"BRER RABBIT en Brer Fox wuz like some chilluns w'at I knows
un," said Uncle Remus, regarding the little boy, who had come to
hear another story, with an affectation of great solemnity. "Bofe
un um wuz allers atter wunner nudder, a prankin' en a pesterin'
'roun', but Brer Rabbit did had some peace, kaze Brer Fox done
got skittish 'bout puttin' de clamps on Brer Rabbit.
"One day, w'en Brer Rabbit, en Brer Fox, en Brer Coon, en Brer
B'ar, en a whole lot un um wuz clearin' up a new groun' fer ter
plant a roas'n'-year patch, de sun gun ter git sorter hot, en
Brer Rabbit he got tired; but he didn't let on, kaze he fear'd de
balance un um'd call 'im lazy, en he keep on totin' off trash en
pilin' up bresh, twel bimeby he holler out dat he gotter brier in
his han', en den he take'n slip off, en hunt fer cool place fer
ter res'. Atter w'ile he come crosst a well wid a bucket hangin'
in it.
"'Dat look cool,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'en cool I speck she
is. I'll des 'bout git in dar en take a nap,' en wid dat in he
jump, he did, en he ain't no sooner fix hisse'f dan de bucket
'gun ter go down."
"Wasn't the Rabbit scared, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy.
"Honey, dey ain't been no wusser skeer'd beas' sence de worl'
begin dan dish yer same Brer Rabbit. He fa'rly had a agur. He
know whar he cum fum, but he dunner whar he gwine. Dreckly he
feel de bucket hit de water, en dar she sot, but Brer Rabbit he
keep mighty still, kaze he dunner w'at minnit gwineter be de
nex'. He des lay dar en shuck en shiver.
"Brer Fox allers got one eye on Brer Rabbit, en w'en he slip off
fum de new groun', Brer Fox he sneak atter 'im. He know Brer
Rabbit wuz atter some projick er nudder, en he tuck'n crope off,
he did, en watch 'im. Brer Fox see Brer Rabbit come to de well en
stop, en den he see 'im jump in de bucket, en den, lo en behol's,
he see 'im go down outer sight. Brer Fox wuz de mos' 'stonish Fox
dat you ever laid eyes on. He sot off dar in de bushes en study
en study, but he don't make no head ner tails ter dis kinder
bizness. Den he say ter hisse'f, sezee:
"'Well, ef dis don't bang my times,' sezee, 'den Joe's dead en
Sal's a widder. Right down dar in dat well Brer Rabbit keep his
money hid, en ef 'tain't dat den he done gone en 'skiver'd a
gole-mine, en ef 'tain't dat, den I'm a gwineter see w'at's in
dar,' sezee.
"Brer Fox crope up little nigher, he did, en lissen, but he don't
year no fuss, en he keep on gittin' nigher, en yit he don't year
nuthin'. Bimeby he git up close en peep down, but he don't see
nuthin' en he don't year nuthin'. All dis time Brer Rabbit mighty
nigh skeer'd outen his skin, en he fear'd fer ter move kaze de
bucket might keel over en spill him out in de water. W'ile he
sayin' his pra'rs over like a train er kyars runnin', ole Brer
Fox holler out:
"'Heyo, Brer Rabbit! Who you wizzitin' down dar?' sezee.
"'Who? Me? Oh, I'm des a fishin', Brer Fox,' sez Brer Rabbit,
sezee. 'I des say ter myse'f dat I'd sorter sprize you all wid a
mess er fishes fer dinner, en so here I is, en dar's de fishes.
I'm a fishin' fer suckers, Brer Fox,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.
"'Is dey many un um down dar, Brer Rabbit?' sez Brer Fox, sezee.
"'Lots un um, Brer Fox; scoze en scoze un um. De water is
natchully 'live wid um. Come down en he'p me haul um in, Brer
Fox,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.
"'How I gwineter git down, Brer Rabbit?'
"'Jump inter de bucket, Brer Fox. Hit'll fetch you down all safe
en soun'.'
"Brer Rabbit talk so happy en talk so sweet dat Brer Fox he jump
in de bucket, he did, en, ez he went down, co'se his weight pull
Brer Rabbit up. W'en dey pass one nudder on de half-way growl',
Brer Rabbit he sing out:
"'Good-by, Brer Fox, take keer yo' cloze,
Fer dis is de way de worl' goes;
Some goes up en some goes down,
You'll git ter de bottom all safe en soun'.' *1
"W'en Brer Rabbit got out, he gallop off en tole de fokes w'at de
well blong ter dat Brer Fox wuz down in dar muddyin' up de
drinkin' water, en den he gallop back ter de well, en holler down
ter Brer Fox:
"'Ye come a man wid a great big gun--W'en he haul you up, you
jump en run."'
"What then, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy, as the old man
paused.
"In des 'bout half 'n hour, honey, bofe un um wuz back in de new
groun' wukkin' des like dey never heer'd er no well, ceppin' dat
eve'y now'n den Brer Rabbit'd bust out in er laff, en old Brer
Fox, he'd git a spell er de dry grins."
*1 As a Northern friend suggests that this story may be somewhat
obscure, it may be as well to state that the well is supposed
to be supplied with a rope over a wheel, or pulley, with a
bucket at each end.