soon in the land of Nod. Uncle Remus sat gazing into the fireplace, as
though lost in reflection. Presently, he laughed softly to himself, and
said:--
"Dat's des 'bout de long en de short un it. Mr. Man clip off Brer Rabbit
tail wid de hatchet, en it bleed so free dat Brer Rabbit rush off ter
de cotton-patch en put some lint on it, en down ter dis day dat lint
mos' de fus' t'ing you see w'en Brer Rabbit jump out'n he bed en tell
you good-bye."
"But, Uncle Remus, what became of Brother 'Possum?"
Uncle Remus smacked his lips and looked wise.
"Don't talk 'bout Brer 'Possum, honey, ef dat ar Mr. Man wuz nice folks
lak we all is, en I ain't 'spute it, he tuck'n tuck Brer 'Possum en
bobbycue 'im, en I wish I had a great big piece right now. Dat I does."
XXXIII
WHY THE GUINEA-FOWLS ARE SPECKLED
One night, while the little boy was watching Uncle Remus broil a piece
of bacon on the coals, he heard a great commotion among the
guinea-fowls. The squawking and _pot-racking_ went on at such a rate
that the geese awoke and began to scream, and finally the dogs added
their various voices to the uproar. Uncle Remus leaned back in his chair
and listened.
"I 'speck may be dat's de patter-rollers gwine by," he said, after a
while. "But you can't put no 'pen'unce in dem ar Guinny-hins, 'kaze
dey'll wake up en holler ef dey year deyse'f sno'. Dey'll fool you,
sho'."
"They are mighty funny, anyhow," said the little boy.
"Dat's it!" exclaimed Uncle Remus. "Dey looks quare, en dey does quare.
Dey ain't do lak no yuther kinder chick'n, en dey ain't look lak no
yuther kinder chick'n. Yit folks tell me," the old man went on,
reflectively, "dat dey er heap mo' kuse lookin' now dan w'at dey use'
ter be. I year tell dat dey wuz one time w'en dey wuz all blue, 'stid er
havin' all dem ar teenchy little spots on um."
"Well, how did they get to be speckled, Uncle Remus?" asked the little
boy, seeing that the old man was disposed to leave the subject and
devote his attention to his broiling bacon.
Uncle Remus did not respond at once. He turned his meat over carefully,
watched it a little while, and then adroitly transferred it to the cover
of a tin bucket, which was made to answer the purpose of a plate. Then
he searched about in the embers until he found his ash-cake, and in a
little while his supper was ready to be eaten.
"I ain't begrudgin' nobody nothin'," said Uncle Remus, measuring the
victuals with his eye; "yit I'm monst'us glad Brer Jack ain't nowhar's
'roun', 'kaze dey ain't no tellin' de gawm dat ole nigger kin eat. He
look shaky, en he look dry up, en he ain't got no toof, yit w'ence he
set hisse'f down whar dey any vittles, he des nat'ally laps hit up. En
let 'lone dat, he ull wipe he mouf en look' roun' des lak he want mo'.
Time Miss Sally see dat ole nigger eat one meal er vittles, I boun' you
he hatter go back down de country. I ain't begrudgin' Brer Jack de
vittles," Uncle Remus went on, adopting a more conciliatory tone, "dat I
ain't, 'kaze folks is got ter eat; but, gentermens! you be 'stonish'
w'en you see Brer Jack 'pesterin' 'long er he dinner."
The little boy sat quiet awhile, and then reminded Uncle Remus of the
guinea-fowls.
"Tooby sho', honey, tooby sho'! W'at I doin' runnin' on dis-a-way 'bout
ole Brer Jack? W'at he done ter me? Yer I is gwine on 'bout ole Brer
Jack, en dem ar Guinny-hins out dar waitin'. Well, den, one day Sis Cow
wuz a-grazin' 'bout in de ole fiel' en lookin' atter her calf. De wedder
wuz kinder hot, en de calf, he tuck'n stan', he did, in he mammy
shadder, so he kin keep cool, en so dat one flip un he mammy tail kin
keep the flies off'n bofe un um. Atter w'ile, 'long come a drove er
Guinnies. De Guinnies, dey howdied, en Sis Cow, she howdied, en de
Guinnies, dey sorter picked 'roun' en sun deyse'f; en Sis Cow, she crap
de grass en ax um de news er de neighborhoods. Dey went on dis a-way
twel 't wa'n't long 'fo' dey year mighty kuse noise out dar t'er side
er de ole fiel'. De Guinnies, dey make great 'miration, des lak dey does
deze days, en ole Sis Cow fling up 'er head en look all 'roun'. She
ain't see nothin'.
"Atter w'ile dey year de kuse fuss 'g'in, en dey look 'roun', en bless
gracious! stan'in' right dar, 'twix' dem en sundown, wuz a great big
Lion!"
"A Lion, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy, in amazement.
"Des ez sho' ez you er settin' dar, honey,--a great big Lion. You better
b'leeve dey wuz a monst'us flutterment 'mungs de Guinnies, en ole Sis
Cow, she looked mighty skeer'd. De Lion love cow meat mos' better dan he
do any yuther kinder meat, en he shake he head en 'low ter hisse'f dat
he'll des about ketch ole Sis Cow en eat 'er up, en take en kyar de calf
ter he fambly.
"Den he tuck'n shuck he head, de Lion did, en make straight at Sis Cow.
De Guinnies dey run dis a-way, en dey run t'er way, en dey run all
'roun' en 'roun'; but ole Sis Cow, she des know she got ter stan' 'er
groun', en w'en she see de Lion makin' todes 'er, she des tuck'n drapt
'er head down en pawed de dirt. De Lion, he crope up, he did, en crope
'roun', watchin' fer good chance fer ter make a jump. He crope 'roun',
he did, but no diffunce which a-way he creep, dar wuz ole Sis Cow hawns
p'intin' right straight at 'im. Ole Sis Cow, she paw de dirt, she did,
en show de white er her eyes, en beller way down in 'er stomach.
"Dey went on dis a-way, dey did, twel bimeby de Guinnies, dey see dat
Sis Cow ain't so mighty skeer'd, en den dey 'gun ter take heart. Fus'
news you know, one un um sorter drap he wings en fuzzle up de fedders en
run out 'twix' Sis Cow en de Lion. W'en he get dar, he sorter dip down,
he did, en fling up dirt des lak you see um do in de ash-pile. Den he
tuck'n run back, he did, en time he git back, 'n'er one run out en raise
de dus' 'twix' Sis Cow en de Lion. Den 'n'er one, he run out en dip down
en shoo up de dus'; den 'n'er one run out en dip down, en 'n'er one en
yit 'n'er one, twel, bless gracious! time dey all run out en dip down
en raise de dus', de Lion wuz dat blin' twel he ain't kin see he han'
befo' 'im. Dis make 'im so mad dat he make a splunge at Sis Cow, en de
old lady, she kotch 'im on her hawns en got 'im down, en des nat'ally
to' intruls out."
"Did she kill the Lion, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy,
incredulously.
"Dat she did--dat she did! Yit 't ain't make 'er proud, 'kaze atter de
Lion done good en dead, she tuck en call up de Guinnies, she did, en she
'low, dey bin so quick fer ter he'p 'er out, dat she wanter pay um back.
De Guinnies, dey say, sezee:--
"'Don't bodder 'long er we all, Sis Cow,' sezee. 'You had yo' fun en we
all had ourn, en 'ceppin' dat ar blood en ha'r on yo' hawn,' sezee, 'dey
ain't none un us any de wuss off,' sezee.
"But ole Sis Cow, she stan' um down, she did, dat she got ter pay um
back, en den atter w'ile she ax um w'at dey lak bes'.
"One un um up en make answer dat w'at dey lak bes', Sis Cow, she can't
gi' um. Sis Cow, she up en 'low dat she dunno 'bout dat, en she ax um
w'at is it.
"Den de Guinnies, dey tuck'n huddle up, dey did, en hol' er confab wid
one er 'n'er, en w'iles dey er doin' dis, ole Sis Cow, she tuck'n fetch
a long breff, en den she call up 'er cud, en stood dar chawin' on it des
lak she ain't had no tribalation dat day.
"Bimeby one er de Guinnies step out fum de huddlement en make a bow en
'low dat dey all 'ud be mighty proud ef Sis Cow kin fix it some way so
dey can't be seed so fur thoo de woods, 'kaze dey look blue in de sun,
en dey look blue in de shade, en dey can't hide deyse'f nohow. Sis Cow,
she chaw on 'er cud, en shet 'er eyes, en study. She chaw en chaw, en
study en study. Bimeby she 'low:--
"'Go fetch me a pail!' Guinny-hin laff!
"'Law, Sis Cow! w'at de name er goodness you gwine do wid a pail?'
"'Go fetch me a pail!'
"Guinny-hin, she run'd off, she did, en atter w'ile yer she come
trottin' back wid a pail. She sot dat pail down," continued Uncle Remus,
in the tone of an eye-witness to the occurrence, "en Sis Cow, she tuck
'er stan' over it, en she let down 'er milk in dar twel she mighty nigh
fill de pail full. Den she tuck'n make dem Guinny-hins git in a row, en
she dip 'er tail in dat ar pail, en she switch it at de fust un en
sprinkle 'er all over wid de milk; en eve'y time she switch 'er tail at
um she 'low:--
"'I loves dis un!' Den she 'ud sing:--
"'_Oh, Blue, go 'way! you shill not stay!
Oh, Guinny, be Gray, be Gray!_'
"She tuck'n sprinkle de las' one un um, en de Guinnies, dey sot in de
sun twel dey git dry, en fum dat time out dey got dem little speckles un
um."
XXXIV
BRER RABBIT'S LOVE-CHARM
"Dey wuz one time," said Uncle Remus one night, as they all sat around
the wide hearth,--Daddy Jack, Aunt Tempy, and the little boy in their
accustomed places,--"dey wuz one time w'en de t'er creeturs push Brer
Rabbit so close dat he tuck up a kinder idee dat may be he wa'n't ez
smart ez he mout be, en he study 'bout dis plum twel he git humble ez de
nex' man. 'Las' he low ter hisse'f dat he better make inquirements--"
"Ki!" exclaimed Daddy Jack, raising both hands and grinning excitedly,
"wut tale dis? I bin yerry da tale wun I is bin wean't fum me mammy."
"Well, den, Brer Jack," said Uncle Remus, with instinctive deference to
the rules of hospitality, "I 'speck you des better whirl in yer en spin
'er out. Ef you git 'er mix up anywhars I ull des slip in front er you
en ketch holt whar you lef' off."
With that, Daddy Jack proceeded:--
"One tam, B'er Rabbit is bin lub one noung leddy."
"Miss Meadows, I 'speck," suggested Uncle Remus, as the old African
paused to rub his chin.
"'E no lub Miss Meadow nuttin' 't all!" exclaimed Daddy Jack,
emphatically. "'E bin lub turrer noung leddy fum dat. 'E is bin lub
werry nice noung leddy. 'E lub 'um hard, 'e lub 'um long, un 'e is gwan
try fer mek dem noung leddy marry wit' 'im. Noung leddy seem lak 'e no
look 'pon B'er Rabbit, un dis is bin-a mek B'er Rabbit feel werry bad
all da day long. 'E moof 'way off by 'ese'f; 'e lose 'e fat, un 'e heer
is bin-a come out. Bumbye, 'e see one ole Affiky mans wut is bin-a hunt
in da fiel' fer root en yerrub fer mek 'e met'cine truck. 'E see um, un
he go toze um. Affiky mans open 'e y-eye big; 'e 'stonish'. 'E say:--
"'Ki, B'er Rabbit! you' he'lt' is bin-a gone; 'e bin-a gone un lef' you.
Wut mekky you is look so puny lak dis? Who is bin hu't-a you' feelin'?'
"B'er Rabbit larf wit' dry grins. 'E say:--
"'Shoo! I bin got well. Ef you is see me wun I sick fer true, 't will
mekky you heer stan' up, I skeer you so.'
"Affiky mans, 'e mek B'er Rabbit stick out 'e tongue; 'e is count B'er
Rabbit pulse. 'E shekky 'e head; 'e do say:--
"'Hi, B'er Rabbit! Wut all dis? You is bin ketch-a da gal-fever, un 'e
strak in 'pon you' gizzud.'
"Den B'er Rabbit, 'e is tell-a da Affiky mans 'bout dem noung leddy wut
no look toze 'im, un da Affiky mans, 'e do say 'e bin know gal sem lak
dat, 'e is bin shum befo'. 'E say 'e kin fix all dem noung leddy lak
dat. B'er Rabbit, 'e is feel so good, 'e jump up high; 'e is bin crack
'e heel; 'e shekky da Affiky mans by de han'.
"Affiky mans, 'e say B'er Rabbit no kin git da gal 'cep' 'e is mek 'im
one cha'm-bag. 'E say 'e mus' git one el'phan' tush, un 'e mus' git one
'gater toof, un 'e mus' git one rice-bud bill. B'er Rabbit werry glad
'bout dis, un 'e hop way fum dey-dey.
"'E hop, 'e run, 'e jump all nex' day night, un bumbye 'e see one great
big el'phan' come breakin' 'e way troo da woots. B'er Rabbit, 'e say:--
"'Ki! Oona big fer true! I bin-a yeddy talk 'bout dis in me y-own
countree. Oona big fer true; too big fer be strong.'
"El'phan' say: 'See dis!'
"'E tek pine tree in 'e snout; 'e pull um by da roots; 'e toss um way
off. B'er Rabbit say:--
"'Hi! dem tree come 'cause you bin high; 'e no come 'cause you bin
strong.'
"El'phan' say: 'See dis!'
"'E rush troo da woots; 'e fair teer um down. B'er Rabbit say:--
"'Hoo! dem is bin-a saplin' wey you 'stroy. See da big pine? Oona no kin
'stroy dem.'
"El'phan' say: 'See dis!'
"'E run 'pon da big pine; da big pine is bin too tough. El'phan' tush
stick in deer fer true; da big pine hol' um fas'. B'er Rabbit git-a dem
tush; 'e fetch um wey da Affiky mans lif. Affiky mans say el'phan' is
bin too big fer be sma't. 'E say 'e mus' haf one 'gater toof fer go wit'
el'phan' tush.
"B'er Rabbit, 'e do crack 'e heel; 'e do fair fly fum dey-dey. 'E go
'long, 'e go 'long. Bumbye 'e come 'pon 'gater. Da sun shiuen hot; da
'gater do 'joy 'ese'f. B'er Rabbit say:--
"'Dis road, 'e werry bad; less we mek good one by da crickside.'
"'Gater lak dat. 'E wek 'ese'f up fum 'e head to 'e tail. Dey sta't fer
clean da road. 'Gater, 'e do teer da bush wit' 'e toof; 'e sweep-a da
trash way wit' 'e tail. B'er Rabbit, 'e do beat-a da bush down wit' 'e
cane. 'E hit lef', 'e hit right; 'e hit up, 'e hit down; 'e hit all
'roun'. 'E hit un 'e hit, tel bumbye 'e hit 'gater in 'e mout' un
knock-a da toof out. 'E grab um up; 'e gone fum dey-dey. 'E fetch-a da
'gater toof wey da Affiky mans lif. Affiky mans say:--
"''Gater is bin-a got sha'p toof fer true. Go fetch-a me one rice-bud
bill.'
"B'er Rabbit gone! 'E go 'long, 'e go 'long, tel 'e see rice-bud
swingin' on bush. 'E ahx um kin 'e fly.
"Rice-bud say: 'See dis!'
"'E wissle, 'e sing, 'e shek 'e wing; 'e fly all 'roun' un 'roun'.
"B'er Rabbit say rice-bud kin fly wey da win' is bin blow, but 'e no kin
fly wey no win' blow.
"Rice-bud say, 'Enty!'
"'E wait fer win' stop blowin'; 'e wait, un 'e fly all 'roun' un 'roun'.
"B'er Rabbit say rice-bud yent kin fly in house wey dey no win'.
"Rice-bud say, 'Enty!'
"'E fly in house, 'e fly all 'roun' un 'roun'. B'er Rabbit pull de do'
shed; 'e look at dem rice-bud; 'e say, 'Enty!'
"'E ketch dem rice-bud; 'e do git um bill, 'e fetch um wey da Affiky
mans lif. Affiky mans says dem rice-bud bill slick fer true. 'E tekky da
el'phan' tush, 'e tekky da 'gater toof, 'e tekky da rice-bud bill, he
pit um in lil bag; 'e swing dem bag 'pon B'er Rabbit neck. Den B'er
Rabbit kin marry dem noung gal. Enty!"
Here Daddy Jack paused and flung a glance of feeble tenderness upon
'Tildy. Uncle Remus smiled contemptuously, seeing which 'Tildy
straightened herself, tossed her head, and closed her eyes with an air
of indescribable scorn.
"I dunner what Brer Rabbit mout er done," she exclaimed; "but I lay ef
dey's any ole nigger man totin' a cunjer-bag in dis neighborhood, he'll
git mighty tired un it 'fo' it do 'im any good--I lay dat!"
Daddy Jack chuckled heartily at this, and dropped off to sleep so
suddenly that the little boy thought he was playing 'possum.
XXXV
BRER RABBIT SUBMITS TO A TEST
"Uncle Remus," said the child, "do you reckon Brother Rabbit really
married the young lady?"
"Bless yo' soul, honey," responded the old man, with a sigh, "hit b'long
ter Brer Jack fer ter tell you dat. 'T ain't none er my tale."
"Was n't that the tale you started to tell?"
"Who? Me? _Shoo!_ I ain't 'sputin' but w'at Brer Jack tale des ez purty
ez dey er any needs fer, yit 't ain't none er my tale."
At this, the little boy laid his head upon Uncle Remus's knee and
waited.
"Now, den," said the old man, with an air of considerable importance,
"we er got ter go 'way back behime dish yer yallergater doin's w'at Brer
Jack bin mixin' us up wid. Ef I makes no mistakes wid my 'membunce, de
place wharbouts I lef' off wuz whar Brer Rabbit had so many 'p'intments
fer ter keep out de way er de t'er creeturs dat he 'gun ter feel
monst'us humblyfied. Let um be who dey will, you git folks in a close
place ef you wanter see um shed der proudness. Dey beg mo' samer dan a
nigger w'en de patter-rollers ketch 'im. Brer Rabbit ain't ko no
beggin', 'kaze dey ain't kotch; yit dey come so nigh it, he 'gun ter
feel he weakness.
"W'en Brer Rabbit feel dis a-way, do he set down flat er de groun' en
let de t'er creeturs rush up en grab 'im? He mought do it deze days,
'kaze times done change; but in dem days he des tuck'n sot up wid
hisse'f en study 'bout w'at he gwine do. He study en study, en las' he
up'n tell he ole 'oman, he did, dat he gwine on a journey. Wid dat, ole
Miss Rabbit, she tuck'n fry 'im up a rasher er bacon, en bake 'im a pone
er bread. Brer Rabbit tied dis up in a bag en tuck down he walkin' cane
en put out."
"Where was he going, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy.
"Lemme 'lone, honey! Lemme sorter git hit up, like. De trail mighty cole
'long yer, sho'; 'kaze dish yer tale ain't come 'cross my min' not sence
yo' gran'pa fotch us all out er Ferginny, en dat's a monst'us long time
ago.
"He put out, Brer Rabbit did, fer ter see ole Mammy-Bammy Big-Money."
"Dat 'uz dat ole Witch-Rabbit," remarked Aunt Tempy, complacently.
"Yasser," continued Uncle Remus, "de ve'y same ole creetur w'at I done
tell you 'bout w'en Brer Rabbit los' he foot. He put out, he did, en
atter so long a time he git dar. He take time fer ter ketch he win', en
den he sorter shake hisse'f up en rustle 'roun' in de grass. Bimeby he
holler:--
"'Mammy-Bammy Big-Money! O Mammy-Bammy Big-Money! I journeyed fur, I
journeyed fas'; I glad I foun' de place at las'.'
"Great big black smoke rise up out er de groun', en ole Mammy-Bammy
Big-Money 'low:--
"'Wharfo', Son Riley Rabbit, Riley? Son Riley Rabbit, wharfo'?'
"Wid dat," continued Uncle Remus, dropping the sing-song tone by means
of which he managed to impart a curious dignity and stateliness to the
dialogue between Brother Rabbit and Mammy-Bammy Big-Money,--"wid dat
Brer Rabbit up'n tell 'er, he did, 'bout how he fear'd he losin' de use
er he min', 'kaze he done come ter dat pass dat he ain't kin fool de
yuther creeturs no mo', en dey push 'im so closte twel 't won't be long
'fo' dey'll git 'im. De ole Witch-Rabbit she sot dar, she did, en suck
in black smoke en puff it out 'g'in, twel you can't see nothin' 't all
but 'er great big eyeballs en 'er great big years. Atter w'ile she
'low:--
"'Dar sets a squer'l in dat tree, Son Riley; go fetch dat squer'l
straight ter me, Son Riley Rabbit, Riley.'
"Brer Rabbit sorter study, en den he 'low, he did:--
"'I ain't got much sense lef', yit ef I can't coax dat chap down from
dar, den hit's 'kaze I done got some zeeze w'ich it make me fibble in de
min',' sezee.
"Wid dat, Brer Rabbit tuck'n empty de provender out'n he bag en got 'im
two rocks, en put de bag over he head en sot down und' de tree whar he
squer'l is. He wait little w'ile, en den he hit de rocks
tergedder--_blip!_
"Squer'l he holler, 'Hey!'
"Brer Rabbit wait little, en den he tuck'n slap de rocks
tergedder--_blap!_
"Squer'l he run down de tree little bit en holler, 'Heyo!'
"Brer Rabbit ain't sayin' nothin'. He des pop de rocks
tergedder--_blop!_
"Squer'l, he come down little furder, he did, en holler, 'Who dat?'
"'Biggidy Dicky Big-Bag!'
"'What you doin' in dar?'
"'Crackin' hick'y nuts.'
"'Kin I crack some?'
"'Tooby sho', Miss Bunny Bushtail; come git in de bag.'
"Miss Bunny Bushtail hang back," continued Uncle Remus, chuckling; "but
de long en de short un it wuz dat she got in de bag, en Brer Rabbit he
tuck'n kyar'd 'er ter ole Mammy-Bammy Big-Money. De ole Witch-Rabbit,
she tuck'n tu'n de squer'l a-loose, en 'low:--
"'Dar lies a snake in 'mungs' de grass, Son Riley; go fetch 'im yer, en
be right fas', Son Riley Rabbit, Riley.'
"Brer Rabbit look 'roun', en sho' nuff dar lay de bigges' kinder
rattlesnake, all quile up ready fer business. Brer Rabbit scratch he
year wid he behime leg, en study. Look lak he gwine git in trouble. Yit
atter w'ile he go off in de bushes, he did, en cut 'im a young
grape-vine, en he fix 'im a slip-knot. Den he come back. Snake
'periently look lak he sleep. Brer Rabbit ax 'im how he come on. Snake
ain't say nothin', but he quile up a little tighter, en he tongue run
out lak it bin had grease on it. Mouf shot, yit de tongue slick out en
slick back 'fo' a sheep kin shake he tail. Brer Rabbit, he 'low, he
did:--
"'Law, Mr. Snake, I mighty glad I come 'cross you,' sezee. 'Me en ole
Jedge B'ar bin havin' a turrible 'spute 'bout how long you is. We bofe
'gree dat you look mighty purty w'en youer layin' stretch out full lenk
in de sun; but Jedge B'ar, he 'low you ain't but th'ee foot long, en I
stood 'im down dat you 'uz four foot long ef not mo',' sezee. 'En de
talk got so hot dat I come mighty nigh hittin' 'im a clip wid my
walkin'-cane, en ef I had I boun' dey'd er bin some bellerin' done
'roun' dar,' sezee.
"Snake ain't say nothin', but he look mo' complassy[34] dan w'at he bin
lookin'.
"'I up'n tole ole Jedge B'ar,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'dat de nex' time
I run 'cross you I gwine take'n medjer you; en goodness knows I mighty
glad I struck up wid you, 'kaze now dey won't be no mo' 'casion fer any
'sputin' 'twix' me en Jedge B'ar,' sezee.
"Den Brer Rabbit ax Mr. Snake ef he won't be so good ez ter onquile
hisse'f. Snake he feel mighty proud, he did, en he stretch out fer all
he wuff. Brer Rabbit he medjer, he did, en 'low:--
"'Dar one foot fer Jedge B'ar; dar th'ee foot fer Jedge B'ar; en, bless
goodness, dar four foot fer Jedge B'ar, des lak I say!'
"By dat time Brer Rabbit done got ter snake head, en des ez de las' wud
drop out'n he mouf, he slip de loop 'roun' snake neck, en den he had 'im
good en fas'. He tuck'n drag 'im, he did, up ter whar de ole
Witch-Rabbit settin' at; but w'en he git dar, Mammy-Bammy Big-Money done
make 'er disappearance, but he year sump'n' way off yander, en seem lak
it say:--
"'Ef you git any mo' sense, Son Riley, you'll be de ruination ev de
whole settlement, Son Riley Rabbit, Riley.'
"Den Brer Rabbit drag de snake 'long home, en stew 'im down en rub wid
de grease fer ter make 'im mo' 'soopler in de lim's. Bless yo' soul,
honey, Brer Rabbit mought er bin kinder fibble in de legs, but he wa'n't
no ways cripple und' de hat."[35]
FOOTNOTES:
[34] A mixture of "complacent" and "placid." Accent on the second
syllable.
[35] A version of this story makes Brother Rabbit capture a swarm of
bees. Mr. W. O. Tuggle, of Georgia, who has made an exhaustive study of
the Creek Indians, has discovered a variant of the legend. The Rabbit
(Chufee) becomes alarmed because he has nothing but the nimbleness of
his feet to take him out of harm's way. He goes to his Creator and begs
that greater intelligence be bestowed upon him. Thereupon the snake test
is applied, as in the negro story, and the Rabbit also catches a swarm
of gnats. He is then told that he has as much intelligence as there is
any need for, and he goes away satisfied.
XXXVI
BRER WOLF FALLS A VICTIM
"Uncle Remus," said the little boy, one night, when he found the old man
sitting alone in his cabin, "did you ever see Mammy-Bammy Big-Money?"
Uncle Remus placed his elbows on his knees, rested his chin in the palms
of his hands, and gazed steadily in the fire. Presently he said:--
"Wen folks 'gin ter git ole en no 'count, hit look lak der 'membunce git
slack. Some time hit seem lak I done seed sump'n' n'er mighty nigh de
make en color er ole Mammy-Bammy Big-Money, en den ag'in seem lak I
ain't. W'en dat de case, w'at does I do? Does I stan' tiptoe en tetch de
rafters en make lak I done seed dat ole Witch-Rabbit, w'en, goodness
knows, I ain't seed 'er? Dat I don't. No, bless you! I'd say de same in
comp'ny, much less settin' in yer 'long side er you. De long en de short
un it," exclaimed Uncle Remus, with emphasis, "is des dis. Ef I bin
run 'crost ole Mammy-Bammy Big-Money in my day en time, den she tuck'n
make 'er disappearance dat quick twel I ain't kotch a glimp' un 'er."
[Illustration: "'EF YOU GIT ANY MO' SENSE, SON RILEY, YOU'LL BE DE
RUINATION EV DE WHOLE SETTLEMENT'"]
The result of this good-humored explanation was that the child did n't
know whether Uncle Remus had seen the Witch-Rabbit or not, but his
sympathies led him to suspect that the old man was thoroughly familiar
with all her movements.
"Uncle Remus," the little boy said, after a while, "if there is another
story about Mammy-Bammy Big-Money, I wish you would tell it to me all by
my own-alone self."
The idea seemed to please the old man wonderfully, and he chuckled over
it for several minutes.
"Now, den, honey," he said, after a while, "you hit me whar I'm
weak--you mos' sho'ly does. Comp'ny mighty good fer some folks en I kin
put up wid it long ez de nex' un, but you kin des take'n pile comp'ny
'pun top er comp'ny, en dey won't kyore de liver complaint. W'en you
talk dat a-way you fetches me, sho', en I'll tell you a tale 'bout de
ole Witch-Rabbit ef I hatter git down yer on my all-fours en grabble it
out'n de ashes. Yit dey ain't no needs er dat, 'kaze de tale done come
in my min' des ez fresh ez ef 't was day 'fo' yistiddy.
"Hit seem lak dat one time atter Brer Wolf tuck'n steal Brer Rabbit
foot, dey wuz a mighty long fallin'-out 'twix' um. Brer Rabbit, he
tuck'n got ashy 'kaze Brer Wolf tuck'n tuck he foot; en Brer Wolf, he
tuck'n got hot 'kaze Brer Rabbit wuk en wuk 'roun' en git he foot ag'in.
Hit keep on dis a-way twel bimeby de ole Witch-Rabbit sorter git tired
er Brer Wolf, en one day she tuck'n sont wud ter Brer Rabbit dat she lak
mighty well fer ter see 'im.