"ONE day," said Uncle Remus, sharpening his knife on the palm
of his hand--"one day Brer Fox strike up wid Brer Tarrypin right
in de middle er de big road. Brer Tarrypin done heerd 'im comin',
en he 'low ter hisse'f dat he'd sorter keep one eye open; but
Brer Fox wuz monstus perlite, en he open up de confab, he did,
like he ain't see Brer Tarrypin sence de las' freshit.
"'Heyo, Brer Tarrypin, whar you bin dis long-come-short?' sez
Brer Fox, sezee.
"'Lounjun 'roun', Brer Fox, lounjun 'roun',' sez Brer Tarrypin.
"'You don't look sprucy like you did, Brer Tarrypin,' sez Brer
Fox, sezee.
"'Lounjun 'roun' en suffer'n',' sez Brer Tarrypin, sezee.
"Den de talk sorter run on like dis:
"'W'at ail you, Brer Tarrypin? Yo' eye look mighty red,' sez Brer
Fox, sezee.
"'Lor', Brer Fox, you dunner w'at trubble is. You ain't bin
lounjun 'roun' en suffer'n',' sez Brer Tarrypin, sezee.
"'Bofe eyes red, en you look like you mighty weak, Brer
Tarrypin,' sez Brer Fox, sezee.
"'Lor', Brer Fox, you dunner w'at trubble is,' sez Brer Tarrypin,
sezee.
"'W'at ail you now, Brer Tarrypin?' sez Brer Fox, sezee.
"'Tuck a walk de udder day, en man come long en sot de fiel'
a-fier. Lor', Brer Fox, you dunner w'at trubble is,' sez Brer
Tarrypin, sezee.
"'How you git out de fier, Brer Tarrypin?' sez Brer Fox, sezee.
"'Sot en tuck it, Brer Fox,' sez Brer Tarrypin, sezee. 'Sot en
tuck it, en de smoke sif' in my eye, en de fier scorch my back,'
sez Brer Tarrypin, sezee.
"'Likewise hit bu'n yo' tail off,' sez Brer Fox, sezee.
"'Oh, no, dar's de tail, Brer Fox,' sez Brer Tarrypin, sezee, en
wid dat he oncurl his tail fum under de shell, en no sooner did
he do dat dan Brer Fox grab it, en holler out:
"'Oh, yes, Brer Tarrypin! Oh, yes! En so you er de man w'at lam
me on de head at Miss Meadows's is you? You er in wid Brer
Rabbit, is you? Well, I'm gwineter out you.'
"Brer Tarrypin beg en beg, but 'twan't no use. Brer Fox done been
fool so much dat he look like he termin' fer ter have Brer
Tarrypin haslett. Den Brer Tarrypin beg Brer Fox not fer ter
drown 'im, but Brer Fox ain't makin' no prommus, en den he beg
Brer Fox fer ter bu'n' 'im, kase he done useter fier, but Brer
Fox don't say nuthin'. Bimeby Brer Fox drag Brer Tarrypin off
little ways b'low de spring-'ouse, en souze him under de water.
Den Brer Tarrypin begin fer ter holler:
"'Tu'n loose dat stump root en ketch holt er me--tu'n loose dat
stump root en ketch holt er me.'
"Brer Fox he holler back:
"'I ain't got holt er no stump root, en I is got holt er you.'
"Brer Tarrypin he keep on holler'n:
"'Ketch holt er me--I'm a drownin'--I'm a drownin'--tu'n loose de
stump root en ketch holt er me.'
"Sho nuff, Brer Fox tu'n loose de tail, en Brer Tarrypin, he went
down ter de bottom--kerblunkity-blink!"
No typographical combination or description could do justice to
the guttural sonorousness--the peculiar intonation--which Uncle
Remus imparted to this combination. It was so peculiar, indeed,
that the little boy asked:
"How did he go to the bottom, Uncle Remus?"
"Kerblunkity-blink!"
"Was he drowned, Uncle Remus?"
"Who? Ole man Tarrypin? Is you drowndid w'en yo' ma tucks you
in de bed?"
"Well, no," replied the little boy, dubiously.
"Ole man Tarrypin 'wuz at home I tell you, honey. Kerblinkity-
blunk!"