Rabbit en gittin' cotch in um deyse'f, en dey wuz allers a-pursooin'
atter 'im day in en day out. I aint 'nyin' but w'at some er Brer Rabbit
pranks wuz mighty ha'sh, but w'y'n't dey let 'im 'lone deyse'f?"
Naturally, the little boy was not prepared to meet these arguments, even
had their gravity been less impressive, so he said nothing.
"In dem days," Uncle Remus went on, "de creeturs wuz same lak folks. Dey
had der ups en dey had der downs; dey had der hard times, and dey had
der saf' times. Some seasons der craps 'ud be good, en some seasons
dey'd be bad. Brer Rabbit, he far'd lak de res' un um. W'at he'd make,
dat he'd spen'. One season he tuck'n made a fine chance er goobers, en
he 'low, he did, dat ef dey fetch 'im anywhars nigh de money w'at he
'speck dey would, he go ter town en buy de truck w'at needcessity call
fer.
"He aint no sooner say dat dan ole Miss Rabbit, she vow, she did, dat
it be a scannul en a shame ef he don't whirl in en git sevin tin cups
fer de chilluns fer ter drink out'n, en sevin tin plates fer 'm fer ter
sop out 'n, en a coffee-pot fer de fambly. Brer Rabbit say dat des
zackly w'at he gwine do, en he 'low, he did, dat he gwine ter town de
comin' We'n'sday."
Uncle Remus paused, and indulged in a hearty laugh before he resumed:
"Brer Rabbit wa'n't mo'n out'n de gate 'fo' Miss Rabbit, she slap on 'er
bonnet, she did, en rush 'cross ter Miss Mink house, en she aint bin
dar a minnit 'fo' she up'n tell Miss Mink dat Brer Rabbit done promise
ter go ter town We'n'sday comin' en git de chilluns sump'n'. Co'se, w'en
Mr. Mink come home, Miss Mink she up'n 'low she want ter know w'at de
reason he can't buy sump'n' fer his chilluns same ez Brer Rabbit do fer
his'n, en dey quo'll en quo'll des lak folks. Atter dat Miss Mink she
kyar de news ter Miss Fox, en den Brer Fox he tuk'n got a rakin' over de
coals. Miss Fox she tell Miss Wolf, en Miss Wolf she tell Miss B'ar, en
't wa'n't long 'fo' ev'ybody in dem diggin's know dat Brer Rabbit gwine
ter town de comin' We'n'sday fer ter git his chilluns sump'n'; en all de
yuther creeturs' chilluns ax der ma w'at de reason der pa can't git
_dem_ sump'n'. So dar it went.
"Brer Fox, en Brer Wolf, en Brer B'ar, dey make up der mines, dey did,
dat ef dey gwine ter ketch up wid Brer Rabbit, dat wuz de time, en dey
fix up a plan dat dey'd lay fer Brer Rabbit en nab 'im w'en he come back
fum town. Dey tuck'n make all der 'rangerments, en wait fer de day.
"Sho' nuff, w'en We'n'sday come, Brer Rabbit e't he brekkus 'fo'
sun-up, en put out fer town. He tuck'n got hisse'f a dram, en a plug er
terbarker, en a pocket-hankcher, en he got de ole 'oman a coffee-pot, en
he got de chillun sevin tin cups en sevin tin plates, en den todes
sundown he start back home. He walk 'long, he did, feelin' mighty
biggity, but bimeby w'en he git sorter tired, he sot down und' a
black-jack tree, en 'gun to fan hisse'f wid one er der platters.
"W'iles he doin' dis a little bit er teenchy sap-sucker run up'n down de
tree en keep on makin' mighty quare fuss. Atter w'ile Brer Rabbit tuk'n
shoo at 'im wid de platter. Seem lak dis make de teenchy little
sap-sucker mighty mad, en he rush out on a lim' right over Brer Rabbit,
en he sing out:
"'_Pilly-pee, pilly-wee!
I see w'at he no see!
I see, pilly-pee,
I see, w'at he no see!_'
"He keep on singin' dis, he did, twel Brer Rabbit 'gun ter look 'roun',
en he aint no sooner do dis dan he see marks in de san' whar sum un
done bin dar 'fo' 'im, en he look little closer en den he see w'at de
sap-sucker drivin' at. He scratch his head, Brer Rabbit did, en he 'low
ter hisse'f:
"'Ah-yi! Yer whar Brer Fox bin settin', en dar de print er he nice bushy
tail. Yer whar Brer Wolf bin settin', en dar de print er he fine long
tail. Yer whar Brer B'ar bin squattin' on he hunkers, en dar de print
w'ich he aint got no tail. Dey er all bin yer, en I lay dey er hidin'
out in de big gully down dar in de holler.'
"Wid dat, ole man Rab. tuck'n put he truck in de bushes, en den he run
'way 'roun' fer ter see w'at he kin see. Sho' nuff," continued Uncle
Remus, with a curious air of elation,--"sho' nuff, w'en Brer Rabbit git
over agin de big gully down in de holler, dar dey wuz. Brer Fox, he 'uz
on one side er de road, en Brer Wolf 'uz on de t'er side; en ole Brer
B'ar he 'uz quiled up in de gully takin' a nap.
"Brer Rabbit, he tuck'n peep at um, he did, en he lick he foot en roach
back he h'ar, en den hol' his han's 'cross he mouf en laff lak some
chilluns does w'en dey t'ink dey er foolin' der ma."
"Not me, Uncle Remus--not me!" exclaimed the little boy promptly.
"Heyo dar! don't kick 'fo' you er spurred, honey! Brer Rabbit, he seed
um all dar, en he tuck'n grin, he did, en den he lit out ter whar he
done lef he truck, en w'en he git dar he dance 'roun' en slap hisse'f on
de leg, en make all sorts er kuse motions. Den he go ter wuk en tu'n de
coffee-pot upside down en stick it on he head; den he run he gallus thoo
de han'les er de cups, en sling um crosst he shoulder; den he 'vide de
platters, some in one han' en some in de yuther. Atter he git good en
ready, he crope ter de top er de hill, he did, en tuck a runnin' start,
en flew down like a harrycane--_rickety, rackety, slambang!_"
The little boy clapped his hands enthusiastically.
"Bless yo' soul, dem creeturs aint year no fuss lak dat, en dey aint
seed no man w'at look lak Brer Rabbit do, wid de coffee-pot on he head,
en de cups a-rattlin' on he gallus, en de platters a-wavin' en a-shinin'
in de a'r.
"Now, mine you, ole Brer B'ar wuz layin' off up de gully takin' a nap,
en de fuss skeer 'im so bad dat he make a break en run over Brer Fox. He
rush out in de road, he did, en w'en he see de sight, he whirl 'roun' en
run over Brer Wolf. Wid der scramblin' en der scufflin', Brer Rabbit got
right on um 'fo' dey kin git away. He holler out, he did:
"'Gimme room! Tu'n me loose! I'm ole man Spewter-Splutter wid long
claws, en scales on my back! I'm snaggle-toofed en double-j'inted! Gimme
room!'
"Eve'y time he'd fetch a whoop, he'd rattle de cups en slap de platters
tergedder--_rickety, rackety, slambang!_ En I let you know w'en dem
creeturs got dey lim's tergedder dey split de win', dey did dat. Ole
Brer B'ar, he struck a stump w'at stan' in de way, en I aint gwine tell
you how he to' it up 'kaze you won't b'leeve me, but de nex' mawnin'
Brer Rabbit en his chilluns went back dar, dey did, en dey got nuff
splinters fer ter make um kin'lin' wood all de winter. Yasser! Des ez
sho' ez I'm a-settin' by dish yer h'ath."
XXIII
MR. MAN HAS SOME MEAT
The little boy sat watching Uncle Remus sharpen his shoe-knife. The old
man's head moved in sympathy with his hands, and he mumbled fragments of
a song. Occasionally he would feel of the edge of the blade with his
thumb, and then begin to sharpen it again. The comical appearance of the
venerable darkey finally had its effect upon the child, for suddenly he
broke into a hearty peal of laughter; whereupon Uncle Remus stopped
shaking his head and singing his mumbly-song, and assumed a very
dignified attitude. Then he drew a long, deep breath, and said:
"'W'en folks git ole en stricken wid de palsy, dey mus' 'speck ter be
laff'd at. Goodness knows, I bin use ter dat sence de day my whiskers
'gun to bleach."
"Why, I was n't laughing at you, Uncle Remus; I declare I was n't,"
cried the little boy. "I thought maybe you might be doing your head like
Brother Rabbit did when he was fixing to cut his meat."
Uncle Remus's seriousness was immediately driven away by a broad and
appreciative grin.
"Now, dat de way ter talk, honey, en I boun' you wa'n't fur wrong, n'er,
'kaze fer all dey'll tell you dat Brer Rabbit make he livin' 'long er
nibblin' at grass en greens, hit 't wa'n't dat a-way in dem days, 'kaze
I got in my 'membunce right now de 'casion whar Brer Rabbit is tuck'n
e't meat."
The little boy had learned that it was not best to make any display of
impatience, and so he waited quietly while Uncle Remus busied himself
with arranging the tools on his shoe-bench. Presently the old man
began:
"Hit so happen dat one day Brer Rabbit meet up wid Brer Fox, en w'en dey
'quire atter der corporosity, dey fine out dat bofe un um mighty po'ly.
Brer Fox, he 'low, he do, dat he monst'us hongry, en Brer Rabbit he
'spon' dat he got a mighty hankerin' atter vittles hisse'f. Bimeby dey
look up de big road, en dey see Mr. Man comin' 'long wid a great big
hunk er beef und' he arm. Brer Fox he up 'n 'low, he did, dat he lak
mighty well fer ter git a tas'e er dat, en Brer Rabbit he 'low dat de
sight er dat nice meat all lineded wid taller is nuff fer ter run a body
'stracted.
"Mr. Man he come en he come 'long. Brer Rabbit en Brer Fox dey look en
dey look at 'im. Dey wink der eye en der mouf water. Brer Rabbit he 'low
he bleedz ter git some er dat meat. Brer Fox he 'spon', he did, dat it
look mighty fur off ter him. Den Brer Rabbit tell Brer Fox fer ter
foller 'long atter 'im in hailin' distuns, en wid dat he put out, he
did, en 't wa'nt long 'fo' he kotch up wid Mr. Man.
"Dey pass de time er day, en den dey went joggin' 'long de road same lak
dey 'uz gwine 'pun a journey. Brer Rabbit he keep on snuffin' de a'r.
Mr. Man up'n ax 'im is he got a bad cole, en Brer Rabbit 'spon' dat he
smell sump'n' w'ich it don't smell like ripe peaches. Bimeby, Brer
Rabbit 'gun to hoi' he nose, he did, en atter w'ile he sing out:
"'Gracious en de goodness, Mr. Man! hit 's dat meat er yone. _Phew!_
Whar'bouts is you pick up dat meat at?'
"Dis make Mr. Man feel sorter 'shame' hisse'f, en ter make marters wuss,
yer come a great big green fly a-zoonin' 'roun'. Brer Rabbit he git way
off on t'er side er de road, en he keep on hol'in' he nose. Mr. Man, he
look sorter sheepish, he did, en dey aint gone fur 'fo' he put de meat
down on de side er de road, en he tuck'n ax Brer Rabbit w'at dey gwine
do 'bout it. Brer Rabbit he 'low, he did:
"'I year tell in my time dat ef you take'n drag a piece er meat thoo' de
dus' hit'll fetch back hits freshness. I aint no superspicious man
myse'f,' sezee, 'en I aint got no 'speunce wid no sech doin's, but dem
w'at tell me say dey done try it. Yit I knows dis,' says Brer Rabbit,
sezee,--'I knows dat 't aint gwine do no harm, 'kaze de grit w'at gits
on de meat kin be wash off,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.
"'I aint got no string,' sez Mr. Man, sezee.
"Brer Rabbit laff hearty, but still he hol' he nose.
"'Time you bin in de bushes long ez I is, you won't miss strings,' sez
Brer Rabbit, sezee.
"Wid dat Brer Rabbit lipt out, en he aint gone long 'fo' he come
hoppin' back wid a whole passel er bamboo vines all tied tergedder. Mr.
Man, he 'low:
"'Dat line mighty long.'
"Brer Rabbit he 'low:
"'Tooby sho', you want de win' fer ter git 'twix' you en dat meat.'
"Den Mr. Man tuck'n tied de bamboo line ter de meat. Brer Rabbit he
broke off a 'simmon bush, he did, en 'low dat he'd stay behime en keep
de flies off. Mr. Man he go on befo' en drag de meat, en Brer Rabbit he
stay behime, he did, en take keer un it."
Here Uncle Remus was compelled to pause and laugh before he could
proceed with the story.
"En he is take keer un it, mon--dat he is. He tuck'n git 'im a rock, en
w'iles Mr. Man gwine 'long bidout lookin' back, he ondo de meat en tie
de rock ter de bamboo line, en w'en Brer Fox foller on, sho' nuff, dar
lay de meat. Mr. Man, he drug de rock, he did, en Brer Rabbit he keep de
flies off, twel atter dey gone on right smart piece, en den w'en Mr.
Man look 'roun', whar wuz ole man Rabbit?
"Bless yo' soul, Brer Rabbit done gone back en jine Brer Fox, en he wuz
des in time, at dat, 'kaze little mo' en Brer Fox would 'a' done bin
outer sight en yearin'. En so dat de way Brer Rabbit git Mr. Man meat."
The little boy reflected a little, and then said:
"Uncle Remus, was n't that stealing?"
"Well, I tell you 'bout dat, honey," responded the old man, with the air
of one who is willing to compromise. "In dem days de creeturs bleedz ter
look out fer deyse'f, mo' speshually dem w'at aint got hawn en huff.
Brer Rabbit aint got no hawn en huff, en he bleedz ter be he own
lawyer."
Just then the little boy heard his father's buggy rattling down the
avenue, and he ran out into the darkness to meet it. After he was gone,
Uncle Remus sat a long time rubbing his hands and looking serious.
Finally he leaned back in his chair, and exclaimed:
"Dat little chap gittin' too much fer ole Remus--dat he is!"
XXIV
HOW BROTHER RABBIT GOT THE MEAT
When the little boy next visited Uncle Remus the cabin was dark and
empty and the door shut. The old man was gone. He was absent for several
nights, but at last one night the little boy saw a welcome light in the
cabin, and he made haste to pay Uncle Remus a visit. He was full of
questions:
"Goodness, Uncle Remus! Where in the world have you been? I thought you
were gone for good. Mamma said she reckoned the treatment here did n't
suit you, and you had gone off to get some of your town friends to hire
you."
"Is Miss Sally tell you dat, honey? Well, ef she aint de beatenes'
w'ite 'oman dis side er kingdom come, you kin des shoot me. Miss Sally
tuck'n writ me a pass wid her own han's fer ter go see some er my kin
down dar in de Ashbank settlement. Yo' mammy quare 'oman, honey, sho'!
"En yit, w'at de good er my stayin' yer? T'er night, I aint mo'n git
good en started 'fo' you er up en gone, en I aint seed ha'r ner hide un
you sence. W'en I see you do dat, I 'low ter myse'f dat hit 's des 'bout
time fer ole man Remus fer ter pack up he duds en go hunt comp'ny
some'r's else."
"Well, Uncle Remus," exclaimed the little boy, in a tone of
expostulation, "did n't Brother Fox get the meat, and was n't that the
end of the story?"
Uncle Remus started to laugh, but he changed his mind so suddenly that
the little boy was convulsed. The old man groaned and looked at the
rafters with a curious air of disinterestedness. After a while he went
on with great seriousness:
"I dunner w'at kinder idee folks got 'bout Brer Rabbit nohow, dat I
don't. S'pozen you lays de plans so some yuther chap kin git a big hunk
er goody, is you gwine ter set off some'r's en see 'im make way wid it?"
"What kind of goody, Uncle Remus?"
"Dish yer kinder goody w'at town folks keeps. Mint draps and reezins, en
sweet doin's lak Miss Sally keep und' lock en key. Well, den, if you
gits some er dat, er may be some yuther kinder goody, w'ich I wish 't
wuz yer right dis blessid minnit, is you gwine ter set quile up in dat
cheer en let n'er chap run off wid it? Dat you aint--dat you aint!"
"Oh, I know!" exclaimed the little boy. "Brother Rabbit went back and
made Brother Fox give him his part of the meat."
"Des lak I tell you, honey; dey wa'n't no man 'mungs de creeturs w'at
kin stan' right flat-footed en wuk he min' quick lak Brer Rabbit. He
tuck'n tie de rock on de string, stidder de meat, en he pursue long
atter it, he did, twel Mr. Man tu'n a ben' in de road, en den Brer
Rabbit, he des lit out fum dar--_terbuckity-buckity, buck-buck-buckity!_
en 't wa'n't long 'fo' he tuck'n kotch up wid Brer Fox. Dey tuck de
meat, dey did, en kyar'd it way off in de woods, en laid it down on a
clean place on de groun'.
"Dey laid it down, dey did," continued Uncle Remus, drawing his chair up
closer to the little boy, "en den Brer Fox 'low dey better sample it, en
Brer Rabbit he 'gree. Wid dat, Brer Fox he tuck'n gnyaw off a hunk, en
he shut bofe eyes, he did, en he chaw en chaw, en tas'e en tas'e, en
chaw en tas'e. Brer Rabbit, he watch 'im, but Brer Fox, he keep bofe
eyes shot, en he chaw en tas'e, en tas'e en chaw."
Uncle Remus not only furnished a pantomime accompaniment to this recital
by shutting his eyes and pretending to taste, but he lowered his voice
to a pitch of tragical significance in reporting the dialogue that
ensued:
"Den Brer Fox smack he mouf en look at de meat mo' closeter, en up'n
'low:
"'Brer Rabbit, _hit 's lam'!_'
"'_No_, Brer Fox! _sho'ly not!_'
"'Brer Rabbit, _hit 's lam'!_'
"'Brer Fox, _tooby sho'ly not!_'
"Den Brer Rabbit, he tuck'n gnyaw off a hunk, en he shot bofe eyes, en
chaw en tas'e, en tas'e en chaw. Den he smack he mouf, en up'n 'low:
"'Brer Fox, _hit 's shote!_'
"'Brer Rabbit, you foolin' me!'
"'Brer Fox, _I vow hit 's shote!_'
"'Brer Rabbit, hit des _can't be!_'
"'Brer Fox, _hit sho'ly is!_'
"Dey tas'e en dey 'spute, en dey 'spute en dey tas'e. Atter w'ile, Brer
Rabbit make lak he want some water, en he rush off in de bushes, en
d'reckly yer he come back wipin' he mouf en cle'rin' up he th'oat. Den
Brer Fox he want some water sho' nuff:
"'Brer Rabbit, whar you fin' de spring?'
"'Cross de road, en down de hill en up de big gully.'
"Brer Fox, he lope off, he did, en atter he gone Brer Rabbit totch he
year wid he behime foot lak he flippin' 'im good-bye. Brer Fox, he cross
de road en rush down de hill, he did, yit he aint fin' no big gully. He
keep on gwine twel he fin' de big gully, yit he aint fin' no spring.
"W'iles all dish yer gwine on, Brer Rabbit he tuck'n grabble a hole in
de groun', he did, en in dat hole he hid de meat. Atter he git it good
en hid, he tuck'n cut 'im a long keen hick'ry, en atter so long a time,
w'en he year Brer Fox comin' back, he got in a clump er bushes, en tuck
dat hick'ry en let in on a saplin', en ev'y time he hit de saplin', he
'ud squall out, Brer Rabbit would, des lak de patter-rollers had 'im:
"_Pow, pow!_ 'Oh, pray, Mr. Man!'--_Pow, pow!_ 'Oh, pray, Mr.
Man!'--_Chippy-row, pow!_ 'Oh, Lordy, Mr. Man! Brer Fox tuck yo'
meat!'--_Pow!_ 'Oh, pray, Mr. Man! Brer Fox tuck yo' meat!'"
Every time Uncle Remus said "_Pow!_" he struck himself in the palm of
his hand with a shoe-sole by way of illustration.
"Co'se," he went on, "w'en Brer Fox year dis kinder doin's, he fotch up,
he did, en lissen, en ev'y time he year de hick'ry come down _pow!_ he
tuck'n grin en 'low ter hisse'f, 'Ah-yi! you fool me 'bout de water!
Ah-yi! you fool me 'bout de water!'
"Atter so long a time, de racket sorter die out, en seem lak Mr. Man wuz
draggin' Brer Rabbit off. Dis make Brer Fox feel mighty skittish. Bimeby
Brer Rabbit come a-cally-hootin' back des a-hollerin':
"'Run, Brer Fox, run! Mr. Man say he gwine to kyar dat meat up de road
ter whar he son is, en den he's a-comin' back atter you. Run, Brer Fox,
run!'
"En I let you know," said Uncle Remus, leaning back and laughing to see
the little boy laugh, "I let you know Brer Fox got mighty skace in dat
neighborhood!"
XXV
AFRICAN JACK
Usually, the little boy, who regarded himself as Uncle Remus's partner,
was not at all pleased when he found the old man entertaining, in his
simple way, any of his colored friends; but he was secretly delighted
when he called one night and found Daddy Jack sitting by Uncle Remus's
hearth. Daddy Jack was an object of curiosity to older people than the
little boy. He was a genuine African, and for that reason he was known
as African Jack, though the child had been taught to call him Daddy
Jack. He was brought to Georgia in a slave-ship when he was about twenty
years old, and remained upon one of the sea-islands for several years.
Finally, he fell into the hands of the family of which Uncle Remus's
little partner was the youngest representative, and became the trusted
foreman of a plantation, in the southern part of Georgia, known as the
Walthall Place. Once every year he was in the habit of visiting the Home
Place in Middle Georgia, and it was during one of these annual visits
that the little boy found him in Uncle Remus's cabin.
Daddy Jack appeared to be quite a hundred years old, but he was probably
not more than eighty. He was a little, dried-up old man, whose weazened,
dwarfish appearance, while it was calculated to inspire awe in the minds
of the superstitious, was not without its pathetic suggestions. The
child had been told that the old African was a wizard, a conjurer, and a
snake-charmer; but he was not afraid, for, in any event,--conjuration,
witchcraft, or what not,--he was assured of the protection of Uncle
Remus.
As the little boy entered the cabin Uncle Remus smiled and nodded
pleasantly, and made a place for him on a little stool upon which had
been piled the odds and ends of work. Daddy Jack paid no attention to
the child; his thoughts seemed to be elsewhere.
"Go en shake han's, honey, en tell Daddy Jack howdy. He lak good
chilluns." Then to Daddy Jack: "Brer Jack, dish yer de chap w'at I bin
tellin' you 'bout."
The little boy did as he was bid, but Daddy Jack grunted ungraciously
and made no response to the salutation. He was evidently not fond of
children. Uncle Remus glanced curiously at the dwarfed and withered
figure, and spoke a little more emphatically:
"Brer Jack, ef you take good look at dis chap, I lay you'll see mo'n you
speck ter see. You'll see sump'n' dat'll make you grunt wusser dan you
grunted deze many long year. Go up dar, honey, whar Daddy Jack kin see
you."
The child went shyly up to the old African and stood at his knee. The
sorrows and perplexities of nearly a hundred years lay between them; and
now, as always, the baffled eyes of age gazed into the Sphinx-like face
of youth, as if by this means to unravel the mysteries of the past and
solve the problems of the future.
Daddy Jack took the plump, rosy hands of the little boy in his black,
withered ones, and gazed into his face so long and steadily, and with
such curious earnestness, that the child did n't know whether to laugh
or cry. Presently the old African flung his hands to his head, and
rocked his body from side to side, moaning and mumbling, and talking to
himself, while the tears ran down his face like rain.
"Ole Missy! Ole Missy! 'E come back! I bin shum dey-dey, I bin shum de
night! I bin yeddy 'e v'ice, I bin yeddy de sign!"
"Ah-yi!" exclaimed Uncle Remus, into whose arms the little boy had fled;
"I des know'd dat 'ud fetch 'im. Hit 's bin manys de long days sence
Brer Jack seed Ole Miss, yit ef he aint seed 'er dat whack, den I aint
settin' yer."
After a while Daddy Jack ceased his rocking, and his moaning, and his
crying, and sat gazing wistfully into the fireplace. Whatever he saw
there fixed his attention, for Uncle Remus spoke to him several times
without receiving a response. Presently, however, Daddy Jack exclaimed
with characteristic but laughable irrelevance:
"I no lakky dem gal wut is bin-a stan' pidjin-toe. Wun 'e fetch pail er
water on 'e head, water churray, churray. I no lakky dem gal wut tie 'e
wool up wit' string; mekky him stan' ugly fer true. I bin ahx da' 'Tildy
gal fer marry me, un 'e no crack 'im bre't' fer mek answer 'cep' 'e
bre'k out un lahf by me werry face. Da' gal do holler un lahf un stomp
'e fut dey-dey, un dun I shum done gone pidjin-toe. Oona bin know da'
'Tildy gal?"
"I bin a-knowin' dat gal," said Uncle Remus, grimly regarding the old
African; "I bin a-knowin' dat gal now gwine on sence she 'uz knee-high
ter one er deze yer puddle-ducks; en I bin noticin' lately dat she
mighty likely nigger."
"Enty!" exclaimed Daddy Jack, enthusiastically, "I did bin mek up ter
da' lilly gal troo t'ick un t'in. I bin fetch 'im one fine 'possum, un
mo' ez one, two, free peck-a taty, un bumbye I bin fetch 'im one bag
pop-co'n. Wun I bin do dat, I is fley 'roun' da' lilly gal so long tam,
un I yeddy 'im talk wit' turrer gal. 'E do say: 'Daddy Jack fine ole man
fer true.' Dun I is bin talk: 'Oona no call-a me Daddy Jack wun dem
preacher man come fer marry we.' Dun da' lilly gal t'row 'e head back;
'e squeal lak filly in canebrake."
The little boy understood this rapidly spoken lingo perfectly well, but
he would have laughed anyhow, for there was more than a suggestion of
the comic in the shrewd seriousness that seemed to focus itself in Daddy
Jack's pinched and wrinkled face.
"She tuck de truck w'at you tuck'n fotch 'er," said Uncle Remus, with
the air of one carefully and deliberately laying the basis of a judicial
opinion, "en den w'en you sail in en talk bizness, den she up en gun you
de flat un 'er foot en de back un 'er han', en den, atter dat, she
tuck'n laff en make spote un you."
"Enty!" assented Daddy Jack, admiringly.
"Well, den, Brer Jack, youer mighty ole, en yit hit seem lak youer
mighty young; kaze a man w'at aint got no mo' speunce wid wimmen folks
dan w'at you is neenter creep 'roun' yer callin' deyse'f ole. Dem kinder
folks aint ole nuff, let 'lone bein' too ole. W'en de gal tuck'n laff,
Brer Jack, w'at 'uz yo' nex' move?" demanded Uncle Remus, looking down
upon the shrivelled old man with an air of superiority.
Daddy Jack shut his shrewd little eyes tightly and held them so, as if
by that means to recall all the details of the flirtation. Then he
said: