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 ain't see
no man. Brer Rabbit, he hail 'im:--
"'You ain't come a minnit too soon, Brer Fox, dat you ain't. 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 ain't see
no man. Wiles he done gone Brer Rabbit kyar off one er de behime
quarters. Brer Fox come back; he ain't 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 ain't 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 ain't 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
BRER 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 ain't gwine ter b'leeve me,
skacely, but dat owdashus creetur ain't 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 ain't 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 ain't gwine ter be
fr'en's no mo'--dat I ain't.'
"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 ain't. 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.'
"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 ain't 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 ain't, 'n'er one 'low he stiff, udder one 'low he
ain't, en t'udder 'low he is. So dar dey had it. Dey stretch out dey
neck en step high wid dey foot, yit dey ain't git too close ter Mr.
Wildcat.
"He lay dar, he did, en he ain't move. Win' ruffle up he ha'r, yit he
ain't move; sun shine down 'pun 'im, yit he ain't move. De turkeys dey
gobble en dey yelp, but dey ain't go no nigher; dey holler en dey
'spute, but dey ain't go no nigher; dey stretch dey neck en dey lif' dey
foot high, yit dey ain't 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.
[Illustration: Mr. Benjamin Ram Defends Himself]
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 ain't 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 ain't never hurted a flea in all he born days--dat he
ain't,' 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 ain't 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 ain't 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
ain't 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 ain't feelin' well, en he don't
lak mutton nohow. Brer Fox 'low:--
"'You may be puny in de min', Brer Wolf, but you ain't 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 ain't 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 ain't 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 ain't 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 ain't 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.
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."
L
BRER 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."
"Oh, no, I would n't, Uncle Remus!" protested the child, glancing at the
door and getting a little closer to the old man.
"Yasser! you'd des nat'ally whirl in en fergit 'bout who dey is. 'T
ain't so mighty long sence I done tole you 'bout ole Mr. Benjermun Ram
playin' he fiddle at Brer Wolf house, en yer you come en ax me how come
he don't take en play it at 'im 'g'in. W'at kinder lookin' sight 'ud dat
ole creetur a-bin ef he'd jump up en grab he fiddle en go ter playin' on
it eve'y time he year a fuss down de big road?"
The little boy said nothing, but he thought the story would have been a
great deal nicer if Mr. Benjamin Ram could have played one of the
old-time tunes on his fiddle, and while he was thinking about it, the
door opened and Aunt Tempy made her appearance. Her good-humor was
infectious.
"Name er goodness!" she exclaimed, "I lef' you all settin' yer way las'
week; I goes off un I does my wuk, un I comes back, un I fines you
settin' right whar I lef' you. Goodness knows, I dunner whar you gits
yo' vittles. I dunner whar I ain't bin sence I lef' you all settin' yer.
I let you know I bin a-usin' my feet un I been a-usin' my han's. Dat's
me. No use ter ax how you all is, 'kaze you looks lots better'n me."
"Yas, Sis Tempy, we er settin' yer whar you lef' us, en der Lord, he bin
a-pervidin'. W'en de vittles don't come in at de do' hit come down de
chimbly, en so w'at de odds? We er sorter po'ly, Sis Tempy, I'm 'blige
ter you. You know w'at de jay-bird say ter der squinch owl! 'I'm sickly
but sassy.'"
Aunt Tempy laughed as she replied: "I 'speck you all bin a-havin' lots
er fun. Goodness knows I wish many a time sence I bin gone dat I 'uz
settin' down yer runnin' on wid you all. I ain't bin gone fur--dat's so,
yit Mistiss put me ter cuttin'-out, un I tell you now dem w'at cuts out
de duds fer all de niggers on dis place is got ter wuk fum soon in de
mawnin' plum tel bed-time, dey ain't no two ways. 'T ain't no wuk youk'n
kyar' 'bout wid you needer, 'kaze you got ter spread it right out on de
flo' un git down on yo' knees. I mighty glad I done wid it, 'kaze my
back feel like it done broke in a thous'n pieces. Honey, is Brer Remus
bin a-tellin' you some mo' er dem ole-time tales?"
Aunt Tempy's question gave the little boy an excuse for giving her brief
outlines of some of the stories. One that he seemed to remember
particularly well was the story of how Brother Rabbit and Brother Fox
killed a cow, and how Brother Rabbit got the most and the best of the
beef.
"I done year talk uv a tale like dat," exclaimed Aunt Tempy, laughing
heartily, "but 't ain't de same tale. I mos' 'shame' ter tell it."
"You gittin' too ole ter be blushin', Sis Tempy," said Uncle Remus with
dignity.
"Well den," said Aunt Tempy, wiping her fat face with her apron: "One
time Brer Rabbit un Brer Wolf tuck'n gone off som'ers un kilt a cow, un
w'en dey come fer ter 'vide out de kyarkiss, Brer Wolf 'low dat bein's
he de biggest he oughter have de mos', un he light in, he did, un do
like he gwine ter take it all. Brer Rabbit do like he don't keer much,
but he keer so bad hit make 'im right sick. He tuck'n walk all 'roun' de
kyarkiss, he did, un snuff de air, un terreckly he say:--
"'Brer Wolf!--O Brer Wolf!--is dis meat smell 'zuckly right ter you?'
"Brer Wolf, he cuttin' un he kyarvin' un he ain't sayin' nothin'. Brer
Rabbit, he walk all 'roun' un 'roun' de kyarkiss. He feel it un he kick
it. Terreckly he say:--
"'Brer Wolf!--O Brer Wolf!--Dis meat feel mighty flabby ter me; how it
feel ter you?'
"Brer Wolf, he year all dat's said, but he keep on a-cuttin' un a
kyarvin'. Brer Rabbit say:--
"'You kin talk er not talk, Brer Wolf, des ez youer min' ter, yit ef I
ain't mistooken in de sign, you'll do some tall talkin' 'fo' youer done
wid dis beef. Now you mark w'at I tell you!'
"Brer Rabbit put out fum dar, en 't wa'n't long 'fo' yer he come back
wid a chunk er fier, un a dish er salt. W'en Brer Wolf see dis, he
say:--
"'W'at you gwine do wid all dat, Brer Rabbit?'
"Brer Rabbit laugh like he know mo' dan he gwine tell, un he say:--
"'Bless yo' soul, Brer Wolf! I ain't gwine ter kyar er poun' er dis meat
home tel I fin' out w'at de matter wid it. No I ain't--so dar now!'
"Den Brer Rabbit built 'im a fier un cut 'im off a slishe er steak un
br'ilte it good un done, un den he e't little uv it. Fus' he'd tas'e un
den he'd nibble; den he'd nibble un den he'd tas'e. He keep on tel he
e't right smart piece. Den he went'n sot off little ways like he waitin'
fer sump'n'.
"Brer Wolf, he kyarve un he cut, but he keep one eye on Brer Rabbit.
Brer Rabbit sot up dar same ez Judge on de bench. Brer Wolf, he watch
his motions. Terreckly Brer Rabbit fling bofe han's up ter he head un
fetch a groan. Brer Wolf cut un kyarve un watch Brer Rabbit motions.
Brer Rabbit sorter sway backerds un forrerds un fetch 'n'er groan. Den
he sway fum side to side un holler 'O Lordy!' Brer Wolf, he sorter 'gun
ter git skeer'd un he ax Brer Rabbit w'at de matter. Brer Rabbit, he
roll on de groun' un holler:--
"'O Lordy, Lordy! I'm pizen'd, I'm pizen'd! O Lordy! I'm pizen'd! Run
yer, somebody, run yer! De meat done got pizen on it. Oh, do run yer!'
"Brer Wolf git so skeer'd dat he put out fum dar, un he wa'n't out er
sight skacely 'fo' Brer Rabbit jump up fum dar un cut de pidjin-wing, un
't wa'n't so mighty long atter dat 'fo' Brer Rabbit done put all er dat
beef in his smoke-house."
"What became of Brother Wolf?" the little boy inquired.