"DAR wuz one season" said Uncle Remus, pulling thoughtfully at
his whiskers, "w'en Brer Fox say to hisse'f dat he speck he
better whirl in en plant a goober-patch, en in dem days, mon, hit
wuz tech en go. De wud wern't mo'n out'n his mouf 'fo' de groun'
'uz brok'd up en de goobers 'uz planted. Ole Brer Rabbit, he sot
off en watch de motions, he did, en he sorter shet one eye en
sing to his chilluns:
"'Ti-yi! Tungalee!
I eat um pea, I pick um pea.
Hit grow in de groun', hit grow so free;
Ti-yi! dem goober pea.'
"Sho' 'nuff w'en de goobers 'gun ter ripen up, eve'y time Brer
Fox go down ter his patch, he fine whar somebody bin grabblin'
'mongst de vines, en he git mighty mad. He sorter speck who de
somebody is, but ole Brer Rabbit he cover his tracks so cute dat
Brer Fox dunner how ter ketch 'im. Bimeby, one day Brer Fox take
a walk all roun' de groun'-pea patch, en 'twan't long 'fo' he
fine a crack in de fence whar de rail done bin rub right smoove,
en right dar he sot 'im a trap. He tuck'n ben' down a hick'ry
saplin', growin' in de fence-cornder, en tie one een' un a plow-
line on de top, en in de udder een' he fix a loop-knot, en dat he
fasten wid a trigger right in de crack. Nex' mawnin' w'en ole
Brer Rabbit come slippin' 'long en crope thoo de crack, de
loop-knot kotch 'im behime de fo'legs, en de saplin' flew'd up,
en dar he wuz 'twix' de heavens en de yeth. Dar he swung, en he
fear'd he gwineter fall, en he fear'd he wer'n't gwineter fall.
W'ile he wuz a fixin' up a tale fer Brer Fox, he hear a lumberin'
down de road, en present'y yer cum ole Brer B'ar amblin' 'long
fum whar he bin takin' a bee-tree. Brer Rabbit, he hail 'im:
"'Howdy, Brer B'ar!'
"Brer B'ar, he look 'roun en bimeby he see Brer Rabbit swingin'
fum de saplin', en he holler out:
"'Heyo, Brer Rabbit! How you come on dis mawnin'?'
"'Much oblije, I'm middlin', Brer B'ar,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.
"Den Brer B'ar, he ax Brer Rabbit w'at he doin' up dar in de
elements, en Brer Rabbit, he up'n say he makin' dollar minnit.
Brer B'ar, he say how. Brer Rabbit say he keepin' crows out'n
Brer Fox's groun' pea patch, en den he ax Brer B'ar ef he don't
wanter make dollar minnit, kaze he got big fambly er chilluns fer
to take keer un, en den he make sech nice skeercrow. Brer B'ar
'low dat he take de job, en den Brer Rabbit show 'im how ter ben'
down de saplin', en 'twan't long 'fo' Brer B'ar wuz swingin' up
dar in Brer Rabbit's place. Den Brer Rabbit, he put out fer Brer
Fox house, en w'en he got dar he sing out:
"'Brer Fox! Oh, Brer Fox! Come out yer, Brer Fox, en I'll show
you de man w'at bin stealin' yo' goobers.'
"Brer Fox, he grab up his walkin'-stick, en bofe un um went
runnin' back down ter der goober-patch, en w'en dey got dar, sho
'nuff, dar wuz ole Brer B'ar.
"'Oh, yes! you er kotch, is you?' sez Brer Fox, en 'fo' Brer B'ar
could 'splain, Brer Rabbit he jump up en down, en holler out:
"'Hit 'im in de mouf, Brer Fox; hit 'im in do mouf'; en Brer Fox,
he draw back wid de walkin' cane, en blip he tuck 'im, en eve'y
time Brer B'ar'd try ter 'splain, Brer Fox'd shower down on him.
"W'iles all dis 'uz gwine on, Brer Rabbit, he slip off en git in
a mud-hole en des lef' his eyes stickin' out, kaze he know'd dat
Brer B'ar'd be a comin' atter 'im. Sho 'nuff, bimeby here come
Brer B'ar down de road, en w'en he git ter de mud-hole, he say:
"'Howdy, Brer Frog; is you seed Brer Rabbit go by yer?'
"'He des gone by,' sez Brer Rabbit, en ole man B'ar tuck off down
de road like a skeer'd mule, en Brer Rabbit, he come out en dry
hisse'f in de sun, en go home ter his fambly same ez enny udder
man.
"The Bear didn't catch the Rabbit, then?" inquired the little
boy, sleepily.
"Jump up fum dar, honey!" exclaimed Uncle Remus, by way of
reply. "I ain't got no time fer ter be settin' yer proppin' yo'
eyeleds open."