wuh bin know all bout um, biggin fuh faid say dem bin gwine
fuh git fine out.
De nex mornin, wen one er dem serbant come down wid de King shoes, de
cunjur man pint eh finger at um an eh say: “You duh one er de tief.” De
man look condemn, but eh mek answer, say: “Him yent.” De nex mornin wen
de tarrur serbant fetch de King shoes down fuh clean um, de cunjur man
pint him finger at um an eh say: “You duh nudder one er dem tief.” De
man rale skade, but eh schway say him yent know nuttne bout de Ring. De
nex mornin wen de edder serbant duh clean de King shoes, de cunjur man
gone up ter um an pint eh finger right een eh face, an eh say: “You duh
de tird man wuh know bout dis Ring an help fuh tief um.” De man yeye
fall, but him wouldnt confess.
Dat same ebenin all tree dem serbant, dem come ter de cunjur man an
fetch de Ring, an confess say dem been tek um, an dem bague de cunjur
man fuh fix plan fuh clear dem. Him so glad him git de Ring him prommus
fuh do dist as dem say. So eh tell dem fuh fetch one big tukrey-gobbler
ter um. Dem gone an ketch de biggis een de gang, an brung um ter de
cunjur man. Eh tek de Ring an eh mix um long cornflour, an eh poke em
een de tukrey-gobbler craw. Den eh mark de bud so him kin know um gen,
an eh tun um loose.