had been waiting for some time for Uncle Remus to get leisure to tell
him a story.
Uncle Remus, who was delightfully human in his hypocrisy, as well as in
other directions, leaned back in his chair, looked at the little boy
with an air of grieved resignation, and said:
"I boun' you does, honey, I boun' you does. Ole Brer Jack look mighty
weazly ter de naked eye, but I lay he's a lots mo' likelier nigger dan
w'at ole Remus is. De time done gone by w'en a po' ole no-'count nigger
lak me kin hol' he han' wid a bran new nigger man lak Brer Jack."
The child stared at Uncle Remus with open-eyed astonishment.
"Now, Uncle Remus! I did n't mean that; you know I did n't," he
exclaimed.
"Bless yo' heart, honey! hit don't pester me. I done got de speunce un
it. Dat I is. Plough-hoss don't squeal en kick w'en dey puts 'n'er hoss
in he place. Brer Jack got de age on 'im but he new ter you. Ole er
young, folks is folks, en no longer'n day 'fo' yistiddy, I year you
braggin' 'bout how de vittles w'at dey feeds you on up at de big house
aint good ez de vittles w'at yuther childun gits. Nummine ole Remus,
honey; you en Brer Jack des go right erlong en I'll be much 'blige ef
you'll des lemme set in de cornder yer en chunk de fier. Sho'ly I aint
pas' doin' dat."
The child was troubled to think that Uncle Remus should find it
necessary to depreciate himself, and he made haste to explain his
position.
"I thought that if Daddy Jack was here he could tell me a story while
you are working, so you would n't be bothered."
A broad grin of appreciation spread over Uncle Remus's face. He
adjusted his spectacles, looked around and behind him, and then, seeing
no one but the child, addressed himself to the rafters and cobwebs:
"Well! well! well! ef dish yer don't beat all! Gentermens! dish yer
little chap yer, he puny in de legs, yit he mighty strong in de head."
He paused, as if reflecting over the whole matter, and then turned to
the child:
"Is _dat_ w'at make you hone atter Daddy Jack, honey--des 'kaze you
wanter set back dar en lissen at a tale? Now, den, ef you had n't 'a'
got me off'n de track, you'd 'a' bin settin' yer lis'nen at one un um
dis blessid minnit, 'kaze des time I year talk dat Mars John gwine ter
have dat ar long-hornded steer kilt fer beef, hit come 'cross my min'
'bout de time w'ence Brer Rabbit en Brer Fox j'ined in wid one er 'n'er
en kilt a cow."
"Killed a cow, Uncle Remus?"
"Des ez sho' ez youer settin' dar," replied the old man with emphasis.
"Look lak dey wa'n't no kinder doin's w'at dem ar creeturs wa'n't up
ter, mo' speshually ole Brer Rabbit. Day in en day out, fum mawnin' twel
night en fum night twel mawnin', he 'uz constant a-studyin' up some bran
new kinder contrapshun fer ter let de yuther creeturs know he 'uz
some'rs in de neighborhoods.
"Come down ter dat, you kin b'leeve me er not b'leeve me, des ez you er
min' ter; you kin take yo' choosement; but ole Brer Rabbit en ole Brer
Fox, spite er dey fallin' out, dey tuck'n go inter cahoots en kilt a
cow. Seem lak I disremember who de cow b'long ter," continued the old
man, frowning thoughtfully, and thus, by a single stroke, imparting an
air of reality to the story; "but she sho'ly b'long'd ter some er de
neighbors, 'kaze you kin des put it down, right pine-blank, dat Brer
Rabbit aint gwine ter kill he own cow, en needer is Brer Fox.
"Well, den, dey tuck'n kilt a cow, en 't wa'n't dey own cow, en alter
dey done skunt 'er Brer Rabbit, he up'n 'low, he did, dat ef Brer Fox
wanter git de good er de game, he better run home en fetch a tray er
sump'n fer put de jiblets in."
"Jiblets, Uncle Remus?"
"Tooby sho', honey. Dats w'at we-all calls de liver, de lights, de
heart, en de melt. Some calls um jiblets en some calls um hasletts, but
ef you'll lemme take um en kyar um home, you kin des up en call um mos'
by any name w'at creep inter yo' min'. You do de namin'," the old man
went on, smacking his lips suggestively, "en I'll do de eatin', en ef
I'm de loser, I boun' you won't year no complaints fum me.
"But, law bless me! w'at is I'm a-doin'? De time's a-passin', en I'm
aint skacely got start on de tale. Dey kilt de cow, dey did, en Brer
Rabbit tell Brer Fox 'bout de jiblets, en w'iles Brer Fox gwine on home
atter de bucket fer ter put um in, he say ter hisse'f dat Brer Rabbit
aint bad ez he crackt up ter be. But no sooner is Brer Fox outer sight
dan Brer Rabbit cut out de jiblets, he did, en kyar'd um off en hide um.
Den he come back en tuck a piece er de meat en drap blood 'way off de
udder way.
"Bimeby yer come Brer Fox wid he bucket, en w'en he git dar Brer Rabbit
wuz settin' down cryin'. Mon, he 'uz des a-boohoo-in'. Brer Fox, he
'low:
"'Name er goodness, Brer Rabbit! w'at de marter?'
"''Nuff de marter--'nuff de marter. I wish you'd 'a' stayed yer w'iles
you wuz yer--dat I does, Brer Fox!'
"'How come, Brer Rabbit,--how come?'
"'Man come, Brer Fox, en stole all yo' nice jiblets. I bin a-runnin'
atter 'im, Brer Fox, but he outrun me.'
"'W'ich a-way he go, Brer Rabbit?'
"'Yer de way he went, Brer Fox; yer whar he drap de blood. Ef you be
right peart, Brer Fox, you'll ketch 'im.'
"Brer Fox he drapt de bucket, he did, en put out atter de man w'at tuck
de jiblets, en he wa'n't out'n sight good, 'fo' ole Brer Rabbit sail in
en cut out all de fat en taller, en kyar' it off en hide it. Atter
w'ile, yer come Brer Fox back des a-puffin' en a-pantin'. He aint see
no man. Brer Rabbit, he hail 'im:
"'You aint come a minnit too soon, Brer Fox, dat you aint. W'iles you
bin gone 'n'er man come 'long en kyar'd off all de taller en fat. He
went right off dat a-way, Brer Fox, en ef you'll be right peart, you'll
ketch 'im.'
"Brer Fox, he tuck'n put out, he did, en run, en run, yit he aint see
no man. W'iles he done gone Brer Rabbit kyar off one er de behime
quarters. Brer Fox come back; he aint see no man. Brer Rabbit holler en
tell 'im dat 'ne'r man done come en got a behime quarter en run'd off
wid it.
"Brer Fox sorter study 'bout dis, 'kaze it look lak nobody yuver see de
like er mens folks passin' by dat one lonesome cow. He make out he gwine
ter run atter de man w'at steal de behime quarter, but he aint git fur
'fo' he tuck'n tu'n 'roun' en crope back, en he 'uz des in time fer ter
see Brer Rabbit makin' off wid de yuther behime quarter. Brer Fox mighty
tired wid runnin' hether en yan, en backards en forrerds, but he git so
mad w'en he see Brer Rabbit gwine off dat a-way, dat he dash up en ax
'im whar is he gwine wid dat ar beef.
"Brer Rabbit lay de beef down, he did, en look lak he feelin's hurted.
He look at Brer Fox lak he feel mighty sorry fer folks w'at kin ax
foolish questions lak dat. He shake he head, he did, en 'low:
"'Well, well, well! Who'd 'a' thunk dat Brer Fox would 'a' come axin' me
'bout dish yer beef, w'ich anybody would er know'd I 'uz a-kyar'n off
fer ter save fer 'im, so nobody could n't git it?'
"But dish yer kinder talk don't suit Brer Fox, en he tuck'n make a
motion 'zef[63] ter ketch Brer Rabbit, but Brer Rabbit he 'gun 'im leg
bail, en dar dey had it thoo de woods twel Brer Rabbit come 'pon a
holler tree, en inter dat he went, des lak one er deze streaked lizzuds
goes inter a hole in de san'."
"And then," said the little boy, as Uncle Remus paused, "along came
Brother Buzzard, and Brother Fox set him to watch the hole, and Brother
Rabbit said he had found a fat squirrel which he would run out on the
other side; and then he came out and ran home."
This was the climax of a story that Uncle Remus had told a long time
before, and he looked at his little partner with astonishment not
unmixed with admiration.
"I 'clar' ter gracious, honey!" he exclaimed, "ef you hol's on ter yo'
pra'rs lak you does ter deze yer tales youer doin' mighty well. But
don't you try ter hol' Brer Rabbit down ter one trick, you won't never
keep up wid 'im in de 'roun' worl'--dat you won't.
"Ole Brer Buzzard wuz dar, en Brer Fox ax 'im fer ter watch de hole, but
he aint bin dar long 'fo' Brer Rabbit sing out:
"'I got de 'vantage un you, dis whet, Brer Buzzard, I sho'ly is.'
"'How dat, Brer Rabbit?'
"''Kaze I kin see you, en you can't see me.'
"Wid dat Brer Buzzard stuck he head in de hole, en look up; en no sooner
is he do dis dan Brer Rabbit fill he eyes full er san', en w'iles he
gone ter de branch fer ter wash it out, Brer Rabbit he come down outer
de holler, en went back ter whar de cow wuz; en mo' dan dat, Brer Rabbit
got de ballunce un de beef."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTE:
[63] As if.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
XLVIII
BROTHER RABBIT AND MR. WILDCAT
"Uncle Remus," said the little boy, after a pause, "where did Brother
Rabbit go when he got out of the hollow tree?"
"Well, sir," exclaimed Uncle Remus, "you aint gwine ter b'leeve me,
skacely, but dat owdashus creetur aint no sooner git out er dat ar tree
dan he go en git hisse'f mix up wid some mo' trouble, w'ich he git
mighty nigh skeer'd out'n he skin.
"W'en Brer Rabbit git out'n de holler tree, he tuck'n fling some sass
back at ole Brer Buzzard, he did, en den he put out down de big road,
stidder gwine 'long back home en see 'bout he fambly. He 'uz gwine
'long--_lickety-clickety, clickety-lickety_--w'en fus' news you know he
feel sump'n' 'n'er drap down 'pun 'im, en dar he wuz. Bless yo' soul,
w'en Brer Rabbit kin git he 'membunce terge'er, he feel ole Mr. Wildcat
a-huggin' 'im fum behime, en w'ispun in he year."
"What did he whisper, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy.
"Dis, dat, en de udder, one thing en a nudder."
"But what did he say?"
"De way un it wuz dis," said Uncle Remus, ignoring the child's question,
"Brer Rabbit, he 'uz gallin'-up down de road, en ole Mr. Wildcat, he 'uz
layin' stretch' out takin' a nap on a tree-lim' hangin' 'crosst de road.
He year Brer Rabbit come a-lickity-clickitin' down de road, en he des
sorter fix hisse'f, en w'en Brer Rabbit come a-dancin' und' de lim', all
Mr. Wildcat got ter do is ter drap right down on 'im, en dar he wuz. Mr.
Wildcat hug 'im right up at 'im, en laugh en w'isper in he year."
"Well, Uncle Remus, what did he _say_?" persisted the little boy.
The old man made a sweeping gesture with his left hand that might mean
everything or nothing, and proceeded to tell the story in his own way.
"Ole Mr. Wildcat hug Brer Rabbit up close en w'isper in he year. Brer
Rabbit, he kick, he squall. Bimeby he ketch he breff en 'low:
"'Ow! O Lordy-lordy! W'at I done gone en done now?'
"Mr. Wildcat, he rub he wet nose on Brer Rabbit year, en make cole chill
run up he back. Bimeby he say:
"'O Brer Rabbit, I des nat'ally loves you! You bin a-foolin' all er my
cousins en all er my kinfolks, en 't aint bin so mighty long sence you
set Cousin Fox on me, en little mo' en I'd a-to' 'im in two. O Brer
Rabbit! I des nat'ally loves you,' sezee.
"Den he laugh, en he toofs strak terge'er right close ter Brer Rabbit
year. Brer Rabbit, he 'low, he did:
"Law, Mr. Wildcat, I thunk maybe you mought lak ter have Brer Fox fer
supper, en dat de reason I sent 'im up ter whar you is. Hit done come
ter mighty purty pass w'en folks can't be fr'en's 'ceppin' sump'n' 'n'er
step in 'twix' en 'tween um, en ef dat de case I aint gwine ter be
fr'en's no mo'--dat I aint.'
"Mr. Wildcat wipe he nose on Brer Rabbit year, en he do sorter lak he
studyin'. Brer Rabbit he keep on talkin'. He 'low:
"'Endurin' er all dis time, is I ever pester 'long wid you, Mr.
Wildcat?'
"'No, Brer Rabbit, I can't say ez you is.'
"'No, Mr. Wildcat, dat I aint. Let 'lone dat, I done my level bes' fer
ter he'p you out. En dough you done jump on me en skeer me scan'lous,
yit I'm willin' ter do you 'n'er good tu'n. I year some wild turkeys
yelpin' out yan', en ef you'll des lem me off dis time, I'll go out dar
en call um up, en you kin make lak you dead, en dey'll come up en
stretch dey neck over you, en you kin jump up en kill a whole passel un
um 'fo' dey kin git out de way.'
[Illustration: BROTHER RABBIT AND MR WILDCAT]
"Mr. Wildcat stop en study, 'kaze ef dey er one kinder meat w'at he lak
dat meat is turkey meat. Den he tuck'n ax Brer Rabbit is he jokin'. Brer
Rabbit say ef he 'uz settin' off some'rs by he own-'lone se'f he mought
be jokin', but how de name er goodness is he kin joke w'en Mr. Wildcat
got 'im hug up so tight? Dis look so pleezy-plozzy[64] dat 't wa'n't long
'fo' Mr. Wildcat 'low dat he 'uz mighty willin' ef Brer Rabbit mean w'at
he say, en atter w'ile, bless yo' soul, ef you'd 'a' come 'long dar,
you'd er seed ole Mr. Wildcat layin' stretch out on de groun' lookin'
fer all de wul' des lak he done bin dead a mont', en you'd er yeard ole
Brer Rabbit a-yelpin' out in de bushes des lak a sho' 'nuff tukky-hen."
The little boy was always anxious for a practical demonstration, and he
asked Uncle Remus how Brother Rabbit could yelp like a turkey-hen. For
reply, Uncle Remus searched upon his rude mantel-piece until he found a
reed, which he intended to use as a pipe-stem. One end of this he placed
in his mouth, enclosing the other in his hands. By sucking the air
through the reed with his mouth, and regulating the tone and volume by
opening or closing his hands, the old man was able to produce a
marvellous imitation of the call of the turkey-hen, much to the delight
and astonishment of the little boy.
"Ah, Lord!" exclaimed Uncle Remus, after he had repeated the call until
the child was satisfied, "manys en manys de time is I gone out in de
woods wid old marster 'fo' de crack er day en call de wile turkeys right
spang up ter whar we could er kilt um wid a stick. W'en we fus' move yer
fum Ferginny, dey use ter come right up ter whar de barn sets, en mo'n
dat I done seed ole marster kill um right out dar by de front gate. But
folks fum town been comin' 'roun' yer wid der p'inter dogs twel hit done
got so dat ef you wanter see turkey track you gotter go down dar ter de
Oconee, en dat 's two mile off."
"Did the Wildcat catch the turkeys?" the little boy inquired, when it
seemed that Uncle Remus was about to give his entire attention to his
own reminiscences.
"De gracious en de goodness!" exclaimed the old man. "Yer I is runnin'
on en dar lays Mr. Wildcat waitin' fer Brer Rabbit fer ter help dem
turkeys up. En 't aint take 'im long nudder, 'kaze, bless yo' soul, ole
Brer Rabbit wuz a yelper, mon.
"Sho' 'nuff, atter w'ile yer dey come, ole Brer Gibley Gobbler wukkin'
in de lead. Brer Rabbit, he run'd en meet um en gun um de wink 'bout ole
Mr. Wildcat, en by de time dey git up ter whar he layin', Brer Gibley
Gobbler en all his folks wuz jined in a big 'spute. One 'low he dead,
'n'er one 'low he aint, 'n'er one 'low he stiff, udder one 'low he
aint, en t'udder 'low he is. So dar dey had it. Dey stretch out dey
neck en step high wid dey foot, yit dey aint git too close ter Mr.
Wildcat.
"He lay dar, he did, en he aint move. Win' ruffle up he ha'r, yit he
aint move; sun shine down 'pun 'im, yit he aint move. De turkeys dey
gobble en dey yelp, but dey aint go no nigher; dey holler en dey
'spute, but dey aint go no nigher; dey stretch dey neck en dey lif' dey
foot high, yit dey aint go no nigher.
"Hit keep on dis a-way, twel bimeby Mr. Wildcat git tired er waitin', en
he jump up, he did, en make a dash at de nighest turkey; but dat turkey
done fix, on w'en Mr. Wildcat come at 'im, he des riz in de a'r, en Mr.
Wildcat run und' 'im. Den he tuck'n run at 'n'er one, en dat un fly up;
en dey keep on dat a-way twel 't wa'n't long 'fo' Mr. Wildcat wuz so
stiff in de j'ints en so short in de win' dat he des hatter lay down on
de groun' en res', en w'en he do dis, ole Brer Gibley Gobler en all er
he folks went on 'bout dey own business; but sence dat day deyer
constant a-'sputin' 'long wid deyse'f en eve'ybody w'at come by. Ef you
don't b'leeve me," with an air of disposing of the whole matter
judicially, "you kin des holler at de fus' Gobbler w'at you meets, en ef
he 'fuse ter holler back atter you, you kin des use my head fer a hole
in de wall; en w'at mo' kin you ax dan dat?"
"What became of Brother Rabbit, Uncle Remus?"
"Well, sir, Brer Rabbit tuck'n lef' dem low-groun's. W'iles de 'sputin'
wuz gwine on, he tuck'n bowed his good-byes, en den he des put out fum
dar. Nex' day ole Brer Gibley Gobbler tuck'n sent 'im a turkey wing fer
ter make a fan out'n, en Brer Rabbit, he tuck'n sent it ter Miss Meadows
en de gals. En I let you know," continued the old man, chuckling
heartily to himself, "dey make great 'miration 'bout it."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTE:
[64] No doubt this means that Brother Rabbit's proposition was
pleasant and plausible.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
XLIX
MR. BENJAMIN RAM DEFENDS HIMSELF
"I 'speck we all dun gone en fergot ole Mr. Benjermun Ram off'n our
min'," said Uncle Remus, one night, as the little boy went into the
cabin with a large ram's horn hanging on his arm.
"About his playing the fiddle and getting lost in the woods!" exclaimed
the child. "Oh, no, I have n't forgotten him, Uncle Remus. I remember
just how he tuned his fiddle in Brother Wolf's house."
"Dat 's me!" said Uncle Remus with enthusiasm; "dat 's me up en down. Mr.
Ram des ez fresh in my min' now ez he wuz de day I year de tale. Dat ole
creetur wuz a sight, mon. He mos' sho'ly wuz. He wrinkly ole hawn en de
shaggy ha'r on he neck make 'im look mighty servigous,[65] en w'ence he
shake he head en snort, hit seem lak he gwine ter fair paw de yeth fum
und' 'im.
"Ole Brer Fox bin pickin' up ole Mr. Benjermun Ram chilluns w'en dey git
too fur fum home, but look lak he aint never bin git close ter de ole
creetur.
"So one time w'en he 'uz comin' on down de road, talkin' 'long wid Brer
Wolf, he up'n 'low, ole Brer Fox did, dat he mighty hongry in de
neighborhoods er de stomach. Dis make Brer Wolf look lak he 'stonish'd,
en he ax Brer Fox how de name er goodness come he hongry w'en ole Mr.
Benjermun Ram layin' up dar in de house des a-rollin' in fat.
"Den Brer Fox tuck'n 'low, he did, dat he done bin in de habits er
eatin' Mr. Benjermun Ram chillun, but he sorter fear'd er de ole
creetur 'kaze he look so bad on de 'count er he red eye en he wrinkly
hawn.
"Brer Wolf des holler en laugh, en den he 'low:
"'Lordy, Brer Fox! I dunner w'at kinder man is you, nohow! W'y, dat ar
ole creetur aint never hurted a flea in all he born days--dat he
aint,' sezee.
"Brer Fox, he look at Brer Wolf right hard, he did, en den he up'n
'low:
"'Heyo, Brer Wolf! manys de time dat you bin hongry 'roun' in deze
diggin's en I aint year talk er you makin' a meal off'n Mr. Benjermun
Ram,' sezee.
"Brer Fox talk so close ter de fatal trufe, dat Brer Wolf got tooken wid
de dry grins, yit he up'n 'spon', sezee:
"'I des lak ter know who in de name er goodness wanter eat tough creetur
lak dat ole Mr. Benjermun Ram--dat w'at I lak ter know,' sezee.
"Brer Fox, he holler en laugh, he did, en den he up'n say:
"'Ah-yi, Brer Wolf! You ax me w'at I goes hongry fer, w'en ole Mr.
Benjermun Ram up dar in he house, yit you done bin hongry manys en manys
de time, en still ole Mr. Benjermun Ram up dar in he house. Now, den,
how you gwine do in a case lak dat?' sez Brer Fox, sezee.
"Brer Wolf, he strak de een' er he cane down 'pun de groun', en he say,
sezee:
"'I done say all I got ter say, en w'at I say, dat I'll stick ter. Dat
ole creetur lots too tough.'
"Hongry ez he is, Brer Fox laugh way down in he stomach. Atter w'ile he
'low:
"'Well, den, Brer Wolf, stidder 'sputin' 'longer you, I'm gwine do w'at
you say; I'm gwine ter go up dar en git a bait er ole Mr. Benjermun Ram,
en I wish you be so good ez ter go 'long wid me fer comp'ny,' sezee.
"Brer Wolf jaw sorter fall w'en he year dis, en he 'low:
"'Eh-eh, Brer Fox! I druther go by my own--'lone se'f,' sezee.
"'Well, den,' sez Brer Fox, sezee, 'you better make 'as'e,' sezee,
''kaze 't aint gwine ter take me so mighty long fer ter go up dar en
make hash out'n ole Mr. Benjermun Ram,' sezee.
"Brer Wolf know mighty well," said Uncle Remus, snapping his huge tongs
in order to silence a persistent cricket in the chimney, "dat ef he dast
ter back out fum a banter lak dat he never is ter year de las' un it fum
Miss Meadows en Miss Motts en de gals, en he march off todes Mr.
Benjermun Ram house.
"Little puff er win' come en blow'd up some leafs, en Brer Wolf jump lak
somebody shootin' at 'im, en he fly mighty mad w'en he year Brer Fox
laugh. He men' he gait, he did, en 't wa'n't 'long 'fo' he 'uz knockin'
at Mr. Benjermun Ram do'.
"He knock at de do', he did, en co'se he 'speck somebody fer ter come
open de do'; but stidder dat, lo' en beholes yer come Mr. Benjermun Ram
'roun' de house. Dar he wuz--red eye, wrinkly hawn en shaggy head. Now,
den, in case lak dat, w'at a slim-legged man lak Brer Wolf gwine do? Dey
aint no two ways, he gwine ter git 'way fum dar, en he went back ter
whar Brer Fox is mo' samer dan ef de patter-rollers wuz atter 'im.
"Brer Fox, he laugh en he laugh, en ole Brer Wolf, he look mighty glum.
Brer Fox ax 'im is he done kilt en e't Mr. Benjermun Ram, en ef so be,
is he lef' any fer him. Brer Wolf say he aint feelin' well, en he don't
lak mutton nohow. Brer Fox 'low:
"'You may be puny in de min', Brer Wolf, but you aint feelin' bad in de
leg, 'kaze I done seed you wuk um.'
"Brer Wolf 'low he des a-runnin' fer ter see ef 't won't mak 'im feel
better. Brer Fox, he say, sezee, dat w'en he feelin' puny, he aint ax
no mo' dan fer somebody fer ter git out de way en let 'im lay down.
"Dey went on in dis a-way, dey did, twel bimeby Brer Fox ax Brer Wolf ef
he'll go wid 'im fer ter ketch Mr. Benjermun Ram. Brer Wolf, he 'low, he
did:
"'Eh-eh, Brer Fox! I fear'd you'll run en lef' me dar fer ter do all de
fightin'.'
"Brer Fox, he 'low dat he'll fix dat, en he tuck'n got 'im a
plough-line, en tied one een' ter Brer Wolf en t'er een' ter he own
se'f. Wid dat dey put out fer Mr. Benjermun Ram house. Brer Wolf, he
sorter hang back, but he 'shame' fer ter say he skeer'd, en dey went on
en went on plum twel dey git right spang up ter Mr. Benjermun Ram house.
"W'en dey git dar, de ole creetur wuz settin' out in de front po'ch
sorter sunnin' hisse'f. He see um comin', en w'en dey git up in hailin'
distance, he sorter cle'r up he th'oat, he did, en holler out:
"'I much 'blije to you, Brer Fox, fer ketchin' dat owdashus vilyun en
fetchin' 'im back. My smoke-'ouse runnin' short, en I'll des chop 'im up
en pickle 'im. Fetch 'im in, Brer Fox! fetch 'im in!'
"Des 'bout dat time ole Miss Ram see dem creeturs a-comin', en
gentermens! you mought er yeard er blate plum ter town. Mr. Benjermun
Ram, he sorter skeer'd hisse'f, but he keep on talkin':
"'Fetch 'im in, Brer Fox! fetch 'im in! Don't you year my ole 'oman
cryin' fer 'im? She aint had no wolf meat now in gwine on mighty nigh a
mont'. Fetch 'im in, Brer Fox! fetch 'im in!'
"Fus' Brer Wolf try ter ontie hisse'f, den he tuck'n broke en run'd, en
he drag ole Brer Fox atter 'im des lak he aint weigh mo'n a poun', en I
let you know hit 'uz many a long day 'fo' Brer Fox git well er de
thumpin' he got."
"Uncle Remus," said the little boy after a while, "I thought wolves
always caught sheep when they had the chance."
"Dey ketches lam's, honey, but bless yo' soul! dey aint ketch deze yer
ole-time Rams wid red eye en wrinkly hawn."
"Where was Brother Rabbit all this time?"
"Now, den, honey, don't less pester wid ole Brer Rabbit right now. Des
less gin 'im one night rest, mo' speshually w'en I year de seven stares
say yo' bed-time done come. Des take yo' foot in yo' han' en put right
out 'fo' Miss Sally come a-callin' you, 'kaze den she'll say I'm
a-settin' yer a-noddin' en not takin' keer un you."
The child laughed and ran up the path to the big-house, stopping a
moment on the way to mimic a bull-frog that was bellowing at a
tremendous rate near the spring.
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FOOTNOTE:
[65] Wild; fierce; dangerous; courageous. The accent is on the
second syllable, ser-_vi_-gous; or, ser-_vi_-gus, and the
g is hard. Aunt Tempy would have said "vigrous."
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L
BROTHER RABBIT PRETENDS TO BE POISONED
Not many nights after the story of how Mr. Benjamin Ram frightened
Brother Wolf and Brother Fox, the little boy found himself in Uncle
Remus's cabin. It had occurred to him that Mr. Ram should have played on
his fiddle somewhere in the tale, and Uncle Remus was called on to
explain. He looked at the little boy with an air of grieved
astonishment, and exclaimed:
"Well, I be bless if I ever year der beat er dat. Yer you bin
a-persooin' on atter deze yer creeturs en makin' der 'quaintunce, en yit
look lak ef you 'uz ter meet um right up dar in der paff you'd fergit
all 'bout who dey is."