kin pint out way de Ring day. De King, him berry glad, an eh collec all
him fren fuh see de cunjur man pint out de Ring. Wen dem all gedder,
de conjur man, him ax de King fuh hab all him tukrey dribe befo um. De
King him do so, an as de tukrey bin er walk pass, de conjur man pint
out one big tukrey-gobbler an tell de King say him hab de Ring een
him craw. Wid dat, de King mek one er him serbant ketch de gobbler an
rip open eh craw, an day, sho nuff, was de Ring. De King, him bin so
rejoice eh gib high praise ter de cunjur man, an eh gie um big money,
an mek um rich. De tree serbant too, wuh bin de tief, dem so happy
cause de cunjur man yent spose dem ter de King dat dem mek present ter
um too, an bin eh fren all dem life.
XXXII.
BUH LION, BUH RABBIT, BUH FOX, AN BUH ROCCOON.
Buh Lion, him bin keep er bank. Een dat bank him hab chicken, en
hog, en sheep. Buh Fox, him marry ter Buh Coon darter. Buh Fox
farruh-een-law, him bin er rogue. Buh Coon an Buh Rabbit mek er plan
fuh rob Buh Lion bank, an dem usen fuh tek ting outer um ebry now en
den, an nobody kin fine out who duh de tief. Buh Fox, Buh Rabbit, an
Buh Coon, dem day fas fren, an dem constant keep compny. Buh Rabbit him
tell Buh Lion, say him know de man wuh duh rob him bank, but eh yent
want talk eh name, an eh vise Buh Lion fuh set steel trap fuh ketch
de tief. Buh Lion do es him say, an de nex night, wen Buh Coon, Buh
Fox, an Buh Rabbit gone fuh rob de bank gen, Buh Coon, him walk topper
de trap an eh ketch um by eh foot. De ting broke Buh Coon leg, an eh
hot um berry bad, but eh faid fuh holler, case, ef eh did holler, eh
know Buh Lion gwine run day an kill um. So eh leddown an moan, an beg
eh fren fuh help um. Buh Fox an Buh Rabbit, dem study ober de ting,
an dem mek up dem mine say ef Buh Lion fine Buh Coon een de trap, eh
not only gwine kill Buh Coon, but eh will sen an kill all eh fambly.
Den dem conclude dat de bes ting fuh do bin dat Buh Fox--wuh bin him
son-een-law--mus tek one swode an chop Buh Coon head off an bury um,
an dat eh skin Buh Coon an bury eh hide an eh cloze, an leff Buh Coon
nekked een de trap, so nobody kin tell who bin ketch.
Buh Fox, him do es dem gree. De nex mornin wen Buh Lion zamine eh trap,
eh fine de tief done ketch. Eh call een eh fren fuh consult, but es de
body done strip, an eh head done cut off an gone, nobody could mek up
eh mine who de tief bin. Buh Lion, him say him gwine fine out who de
tief yiz, an who de man wuh cut eh head off an skin um.
Buh Rabbit, him come up bout dis time, an him swade Buh Lion fuh sen
fuh one cart, an pit de dead body een um, an leh one er eh han heng
ober one side er de cart, an gedder him soldier an pit one gang on de
leff han side an de tarruh gang on de right han side, an mek de music
go befo, an leh dem all march down de middle er de street een Buh Lion
town all de lenk er de street; an ef de soldier yeddy anybody duh
scream an duh cry een any one er de house, den de soldier mus go ter
dat house an kill ebry body wuh lib day, case dat mus be de fambly er
de tief. Buh Lion, him well please, an him gie order, an hab de ting
done jes es Buh Rabbit bin plan.
Wen de compny bin er march wid de dead body er de tief een de cart, jes
es dem come befo de do er de house way Buh Fox lib, wuh bin marry Buh
Roccoon darter, him wife bin er look outer de winder, an eh see eh pa
han duh heng ober de side er de cart, an eh know um, an eh holler an
scream an fall down an faint way. Den de soldier wuh bin on de right
han side er de cart, dem run ter de house way dem yeddy de screamin an
de hollerin, an dem bus een de do an gone een fuh kill de whole fambly.
Buh Fox, wen eh see wuh happne, tek one knife an eh cut off one er him
finger, an eh run to de do, an eh meet de soldier, an eh show um eh
han der bleed, an eh tell um say eh bin dis loose one er eh finger, an
eh wife dat scade wen eh see wuh happne ter um, dat eh holler an faint
way. So Buh Fox fool de soldier, an dem gone back an jine de compny
an march on. Dat night dem camp een de en er de street, an halfer de
soldier bin on one side de cart, an tarruh half bin on tarruh side duh
guade de body er de tief wuh head cut off.
Wen Buh Fox wife come teh, eh spicion say Buh Fox bin know who kill
eh pa,--wuh bin Buh Roccoon,--an eh tell eh husbun, Buh Fox, say ef
eh dont git eh pa body an bring um ter um dat berry night, eh gwine
tell Buh Lion him bliebe de one wuh cut eh farruh--Buh Coon--head off
an hide um, duh eh own husbun,--Buh Fox. Buh Fox tell um say him yent
know nuttne bout de ting, an eh try fuh swade um no fuh go nigh Buh
Lion. Wen eh fine eh wife mine done mek up, an no way fuh him fuh git
out cept fuh fetch Buh Coon body ter eh wife, eh gone ter Buh Rabbit
fuh vise um an fuh help um. Buh Rabbit, him yeddy all wuh Buh Fox hab
fuh say, an den eh say: “Me tell you wuh you do. To-night gwine cole.
Dem soldier duh camp der street, an dem yent hab no fire. Dem berry lub
rum. Bout middle night you tek you horse an you paint one side er um
white, an de tarruh side er um black. You cahr two jug er rum, an you
ride ter de camp, an you gie one jug ter de gang er soldier wuh day on
de right, an de edder jug ter de tarruh gang wuh day on de leff, an wen
dem drunk you kin tek Buh Coon body outer de cart an cahr um home.”
Buh Fox, him wrop him head an yez up so nobody kin know um, an eh paint
eh horse one side white an tarruh side black, an eh tek eh two jug er
rum an eh ride ter de camp, an eh do dis es Buh Rabbit bin tell um fuh
do. De soldier, dem berry glad fuh git de rum. Dem tink two man fetch
um,--one duh ride er white horse, an de edder duh ride er black horse.
Dem drink tell dem drunk, an den Buh Fox slip way wid Buh Coon body
ter eh wife house, an him an eh wife bury um een de gaden same night
onbeknowinst ter ebry body.
De nex mornin wen de soldier wake up, de cart day day, but de body
done gone. De soldier wuh camp on de leff, dem say de man wuh ride on
er white horse mus er tief um; an de soldier wuh camp on de right, dem
say de man wuh ride on er black horse him mus er tief um. So Buh Fox
cuhfuse dem two gang er soldier, an dem nebber did fine um out.
Buh Rabbit, him scheemy mona all dem tarruh cretur. Him do all dis, an
yet him stay fren wid Buh Lion, Buh Fox, an wid Buh Coon fambly.
XXXIII.
BUH RABBIT, BUH WOLF, AN DE PORPUS.
Ebber sence dat time wen Buh Wolf ketch Buh Rabbit duh tief water outer
him spring, an eh bin tie um ter de spakleberry bush an lick um, Buh
Rabbit hate Buh Wolf an mek plan fuh git eben wid um.
Dem all two lub fish. Buh Rabbit an Buh Porpus bin good fren, an many
er time Buh Porpus blan gie Buh Rabbit some er de fish wuh him der
ketch. One day, Buh Porpus, him bin berry lucky een eh fishin, an eh
fetch fuh Buh Rabbit mo ner two quart er gannet mullet, and blow um on
de bank way Buh Rabbit kin git um dout wet eh foot. Buh Rabbit, him
tell um heap er tenky, an eh cahr um ter him house. Befo eh part compny
wid Buh Porpus, eh tell um how Buh Wolf bin ketch um an tie um an lick
um, how eh bex long Buh Wolf, an how eh want Buh Porpus fuh help um fuh
punish Buh Wolf. Den dem mek plan lucker dis: Buh Porpus bin fuh come
back ter de same place nex day an leh Buh Rabbit tie grapewine roun um,
so Buh Wolf kin pull um outer de water fuh eat um. Wen Buh Wolf tek eh
holt fuh pull Buh Porpus outer de water, den Buh Porpus wus teh mek
eh flut an juk Buh Wolf een de ribber an drown um. So dey gree, an Buh
Rabbit gone home long eh fish.
Wen eh git ter eh house eh sen one er him gal to Buh Wolf house fuh
tell um him hab some nice fish, an ter eenwite Buh Wolf an him fambly
fuh tek brukwus long um nex mornin. Buh Wolf, him well please, an eh
say him an eh fambly gwine come wid pledjur.
Dem did come. De fish sweet. Buh Wolf, him an eh wife an eh chillun joy
um berry much. Buh Wolf ax Buh Rabbit way eh git de fish, an Buh Rabbit
tell um say him fren, Buh Porpus, blan ketch um fur um, an dat him hab
er pintment dat berry day wid Buh Porpus. Buh Wolf bague Buh Rabbit fuh
leh him go long too, an see ef him couldnt mek rangement wid Buh Porpus
fuh fine him een fish. Buh Rabbit say him willin; so dem finish brukwus
an gone fuh meet Buh Porpus.
Es dem duh gwine Buh Rabbit tell Buh Wolf say Porpus meat berry nice,
an eh tink mebbe dem kin ketch Buh Porpus an eat um. Buh Wolf quire:
“How you gwine do um?” Den Buh Rabbit, him mek answer: “Me tell you
how we gwine wuk dis ting. Me good fren ter Buh Porpus, an wen we git
ter de ribber bank me gwine tell Buh Porpus leh we hab er game, an see
who kin pull de strongis. Den we will tek er grape-wine an tie um roun
Buh Porpus head, an you an me will tek turrer een, an we sholy kin drag
Buh Porpus outer de ribber; an wen we git um out eh gwine dead, an we
will hab heap er bittle fuh eat.” Buh Wolf, him no bin know de plan wuh
Buh Rabbit aready done fix wid Buh Porpus, an so eh gree ter all wuh
Buh Rabbit bin say.
Wen dem git ter de ribber bank, day was Buh Porpus duh wait fur Buh
Rabbit. Buh Rabbit mek um quaintum wid Buh Wolf, an arter er while Buh
Wolf ax Buh Porpus fuh fine um een fish same luk eh fine Buh Rabbit, an
Buh Porpus gree fur do so. Den Buh Rabbit, him say: “Leh we hab some
fun, an see who kin pull de strongis: Buh Porpus genst me an Buh Wolf.”
Buh Porpus say him willin. Wid dat, Buh Rabbit git one long grape-wine,
an eh tie one een roun Buh Porpus head, an de tarruh een eh tie fus
roun Buh Wolf body, an den roun him own; but eh leff de een loose, so
him kin slip out. Den eh gie de wud fuh pull. Es eh done dat eh slip
outer de wine, an leff Buh Wolf lone fuh pull genst Buh Porpus. At
de fus, wen Buh Porpus ease isself off een de ribber, eh pull sorter
light, an den eh gie way, and Buh Wolf, him tought him gwine outpull
um. But een er leely while Buh Porpus sorter hump eh back an flut eh
tail, an yuh Buh Wolf come fuh de water. Eh dig eh paw een de san, an
eh holler ter Buh Rabbit fuh tun um loose; but Buh Rabbit wouldnt tetch
um, an so Buh Porpus drag um, duh scuffle an duh holler, clean een de
ribber an onder de water, an drown Buh Wolf. Arter dat Buh Porpus swim
back ter de bank an Buh Rabbit tek off de grape-wine from roun eh neck,
an dem leff Buh Wolf een de water fuh shark an alligatur fuh eat.
Buh Rabbit an Buh Porpus done Buh Wolf er mean trick.
XXXIV.
DE DEBBLE AN MAY BELLE.
De Debble, him kin tek all sorter shape fuh cahr out him plan an fool
people. Sometime eh mek isself inter wolf fuh kill you sheep. Narruh
time eh tek de shape er alligatur fuh worry you duck an goose. Den
eh look lucker white deer, an eh fly tru de wood, dout mek no noise,
fuh skade people duh walk long de big road. Den eh come same lucker
owl, an eh holler down you chimbly an eh tarrify ebry body wen dem duh
tun flour een de pot. Den wen you sick, eh gone eensider you lucker a
wurrum, an eh gie you all sorter misry. Den gen, eh kin tek de shape
er man, en pass isself off fur great gentleman long de lady. Day yent
nuttne wuh de Debble cant do ef eh mek up eh mine ter um.
One time day was a berry pooty noung ooman name May Belle. Him farruh
bin rich, an eh dress um up ter de notch, an eh gie um saddle horse
fuh ride, an carriage fuh dribe, an plenty er serbant fuh wait on um,
an ebry good bittle fuh eat, an rockin-chair fuh set een, an orgin fuh
play topper. All de noung man een de county bin er cote um an er try
fuh marry um.
One day one strange man come fuh wisit um. Eh dress up better ner all
dem tarruh gentlemans. Eh hab on new beber hat, wuh shine lucker glass,
an eh hab side whisker comb so nice, an glub on eh han, an new cloze,
an eh dribe up een er fine carriage wid four horse, an de driber hab er
keen lash wuh pop so clear you could yeddy um way down de road.
De noung lady tek wid um right off. Eh hab sich er good manners, an
eh talk so perlite, an eh ack so rich, ebry body gie way ter um, an
eh outshine all dem tarruh Buckra wuh bin er cote de gal, an eh marry
um befo de week out, an eh tek um een eh carriage, an eh dribe um off
ter him house. Dat house bin een er deestant part er de country, buil
on er hill. Nobody bin lib close. Eh bin de fines house een de whole
settlement. Eh hab piazza all roun an roun, an eenside ebry ting look
berry nice an pooty.
Wen dem dribe up ter de step, de Debble, wuh bin de husbun, han eh
Bride een de pahler, an set um een one rockin-chair, an tell um de
whole house blanks ter um, an eh mus mek isself saterfy an joy isself.
Ebry ting gone long berry well fur some time, an de noung wife hab ebry
ting him call fur. One mornin, wen eh husbun leff de house fur ten ter
eh bidness, an eh wife bin er ramble bout de room, eh fine one key duh
heng up by isself. Eh wonder wuh key dat, an wuh do eh open. Eh tek um
an eh try one lock arter anurrer, but de key wunt fit. Bimeby eh gone
duh garret, an eh see one do up day wuh bin lock. Eh pit de key ter de
hole an eh onlock de do, an wen eh open um lo! an behole! eh see een de
closet tree noung ooman duh heng up long dem neck, an dem bin all dead.
De ting skade de gal so bad eh scacely hab han fuh shet de do an lock
um gen. But arter a while eh manage fuh do dat, an den eh mek hase an
heng de key way eh bin fine um. De Bride faid fuh ax eh husbun bout de
ting. All eh joy done gone. Eh want fuh git way, but him dunno how fuh
do um. Eh yent hab nobody fuh truss fuh sen ter eh farruh an bredder
fuh come an tek um way.
Eh husbun bin gen um one nice ridin horse fuh tek eh pledjur long ebry
mornin an ebenin. De Debble so busy eh wife haffer ride by isself. De
po gal yent say nuttne ter nobody bout wuh eh see een de closet der
garret. Eh hide eh feelin, but eh berry onsaterfy een eh mine.
De nex mornin, wen eh bin er tek eh ride, soon es eh git outer yearin,
eh biggin fuh cry, an fuh pity isself, an say eh wish eh bin back ter
eh farruh house, an talk eh mine dat eh faid eh husbun, wen eh git
tired long um, gwine kill um an heng um long de tarruh ooman wuh day
een de closet duh garret. Him no know de horse wuh him duh ride bin
a yeddy um, an duh notus wuh him duh say. All ob er sutten de horse
open eh mout, an eh ax eh missis: “Enty you know who you marry ter?
You husbun duh de Debble, an wen eh saterfy long you eh gwine bex wid
you an kill you same luk eh done kill dem tarruh wife wuh eh bin hab
befo eh bring you yuh.” De po ooman dat skade eh ready fuh fall off.
Eh mose faint way. Eh heart duh flutter een eh bres. All eh strenk gie
way. Eh cry. Eh gib up fuh loss. Den eh bague de horse fuh pity um, an
help um, an tek um back ter him fambly. De horse sorry fur um, an eh
prommus fuh try an sabe um, but eh tell um fuh keep eh mout shet, an
mek no rackit bout de ting. Mo na dat, eh tell um, de nex mornin wen eh
come fuh ride, eh mus fetch een eh pocket four big nail wuh day on de
mantlepiece een de Debble room, an dem will help um fuh git way.
De po ooman tenk um berry much, an dem gone back an nobody bin know
bout dis plan. De nex mornin wen de Debble, wuh bin him husbun, leff
de house an gone fuh mine eh bidness, eh wife fine de nail dis es de
horse bin say, an eh pit um een eh pocket. Den eh call fuh him ridin
horse same luk eh ebber done, an eh gone down de road fuh ride. Soon es
eh git outer de sight er de house, de good horse eh men eh pace; an,
befo de middle er de day, eh tell eh missis fuh drap one er dem nail
een de road. Eh missis did drap um, an right off one big bank er san
riz up clean cross de road, so nobody could dribe ober. Wen night come
on dem drap anurrur nail, middle night anurrer, an es de sun duh rise
dem drap de las one. Ebry time de nail drap, de big bank er san rise up
an shet up de road. De horse run so fas eh retch de ooman farruh house
by brukwus time een de mornin. Eh fambly stonish fuh see um, an wen eh
tell dem wuh mek eh come back, eh farruh an eh bredder git dem gun fur
shoot de Debble ef eh come fuh tek de gal back.
Wen de Debble fine out say eh wife yent come back from ride, eh biggin
fuh spicion someting; an arter dinner eh git een eh carriage fuh hunt
eh wife. Eh tek de big road, an eh mek eh driber pit de lick ter de
horse, but eh cant see ner yeddy nuttne bout eh wife. Bimeby eh come
pon topper de fus bank er san een de road, an den him bin know right
off wuh happne. Eh mek eh horse grabble tru, an den eh dribe straight
fur eh farruh-een-law house. Eh blow eh hot bref behine eh horse, an eh
mek um run lucker de win. Eh haffer stop fuh git tru dem tarruh bank
er san wuh de edder nail bin mek, an so eh loss eh time an nebber did
obertek eh wife. Wen eh tun een de abnue wuh lead ter eh wife farruh
house, eh see eh wife an all eh fambly day een de piazza duh watch de
road. Eh farruh-een-law an eh bredder-een-law hab gun een dem han. De
Debble, him no faid gun, an eh dribe right up, an eh ax eh wife wuh
mek um run way. Befo eh kin answer, eh tell um fuh git right een de
carriage an go back home long um. Eh wife say eh wunt, an eh hole on
ter eh farruh. Den de Debble git berry bex an schway say him gwine cahr
um any how. Wid dat, eh light outer de carriage an mek fuh de piazza
fuh graff eh wife. Eh farruh an eh bredder tell um fuh tan back an leh
de gal lone. De Debble wunt yeddy dem, an es eh rise de step de farruh
an de bredder er de noung ooman shoot de Debble long buck-shot. De shot
drap offer um dout hot um, an eh come right on. Dist es eh bin guine
tek de gal eh change eh mine, an eh tun ter eh old self, wid eh forky
tail, an eh claw, an eh batwing, an eh owl yez, an eh blow fire outer
eh mout, an eh bun up eh wife, an him farruh, an him murrer, an him
bredder, an de house, an ebry ting wuh day een um. Not a ting leff fuh
show way de house bin. Eh bun up de horse too wuh bin help eh wife fuh
run way. Den eh change back ter de shape er a man dist es befo, an eh
git een him carriage, an eh dribe back ter him house same luk nuttne
bin happne.
“De Debble,” added Daddy Cudjo, as he concluded this story, “duh de
wus ting een dis wul an de nex. Me nebber gwine hab nuttne fuh do long
um. Me faid um wus den rattlesnake; an dat ting wuh dem call Hell, me
nebber wan shum ner go nigh um.”
XXXV.
DE OLE MAN AN DE COON.
One time er rich Buckra hab er senserble ole man serbant wuh come from
Afreka. Dis ole nigger bin know ebryting bout ebryting. Nobody could
tun um wid questun. Eh Mossa try um heap er time, an eh ebber did mek
right answer. Eh fren try um too, an dem nebber ketch um duh miss. De
Buckra brag heaby on de ole man, an berry offne eh win bet topper um.
One day de Buckra man gen er big dinner, an eh eenwite heap er fren ter
him house. Eh lay er wager say nobody kin ax eh ole serbant er questun
wuh him couldnt answer, an eh gie eh fren lief fuh try de ole man any
fashion dem want. De money pit up, an de fren call one boy, wuh bin
er wuk bout de lot, an dem sen um der wood fuh ketch one coon. De boy
gone wid eh dog. Wen dinner done ober, an de gentlemans duh set een
de piazza duh talk, de boy come back wid er roccoon. Dem call fuh er
barrel, an dem tek de coon an pit um een an head um up complete, so
nobody kin see wuh day eenside.
Den dem sen fuh de ole Afreka nigger. Eh bin er hoe cotton der fiel, an
nobody bin tell um wuh mek dem sen fuh um. Eh come; an den eh Mossa
say: “Ole man, we sen fuh you fuh tell we wuh day een dis barrel.” De
ole man look at um, an walk roun um, an notus um close, an listne fuh
see ef eh could yeddy anyting duh mobe. All de gentlemans duh watch
um. Wen de ole man mek up eh mine eh couldnt fine out wuh day een de
barrel, eh stop, eh study, eh cratch eh head, an den eh mek answer:
“Mossa, hoona done head de ole coon dis time.”
Eh no bin know say him bin er speak er true wud bout wuh bin een de
barrel. Eh bin er talk bout ehself wen eh say dem bin head de ole coon
dis time, but eh Mossa an de tarruh gentlemans no know, and dem all gie
de ole man big praise. Eh Mossa win de bet, an eh share de silber money
wid de ole man.
XXXVI.
BUH RABBIT AN DE CRAWFISH.
Arter Buh Wolf bin lick Buh Rabbit an trow um een de brier patch case
eh ketch um der tief water outer him spring, Buh Rabbit faid fuh meet
Buh Wolf, an him leff an gone buil ehself new house een Buh Bear
settlement. Buh Bear, him hab well, an steader Buh Rabbit fine him own
water, eh blan slip ter Buh Bear well an tief water outer um. Buh Bear
fine dis out, but Buh Rabbit so scheemy Buh Bear couldnt pit eh han
topper um fuh ketch um. So eh git one big crawfish an eh pit um een de
well, an eh tell um fuh gard de well, an fastne ebrybody wuh come day
fuh tief water.
De nex time Buh Rabbit gone der well long him calabash fuh git some
water, de fus ting eh know de crawfish grab um by eh tail. Buh Rabbit
holler, an een eh pull way eh leff eh tail een de crawfish claw. An dat
de way Buh Rabbit come fuh loss eh tail. Eh tail stumpy tel dis day.
XXXVII.
BUH RABBIT AN BUH ELEPHUNT.
You ebber notus say Buh Elephunt yez all de time duh heng down, an eh
cant cock um up luk de tarruh creetuh? Eh hinge to eh yez look luk eh
broke. You know wuh mek so? Ef you yent know, lemme tell you.
Buh Rabbit an Buh Elephunt, dem blan ramble tru de same wood. Buh
Rabbit, him lib offer de noung grass, an Buh Elephunt, him eat de tree
limb. Dem bin quaintun wid one anurrur; an, weneber dem meet, dem nusen
fuh pass de time er day. Buh Rabbit, him too leetle fuh Buh Elephunt
fuh keep compny long.
Een de spring er de year Buh Rabbit bin mek eh nes onder one bush,
an eh line um an eh kibber um ober complete long sofe dry grass. Eh
hab tree leely chillun een dat nes. One day Buh Elephunt bin er hunt
eh bittle, an eh gone miss an mash topper Buh Rabbit nes, an kill eh
chillun. Buh Rabbit no bin day at de time, an wen eh git back eh fine
eh nes done broke up, an all tree eh chillun squash flat. Eh see by
de track say Buh Elephunt bin do dat. Eh gone right off an eh tackle
Buh Elephunt bout um. Buh Elephunt mek answer an say him yent do um;
him yent know nuttne bout um. Wen Buh Rabbit fine eh cant git no
saterfaction outer Buh Elephant, eh cut down, an eh berry bex, an eh
mek plan fuh git eeben wid Buh Elephunt fuh de big damage wuh him bin
done ter um an eh fambly.
Eh quaintun wid de place way Buh Elephunt blan leddown fuh tek eh res;
so eh watch um, an wen eh done gone der bed, Buh Rabbit, him slip back
an eh call eh wife, and dem gedder dry leaf an dead grass, an dem tote
um ter de spot way Buh Elephunt duh sleep, an dem full all two Buh
Elephunt yez long de leaf an grass. Den dem trike fire an clap um ter
de dry grass an leaf wuh dem bin pit een Buh Elephunt yez. Eh blaze up.
Buh Elephunt wake. Eh couldnt mek out wuh happne. De ting biggin fuh
bun um bad. Eh holler fuh somebody fuh help um. Eh roll ober an try fuh
out de fire een eh yez. Eh tek eh trunk an try fuh lick um out, but
befo de fire done out, eh bun de hinge er all two eh yez, so eh couldnt
liff um up no mo.
Dat de way Buh Rabbit tek eh rewenge on Buh Elephunt case eh mash eh
chillun, an dat de reason huccum Buh Elephunt hab flop yez tel ter-day.
XXXVIII.
BUH RABBIT, BUH WOLF, AN BUH POSSUM.
Buh Rabbit an Buh Wolf gone long de ribber bank fuh hunt Cooter agg.
Dem Cooter blan come outer de water wen de tide high, an dig hole een
de san, an lay dem agg, an kibber dem ober so crow an ting cant fine
um. Buh Rabbit an Buh Wolf come topper nough er Cooter nes, an dem
gedder de agg an share um equel. Dem pit um een bag, an es dem gin
gwine home, de agg so fresh an sweet, Buh Rabbit slip eh han een eh bag
an onbeknowinst ter Buh Wolf eh suck all de agg wuh bin fall ter him
share befo dem retch de fork er de road way dem gwine part compny.
Buh Wolf tote all him agg home, an gen um ter him wife. Eh yent bin een
eh house berry long wen up come Buh Rabbit duh puff an der blow. Soon
es eh ketch eh bref eh say: “Buh Wolf, wuh you bin do long dem Cooter
agg? Enty you fine out say dem spile? Me bin gib some er mine ter me
wife, an eh gen um cramp colic right off. Me run all de way fuh tell
you, so you kin sabe you fambly from sick.”
Buh Wolf nebber spicion say Buh Rabbit bin er tell um lie, an eh tenk
um berry much, an eh gone git de Cooter agg an trow um way. Buh Rabbit
notus way Buh Wolf bin trow de agg; an soon es Buh Wolf gone back een
him house, Buh Rabbit gedder dem up an tote um off een de bush, an
seddown an biggin fuh eat dem dist es saterfy es kin be.
Eh so happne say Buh Wolf come pon topper Buh Rabbit duh eat dem Cooter
agg, an eh see right off how Buh Rabbit done fool um. Eh git rale mad,
an eh mek eh jump fuh graff Buh Rabbit, but Buh Rabbit too quick fur
um, and eh tek ter eh heel. Buh Wolf push um so tight eh mek um quit de
groun an tek ter one pussimmon tree. Buh Rabbit so light eh gone out
on one leely limb way Buh Wolf couldnt foller um ner retch um. Wen Buh
Wolf fine out eh couldnt pit eh han pon topper Buh Rabbit fuh lick um,
eh call ter Buh Possum, wuh bin hab house close by, an eh ax um fuh run
day an watch Buh Rabbit tel him coulder git him ax fuh cut down de tree
an ketch Buh Rabbit. Buh Possum come, an eh seddown onder de tree duh
gard Buh Rabbit wile Buh Wolf gone fuh him ax.
Arter er wile Buh Rabbit say: “Buh Possum, dem yer pussimmon berry
sweet. Enty you want some?” Buh Possum, him mek answer: “Yes, me
Budder, me berry lub pussimmon, an me will glad fuh git some.” Den Buh
Rabbit tell um fuh step ter him house an fetch eh fanner fuh ketch de
pussimmon es eh pick um an drap um. Buh Possum so anxious fuh tase de
pussimmon eh clean furgit wuh Buh Wolf bin leff um fuh do, an so eh
gone ter him house fuh git eh fanner. Soon es eh back tun, Buh Rabbit
slip down de tree an lean fuh home. Wen Buh Wolf come wid eh ax, eh
fine Buh Rabbit an Buh Possum all two gone. Eh dat bex eh dunno wuffer
do. Een er leely wile yuh come Buh Possum duh tote he fanner. Buh Wolf
questun um, an wen eh fine out how Buh Rabbit done fool um an git way,
eh tun een an cuss Buh Possum an beat um. Eh tek a smart somebody fuh
head Buh Rabbit.
XXXIX.
BUH RABBIT, BUH WOLF, AN DE HOLLER TREE.