used by negroes in playing marbles,--a favorite game on the plantations
Sunday afternoons. These terms were curt and expressive enough to gain
currency among the whites.
[15] Levy.
XIII
BRER FOX, BRER RABBIT, AND KING DEER'S DAUGHTER
Notwithstanding Brother Rabbit's success with the drum, the little boy
was still inclined to refer to Mr. Benjamin Ram and his fiddle; but
Uncle Remus was not, by any means, willing that such an ancient vagabond
as Mr. Ram should figure as a hero, and he said that, while it was
possible that Brother Rabbit was no great hand with the fiddle, he was a
drummer, and a capital singer to boot. Furthermore, Uncle Remus declared
that Brother Rabbit could perform upon the quills,[16] an accomplishment
to which none of the other animals could lay claim. There was a time,
too, the old man pointedly suggested, when the romantic rascal used his
musical abilities to win the smiles of a nice young lady of quality--no
less a personage, indeed, than King Deer's daughter. As a matter of
course, the little boy was anxious to hear the particulars, and Uncle
Remus was in nowise loath to give them.
"W'en you come ter ax me 'bout de year en day er de mont'," said the
old man, cunningly arranging a defence against criticism, "den I'm done,
kaze de almanick w'at dey got in dem times won't pass muster deze days,
but, let 'lone dat, I 'speck dey ain't had none yit; en if dey is, dey
ain't none bin handed down ter Remus.
"Well, den, some time 'long in dar, ole Brer Fox en Brer Rabbit got ter
flyin' 'roun' King Deer daughter. Dey tells me she 'uz a monst'us likely
gal, en I 'speck may be she wuz; leas'ways, Brer Fox, he hanker atter
'er, en likewise Brer Rabbit, he hanker atter 'er. Ole King Deer look
lak he sorter lean todes Brer Fox, kaze ter a settle man like him, hit
seem lak dat Brer Fox kin stir 'roun' en keep de pot a-b'ilin', mo'
speshually bein's he de bigges'. Hit go on dis a-way twel hardly a day
pass dat one er de yuther er dem creeturs don't go sparklin' 'roun' King
Deer daughter, en it got so atter w'ile dat all day long Brer Rabbit en
Brer Fox keep de front gate a-skreakin', en King Deer daughter ain't
ska'cely had time fer ter eat a meal vittels in no peace er min'.
"In dem days," pursued Uncle Remus, in a tone of unmistakable historical
fervor, "w'en a creetur go a-courtin' dey wa'n't none er dish yer bokay
doin's mix' up 'longer der co'tship, en dey ain't cut up no capers like
folks does now. Stidder scollopin' 'roun' en bowin' en scrapin', dey des
go right straight atter de gal. Ole Brer Rabbit, he mouter had some
bubby-blossoms[17] wrop up in his hankcher, but mostly him en Brer Fox
'ud des drap in on King Deer daughter en 'gin ter cas' sheep-eyes at 'er
time dey sot down en cross der legs."
"En I bet," said 'Tildy, by way of comment, and looking as though she
wanted to blush, "dat dey wa'n't 'shame', nuther."
"Dey went 'long dis a-way," continued Uncle Remus, "twel it 'gun ter
look sorter skittish wid Brer Rabbit, kaze ole King Deer done good ez
say, sezee, dat he gwine ter take Brer Fox inter de fambly. Brer
Rabbit, he 'low, he did, dat dis ain't gwine ter do, en he study en
study how he gwine ter cut Brer Fox out.
"Las', one day, w'iles he gwine thoo King Deer pastur' lot, he up wid a
rock en kilt two er King Deer goats. Wen he git ter de house, he ax King
Deer daughter whar'bouts her pa, en she up'n say she go call 'im, en
w'en Brer Rabbit see 'im, he ax w'en de weddin' tuck place, en King Deer
ax w'ich weddin', en Brer Rabbit say de weddin' 'twix' Brer Fox en King
Deer daughter. Wid dat, ole King Deer ax Brer Rabbit w'at make he go on
so, en Brer Rabbit, he up'n 'spon' dat he see Brer Fox makin' monst'us
free wid de fambly, gwine 'roun' chunkin' de chickens en killin' up de
goats.
"Ole King Deer strak he walkin'-cane down 'pon de flo', en 'low dat he
don't put no 'pennunce in no sech tale lak dat, en den Brer Rabbit tell
'im dat ef he'll des take a walk down in de pastur' lot, he kin see de
kyarkiss er de goats. Ole King Deer, he put out, en bimeby he come back,
en he 'low he gwine ter settle marters wid Brer Fox ef it take 'im a
mont'.
"Brer Rabbit say he a good frien' ter Brer Fox, en he ain't got no room
ter talk 'bout 'im, but yit w'en he see 'im 'stroyin' King Deer goats en
chunkin' at his chickens, en rattlin' on de palin's fer ter make de dog
bark, he bleedz ter come lay de case 'fo' de fambly.
"'En mo'n dat,' sez ole Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'I'm de man w'at kin make
Brer Fox come en stan' right at de front gate en tell you dat he is kill
dem goat; en ef you des wait twel ter-night, I won't ax you ter take my
wud,' sezee.
"King Deer say ef Brer Rabbit man 'nuff ter do dat, den he kin git de
gal en thanky, too. Wid dat, Brer Rabbit jump up en crack he heels
tergedder, en put out fer ter fine Brer Fox. He ain't git fur 'fo' he
see Brer Fox comin' down de road all primp up. Brer Rabbit, he sing out,
he did:--
"'Brer Foxy, whar you gwine?' "En Brer Fox, he holler back:--
"'Go 'way, Rab; don't bodder wid me. I'm gwine fer ter see my gal.'
"Brer Rabbit, he laugh 'way down in his stomach, but he don't let on, en
atter some mo' chat, he up'n say dat ole King Deer done tell 'im 'bout
how Brer Fox gwine ter marry he daughter, en den he tell Brer Fox dat he
done promise King Deer dat dey'd drap 'roun' ter-night en gin 'im some
music.
"'En I up'n tole 'im,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'dat de music w'at we
can't make ain't wuth makin',--me wid my quills, en you wid yo'
tr'angle.[18] De nex' motion we makes,' sezee, we'll hatter go off
some'rs en practise up on de song we'll sing, en I got one yer dat'll
tickle um dat bad,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'twel I lay dey'll fetch out
a hunk er dat big chicken-pie w'at I see um puttin' in de pot des now,'
sezee.
"In a 'casion lak dis, Brer Fox say he de ve'y man w'at Brer Rabbit
huntin', en he 'low dat he'll des 'bout put off payin' he call ter King
Deer house en go wid Brer Rabbit fer ter practise on dat song.
"Den Brer Rabbit, he git he quills en Brer Fox he git he tr'angle, en
dey went down on de spring branch, en dar dey sing en play, twel dey git
it all by heart. Ole Brer Rabbit, he make up de song he own se'f, en he
fix it so dat he sing de call, lak de captain er de co'n-pile, en ole
Brer Fox, he hatter sing de answer."[19]
At this point Uncle Remus paused to indulge in one of his suggestive
chuckles, and then proceeded:--
"Don't talk 'bout no songs ter me. Gentermens! dat 'uz a funny song fum
de wud go. Bimeby, w'en dey practise long time, dey gits up en goes
'roun' in de neighborhoods er King Deer house, en w'en night come dey
tuck der stan' at de front gate, en atter all got still, Brer Rabbit, he
gun de wink, en dey broke loose wid der music. Dey played a chune er two
on de quills en tr'angle, en den dey got ter de song. Ole Brer Rabbit,
he got de call, en he open up lak dis:--
"'_Some folks pile up mo'n dey kin tote,
En dot w'at de marter wid King Deer goat,_'
en den Brer Fox, he make answer:--
"'_Dat's so, dat's so, en I'm glad dat it's so!_'
Den de quills en de tr'angle, dey come in, en den Brer Rabbit pursue on
wid de call:--
"'_Some kill sheep en some kill shote,
But Brer Fox kill King Deer goat,_'
en den Brer Fox, he jine in wid de answer:--
"'_I did, dat I did, en I'm glad dat I did!_'
En des 'bout dat time King Deer, he walk outer de gate en hit Brer Fox a
clip wid his walkin'-cane, en he foller it up wid 'n'er'n, dat make Brer
Fox fa'rly squall, en you des better b'lieve he make tracks 'way fum
dar, en de gal she come out, en dey ax Brer Rabbit in."
"Did Brother Rabbit marry King Deer's daughter, Uncle Remus?" asked the
little boy.
"Now, den, honey, you're crowdin' me," responded the old man. "Dey ax
'im in, en dey gun 'im a great big hunk er chicken-pie, but I won't make
sho' dat he tuck'n marry de gal. De p'int wid me is de way Brer Rabbit
run Brer Fox off fum dar."
FOOTNOTES:
[16] The veritable Pan's pipes. A simple but very effective musical
instrument made of reeds, and in great favor on the plantations.
[17] A species of sweet-shrub growing wild in the South.
[18] Triangle.
[19] That is to say, Brother Rabbit sang the air and Brother Fox the
refrain.
XIV
BRER TERRAPIN DECEIVES BRER BUZZARD
There was a pause here, which was finally broken by 'Tildy, whose remark
was in the shape of a very undignified yawn. Uncle Remus regarded her
for a moment with an expression of undisguised scorn, which quickly
expressed itself in words:--
"Ef you'd er bin outer de house dat whack, you'd er tuck us all in.
Pity dey ain't some place er 'n'er whar deze yer trollops kin go en
l'arn manners."
Tildy, however, ignored the old man, and, with a toss of her head, said
to the little boy in a cool, exasperating tone, employing a pet name she
had heard the child's mother use:--
"Well, Pinx, I 'speck we better go. De rain done mos' hilt up now, en
bimeby de stars'll be a-shinin'. Miss Sally lookin' fer you right now."
"You better go whar you gwine, you triflin' huzzy, you!" exclaimed Uncle
Remus. "You better go git yo' Jim Crow kyard en straighten out dem wrops
in yo' ha'r. I allers year w'ite folks say you better keep yo' eye on
niggers w'at got der ha'r wrop up in strings. Now I done gun you fa'r
warnin's."
"Uncle Remus," said the little boy, when the old man's wrath had
somewhat subsided, "why do they call them Jim Crow cards?"
"I be bless ef I know, honey, 'ceppin' it's kaze dey er de onliest
machine w'at deze yer low-life niggers kin oncomb der kinks wid. Now,
den," continued the old man, straightening up and speaking with
considerable animation, "dat 'min's me 'bout a riddle w'at been runnin'
'roun' in my head. En dat riddle--it's de outdoin'es' riddle w'at I mos'
ever year tell un. Hit go lak dis: Ef he come, he don't come; ef he
don't come, he come. Now, I boun' you can't tell w'at is dat."
After some time spent in vain guessing, the little boy confessed that he
did n't know.
"Hit's crow en co'n," said Uncle Remus sententiously.
"Crow and corn, Uncle Remus?"
"Co'se, honey. Crow come, de co'n don't come; crow don't come, den de
co'n come."
"Dat's so," said 'Tildy. "I done see um pull up co'n, en I done see co'n
grow w'at dey don't pull up."
If 'Tildy thought to propitiate Uncle Remus, she was mistaken. He
scowled at her, and addressed himself to the little boy:--
"De Crow, he mighty close kin ter de Buzzud, en dat puts me in min' dat
we ain't bin a-keepin' up wid ole Brer Buzzud close ez we might er done.
"W'at de case mout be deze days, I ain't a-sayin', but, in dem times,
ole Brer Tarrypin love honey mo' samer dan Brer B'ar, but he wuz dat
flat-footed dat, w'en he fine a bee-tree, he can't climb it, en he go so
slow dat he can't hardly fine um. Bimeby, one day, w'en he gwine 'long
down de road des a-honin' atter honey, who should he meet but ole Brer
Buzzud.
"Dey shuck han's mighty sociable en ax 'bout de news er de
neighborhoods, en den, atter w'ile, Brer Tarrypin say ter ole Brer
Buzzud, sezee, dat he wanter go inter cahoots wid 'im 'longer gittin'
honey, en 't wa'n't long 'fo' dey struck a trade. Brer Buzzud wuz ter
fly 'roun' en look fer de bee-tree, en Brer Tarrypin he wuz ter creep en
crawl, en hunt on de groun'.
"Dey start out, dey did, ole Brer Buzzud sailin' 'roun' in de elements,
en ole Brer Tarrypin shufflin' en shamblin' on de groun'. 'Mos' de ve'y
fus' fiel' w'at he come ter, Brer Tarrypin strak up wid a great big
bumbly-bee nes' in de groun'. He look 'roun', ole Brer Tarrypin did, en
bimeby he stick he head in en tas'e de honey, en den he pull it out en
look all 'roun' fer ter see ef he kin ketch a glimpse er Brer Buzzud;
but Brer Buzzud don't seem lak he nowhar. Den Brer Tarrypin say to
hisse'f, sezee, dat he 'speck dat bumbly-bee honey ain't de kinder honey
w'at dey been talkin' 'bout, en dey ain't no great shakes er honey dar
nohow. Wid dat, Brer Tarrypin crope inter de hole en gobble up de las'
drop er de bumbly-bee honey by he own-alone se'f. Atter he done make
'way wid it, he come out, he did, en he whirl in en lick it all off'n
his footses, so ole Brer Buzzud can't tell dat he done bin git a mess er
honey.
"Den ole Brer Tarrypin stretch out he neck en try ter lick de honey
off'n he back, but he neck too short; en he try ter scrape it off up
'g'in' a tree, but it don't come off; en den he waller on de groun', but
still it don't come off. Den old Brer Tarrypin jump up, en say ter
hisse'f dat he'll des 'bout rack off home, en w'en Brer Buzzud come he
kin lie on he back en say he sick, so ole Brer Buzzud can't see de
honey.
"Brer Tarrypin start off, he did, but he happen ter look up, en, lo en
beholes, dar wuz Brer Buzzud huv'rin' right spang over de spot whar he
is. Brer Tarrypin know Brer Buzzud bleedz ter see 'im ef he start off
home, en mo'n dat, he know he be fine out ef he don't stir 'roun' en do
sump'n' mighty quick. Wid dat, Brer Tarrypin shuffle back ter de
bumbly-bee nes' swif' ez he kin, en buil' 'im a fier in dar, en den he
crawl out en holler:--
"'Brer Buzzud! O Brer Buzzud! Run yer, fer gracious sake, Brer Buzzud,
en look how much honey I done fine! I des crope in a little ways, en it
des drip all down my back, same like water. Run yer, Brer Buzzud! Half
yone en half mine, Brer Buzzud!'
"Brer Buzzud, he flop down, en he laugh en say he mighty glad, kaze he
done git hongry up dar whar he bin. Den Brer Tarrypin tell Brer Buzzud
fer ter creep in little ways en tas'e en see how he like um, w'iles he
take his stan' on de outside en watch fer somebody. But no sooner is
Brer Buzzud crope in de bumbly-bee nes' dan Brer Tarrypin take'n roll a
great big rock front er de hole. Terreckly, de fier 'gun ter bu'n Brer
Buzzud, en he sing out like a man in trouble:--
"'Sump'n' bitin' me, Brer Tarrypin--sump'n' bitin' me, Brer Tarrypin!'
"Den ole Brer Tarrypin, he holler back:--
"'It's de bumbly-bees a-stingin' you, Brer Buzzud; stan' up en flop yo'
wings, Brer Buzzud. Stan' up en flop yo' wings, Brer Buzzud, en you'll
drive um off,' sezee.
"Brer Buzzud flop en flop he wings, but de mo' w'at he flop, de mo' he
fan de fier, en 't wa'n't long 'fo' he done bodaciously bu'n up, all
'ceppin' de big een er his wing-fedders, en dem ole Brer Tarrypin tuck
en make inter some quills, w'ich he go 'roun' a-playin' un um, en de
chune w'at he play was dish yer:--
"'_I foolee, I foolee, I foolee po' Buzzud;
Po' Buzzud I foolee, I foolee, I foolee._'"
XV
BRER FOX COVETS THE QUILLS
"That must have been a mighty funny song," said the little boy.
"Fun one time ain't fun 'n'er time; some folks fines fun whar yuther
folks fines trouble. Pig may laugh w'en he see de rock a-heatin', but
dey ain't no fun dar fer de pig.[20]
"Yit, fun er no fun, dat de song w'at Brer Tarrypin play on de quills:--
"'_I foolee, I foolee, I foolee po' Buzzud;
Po' Buzzud I foolee, I foolee, I foolee._'
"Nobody dunner whar de quills cum fum, kaze Brer Tarrypin, he ain't
makin no brags how he git um; yit ev'ybody wants um on account er der
playin' sech a lonesome[21] chune, en ole Brer Fox, he want um wuss'n
all. He beg en he beg Brer Tarrypin fer ter sell 'im dem quills; but
Brer Tarrypin, he hol' on t' um tight, en say eh-eh! Den he ax Brer
Tarrypin fer ter loan um t' um des a week, so he kin play fer he
chilluns, but Brer Tarrypin, he shake he head en put he foot down, en
keep on playin':--
"'_I foolee, I foolee, I foolee po' Buzzud;
Po' Buzzud I foolee, I foolee, I foolee._'
"But Brer Fox, he ain't got no peace er min' on account er dem quills,
en one day he meet Brer Tarrypin en he ax 'im how he seem ter
segashuate[22] en he fambly en all he chilluns; en den Brer Fox ax Brer
Tarrypin ef he can't des look at de quills, kaze he got some
goose-fedders at he house, en if he kin des get a glimpse er Brer
Tarrypin quills, he 'speck he kin make some mighty like um.
"Brer Tarrypin, he study 'bout dis, but he hate ter 'ny small favors
like dat, en bimeby he hol' out dem quills whar Brer Fox kin see um. Wid
dat, Brer Fox, he tuck'n juk de quills outen Brer Tarrypin han', he did,
and dash off des ez hard ez he kin go. Brer Tarrypin, he holler en
holler at 'im des loud ez he kin holler, but he know he can't ketch 'im,
en he des sot dar, Brer Tarrypin did, en look lak he done los' all de
kin-folks w'at he got in de roun' worrul'.
"Atter dis, Brer Fox he strut 'roun' en play mighty biggity, en eve'y
time he meet Brer Tarrypin in de road he walk all 'roun' 'im en play on
de quills like dis:--
"'_I foolee, I foolee po' Buzzud;
I foolee ole Tarrypin, too._'
"Brer Tarrypin, he feel mighty bad, but he ain't sayin' nothin'. Las',
one day w'iles ole Brer Tarrypin was settin' on a log sunnin' hisse'f,
yer come Brer Fox playin' dat same old chune on de quills, but Brer
Tarrypin, he stay still. Brer Fox, he come up little nigher en play, but
Brer Tarrypin, he keep he eyes shot en he stay still. Brer Fox, he come
nigher en git on de log; Brer Tarrypin ain't sayin' nothin'. Brer Fox
still git up nigher en play on de quills; still Brer Tarrypin ain't
sayin' nothin'.
"'Brer Tarrypin mighty sleepy dis mawnin',' sez Brer Fox, sezee.
"Still Brer Tarrypin keep he eyes shot en stay still. Brer Fox keep on
gittin' nigher en nigher, twel bimeby Brer Tarrypin open he eyes en he
mouf bofe, en he make a grab at Brer Fox en miss 'im.
"But hol' on!" exclaimed Uncle Remus, in response to an expression of
intense disappointment in the child's face. "You des wait a minnit. Nex'
mawnin', Brer Tarrypin take hisse'f off en waller in a mud-hole, en
smear hisse'f wid mud twel he look des 'zackly lak a clod er dirt. Den
he crawl off en lay down un'need a log whar he know Brer Fox come eve'y
mawnin' fer ter freshen[23] hisse'f.
"Brer Tarrypin lay dar, he did, en terreckly yer come Brer Fox. Time he
git dar, Brer Fox 'gun ter lip backerds en forerds 'cross de log, and
Brer Tarrypin he crope nigher en nigher, twel bimeby he make a grab at
Brer Fox en kotch him by de foot. Dey tells me," continued Uncle Remus,
rubbing his hands together in token of great satisfaction,--"dey tells
me dat w'en Brer Tarrypin ketch holt, hit got ter thunder 'fo' he let
go. All I know, Brer Tarrypin git Brer Fox by de foot, en he hilt 'im
dar. Brer Fox he jump en he r'ar, but Brer Tarrypin done got 'im. Brer
Fox, he holler out:--
"'Brer Tarrypin, please lemme go!'
"Brer Tarrypin talk way down in his th'oat:--
"'Gim' my quills!'
"'Lemme go en fetch um.'
"'Gim'my quills!'
"'Do pray lemme go git um.'
"'Gim'my quills!'
[Illustration: "'BRER TARRYPIN. PLEASE LEMME GO!'"]
"En, bless gracious! dis all Brer Fox kin git outer Brer Tarrypin. Las',
Brer Fox foot hu't 'im so bad dat he bleedz ter do sump'n', en he sing
out fer his ole 'oman fer ter fetch de quills, but he ole 'oman, she
busy 'bout de house, en she don't year 'im. Den he call he son, w'ich he
name Tobe. He holler en bawl, en Tobe make answer:
"'Tobe! O Tobe! You Tobe!'
"'Wat you want, daddy?'
"'Fetch Brer Tarrypin quills.'
"'Wat you say, daddy? Fetch de big tray ter git de honey in?'
"'No, you crazy-head! Fetch Brer Tarrypin quills!'
"'Wat you say, daddy? Fetch de dipper ter ketch de minners in?'
"'No, you fool! Fetch Brer Tarrypin quills!'
"'Wat you say, daddy? Water done been spill?'
"Hit went on dis a-way twel atter w'ile ole Miss Fox year de racket, en
den she lissen, en she know dat 'er ole man holler'n' fer de quills, en
she fotch um out en gun um ter Brer Tarrypin, en Brer Tarrypin, he let
go he holt. He let go he holt," Uncle Remus went on, "but long time
atter dat, w'en Brer Fox go ter pay he calls, he hatter go
_hoppity-fetchity, hoppity-fetchity_."
The old man folded his hands in his lap, and sat quietly gazing into the
lightwood fire. Presently he said:--
"I 'speck Miss Sally blessin' us all right now, en fus' news you know
she'll h'ist up en have Mars John a-trapesin' down yer; en ef she do
dat, den ter-morrer mawnin' my brekkuss'll be col', en lakwise my
dinner, en ef dey's sump'n' w'at I 'spizes hit's col' vittels."
Thereupon Uncle Remus arose, shook himself, peered out into the night to
discover that the rain had nearly ceased, and then made ready to carry
the little boy to his mother. Long before the chickens had crowed for
midnight, the child, as well as the old man, had been transported to the
land where myths and fables cease to be wonderful,--the land of pleasant
dreams.
FOOTNOTES:
[20] An allusion to the primitive mode of cleaning hogs by heating
rocks, and placing them in a barrel or tank of water.
[21] This word "lonesome," as used by the negroes, is the equivalent of
"thrilling," "romantic," etc., and in that sense is very expressive.
[22] An inquiry after his health. Another form is: "How does yo'
corporosity seem ter segashuate?"
[23] Exercise himself.
XVI
HOW BRER FOX FAILED TO GET HIS GRAPES
One night the little boy failed to make his appearance at the accustomed
hour, and the next morning the intelligence that the child was sick went
forth from the "big house." Uncle Remus was told that it had been
necessary during the night to call in two physicians. When this
information was imparted to the old man, there was an expression upon
his countenance of awe not unmixed with indignation. He gave vent to the
latter:--
"Dar now! Two un um! W'en dat chile rize up, ef rize up he do, he'll des
nat'ally be a shadder. Yer I is, gwine on eighty year, en I ain't tuck
none er dat ar docter truck yit, ceppin' it's dish yer flas' er
poke-root w'at ole Miss Favers fix up fer de stiffness in my j'ints.
Dey'll come en dey'll go, en dey'll po' in der jollup yer, en slap on
der fly-plarster dar, en sprinkle der calomy yander, twel bimeby dat
chile won't look like hisse'f. Dat's w'at! En mo'n dat, hit's mighty
kuse unter me dat ole folks kin go 'long en stan' up ter de rack en
gobble up der 'lowance, en yit chilluns is got ter be strucken down. Ef
Miss Sally'll des tu'n dem docter mens loose onter me, I lay I lick up
der physic twel dey go off 'stonish'd."
But no appeal of this nature was made to Uncle Remus. The illness of the
little boy was severe, but not fatal. He took his medicine and improved,
until finally even the doctors pronounced him convalescent. But he was
very weak, and it was a fortnight before he was permitted to leave his
bed. He was restless, and yet his term of imprisonment was full of
pleasure. Every night after supper Uncle Remus would creep softly into
the back piazza, place his hat carefully on the floor, rap gently on the
door by way of announcement, and so pass into the nursery. How patient
his vigils, how tender his ministrations, only the mother of the little
boy knew; how comfortable and refreshing the change from the bed to the
strong arms of Uncle Remus, only the little boy could say.
Almost the first manifestation of the child's convalescence was the
renewal of his interest in the wonderful adventures of Brother Rabbit,
Brother Fox, and the other brethren who flourished in that strange past
over which this modern AEsop had thrown the veil of fable. "Miss Sally,"
as Uncle Remus called the little boy's mother, sitting in an adjoining
room, heard the youngster pleading for a story, and after a while she
heard the old man clear up his throat with a great affectation of
formality and begin.
"Dey ain't skacely no p'int whar ole Brer Rabbit en ole Brer Fox made
der 'greements side wid one er 'n'er; let 'lone dat, dey wuz one p'int
'twix' 'um w'ich it wuz same ez fier en tow, en dat wuz Miss Meadows en
de gals. Little ez you might 'speck, dem same creeturs wuz bofe un um
flyin' 'roun' Miss Meadows en de gals. Ole Brer Rabbit, he'd go dar, en
dar he'd fine ole Brer Fox settin' up gigglin' wid de gals, en den he'd
skuze hisse'f, he would, en gallop down de big road a piece, en paw up
de san' same lak dat ar ball-face steer w'at tuck'n tuck off yo' pa'
coat-tail las' Feberwary. En lakwise ole Brer Fox, he'd sa'nter in, en
fine old man Rab. settin' 'longside er de gals, en den he'd go out down
de road en grab a 'simmon-bush in he mouf, en nat'ally gnyaw de bark
off'n it. In dem days, honey," continued Uncle Remus, responding to a
look of perplexity on the child's face, "creeturs wuz wuss dan w'at dey
is now. Dey wuz dat--lots wuss.