"BRER TARRYPIN wuz de out'nes' man," said Uncle Remus, rubbing
his hands together contemplatively, and chuckling to himself in a
very significant manner; "he wuz de out'nes' man er de whole
gang. He wuz dat."
The little boy sat perfectly quiet, betraying no impatience when
Uncle Remus paused to hunt, first in one pocket and then in
another, for enough crumbs of tobacco to replenish his pipe.
Presently the old man proceeded:
"One night Miss Meadows en de gals dey gun a candy-pullin', en
so many er de nabers come in 'sponse ter de invite dat dey hatter
put de 'lasses in de wash pot en b'il' de fier in de yard. Brer
B'ar, he holp*1 Miss Meadows bring de wood, Brer Fox, he men' de
fier, Brer Wolf, he kep' de dogs off, Brer Rabbit, he grease de
bottom er de plates fer ter keep de candy fum stickin', en Brer
Tarrypin, he klum up in a cheer, en say he'd watch en see dat de
'lasses didn't bile over. Dey wuz all dere, en dey wern't cuttin'
up no didos, nudder, kaze Miss Meadows, she done put her foot
down, she did, en say dat w'en dey come ter her place dey hatter
hang up a flag er truce at de front gate en 'bide by it.
"Well, den, w'iles dey wuz all a settin' dar en de 'lasses wuz a
bilin' en a blubberin', dey got ter runnin' on talkin' mighty
biggity. Brer Rabbit, he say he de swiffes'; but Brer Tarrypin,
he rock long in de cheer en watch de 'lasses. Brer Fox, he say he
de sharpes', but Brer Tarrypin he rock long. Brer Wolf, he say he
de mos' suvvigus, but Brer Tarrypin, he rock en he rock long.
Brer B'ar, he say he de mos' stronges', but Brer Tarrypin he
rock, en he keep on rockin'. Bimeby he sorter shet one eye, en
say, sezee:
"'Hit look like 'periently dat de ole hardshell ain't nowhars
'longside er dis crowd, yit yer I is, en I'm de same man w'at
show Brer Rabbit dat he ain't de swiffes'; en I'm de same man
w'at kin show Brer B'ar dat he ain't de stronges',' sezee.
"Den dey all laff en holler, kaze it look like Brer B'ar mo'
stronger dan a steer. Bimeby, Miss Meadows, she up'n ax, she did,
how he gwine do it.
"'Gimme a good strong rope,' sez Brer Tarrypin, sezee, 'en lemme
git in er puddle er water, en den let Brer B'ar see ef he kin
pull me out,' sezee.
"Den dey all laff 'gin, en Brer B'ar, he ups en sez, sezee: 'We
ain't got no rope,' sezee.
"'No,' sez Brer Tarrypin, sezee, 'en needer is you got de strenk,'
sezee, en den Brer Tarrypin, he rock en rock long, en watch de
'lasses a bilin' en a blubberin'.
"Atter w'ile Miss Meadows, she up en say, she did, dat she'd
take'n loan de young men her bed-cord, en w'iles de candy wuz a
coolin' in de plates, dey could all go ter de branch en see Brer
Tarrypin kyar out his projick. Brer Tarrypin," continued Uncle
Remus, in a tone at once confidential and argumentative, "weren't
much bigger'n de pa'm er my han', en it look mighty funny fer ter
year 'im braggin' 'bout how he kin out-pull Brer B'ar. But dey
got de bed-cord atter w'ile, en den dey all put out ter de
branch. W'en Brer Tarrypin fine de place he wanter, he tuck one
een er de bed-cord, en gun de yuther een' to Brer B'ar.
"'Now den, ladies en gents,' sez Brer Tarrypin, sezee, 'you all
go wid Brer B'ar up dar in de woods en I'll stay yer, en w'en you
year me holler, den's de time fer Brer B'ar fer ter see ef he kin
haul in de slack er de rope. You all take keer er dat ar een','
sezee, 'en I'll take keer er dish yer een',' sezee.
"Den dey all put out en lef' Brer Tarrypin at de branch, en w'en
dey got good en gone, he dove down inter de water, he did, en tie
de bed-cord hard en fas' ter wunner deze yer big clay-roots, en
den he riz up en gin a whoop.
"Brer B'ar he wrop de bed-cord roun' his han,' en wink at de
gals, en wid dat he gin a big juk, but Brer Tarrypin ain't budge.
Den he take bof han's en gin a big pull, but, all de same, Brer
Tarrypin ain't budge. Den he tu'n 'roun', he did, en put de rope
cross his shoulders en try ter walk off wid Brer Tarrypin, but
Brer Tarrypin look like he don't feel like walkin'. Den Brer Wolf
he put in en holp Brer B'ar pull, but des like he didn't, en den
dey all holp 'im, en, bless grashus! w'iles dey wuz all a
pullin', Brer Tarrypin, he holler, en ax um w'y dey don't take up
de slack.
"Den w'en Brer Tarrypin feel um quit pullin', he dove down, he
did, en ontie de rope, en by de time dey got ter de branch, Brer
Tarrypin, he wuz settin' in de aidge er de water des ez natchul
ez de nex' un, en he up'n say, sezee:
"'Dat las' pull er yone wuz a mighty stiff un, en a leetle mo'n
you'd er had me,' sezee. 'You er monstus stout, Brer B'ar,'
sezee, 'en you pulls like a yoke er steers, but I sorter had de
purchis on you,' sezee.
"Den Brer B'ar, bein's his mouf 'gun ter water atter de
sweetnin,' he up'n say he speck de candy's ripe, en off dey put
atter it!"
"It's a wonder," said the little boy, after a while, "that the
rope didn't break."
"Break who?" exclaimed Uncle Remus, with a touch of
indignation in his tone--"break who? In dem days, Miss Meadows's
bed-cord would a hilt a mule."
This put an end to whatever doubts the child might have
entertained.
*1 Help; helped.