Told by Uncle Remus : new stories of the old plantation / by Joel Chandler Harris ; illustrated by A.B. Frost, J.M. Conde, and Frank Uerbeck

Drawn by A. B. Frost
"Is anybody ever hear de beat er dot?"
--"Brother Rabbits

TOLD BY
Uncle Remus
NEW STORIES OF THE OLD PLANTATION
BY JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS
ILLUSTRATED BY A. B. FROST, J. M. CONDE AND FRANK VERBECK
GROSSET & DUNLAP
NEW YORK

Copyright, 1903,1904,1905, by JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS Copyright, 1903,1904, 1905, by P. F. Collier 1 Son opyright, 1901,1905, by The Metropolitan Magazine Company
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES AT
THE COUNTRY LIFE PRESS, GARDEN CITY, N. Y.

CONTENTS

PAGE
THE REASON WHY ......... 3

I WHY MB. CRICKET HAS ELBOWS ON HIS LEGS .

19

n How WILEY WOLF RODE IN THE BAG .... 37

III BBOTHEB RABBIT'S LAT;GHING-PLACE .... 53

IV BROTHER RABBIT AND THE CHICKENS .... 74

V LITTLE MISTER CBICKET AND THE OTHER CREA TURES ............ 87
VI WHEN BROTHER RABBIT WAS KING ..... 101

VII How OLD CRANEY-CBOW LOST HIS HEAD . . . 126 VIII BBOTHEB Fox FOLLOWS THE FASHION .... 141

IX WHY THE TURKEY-BUZZARD IS BALD-HEADED . . 153
X BROTHER DEER AN' KING SUN'S DAUGHTER . . 172 ' XI BROTHER RABBIT'S CRADLE ....... 188 XII BROTHER RABBIT AND BBOTHEB BULL-FROG . . 205 Xni WHY MR. DOG is TAME ........ 230 XIV BROTHER RABBIT AND THE GIZZARD EATER . . 243 XV BROTHER RABBIT AND Miss NANCY ..... 266 XVI THE HAKD-HEADED WOMAN ....... 276

LIST OF FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS

"iS ANYBODY EVER HEAR DE BEAT EB DAT?" . . Frontispiece
FACING PAGE
"So HE HOLLER DOWN THOO DE CRACK" ...... 34

"DOES YOU CALL DIS GOOD LUCK?". ...... 36
"DEY SOT DAB . . . TAKIN' 'BOUT or,' TIMES" . . 44

"'GlT 'iM USE TER DE BAG'" ......... 48

"'DEN YOU COME ON HOME; YO' MAMMY WANT YOU"' . . 50

"WENT orp HOME DBS EZ GAYLY EZ A COLT IN A BARLEY PATCH" .............. 80

'"BBER RABBIT, WHAR YOU GWINE?'" ...... 82

"BRER Fox, SAY, 'GENTS, ... I WANTEB TELL rou

DAT IM DE SWIFFES' ONE IN DIS BUNCH' " .

92

"MR. ELEPHANT WENT SPLUNGIN' THOO DE WOODS SAME EZ A HAHRYCANE" ........... 96

"So HIS OL' 'OMAN WENT OUT TER DE WOODPILE AN' GOT
DE AX" .............. 150

"SHE DKEMP DAT BRER RABBIT wuz LAUGHIN' AT 'ER" . 152

"BRER DEER WENT ON FER TER TELL BRER RABBIT" . 180

" DE BEAU GOT TER FLINGIN' HIS SASS BOUN' BRER RABBIT " 272

LIST OF FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS
FACING PAGE
"DE GAL, SHE CBY SOME, BUT DEY WENT OFF AN* GOT MARRIED" ............. 274
"DENHESHUCK A GOURD-VINE OVER DEPOT" .... 286
"DE AX, IT CLUM BACK ON TOP ER DE WOODPILE AN* FELL OFF ON T'ER SIDE ". .......... 290
"DEN SHE LIT OUT ATTEB DE POT LIKE SHE WAS HUNNIN* A FOOT-RACE ............ 292

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

THE REASON WHY
main reason why Uncle Remus re tired from business as a story-teller was because the little boy to whom he had told his tales grew to be a very big boy, and grew and grew till he couldn't grow any big ger. Meanwhile, his father and mother moved to Atlanta, and lived there for several years. Uncle Remus moved with them, but he soon grew tired of the dubious ways of city life, and one day he told his Miss Sally that if she did n't mind he was going back to the planta tion where he could get a breath of fresh air. He was overjoyed when the lady told him that they were all going back as soon as the son mar ried. As this event was to occur in the course of a few weeks, Uncle Remus decided to wait for the rest of the family. The wedding came off, and

4

TOLD BY .UNCLE REMUS

then the father and mother returned to the plan

tation, and made their home there, much to the

delight of the old negro.

In course of time, the man who had been the

little boy for ever so long came to have a little

boy of his own, and then it happened in the most

natural way in the world that the little boy's little

boy fell under the spell of Uncle Remus, who was

still hale and hearty in spite of his age.

This latest little boy was frailer and quieter

than his father had been; indeed, he was fragile,

and had hardly any color in his face. But he was a

beautiful child, too beautiful for a boy. He had

large, dreamy eyes, and the quaintest little ways

that ever were seen; and he was polite and

thoughtful of others. He was very choice in the

use of words, and talked as if he had picked

his language out of a book. He was a source of

perpetual wonder to Uncle Remus; indeed, he

was the wonder of wonders, and the old negro

had a way of watching him curiously. Sometimes,

as the result of this investigation, which was con

tinuous, Uncle Remus would shake his head and

THE REASON WHY

5

chuckle; at other times, he would shake his head

and sigh.

This little boy was not like the other little boy.

He was more like a girl in his refinement; all the

boyishness had been taken out of him by that

mysterious course of discipline that some moth

ers know how to apply. He seemed to belong

to a different age -- to a different time; just how

or why, it would be impossible to say. Still,

the fact was so plain that any one old enough and

wise enough to compare the two little boys --

one the father of the other -- could not fail to see

the difference; and it was a difference not wholly

on the surface. Miss Sally, the grandmother,

could see it, and Uncle Remus could see it; but

for all the rest the tendencies and characteristics

of this later little boy were a matter of course.

"Miss Sally," said Uncle Remus, a few days

after the arrival of the little boy and his mother,

" what dey gwineter do wid dat chile? What dey

gwineter make out 'n 'im?"

"I'm sure I don't know," she replied. "A

grandmother doesn't count for much these days

6

TOLD BY UNCLE EEMUS

unless there is illness. She is everything for a few

hours, and then she is nothing." There was no

bitterness in the lady's tone, but there was plenty

of feeling -- feeling that only a grandmother can

appreciate and understand.

"I speck dat s so," Uncle Remus remarked;

"an' a ole nigger dat oughter been dead long ago,

by good rights, don't count no time an' nowhar.

But it 's a pity -- a mighty pity."

"What is a pity?" the lady inquired, though

she knew full well what was in the old negro's

mind.

"I can't tell you, ma'am, an' 't would n't be my

place ter tell you ef I could; but dar 'tis, an' you

can't rub it out. I see it, but I can't say it; I

knows it, but I can't show you how ter put yo'

finger on it; yit it's dar ef I 'm name Remus."

The grandmother sat silent so long, and gazed

at the old negro so seriously, that he became res

tive. He placed the weight of his body first on

one foot and then on the other, and finally struck

blindly at some imaginary object with the end of

his walking-cane.

THE KEASON WHY

7

"I hope you ain't mad wid me, Miss Sally," he

said.

"Withyou?"shecried. "Why---- " She was

sitting in an easy-chair on the back porch, where

the warmth of the sun could reach her, but she

rose suddenly and went into the house. She made

a noise with her throat as she went, so that Uncle

Remus thought she was laughing, and chuckled

in response, though he felt little like chuckling.

As a matter of fact, if his Miss Sally had remained

on the porch one moment longer she would have

burst into tears.

She went in the house, however, and was able

to restrain herself. The little boy caught at the

skirt of her dress, saying: "Grandmother, you

have been sitting in the sun, and your face is red.

Mother never allows me to sit in the sun for fear I

will freckle. Father says a few freckles would help

me, but mother says they would be shocking."

Uncle Remus received his dinner from the big

house that day, and by that token he knew that

his Miss Sally was very well pleased with him.

The dinner was brought on a waiter by a strap-

8

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

ping black girl, with a saucy smile and ivory-

white teeth. She was a favorite with Uncle Re

mus, because she was full of fun. "I dunner how

come de white folks treat you better dan dey

does de balance un us," she declared, as she sat

the waiter on the small pine table and removed

the snowy napkin with which it was covered.

"I know it ain't on 'count er yo' beauty, kaze yo'

ain't no purtier dan what I is," she went on,

tossing her head and showing her white teeth.

Uncle Remus looked all around on the floor,

pretending to be looking for some weapon that

would be immediately available. Finding none,

he turned with a terrible make-believe frown,

and pointed his forefinger at the girl, who was

now as far as the door, her white teeth gleaming

as she laughed.

"Mark my words," he said solemnly; "ef I

don't brain you befo' de week 's out it '11 be be-

kaze you done been gobbled up by de Unkollop-

sanall." The girl stopped laughing instantly, and

became serious. The threats of age have a mean

ing that all the gaiety of youth cannot overcome.

THE KEASON WHY

9

The gray liair of Uncle Remus, his impersona

tion of wrath, his forefinger held up in warning,

made his threat so uncanny that the girl shivered

in spite of the fact that she thought he was joking.

Let age shake a finger at you, and you feel that

there is something serious behind the gesture.

Now, Miss Sally had taken advantage of the

opportunity to send the grandchild with the girl;

she was anxious that he should make the ac

quaintance of Uncle Remus, and have instilled

into his mind the quaint humor that she knew

would remain with him all his life, and become a

fragrant memory when he grew old. But the later

little boy was very shy, and when he saw the ter

rible frown and the threatening gesture with

which Uncle Remus had greeted the girl, he

shrank back in a corner, seeing which the old

negro began to laugh. It was not a genuine laugh,

but it was so well done that it answered every

purpose.

"I don't see nothin' ter laugh at," remarked

the girl, and with that she flirted out.

Uncle Remus turned to the little boy. "Honey,

10

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

you look so much like Brer Rabbit dat I bleeze ter

laugh. 'Long at fust, I had a notion dat you

mought be Mr. Cricket. But youer too big fer

dat, an' den you ain't got no elbows in yo' legs.

An' den I know'd 'twuz Brer Rabbit I had in

min'. Yasser, dey ain't no two ways 'bout dat --

you look like Brer Rabbit when he tryin' fer ter

make up his min' whedder ter run er no."

Then, without waiting to see the effect of this

remark, Uncle Remus turned his attention to the

waiter and its contents. "Well, suh!" he ex

claimed, with apparent surprise, "ef dar ain't a

slishe er tater custard! An' ef I ain't done gone

stone blin', dar's a dish er hom'ny wid ham gravy

on it! Yes, an' bless gracious, dar's a piece er ham!

Dey all look like ol' 'quaintances which dey been

gone a long time an' des come back; an' dey look

like deyer laughin' kaze dey er glad ter see me. I

wish you 'd come here, honey, an' see ef dey

ain't laughin'; you got better eyes dan what

I is."

The lure was entirely successful. The little boy

came forward timidly, and when he was within

THE KEASON WHY

11

reach, Uncle Remus placed him gently on his

knee. The child glanced curiously at the dishes.

He had heard so much of Uncle Remus from his

father and his grandmother that he was inclined

to believe everything the old man said. "Why,

they are not laughing," he exclaimed. "How

could they?"

"I speck my eyes is bad," replied Uncle

Remus. "When anybody gits ter be a himbly an'

hombly-hombly year oF dey er liable fer ter see

double."

The child was a very serious child, but he

laughed in spite of himself. "Oh, pshaw!" he

exclaimed.

"I'm mighty glad you said dat," remarked

Uncle Remus, smacking his lips, "kaze ef you

had n't 'a' said it, I'd 'a' been a bleeze ter say it myse'f."

"Say what?" inquired the little boy, who was unused to the quips of the old man.
" 'Bout dat tater custard. It's de funniest tater custard dat I ever laid eyes on, dey ain't no two ways 'bout dat."

12

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

"Grandmother wanted to give me some," said

the little boy longingly, "but mother said it

was n't good for me."

"Aha!" exclaimed Uncle Remus in a tone of

triumph. "What I tell you? Miss Sally writ on

here wid dese dishes dat she want you ter eat dat

tater custard. Mo' dan dat she sont two pieces.

Dar's one, an' dar de yuther." There was n't

anything wrong about this counting, except that

Uncle Remus pointed twice at the same piece.

The little boy was sitting on Uncle Remus's

knee, and he turned suddenly and looked into the

weather-beaten face that had harbored so many

smiles. The child seemed to be searching for

something in that venerable countenance, and he

must have found it, for he allowed his head to fall

against the old negro's shoulder and held it there.

The movement was as familiar to Uncle Remus

as the walls of his cabin, for among all the chil

dren that he had known well, not one had failed

to lay his head where that of the little boy now

rested.

"Miss Sally is de onliest somebody in de roun'

THE REASON WHY '

' 13

worl' dat know what you an' me like ter eat," re

marked Uncle Remus, making a great pretense

of chewing. "I dunner how she fin' out, but fin'

out she did, an' we oughter be mighty much

beholden ter 'er. I done et my piece er tater

custard," he went on, "an' you kin eat yone

when you git good an' ready."

"I saw only one piece," remarked the child,

without raising his head, "and if you have eaten

that there is none left for me." Uncle Remus

closed his eyes, and allowed his head to fall back.

This was his favorite attitude when confronted

by something that he could not comprehend.

This was his predicament now, for there was

something in this child that was quite beyond

him. Small as the lad was he was old-fashioned;

he thought and spoke like a grown person; and

this the old negro knew was not according to na

ture. The trouble with the boy was that he had

had no childhood; he had been subdued and

weakened by the abnormal training he had re

ceived.

"Tooby sho you ain't seed um," Uncle Remus

14

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

declared, returning to the matter of the potato

custard. "Ef yo' pa had 'a' been in yo' place he 'd

'a' seed um, kaze when he wuz long 'bout yo' age,

he had mo' eyes in his stomach dan what he had

his head. But de ol' nigger wuz a little too quick

fer you. I seed de two pieces time de gal snatch de

towel off, an' I 'low ter myse'f dat ef I did n't

snatch one, I 'd not git none. Yasser! I wuz a lit

tle too quick fer you."

The child turned his head, and saw that the

slice of potato custard was still on the plate.

"I 'm so sorry that mother thinks it will hurt

me," he said with a sigh.

"Well, whatsomever she say 'bout de yuther

piece er custard, I boun' she ain't say dat dat

piece 'ud hurt you, kaze she ain't never lay eyes

on it. An' mo' dan dat," Uncle Remus went on

with a very serious face: "Miss Sally writ wid de

dishes dat one er de pieces er tater custard wuz

fer you."

"I don't see any writing," the child declared,

with a longing look at the potato custard.

"Miss Sally ain't aim fer you ter see it, kaze ef

THE REASON WHY

15

you could see it, eve'ybody could see it. An' dat

ain't all de reason why you can't see it. You been

hemmed up dar in a big town, an' yo' eyes ain't

good. But dar's de writin' des ez plain ez pig-

tracks." Uncle Remus made believe to spell out

the writing, pointing at a separate dish every

time he pronounced a word. "Le' me see: she put

dis dish fust -- 'One piece is fer de chil'.' "

The little boy reflected a moment. "There

are only five dishes," he said very gravely, "and

you pointed at one of them twice."

"Tooby sho I did," Uncle Remus replied, with

well affected solemnity. "Ain't dat de way you

-does in books?"

The little lad was too young to be well-

grounded in books, but he had his ideas, never

theless. "I don't see how it can be done," he

suggested. "A is always A."

"Ah-yi!" exclaimed Uncle Remus triumph

antly. "It 's allers big A er little a. But I wa'n't

callin' out no letters; I wuz callin' out de wrords

what yo' granmammy writ wid de dishes." The

little boy still looked doubtful, and Uncle Remus

16

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

went on. "Now, spozin' yo' pa wuz ter come

'long an' say, 'Unk Remus, I wan ter gi' you a

cuff.' An' den, spozin' I wuz ter 'low,' Yasser, an'

thanky, too, but you better gi' me a pa'r un um

while you 'bout it.' An' spozin' he 'd be talkin'

'bout maulin' me, whiles I wuz talkin' 'bout dem

contraptions what you got on yo' shirt-sleeves,

an' you ain't got no mo' business wid um dan a

rooster is wid britches. Spozin' all dat wuz ter

happen, how you speck I 'd feel?"

Something in the argument, or the way Uncle

Remus held his head, appealed to the little boy's

sense of humor, and he laughed heartily for the

first time since Uncle Remus had known him. It

was real laughter, too, so real that the old negro

joined in with gusto, and the two laughed and

laughed until it seemed unreasonable to laugh

any more. To make matters worse, Uncle Remus

pretended to become very solemn all of a sudden,

and then just as suddenly went back to laughter

again. This was more than the little chap could

stand. He laughed until he writhed in the old

man's arms; in fact, till laughter became painful.

THE REASON WHY

17

"Ef we go on dis away," Uncle Remus re

marked, "you '11 never eat yo' later custard in

de worl'." With that, he seized a biscuit and pre

tended to place the whole of it in his mouth at

once, closing his eyes with a smile of ecstasy on

his face. "Don't, Uncle Remus! please don't!"

cried the little boy who had laughed until he was

sore.

At this the old man became serious again. "I

hear um say," he remarked with some gravity,

"dat ef you laugh too much you '11 sprain yo'

goozle-um, er maybe git yo' th'oat-latch outer

j'int. Dat de reason you see me lookin' so sollum-

colly all de time. You watch me right close, an'

you'11 see fer yo'se'f."

The little boy ceased laughing, and regarded

Uncle Remus closely. The old negro's face was

as solemn as the countenance of one of the early

Puritans. "You were laughing just now," said

the child; "you were laughing when I laughed."

The old man looked off into space as though

he were considering a serious problem. Then he

said with a sigh: "I speck I did, honey, but how

18

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

I gwineter he'p myse'f when I see you winkin' at

dat later custard? I mought not 'a' laughed des

at dat, but when I see you bek'nin' at it wid yo'

tongue, I wuz bleeze ter turn loose my hyuh-

hyuh-hyuhs!"

This was the beginning of the little boy's ac

quaintance with Uncle Remus, of whom he had

heard so much. Some of the results of that ac

quaintance are to be set forth in the pages that

follow.

WHY MR. CRICKET HAS ELBOWS ON HIS LEGS
"T WAS not often that Uncle Remus had to search for the boys who had, in the course of a very long life, fallen under his influence.
On the contrary, he had sometimes to plan to get rid of them when he had work of importance to do; but now, here he was in his old age searching all about for a little chap who was n't as big as a pound of soap after a hard day's washing, as the old man had said more than once.
The child had promised to go with Uncle Remus to fetch a wagon-load of corn that had been placed under shelter in a distant part of the plantation, and though the appointed hour had arrived, and the carriage-horses had been hitched to the wagon, he had failed to put in an appearance.
Uncle Remus had asked the nurse, a mulatto
19

20

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

woman from the city, where the child was, and

the only reply she deigned to make was that he

was all right. This nurse had been offended by

Uncle Remus, who, on more than one occasion,

had sent her about her business when he wanted

the little boy to himself. She resented this and lost

no opportunity to show her contempt.

All his other resources failing, Uncle Remus

went to the big house and asked his Miss Sally.

She, being the child's grandmother, was pre

sumed to know his whereabouts; but Miss Sally

was not in a very good humor. She sent word that

she was very busy, and did n't want to be both

ered; but before Uncle Remus could retire, after

the message had been delivered, she relented.

"What is it now?" she inquired, coming to the

door.

"I wuz des huntin' fer de little chap," Uncle

Remus replied, "an' I 'lowed maybe you 'd know

whar he wuz at. We wuz gwine fer ter haul a load

er corn, but he ain't showed up."

"Well, I made him some molasses candy --

something I should n't have done -- and he has

WHY CRICKET HAS ELBOWS ON HIS LEGS 21
been put in jail because lie wiped his mouth on his coat-sleeve."
"In jail, ma'am?" Uncle Remus asked, aston ishment written on his face.
"He might as well be in jail; he 's in the par lor."
" Wid de winders all down? He '11 stifle in dar." The grandmother went into the house too in dignant to inform Uncle Remus that she had sent the house-girl to open the windows under the pre tense of dusting and cleaning. The old man was somewhat doubtful as to how he should proceed. He knew that in a case of this kind, Miss Sally could not help him. She had set herself to win over the young wife of her son, and she knew that she would cease to be the child's grandmother and become the mother-in-law the moment her views clashed with those of the lad's mother -- and we all know from the newspapers what a ter rible thing a mother-in-law is. Knowing that he would have to act alone, Un cle Remus proceeded very cautiously. He went around into the front yard, and saw that all the

22

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

parlor windows were up and the curtains looped

back, something that had never happened before

in his experience. To his mind the parlor was a

dungeon, and a very dark one at that, and he

chuckled when he saw the sunshine freely admit

ted, with no fear that it would injure the carpet.

If one little bit of a boy could cause such a change

in immemorial custom, what would two little

boys be able to do? With these and similar home

ly thoughts in his mind, Uncle Remus cut short

his chuckle and began to sing about little Crick-

ety Cricket, who lives in the thicket.

Naturally, this song attracted the attention of

the little lad, who had exhausted whatever inter

est there had been in an album, and was now be

ginning to realize that he was a prisoner. He

stuck his head out of the window, and regarded

the old man rather ruefully. "I could n't go with

you after the corn, Uncle Remus; mother said I

was too naughty."

"I ain't been atter no corn, honey; I hear tell er

yo' gwines on, an' I felt too bad fer ter go atter de

corn; but de waggin 's all ready an' a-waitin'.

WHY CRICKET HAS ELBOWS ON HIS LEGS 23
Dey ain't no hurry 'bout dat corn. Ef you can't go ter-day, maybe you kin go ter-morrer, er ef not, den some yuther day. Dey ain't nobody hankerin' atter corn but de ol' gray mule, an' he 'd han ker an' whicker fer it ef you wuz ter feed 'im a waggin-load three times a day. How come you ter be so bad dat yo' ma hatter shet you up in dat dungeon? What you been doin'?"
"Mother said I was very naughty and made me come in here," the little lad replied.
"I bet you ef dey had 'a' put yo' pa in der, dey wrould n't 'a' been no pennaner lef, an' de kyarpit would 'a' looked likeit been throo a harrycane. Dey shet 'im up in a room once, an' dey wuz a clock in it, an' he tuck 'n tuck dat clock ter pieces fer ter see what make it run. 'Twan't no big clock, needer, but yo' pa got nuff wheels out er dat clock fer ter fill a peck medjur, an' when dey sont it ter town fer ter have it mended, de clock man say he know mighty well dat all dem wheels ain't come outer dat clock. He mended it all right, but he had nuff wheels an' whirligigs left over fer ter make a n'er clock."

24

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

"There 's a clock in here," said the little boy,

"but it's in a glass case."

"Don't pester it, honey, kaze it's yo' gran-

ma's, an' 'twant yo' granma dat had you shot up

in dar. No, suh, not her --- never in de roun' worl'."

The little prisoner sighed, but said nothing. He was not a talkative chap; he had been taught that it is impolite to ask questions, and as a child's con versation must necessarily be made up of ques tions, he had little to say. Uncle Remus found a rake leaning against the chimney. This he took and examined critically, and found that one of the teeth was broken out. "Now, I wonder who could 'a' done dat!" he exclaimed. "Sholy no body would n't 'a' come 'long an' knock de toof out des fer fun. Ef de times wuz diffunt, I 'd say dat a cricket hauled off an' kicked it out wid one er his behime legs. But times done change; dey done change so dat when I turn my head an' look back'erds, I hatter ketch my breff I gits so skeer'd. Dey done been sech a change dat de crickets ain't dast ter kick sence oF Grandaddy

WHY CRICKET HAS ELBOWS ON HIS LEGS 25
Cricket had his great kickin' match. I laid off fer ter tell you 'bout it when we wuz gwine atter dat load er corn dat's waitin' fer us; but stidder gwine atter corn, here you is settin' in de parlor countin' out yo' money." Uncle Remus came close to the windowT and looked in. "OF Miss useter keep de Bible on de table dar -- yasser! dar 'tis, de same ol' Bible dat's been in de fambly sence de year one. You better git it down, honey, an' read dat ar piece 'bout de projickin' son, kaze ef dey shet you up in de parlor now, dey '11 hatter put you in jail time youer ten year ol'."
This remark was intended for the ear of the young mother, who had come into the front yard searching for roses. Uncle Remus had seen her from the corner of his eye, and he determined to talk so she could hear and understand.
"But what will they put me in jail for?" the child asked.
"What dey put you in dar fer? Kaze you wipe yo' mouf on yo' sleeve. Well, when you git a little bigger, you '11 say ter yo'se'f, 'Dey shet me in de

26

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

parlor fer nothin', an' now I '11 see ef dey '11 put

me in jail fer sump'n'; an' den you '11 make a

mouf at de gov'ner up dar in Atlanta -- I know

right whar his house is -- an' dey '11 slap you in

jail an' never ax yo' name ner whar you come

fum. Dat 's de way dey does in dat town, kaze I

done been dar an' see der carryin's on."

"I believe I '11 try it when I go back home,"

said the little lad.

"Co'se you will," Uncle Remus assented, "an'

you '11 be glad fer ter git in jail atter bein' in a

parlor what de sun ain't shine in sence de war.

You come down here fer ter git strong an' well,

an' here you is in de dampest room in de house.

You 11 git well -- oh, yes! I see you well right

now, speshually atter you done had de croup an'

de pneumony, an' de browncreeturs."

t "There's mother," said the little boy under his

breath.

"I wish 'twuz yo' daddy!" Uncle Remus re

plied. "I 'd gi' 'im a piece er my min' ez long ez a

waggin tongue."

But the young mother never heard this remark.

WHY CRICKET HAS ELBOWS ON HIS LEGS 27
She had felt she was doing wrong when she ban ished the child to the parlor for a trivial fault, and now she made haste to undo it. She ran into the house and released the little boy, and told him to run to play. "Thank you, mother," he said cour teously, and then when he disappeared, what should the young mother do but cry?
The child, however, was very far from crying. He ran around to the front yard just in time to meet Uncle Remus as he came out. He seized the old darky's hand and went skipping along by his side. "You put me in min' er ol' Grandaddy Cricket 'bout de time he had his big kickin' match. He sho wuz lively."
"That was just what I was going to ask you about," said the child enthusiastically, for his in stinct told him that Uncle Remus's remarks about Grandaddy Cricket were intended to lead up to a story. When they had both climbed into the wagon, and were well on their way to the Wood Lot, where the surplus corn had been tem porarily stored, the old man, after some prelim inaries, such as looking in his hat to see if he had

28

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

lost his hankcher, as he called it, and inquiring of

the horses if they knew where they were going

and what they were going after, suddenly turned

to the child with a question: "Ain't I hear you ax

me 'bout sump'n n'er, honey ? I 'm gittin' so oF an'

wobbly dat it seem like I 'm deaf, yit ef anybody

wuz ter call me ter dinner, I speck I could hear

um a mile off ef dey so much ez whispered it."

"Yes," the child replied. "It was about old

Grandaddy Cricket. I thought maybe you knew

something about him."

"Who? Me, honey? Why, my great-gran-

daddy's great-grandaddy live nex' door ter whar

ol' Grandaddy Cricket live at. Folks is lots littler

now dan Avhat dey wuz in dem days, an' likewize

de creeturs, an' de creepin' an' crawlin' things.

My grandaddy say dat his great-grandaddy

would make two men like him, an' my grandaddy

wuz a monst'us big man, dey ain't no two ways

'bout dat. It seems like dat folks is swunk up.

My grandaddy's great-grandaddy say it's kaze

dey done quit eatin' raw meat.

"I can't tell you 'bout dat myself, but my

WHY CRICKET HAS ELBOWS ON HIS LEGS 29
great-grandaddy's great-great-grandaddy could eat a whole steer in two days, horn an' huff, an' dem what tol' me ain't make no brags 'bout it; dey done like dey 'd seen it happen nine times a mont' off an' on fer forty year er mo'. Well, den," Uncle Remus went on, looking at the little chap to see if he was swallowing the story with a good digestion -- "well, den, dat bein' de case, it stan's ter reason dat de creeturs an' de crawlin' an' creepin' things wuz lots bigger dan what dey is now. Dey had bigger houses, ef dey had any 'tall, an' ef dey had bigger houses dey must 'a' had bigger chimbleys.
"So den, all dat bein' settle', I 'm gwine tellyo' 'bout ol' Grandaddy Cricket. He must 'a' been a grandaddy long 'bout de time dat my greatgrandaddy's great-grandaddy wuz workin' for his great-grandaddy. Howsomever dat mought be, ol' Grandaddy Cricket wuz on han', an' fum all I hear he wuz bigger dan a middlin'-size goat. All endurin' er de hot weather, he 'd stay out in de woods wid his fife an' his fiddle, an' I speck he had great times. One day he 'd fiddle fer de fishes

30

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

fer ter dance, an' de nex' he'd 1'arn de young

birds how ter whistle wid his fife. Day in an' day

out he frolicked an' had his fun, but bimeby de

weather 'gun ter git cool an' de days 'gun ter git

shorter, an' oP Grandaddy Cricket hatter keep

his han's in his pockets fum soon in de mornin'

twel ten o'clock. An' 'long 'bout de time when de

sun start down hill, he 'd hatter put his fiddle un

der his arm an' his fife in his side-pocket.

"Dis wuz bad nuff, but wuss come. It got so

col' dat Grandaddy Cricket can't skacely walk

twel de sun wuz shinin' right over 'im. Mo' dan

dat, he 'gun ter git hongry and stay hongry. Ef

yu 'd 'a' seed 'im in de hot weather, fiddlm' an'

dancin', an' fifin' an' prancin', you 'd 'a' thunk

dat he had a stack er vittles put by ez big ez de

barn back yander; but bimeby it got so cold dat

he know sump'n got ter be done. He know sum-

p'n got ter be done, but how er when he could n't

'a' tol' you ef it had 'a' been de las' ac'. He went

'long, creepin' an' crawlin' fum post ter pillar, an'

he 'membered de days when he went wid a hop,

skip an' a jump, but he wuz too col' fer ter cry.

WHY CRICKET HAS ELBOWS ON HIS LEGS 31
"He crope along, tryin' ter keep on de sunny side er de worl', twel bimeby, one day lie seed smoke a-risin' way off yander, an' he know'd mighty well dat whar der 's smoke dey bleeze ter be fire. He crope an' he crawled, an' bimeby he come close nuff ter de smoke fer ter see dat it wuz comin' out'n a chimbley dat 'd been built on one 'een uv a house. 'Twant like de houses what you see up yander in Atlanty, kaze 'twuz made out er logs, an' de chink 'twix' de logs wuz stopped up wid red clay. De chimbley wuz made out'n sticks an' stones an' mud.
"Grandaddy Cricket wuz forty-lev'm times bigger dan what his fambly is deze days, but he wan't so big dat he could n't crawl un' de house, kaze 'twuz propped up on pillars. So un' de house he went an' scrouge close ter de chimbley fer ter see ef he can't git some er de warmf, but, bless you, it 'uz stone col'. Ef it had 'a' been like de chimbleys is deze days, ol' Grandaddy Cricket would 'a' friz stiff, but 'twuz plain, eve'yday mud plastered on some sticks laid crossways. 'Twuz hard fer ol' Grandaddy Cricket fer ter work his

32

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

way inter de chimbley, but harder fer ter stay out

'n de col' -- so he sot in ter work. He gnyawed

an' he sawed, he scratched an' he clawed, he

pushed an' he gouged, an' he shoved an' he

scrouged, twel, bimeby, he got whar he could feel

sorne er de warmf er de fire, an' 'twant long 'fo'

he wuz feelin' fine. He snickered ter hisse'f when

he hear de win' whistlin' roun' de cornders, an'

blowin' des like it come right fresh fum de place

whar de ice-bugs live at."

The little boy laughed and placed his hand ca

ressingly on Uncle Remus's knee. "You mean

ice-bergs, Uncle Remus," he said.

"Nigh ez I kin 'member," replied the old

darky, with affected dignity, "ice-bugs is what I

meant. I tell you dat p'intedly. What I know

'bout ice-berrigs?"

The little lad eyed the old darky curiously,

but said nothing more for some time. Uncle Re

mus regarded him from the corner of his eye and

smiled, for this was a little chap whose ways he

was yet to understand. Finally, he took up the

thread of his story. "It's des like I tell you,

WHY CRICKET HAS ELBOWS ON HIS LEGS 33
honey; he ain't no sooner git thawed out dan he 'gun ter feel good. Dey wuz some cracks an' crannies in de h'ath er de fireplace, an' when de chillun eat der mush an' milk, some er de crum's 'ud sift thoo de h'ath. OP Grandaddy Cricket smelt um, an' felt um, an' helt um, an' atter dat you could n't make 'im b'lieve dat he wan't in hog-heav'm.
"De place whar he wuz at wa' n't roomy miff fer fiddlin', but he tuck out his fife an' 'gun ter play on it, an' ev'y time he hear a noise he 'd cut de chune short. He 'd blow a little an' den break off, but take de day ez it come, he put in a right smart lot er fifin'. When night come, an' ev'ything wuz dark down dar whar he wuz at, he des turned hisse'f loose. De chillun in de house, dey des lis'en an' laugh, but dey daddy shake his head an' look sour. Dey wan't no crickets in de country whar he come fum, an' he wan't usen ter um. But de mammy er de chillun ain't pay no 'tention ter de fifin'; she des went on 'bout her business like dey ain't no cricket in de roun' worF. OF Grandaddy Cricket he fifed an' fifed

34

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

des like he wuz doin' it fer pay. He played de chil-

lun off ter bed an' played um ter sleep; he played

twel de ol' man got ter nid-nid-noddin' by de fire;

he played twel dey all went ter bed 'cep' de mam

my, an' he played whiles she sot by de h'ath, an'

dremp 'bout de times when she wuz a gal -- de

ol' times dat make de gran'-chillun feel so funny

when dey hear tell 'bout um.

"Night atter night de fifin' went on, an' bime-

by de man 'gun ter git tired. De 'oman, she say

dat de crickets brung good luck, but de man, he

say he 'd druther have mo' luck an' less fifin'. So

he holler down thoo de crack in de h'ath, an' tell

ol' Grandaddy Cricket fer ter hush his fuss er

change his chune. But de fifin' went on. De man

holler down an' say dat ef de fifin' don't stop, he

gwine ter pour b'ilin' water on de fifer. OF Gran-

daddy Cricket holler back:

" Hot water will turn me brown, An den Til kick yo chimbley down.

"De man, he grin, he did, an' den he put de kittle on de fire an' kep' it dar twel de water 'gun

"So he holler down thoo de crack"

WHY CRICKET HAS ELBOWS ON HIS LEGS 35
ter b'ile, an' den, whiles de fifin' wuz at de loud est, he tuck de kittle an' tilted it so de scaldin' water will run down thoo de cracks, an' den de fust thing he know'd he ain't know nothin', kaze de water weakened de clay an' de h'ath fell in an' ol' Grandaddy Cricket sot in ter kickin' an' de chimbley come down, it did, an' bury de man, an' when dey got 'im out, he wuz one-eyed an' splay footed.
"De 'oman an' de chillun ain't skacely know 'im. Dey hatter ax 'im his name, an' whar he come fum, an' how oP he wuz; an' atter he satchified um dat he wuz de same man what been livin' dar all de time, de 'oman say, 'Ain't I tell you dat crickets fetch good luck?' An' de man, he 'low, 'Does you call dis good luck?'"
"What became of the cricket?" asked the little boy, after a long pause, during which Uncle Re mus appeared to be thinking about other things.
"Oh!" exclaimed the old darky. "Dat's so! I ain't tol' you, is I? Well, ol' Grandaddy Cricket kicked so hard, an' kicked so high, dat he onj'inted bofe his legs, an' when he crawled out fum

36

TOLD BY UNCLE KEMUS j

de chimbley, his elbows wuz whar his knees

oughter be at."

"But it was cold weather," suggested the little

boy. "Where did he go when he kicked the chim

ney down?"

Uncle Remus smiled as he took another chew

of tobacco. "Dey wa' n't but one thing he could

do," he replied; "he went on ter nex' house an'

got in de chimbley an' he been livin' in chimbleys

off an' on down ter dis day an' time."

Does you call dis good luck?"

II
HOW WILEY WOLF RODE IN THE BAG
U NCLE REMUS soon had the wagon loaded with corn, and he and the little boy started back home. The planta tion road was not a good one to begin with, and the spring rains had not improved it. Conse quently there were times when Uncle Remus deemed it prudent to get out of the wagon and walk. The horses were fat and strong, to be sure, but some of the small hills were very steep, so much so that the old darky had to guide the team first to the right and then to the left in order to overcome the sheer grade. In other words, he had to see-saw as he explained to the little boy. "Drive um straight up, an' dey fall back," he explained, "but on de see-saw dey fergits dat deyer gwine uphill."
All this was Dutch to the little boy, who knew
37

38

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

nothing about driving horses, but he had been

well trained, and so he said, "Yes, that is so."

The last time that Uncle Remus had to vacate

the driver's seat in order to relieve the horses of

his weight, he stumbled into a ditch that had

been dug on the side of the road to prevent the

rains from washing it into gullies. He recovered

himself immediately, but not before he had

startled a little rabbit, which ran on ahead of the

horses for a considerable distance. Instinct came

to its aid after a while, and it darted into the un

derbrush which grew profusely on both sides of

the road.

Before the little rabbit disappeared, however,

Uncle Remus had time to give utterance to a

hunting halloo that aroused the echoes all around

and made the little boy jump, for he was not

used to this sort of thing. "I declar' ter gracious

ef it don't put me in min' er ol' times -- de times

dey tell 'bout in de tales dat been handed down.

Ef dat little rab had 'a' been five times ez big ez

he is, an' twice ez young, I 'd 'a' thunk we 'd done

got back ter de days when my great-grandaddy's

HOW WILEY WOLF RODE IN THE BAG

39

great-grandaddy lived. You may n't b'lieve me,

but ef you '11 count fum de time when my great-

grandaddy's great-grandaddy wuz born'd down

ter dis minnit, you '11 fin' dat youer lookin' back

on many a long year, an' a mighty heap er

Chris'mus-come-an'-gone.

"You may think dat deze times is de bes'; well,

den, you kin have um ef you '11 des gi' me de ol'

times when de nights wuz long an' de days short,

wid plenty er wood on de fire, an' taters an' ash-

cake in de embers. Han' um here!" Uncle Re

mus held out his hand as if he thought the little

chap had the old times and the ashcakes and the

roasted potatoes in his pocket. "Den you ain't

got um," he went on, as the child drew away and

pretended to hold his pocket tight; "you ain't got

um, an' you can't git um. I done been had um,

but I got ter nippy-nappin' one night, an' some

un come 'long an' tuck um -- some nigger man,

I speck, kaze dey wuz a big fat 'possum mixed

up wid um, an' a heap er yuther things liable fer

ter make a nigger's mouf water. Yasser! dey tuck

um right away fum me, an' I ain't seed um sence;

40

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

an' maybe ef I wuz ter see um I would n't know

urn."

"Were the rabbits very large in old times?"

inquired the little boy.

"Dey mought er been runts in de fambly,"

replied Uncle Remus cautiously, "but fum all I

kin hear fum dem what know'd, ol' Brer Rabbit

wuz a sight bigger dan any er de rabbits you see

deze days."

Uncle Remus paused to give the little boy an

opportunity to make some comment, or ask such

questions as occurred to him, as the other little

boy had been so ready to do; but he said nothing.

It seemed that his curiosity had been satisfied,

and yet he wanted very much to hear a story such

as Uncle Remus had been in the habit of telling

his father when he was the little boy. But he had

been so rigidly trained to silence in the presence

of his elders that he hesitated about making his

desires known.

The old negro, however, was so accustomed

to anticipating the wants of children, especially

those in whom he took an interest, that he knew

HOW WILEY WOLF RODE IN THE BAG

41

perfectly well what the little boy wanted. The

child's attitude was expectant, even if his lips re

fused to give form to his thoughts. This sort of

thing -- the old negro could give it no name --

was so new to Uncle Remus that he chuckled,

and presently the chuckle developed into a

hearty laugh.

The little boy regarded him with surprise.

"Are you laughing at me, Uncle Remus?" he in

quired, after some hesitation.

"Why, honey, what put dat idee in yo' head?

What I gwineter laugh at you fer? Ef you wuz a

little bigger, I might laugh at you, des ter see

how you 'd take it. Ef you want me ter laugh at

you, you '11 hatter do some growin'."

" Grandmother says I 'm a big boy," said the

child.

"Fer yo' age an' size, youer right smart chunk

uv a boy," assented Uncle Remus, "but you '11

hatter be lots bigger dan what you is 'fo' I laugh

at you. No, suh; I wuz gigglin' at de way Brer

Rabbit got away wid ol' Brer Wolf endurin' er de

time when der chillun played tergedder; an' dat

42

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

little rabbit dat run 'cross de road put me in rnin'

un it. I bet ef I 'd 'a' been dar, I 'd 'a' done mo'

dan laugh -- I 'd 'a' holler'd. Yasser, dey ain't

no two ways 'bout it -- I 'd 'a' des flung back my

head an' 'a' fetched a whoop dat you could 'a'

hearn fum here ter de big house. Dat's what I 'd

Vdone."

"It must have been very funny, then," re

marked the little boy.

Uncle Remus looked at the child with a seri

ous face. Surely something must be wrong with

him. And yet he was still expectant -- expectant

and patient. The old negro had never had deal

ings with such a youngster as this, and he was not

in the habit of telling stories "des dry so," as he

put it; so he went at it in a new, but still a charac

teristic, way. "Ef yo' pa had 'a' been settin' wha

you settin' he would n't gi' me no peace twel I toP

'im zackly what I wuz laughin' 'bout; an' he 'd 'a'

pesteredmewid his inquirements twel he foun' out

all about it. Does he pester you dat away, honey?

Kaze ef he does, I '11 tell you de way ter fetch 'im
i
up wid a roun' turn; des tell 'im you gwineter tell

HOW WILEY WOLF RODE IN THE BAG

43

his mammy on him, an' I bet you he won't pester

you much atter dat."

This tickled the little boy very much. The idea

of asking his grandmother to make his father stop

bothering him was so new and so ridiculous that

he laughed unrestrainedly.

"De minnit dat little rab jumped out 'n de

bushes," Uncle Remus went on, apparently pay

ing no attention to the child's laughter, "it put

me in min' er de time when ol' Brer Rabbit had a

lot er chillun an' gran'chillun pirootin' roun' de

neighborhoods whar he live at. Dey mought 'a'

not been any gran'chillun in de bunch, but dey

wuz plenty er chillun, bofe young an' ol'.

"Brer Rabbit 'ud move sometimes des like de

folks does deze days, speshually up dar in 'Lant-

matantarum, whar you come fum." The little

boy smiled at this new name for Atlanta, and

snuggled a little closer to Uncle Remus, for the

old man had, with this one word, entered the

fields that belong to childhood. " He 'd move, but

mos' allers he 'd take a notion fer ter come back

ter his ol' home. Sometimes he hatter move, de

41

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

yuther creeturs pursued alter 'im so close, but

dey allers got de ragged en' er de pursuin', an'

dey wuz times when dey 'd be right neighborly

wid 'im.

'"Twuz 'bout de time dat Brer Wolf had

kinder made up his min' dat he can't outdo Brer

Rabbit, no way he kin fix it, an' he say ter hisse'f

dat he better let 'im 'lone twel he kin git 'im in a

corner whar he can't git out. So Brer Wolf, he

live wid his fambly on one side de road, an' Brer

Rabbit live wid his fambly on de yuther side, not

close nuff fer ter quoil 'bout de fence line, an' yit

close nuff fer der youngest chillun ter play ter-

gedder whiles de oF folks wuz payin' der Sunday

calls.

"It went on an' went on dis way twel it look

like Brer Rabbit done fergit how ter play tricks

on his neighbors an' Brer Wolf done disremem-

ber'd dat he yever is try fer ter ketch Brer Rabbit

fer meat fer his fambly. One Sunday in speshual,

dey wuz mighty frien'ly. It wuz Brer Rabbit's

time fer ter call on Brer Wolf, an' bofe un um wuz

settin' up in de porch des ez natchal ez life. Brer

Deysotdar . . . talkin bout.of times"

HOW WILEY WOLF RODE IN THE BAG

45

Rabbit wuz chawin' his terbacker an' spittin'

over de railin' an' Brer Wolf wuz grinnin' 'bout

ol' times, an' pickin' his toofies, which dey look

mighty white an' sharp. Dey wuz settin' up dar,

dey wuz, des ez thick ez fleas on a dog's back, an'

lookin' like butter won't melt in der mouf.

"An' whiles dey wuz settin' dar, little Wiley

Wolf an' Riley Rabbit wuz playin' in de yard des

like chillun will. Dey run an' dey romped, dey

frisk an' dey frolic, dey jump an' dey hump, dey

hide an' dey sMde, an' it look like dey had mo'

fun dan a mule kin pull in a waggin. Little Wiley

Wolf, he 'd run atter Riley Rabbit, an' den Riley

Rabbit 'ud run atter Wiley Wolf, an' here dey

had it up an' down an' roun' an' roun', twel it

look like dey 'd run deyse'f ter death. 'Bout de

time you 'd think dey bleeze ter drap, one un um

would holler out, 'King's Excuse!' an' in dem

days, when you say dat, nobody can't ketch you,

it ain't make no diffunce who, kaze ef dey dast

ter lay han's on you atter you say dat, dey could

be tuck ter de place whar dey done der judgin', an

ef dey wa' n't mighty sharp dey 'd git put in jail.

46

TOLD] BY UNCLE EEMUS

"Now, whiles Wiley Wolf an' Riley Rabbit

wuz havin' der fun, der daddies wuz bleeze ter

hear de racket what dey make, an' see de dus'

dey raise. Dey squealed an' dey squalled, an'

ripped aroun' twel you 'd a thunk dey wuz a good

size whirlywin' blowin' in de yard. Brer Rabbit

chaw'd his terbacker right s'ow an' shot one eye,

an' ol' Brer Wolf lick his chops an' grin. Brer

Rabbit 'low, 'De youngsters is gittin' mighty

familious,' an' ol' Brer Wolf say, 'Dey is indeedy,

an' I hope dey '11 keep it up. You know how we

useter be, Brer Rabbit; we wuz constant a-playin

tricks on one an'er, an' it lookt like we wuz allers

at outs. I hope de young uns '11 have better

manners!'

"Dey sot dar, dey did, talkin' 'bout ol' times,

twel de sun got low, an' de v.' sitin' had ter be cut

short. Brer Rabbit say dat he had ter cut some

kindlin' so his ol' 'oman kin git supper, an' Brer

Wolf 'low dat he allers cut his kindlin' on Sat'day

so he kin have all Sunday ter hisse'f, an' smoke

his pipe in peace. He went a piece er de way wid

Brer Rabbit, an' Wiley Wolf, he come, ton, an'

HOW WILEY WOLF RODE IN THE BAG

47

Mm an' Riley Rabbit had all sorts uv a time atter

dey got in de big road. Dey wuz bushes on bofe

sides, an' dey kep' up der game er hide an' seek

des ez fur ez Brer Wolf went, but bimeby, he say

he gone fur nuff, an' he say he hope Brer Rabbit

'11 come ag'in right soon, an' let Riley come an'

play wid Wiley endurin' er de,,week.

"Not ter be outdone, Brer Rabbit invite Brer

Wolf fer ter come an' see him, an' likewise ter let

Wiley come an' play wid Riley. 'Dey ain't

nothin' but chillun,' sezee, 'an' look like dey done

tuck a likin' ter one an'er.'

"On de way back home, Brer Wolf make a

mighty strong talk ter Wiley. He say, 'It's mo'

dan likely dat de little Rab will come ter play wid

you some day when dey ain't nobody here, an'

when he do, I want you ter play de game er ridin'

in de bag.' Wiley Wolf say he ain't never hear

tell er dat game, an' ol' Brer Wolf say it's easy

ez fallin' off a log. 'You git in de bag,' sez

ee, 'an' let 'im haul you roun' de yard, an' den

he '11 git in de bag fer you ter haul him 'roun'.

What you wanter do is ter git 'im use ter dp

48

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

bag; you hear dat, don't you? Git 'im use ter

de bag.'

"So when little Riley come, de two un um had

a great time er ridin' in de bag; 'twuz des like

ridin' in a waggin, 'ceppin' dat Riley Rabbit look

like he ain't got no mo' sense dan ter haul little

Wiley Wolf over ,de roughest groun' he kin fin',

an' when Wiley holler'd dat he hurt 'im, Riley 'ud

say he won't do it no mo', but de nex' chance he

got, he 'd do it ag'in.

"Well, dey had all sorts uv a time, an' when

Riley Rabbit went home, he up an' tol' um all

what dey 'd been a-playin'. Brer Rabbit ain't say

nothin'; he des sot dar, he did, an' chaw his ter-

backer, an' shot one eye. An' when ol' Brer Wolf

come home dat night, Wiley tol' 'im 'bout de

good time dey 'd had. Brer Wolf grin, he did, an'

lick his chops. He say, sezee, 'Dey 's two parts

ter dat game. When you git tired er ridin' in de

bag, you tie de bag.' He went on, he did, an' tol'

Wiley dat what he want 'im ter do is ter play

ridin' in de bag twel bofe got tired, an' den play

tyin' de bag, an' at de las' he wuz ter tie de bag so

Git im use to de bag!"

HOW WILEY WOLF RODE IN THE BAG

49

little Riley Rabbit can't git out, an' den ter go ter

bed an' kiver up his head.

"So said, so done. Little Riley Rabbit come an'

played ridin' in de bag, an' den when dey got

tired, dey played tyin' de bag. 'Twuz mighty

funny fer ter tie one an'er in de bag, an' not

know ef twuz gwineter be ontied. I dunner what

would 'a' happen ter little Riley Rab ef ol' Brer

Rabbit ain't come along wid a big load er 'spic-

ions. He call de little Rabbit ter de fence. He talk

loud an' he say dat he want 'im fer ter fetch a

turn er kindlin' when he start home, an' den he

say ter Riley, 'Be tied in de bag once mo', an'

den when Wiley gits in tie 'im in dar hard an'

fas'. Wet de string in yo' mouf, an' pull it des ez

tight ez you kin. Den you come on home; yo'

mammy want you.'

"De las' time Wiley Wolf got in de bag, lit

tle Riley tied it so tight dat he could n't 'a'

got it loose ef he 'd 'a' tried. He tied it tight,

he did, an' den he 'low, 'I got ter go home fer

ter git some kindlin', an' when I do dat, I '11

come back an' play twel supper-time.' But ef

50

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

lie yever is went back dar, I ain't never hear

talk un it."

Uncle Remus closed his eyes apparently, but

not so tight that he could n't watch the little boy.

The youngster had been listening to the story too

intently to ask questions, and now he sat silent

waiting for Uncle Remus to finish. He waited and

waited until he grew impatient, and then he

raised his head. He still waited a few moments

longer, but Uncle Remus to all appearances was

nodding. "Uncle Remus," he cried, "what be

came of Wiley Wolf?"

The old negro pretended to wake with a start.

"Ain't I hear some un talkin'?" He looked all

around, and then his eye fell on the little boy.

"Dar you is!" he exclaimed with a laugh. "I

done been ter sleep an' drempt dat I wuz eatin'

a slishe er tater custard ez big ez de waggin

body." The little boy repeated his question,

whereupon Uncle Remus held up his hands with

a gesture of astonishment. "Ain't I tol' you dat?

Den I mus' be gittin' ol' an' wobbly. De fus'

thing when I git ter de house I 'm gwineter be

Den you come on home; yo mammy want you"

! HOW WILEY WOLF RODE IN THE BAG

51

weighed fer ter see how ol' I is. Now, whar wuz

I at?"

"Wiley Wolf was in the bag," the little boy

answered

"Ah-h-h! Right whar Eiley Rab lef 'im. He

wuz in de bag an' dar he stayed twel ol' Brer

Wolf come fum whar he been workin' in de fiel'

-- de creeturs wuz mos'ly farmers in dem days.

He come back, he did, an' he see de bag, an' he

know by de bulk un it dat dey wuz sump'n in it,

an' he 'uz so greedy dat his mouf fair dribbled.

Now, den, when Wiley Wolf got in de bag, he

wuz mighty tired. He 'd been a-scufflin' an a-

rastlin' twel he wuz plum' wo' out. He hear Riley

Rab say he wuz comin' back, an' while he wuz

waitin', he drapt off ter sleep, an' dar he wuz

when his daddy come home -- soun' asleep.

" OF Brer Wolf ain't got but one idee, an' dat

wuz dat Riley Rab wuz in de bag, so he went ter

de winder, an' ax ef de pot wuz b'ilin', an' his ol'

'oman say 'twuz. Wid dat, he pick up de bag, an'

fo' you could bat yo' eye, he had it soused in de

pot."

52

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

"In the boiling water!" exclaimed the child.

"Dat's de way de tale runs," replied Uncle

Remus. "Ez dey gun it ter me, so I gin it to
you."

Ill
BROTHER RABBIT'S LAUGHING-PLACE
f ^HIS new little boy was intensely practiI cal. He had imagination, but it was _JL_ unaccompanied by any of the ancient
illusions that make the memory of childhood so delightful. Young as he was he had a contempt for those who believed in Santa Claus. He be lieved only in things that his mother considered valid and vital, and his training had been of such a character as to leave out all the beautiful ro mances of childhood.
Thus when Uncle Remus mentioned some thing about Brother Rabbit's laughing-place, he pictured it forth in his mind as a sureenough place that the four-footed creatures had found necessary for their comfort and con venience. This way of looking at things was, in some measure, a great help; it cut off long
53

54

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS j

explanations, and stopped many an embarrass

ing question.

On one occasion when the two were together,

the little boy referred to Brother Rabbit's laugh

ing-place and talked about it in much the same

way that he would have talked about Atlanta. If

Uncle Remus was unprepared for such literalness

he displayed no astonishment, and for all the

child knew, he had talked the matter over with

hundreds of other little boys.

"Uncle Remus," said the lad, "when was the

last time you went to Brother Rabbit's laughing-

place?"

"To tell you de trufe, honey, I dunno ez I ever

been dar," the old man responded.

"Now, I think that is very queer," remarked

the little boy.

Uncle Remus reflected a moment before com

mitting himself. "I dunno ez I yever went right

spang ter de place an' put my han' on it. I speck I

could 'a' gone dar wid mighty little trouble, but I

wuz so use ter hearin' 'bout it dat de idee er

gwine dar ain't never got in my head. It's sorter

BROTHER RABBIT'S LAUGHING-PLACE

55

like ol' Mr. Grissom's house. Dey say he lives in

a quare little shanty not fur fum de mill. I know

right whar de shanty is, yit I ain't never been dar,

an' I ain't never seed it.

"It's de same way wid Brer Rabbit's laughin'-

place. Dem what toF me 'bout it had likely been

dar, but I ain't never had no 'casion fer ter go dar

myse'f. Yit ef I could walk fifteen er sixty mile a

day, like I useter, I boun' you I could go right

now an' put my han' on de place. Dey wuz one

time -- but dat 's a tale, an', goodness knows,

you done hear nuff tales er one kin' an' anudder

fer ter make a hoss sick -- dey ain't no two ways

'bout dat."

Uncle Remus paused and sighed, and then

closed his eyes with a groan, as though he were

sadly exercised in spirit; but his eyes were not

shut so tight that he could not observe the face of

the child. It was a prematurely grave little face

that the old man saw and whether this was the

result of the youngster's environment, or his

training, or his temperament, it would have

been difficult to say. But there it was, the gravity

56

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

that was only infrequently disturbed by laughter.

Uncle Remus perhaps had seen more laughter in

that little face than any one else. Occasionally the

things that the child laughed at were those that

would have convulsed other children, but more

frequently, as it seemed, his smiles were the re

sult of his own reflections and mental compari

sons.

"I tell you what, honey," said Uncle Remus,

opening wide his eyes, "dat 's de ve'y thing you

oughter have."

"What is it?" the child inquired, though ap

parently he had no interest in the matter.

""What you want is a laughin'-place, whar you

kin go an' tickle ytf'se'f an' laugh whedder you

wanter laugh er no. I boun' ef you had a laughin'-

place, you 'd gain flesh, an' when yo' pa comes

down fum 'Lantamatantarum, he would n't

skacely know you."

"But I don't want father not to know me,"

the child answered. "If he didn't know me, I

should feel as if I were some one else."

"Oh, he 'd know you bimeby," said Uncle Re-

BROTHER RABBIT'S LAUGHING-PLACE

57

mus, "an' he 'd be all de gladder fer ter see you

lookin' like somebody."

"Do I look like nobody?" asked the little boy.

"When you fust come down here," Uncle Re

mus answered, "you look like nothin' 'tall, but

sence you been ramblin' roun' wid me, you done

'gun ter look like somebody -- mos' like um."

"I reckon that's because I have a laughing-

place," said the child. "You did n't know I had

one, did you? I have one, but you are the first

person in the world that I have told about it."

"Well, suh!" Uncle Remus exclaimed with

well-feigned astonishment; "an' you been settin'

here lis'nin' at me, an' all de time you got a

laughin'-place er yo' own! I never would 'a'

b'lieved it uv you. Wharbouts is dish yer place?"

"It is right here where you are," said the little

bey with a winning smile.

"Honey, you don't tell me!" exclaimed the old

man, looking all around. "Ef you kin see it, you

see mo' dan I does -- dey ain't no two ways 'bout

dat."

"Why, you are my laughing-place," cried the

58

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

little lad with an extraordinary burst of enthu

siasm.

"Well, I thank my stars!" said Uncle Remus

with emotion. "You sho' does need ter laugh lots

mo' dan what you does. But what make you

laugh at me, honey? Is my britches too big, er is I

too big fer my britches? You neen'ter laugh at dis

coat, kaze it's one dat yo' grandaddy useter

have. It's mighty nigh new, kaze I ain't wo'd it

mo' dan 'lev'm year. It may look shiny in places,

but when you see a coat look shiny, it's a sign

dat it's des ez good ez new. You can't laugh at

my shoes, kaze I made um myse'f, an' ef dey lack

shape dat's kaze I made um fer ter fit my rheu

matism an'my foots bofe."

"Why, I never laughed at you!" exclaimed the

child, blushing at the very idea. "I laugh at what

you say, and at the stories you tell."

"La, honey! You sho' dunno nothin'; you

oughter hearn me tell tales when I could tell um.

I boun' you 'd 'a' busted de buttons off'n yo'

whatchermacollums. Yo' pa useter set right whar

you er settin' an' laugh twel he can't laugh no

BROTHER RABBITS LAUGHING-PLACE

59

mo'. But dem wuz laughin' times, an' it look like

dey ain't never comin' back. Dat 'uz 'fo' eve'y-

body wuz rushin' roun' trying fer ter git money

what don't b'long ter um by good rights."

"I was thinking to myself," remarked the

child, "that if Brother Rabbit had a laughing-

place I had a better one."

"Honey, hush!" exclaimed Uncle Remus with

a laugh. "You '11 have me gwine roun' here wid

my head in de a'r, an' feelin' so biggity dat I

won't look at my own se'f in de lookin'-glass. I

ain't too ol' fer dat kinder talk ter sp'ile me."

"Didn't you say there was a tale about

Brother Rabbit's laughing-place?" inquired the

little boy, when Uncle Remus ceased to admire

himself.

"I dunner whedder you kin call it a tale," re

plied the old man. "It's mighty funny 'bout

tales," he went on. "Tell um ez you may an'

whence you may, some '11 say tain't no tale, an'

den ag'in some '11 say dat it 's a fine tale. Dey

ain't no tellin'. Dat de reason I don't like ter tell

no tale ter grown folks, speshually ef dey er white

60

TOLD BY UNCLE KEMUS

folks. Dey '11 take it an' put it by de side er some

yuther tale what dey got in der min' an' dey '11

take on dat slonchidickler grin what allers say,

'Go way, nigger man! You dunner what a tale

is!' An' I don't -- I '11 say dat much fer ter keep

some un else fum sayin' it.

"Now, 'bout dat laughin'-place -- it seem like

dat one time de creeturs got ter 'sputin' 'mongs'

deyselves ez ter which un kin laugh de loudest.

One word fotch on an'er twel it look like dey wuz

gwineter be a free fight, a rumpus an' a riot. Dey

show'd der claws an' tushes, an' shuck der horns,

an' rattle der hoof. Dey had der bristles up, an' it

look like der eyes wuz runnin' blood, dey got

so red.

"Des 'bout de time when it look like you can't

keep um 'part, little Miss Squinch Owl flew'd up

a tree an' 'low, 'You all dunner what laughin' is

-- ha-ha-ha-ha! You can't laugh when you try

ter laugh -- ha-ha-ha-haha!' De creeturs wuz

'stonisht. Here wuz a little fowl not much bigger

dan a jay-bird laughin' herse'f blin' when dey

wa' n't a thing in de roun' worl' fer ter laugh at.

BROTHER RABBITS LAUGHING-PLACE

61

Dey stop der quoilin' atter dat an' look at one

an'er. Brer Bull say, 'Is anybody ever hear de

beat er dat? Who mought de lady be?' Dey all

say dey dunno, an' dey got a mighty good reason

fer der sesso, kaze Miss Squinch Owl, she flies at

night wid de bats an' de Betsey Bugs.

"Well, dey quit der quoilin', de creeturs did,

but dey still had der 'spute; de comin' er Miss

Squinch Owl ain't settle dat. So dey 'gree dat

dey 'd meet some'rs when de wedder got better,

an' try der han' at laughin' fer ter see which un

kin outdo de yuther." Observing that the little

boy was laughing very heartily, Uncle Remus

paused long enough to inquire what had hit him

on his funny-bone.

"I was laughing because ycu said the animals

were going to meet an' try their hand at laugh

ing," replied the lad when he could get breath

enough to talk.

Uncle Remus regarded the child with a benev

olent smile of admiration. "Youer long ways

ahead er me -- you sho' is. Dey ain't na'er n'er

chap in de worl' what 'd 'a' cotch on so quick.

62

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

You put me in min' er de peerch, what grab de

bait 'fo' it hit de water. Well, dat 's what de cree-

turs done. Dey say dey wuz gwineter make trial

fer ter see which un is de out-laughin'est er de

whole caboodle, an' dey name de day, an' all

prommus fer ter be dar, ceppin' Brer Rabbit, an'

he 'low dat he kin laugh well nuff fer ter suit his-

se'f an' his fambly, 'sides dat, he don't keer 'bout

laughin' less'n dey 's sump'n fer ter laugh at. De

yuther creeturs dey beg 'im fer ter come, but he

shake his head an' wiggle his mustache, an' say

dat when he wanter laugh, he got a laughin'-place

fer ter go ter, whar he won't be pestered by de

balance er creation. He say he kin go dar an'

laugh his fill, an' den go on 'bout his business, ef

he got any business, an' ef he ain't got none, he

kin go ter play.

"De yuther creeturs ain't know what ter make

er all dis, an' dey wonder an' wonder how Brer

Rabbit kin have a laughin'-place an' dey ain't

got none. When dey ax 'im 'bout it, he 'spon', he

did, dat he speck 'twuz des de diffunce 'twix one

creetur an' an'er. He ax um fer ter look at folks,

BROTHER RABBIT'S LAUGHING-PLACE

63

how diffunt dey wuz, let 'lone de creeturs. One

man 'd be rich an' an'er man po', an' he ax how

come dat.

"Well, suh, dey des natchally can't tell 'im

what make de diffunce 'twix folks no mo' dan

dey kin tell 'im de diffunce 'twix' de creeturs.

Dey wuz stumped; dey done fergit all 'bout

de trial what wuz ter come off, but Brer Rab

bit fotch um back ter it. He say dey ain't no

needs fer ter see which kin outdo all de balance

un um in de laughin' business, kaze anybody

what got any sense know dat de donkey is a

natchal laugher, same as

Brer Coon is a natchal

pacer.

' "Brer B'ar look at Brer

Wolf, an' Brer Wolf look

at Brer Fox, an' den

dey all look at one an

'er. Brer Bull, he say,

'Well, well, well!' an'

den he groan; Brer B'ar say, 'Who'd V "' Gracious TM ! ' an' den hehowl "

64

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

-thunk it?' an' den he growl; an' Brer Wolf say

'Gracious me!' an' den he howl. Atter dat, dey

ain't say much, kaze dey ain't much fer ter say.

Dey des stan' roun' an' look kinder sheepish. Dey

ain't 'spute wid Brer Rabbit, dough dey 'd 'a'

like ter 'a' done it, but dey sot about an' make

marks in de san' des like you see folks do when

deyer tryin' fer ter git der thinkin' machine ter

work.

"Well, suh, dar dey sot an' dar dey stood. Dey

ax Brer Rabbit how he know how ter fin' his

laughin'-place, an' how he know it

wuz a laughin'-place atter he

got dar. He tap hisse'f on de

head, he did, an' 'low dat dey

wuz a heap mo' und' his hat dan

what you could git out wid a

fine-toof comb. Den dey ax ef

dey kin see his laughin'-place,

an' he say he 'd take de idee

ter bed wid 'im, an' study 'pon

it, but he kin say dis much ri.g,h.t dien, dia.-t pit ihe dTidITle,t um " Bhrearn'Rtaerbbhiitshheeapdu"t his

BROTHER RABBITS LAUGHING-PLACE

65

see it, dey 'd hatter go dar one at a time, an'

dey 'd hatter do des like he say; ef dey don't

dey '11 git de notion dat it's a cryin'-place.

"Dey 'gree ter dis, de creeturs did, an' den

Brer Rabbit say dat while deyer all der terged-

der, dey better choosen 'mongs' deyse'f which un

uv urn wuz gwine fus', an' he 'd choosen de res'

when de time come. Dey jowered an' jowered, an'

bimeby, dey hatter leave it all ter Brer Rabbit.

Brer Rabbit, he put his han' ter his head, an' shot

his eyeballs an' do like he studyin'. He say 'De

mo' I think 'bout who shill be de fus' one, de mo'

I git de idee dat it oughter be Brer Fox. He been

here long ez anybody, an' he 's purty well thunk

uv by de neighbors -- I ain't never hear nobody

breave a breff ag'in 'im.'

" Dey all say dat dey had Brer Fox in min' all

de time, but somehow dey can't come right out

wid his name, an' dey vow dat ef dey had 'greed

on somebody, dat somebody would sho' 'a' been

Brer Fox. Den, atter dat, 'twuz all plain sailin'.

Brer Rabbit say he 'd meet Brer Fox at sech an'

sech a place, at sech an' sech a time, an' atter dat

66

TOLD BY UNCLE EEMUS

dey wa' n't no mo' ter be said. De creeturs

all went ter de place whar dey live at, an'

done des like dey allers done.

"Brer Rabbit make a

soon start fer ter

go ter de p'int whar

mus ter met

Brer Fox, but soon ez

he wuz, Brer Fox wuz

dar befo' 'im. It seem

like he wuz so much in de habits er bein'

"De creeturs all went ter de whar dey live at"

outdone by Brer Rabbit dat he can't do widout it.

Brer Rabbit bow, he did, an' pass de time er day

BROTHER RABBIT'S LAUGHING-PLACE

67

wid Brer Fox, an' ax 'im how his fambly wuz.

Brer Fox say dey wuz peart ez kin be, an' den he

'low dat he ready an' a-waitin' fer ter go an' see

dat great laughin'-place what Brer Rabbit been

talkin' 'bout.

"BrerRab-

"But soon ez he wuz, Brer Fox wuz dar befo' 'im"
bit say dat suit him ter a gnat's heel, an' off dey put. Bimeby dey come ter one er deze here cle'r places dat you sometimes see in de mid dle uv a pine thicket. You may ax yo'se'f how

68

TOLD BY UNCLE BEMUS

.Ss^gp-

come dey don't no trees grow dar when dey 's

trees all round, but you ain't gwineter git no an

swer, an'needer is dey anybody what kin tell you.

Dey got dar, dey did, an' den Brer Rabbit make a

halt. Brer Fox 'low, 'Is dis de place? I don't feel

no mo' like laughin' now dan I did 'fo' I come.'

"Brer Rabbit, he say, 'Des keep yo' jacket on,

Brer Fox; ef you git in too big a hurry it might

come off. We done come mighty nigh ter de place,

an' ef you wanter do some ol' time laughin',

you '11 hatter do des like I tell you; ef you don't

wanter laugh, I '11 des show you de place, an'

we '11 go on back whar we come fum, kaze dis is

one er de days dat I ain't got much time ter was'e

laughin' er cryin'.' Brer Fox 'low dat he ain't so

mighty greedy ter laugh, an' wid dat, Brer Rabbit

whirl roun', he did, an' make out he gwine on

back whar he live at. Brer Fox holler at 'im; he

say, 'Come on back, Brer Rabbit; I'm des a-

projickin' wid you.'

" 'Ef you wanter projick, Brer Fox, you '11 hat

ter go home an' projick wid dem what wanter be

projicked wid. I ain't here kaze I wanter be here.

BROTHER RABBIT'S LAUGHING-PLACE

69

You ax me fer ter show you my laughin' -place,

an' I 'greed. I speck we better be gwine on back.'

Brer Fox say he come fer ter see Brer Rabbit's

laughin'-place, an' he ain't gwineter be satchify

twel he see it. Brer Rabbit 'low dat ef dat de case,

den he mus' ac' de gentermun all de way thoo, an'

quit his behavishness. Brer Fox say he '11 do de

best he kin, an' den Brer Rabbit show 'im a place

whar de bamboo briars, an' de blackberry

bushes, an' de honeysuckles done start ter come

in de pine thicket, an' can't come no furder.

'Twa' n't no thick place; 'twuz des whar de

swamp at de foot er de hill peter'd out in tryin'

ter come ter dry lan'. De bushes an' vines wuz

thin an' scanty, an' ef dey could 'a' talked dey 'd

'a' hollered loud fer water.

"Brer Rabbit show Brer Fox de place, an' den

tell 'im dat de game is fer ter run full tilt thoo de

vines an' bushes, an' den run back, an' thoo um

ag'in an' back, an' he say he 'd bet a plug er ter-

backer 'g'in a ginger cake dat by de time Brer

Fox done dis he 'd be dat tickled dat he can't

stan' up fer laughin'. Brer Fox shuck his head; he

70

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

ain't nigh b'lieve it, but fer all dat, he make up

his min' fer ter do what Brer Rabbit say, spite er

"His ol' 'oman done tell him dat he better keep his eye open"
de fack dat his ol' 'oman done tell 'im 'fo' he lef home dat he better keep his eye open, kaze Brer Rabbit gwineter run a rig on 'im.
"He tuck a runm'n' start, he did, an' he went thoo de bushes an' de vines like he wuz runnin' a race. He run an' he come back a-runnin', an' he run back, an' dat time he struck sump'n wid his

BROTHER RABBIT'S LAUGHING-PLACE

71

head. He try ter dodge it, but he seed it too late,

an' he wuz gwine too fas'. He struck it, he did,

an' time he do dat, he fetched a howl dat you

might 'a' hearn a mile, an' atter dat, he holler'd

yap, yap, yap, an' ouch, ouch, ouch, an' yow,

yow, yow, an' whiles dis wuz gwine on Brer Rab

bit wuz thumpin' de ground wid his behime foot,

an' laughin'

fit ter kill.

Brer Fox run

r o u n ' an'

roun' ,an'

kep' on snap-

pin' at hisse'f an' doin'

like he wuz

tryin' fer ter

far his hide

off. He run,

an' he roll,

?

11

& t >\\ ' \ , T ,,



f ''

" An' dat time he struck sump'nwid his head"

an' holler, an' fall, an' squall twell it look like he wuz havin' forty-lev'm duck fits.

72

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

"He got still atter while, but de mo' stiller he

got, de wuss he looked. His head wuz all swell up,

an' he look like he been run over in de road by a

fo'-mule waggin. Brer Rabbit 'low, 'I 'm glad

you had sech a good time, Brer Fox; I '11 hatter

fetch you out ag'in. You sho' done like you wuz

havin' fun.' Brer Fox ain't say a word; he wuz too

mad fer ter talk. He des sot aroun' an' lick hisse'f

an' try ter git his ha'r straight. Brer Rabbit 'low,

' You ripped aroun' in dar twel I wuz skeer'd you

wuz gwine ter hurt yo'se'f,an'I b'lieve in my soul

you done gone an' bump yo' head ag'in a tree,

kaze it's all swell up. You better go home, Brer

Fox, an' let yo' ol' 'oman poultice you up.'

"Brer Fox show his tushes, an' say, 'You said

diswuza laughin'-place.' Brer Rabbit 'low, 'I said

'twuz my laughin'-place, an'I'll say it ag'in. What

you reckon I been doin' all dis time? Ain't you

hear me laughin'? An' what you been doin'? I

hear you makin' a mighty fuss in dar, an' I say ter

myse'f dat Brer Fox is havin' a mighty big time.'

" 'I let you know dat I ain't been laughin',' sez

Brer Fox, sezee."

BROTHER RABBITS LAUGHING-PLACE

73

Uncle Remus paused, and waited to be ques

tioned. "What was the matter with the Fox, if he

wasn't laughing?" the child asked after a

thoughtful moment.

Uncle Remus flung his head back, and cried

out in a sing-song tone,

"He run ter de Eas', an' he run ter de Wes' An' jammed his head in a hornet's nes'!"

IV
BROTHER RABBIT AND THE CHICKENS
UNCLE REMUS was sorely puzzled as to the best method of pleasing this youngster. He was n't sure the little boy enjoyed such tales as the one in which Riley Rabbit turned the tables on Wiley Wolf. So he ventured a question. "Honey, what kinder tales does you like?"
"Oh, I like them all," replied the little boy, "only some are nicer than the others;" and then, without waiting for an invitation, he told Uncle Remus the story of Cinderella. He told it very well for a small chap, and Uncle Remus pre tended to enjoy it, although he had heard it hun dreds of times.
"It's a mighty purty tale," he said. "It's so purty dat you dunner whedder ter b'lieve it er not. Yit I speck it's so, kaze one time in forty-
74

BROTHER RABBIT AND THE CHICKENS

75

lev'm hundred matters will turn out right een'

upperds. Now, de creeturs never had no god-

m'ers; dey des hatter scuffle an' scramble an' git

'long de bes' way dey kin."

" But they were very cruel, "remarked the little

boy, "and they told stories."

"When it come ter dat," Uncle Remus replied,

"de creeturs ain't much ahead er folks, an' yit

folks is got preachers fer ter tell um when deyer

gwine wrong. Mo' dan dat, dey got de Bible; an'

yit when you git a little older, you '11 wake up

some fine day an' say ter yo'se'f dat de creeturs is

got de 'vantage er folks, spite er de fack dat dey

ain't know de diffunce 'twix' right an' wrong.

Dey got ter live 'cordin' ter der natur', kaze dey

ain't know no better. I had in min' a tale 'bout

Brer Rabbit an' de chickens, but I speck it 'd

hurt you' feelin's."

The little boy said nothing for some time; he

was evidently expecting Uncle Remus to go

ahead with his story. But he was mistaken about

this, for when the old man broke the silence, it

was to speak of something trivial or common-

76

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

place. The child, in spite of the training to which

he had been subjected, retained his boy's nature.

"Uncle Remus," he said, "what about Brother

Rabbit and the chickens?"

"Which Brer Rabbit wuz dat, honey?" he

asked with apparent surprise.

"You said something about Brother Rabbit

and the chickens."

"Who? Me? I mought er said sump'n 'bout

urn day 'fo' yistiddy, but it done gone off 'n my

min'. I done got so ol' dat my min' flutters like a

bird in de bush."

"Why, you said that there was a tale about

Brother Rabbit and the chickens, but if you told

it, my feelings would be hurt. You must think I

am a girl."

Uncle Remus laughed. "Not ez bad ez dat,

honey; but I 'm fear'd youer monstous tetchous.

I '11 tell you de tale, an' den you kin tell it ter yo'

pa, kaze it's one he ain't never hear tell 'bout.

"Well, den, one time, 'way back yander dey

wuz a man what live neighbor ter de creeturs.

Dey wa' n't nothin' quare 'bout dis Mr. Man; he

BROTHER RABBIT AND THE CHICKENS

77

wuz des a plain, eve'yday kinder man, an' he try

ter git 'long de best he kin. He ain't had no easy

time, needer, kaze 'twant den like 'tis now,

when you kin take yo' cotton er yo' corn ter town

an' have de money planked down fer you.

"In dem times dey wa' n't no town, an' not

much money. What folks dey wuz hatter git

'long by swappin' an' traffickin'. How dey done

it, I '11 never tell you, but do it dey did, an' it

seem like dey wuz in about ez happy ez folks is

deze days.

"Well, dish yer Mr. Man what I 'm a-tellin'

you 'bout, he had a truck patch, an' a roas'in-

year patch, an' a goober patch. He grow'd wheat

an' barley, an' likewise rye, an' kiss de gals an'

make um cry. An' on top er dat, he had a whole

yard full er chickens, an' dar 's whar de trouble

come in. In dem times, all er de creeturs wuz

meat-eaters, an' twuz in about ez much ez dey

kin do, an' sometimes a little mo', fer ter git 'long

so dey won't go ter bed hongry. Dey got in de

habit er bein' hongry, an' dey ain't never git over

it. Look at Brer Wolf -- gaunt; look at Brer Fox

78

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

-- gaunt! Dey ain't never been able fer ter make

deyse'f fat.

"So den, ez you see um now, dat de way dey

wuz in dem days, an' a little mo' so. Mr. Man,

lie had chickens, des like I tell you. Hens ez

plump ez a pa'tridge; pullets so slick dey 'd make

yo' mouf water, an' fryin'-size chickens dat look

like dey want ter git right in de pan. Now, when

dat's de case, what you reckon gwineter happen?

Brer Wolf want chicken, Brer Fox want chicken,

an' Brer Rabbit want chicken. An' dey ain't got

nothin' what dey kin swap fer um. In deze days

dey 'd be called po', but I take notice dat po'

folks gits des ez hongry ez de rich uns -- an'

hongrier, when it comes ter dat; yes, Lord! lots

hongrier.

"Well, de creeturs got mighty frien'ly wid Mr.

Man. Dey 'd call on 'im, speshually on Sundays,

an' he ain't had no better sense dan ter cluck up

his chickens des ter show um what a nice passel

he had. When dis happen, Brer Wolf under-jaw

would trimble, an' Brer Fox would dribble at de

mouf same ez a baby what cuttin' his toofies. Ez

BROTHER RABBIT AND THE CHICKENS

79

fer Brer Rabbit, he 'd des laugh, an' nobody ain't

know what he laughin'at. It went on dis way twel

it look like natur' can't stan' it, an' den, bimeby,

one night when de moon ain't shinin', Brer Rab

bit take a notion dat he 'd call on Mr. Man; but

when he got ter de place, Mr. Man done gone ter

bed. De lights wuz all out, an' de dog wuz quiled

up un' de house soun' asleep.

"Brer Rabbit shake his head. He 'low, 'Sholy

dey 's sump'n wrong, kaze allers, when I come,

Mr. Man call up his chickens whar I kin look at

um.' I dunner what de matter wid 'im. An' I

don't see no chickens, needer. I boun' you

sump'n done happen, an' nobody ain't tell me de

news, kaze dey know how sorry I 'd be. Ef I

could git in de house, I 'd go in dar an' see ef

ever'thing is all r'ght; but I can't git in.'

"He walk all 'roun', he did, but he ain't see

nobody. He wuz so skeer'd he'd wake um up dat

he walk on his tippy-toes. He 'low, 'Ef Mr. Man

know'd I wuz here, he 'd come out an' show me

his chickens, an' I des might ez well look in an'

see ef deyer all right.' Wid dat he went ter de

80

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

chicken-house an' peep in, but he can't see

nothin'. He went ter de door, an' foun' it on-

locked. Brer Rabbit grin, he did, an' 'low, 'Mr.

Man mos' know'd dat I 'd be 'long some time ter-

day, an' done gone an' lef' his chicken-house open

so I kin see his pullets -- an' he know'd dat ef I

can't see um, I 'd wanter feel um fer ter see how

slick an' purty dey is.'

"Brer Rabb t slap hisse'f on de leg an' laugh

fit ter kill. He ain't make fuss nuff fer ter wake

Mr. Man, but he woke de fat hens an' de slick

pullets, an' dey ax one an'er what de name er

goodness is de matter. Brer Rabbit laugh an' say

ter hisse'f dat ef he 'd 'a' brung a bag, it 'd make

a good overcoat fer four er five er de fat hens, an'

six er sev m er de slick pullets. Den he 'low,

'Why, what is I thinkin' 'bout? I got a bag in my

han', an' I fergit dat I had it. It's mighty lucky

fer de chickens dat I fotch it, kaze a little mo' --

an' dey 'd 'a' been friz stiff!' So he scoop in de bag

ez many ez he kin tote. He 'low,' I '11 take um home

an' kinder git um warm, an' ter-morrer Mr. Man

kin have um back -- ef he want um,' an' wid dat,

"Went off home des ez gayly ez a colt in a barley patch"

BROTHER RABBIT AND THE CHICKENS

81

he mighty nigh choke hisse'f tryin' fer ter keep

fum laughin'. De chickens kinder nutter, but dey

ain't make much fuss, an' Brer Rabbit flung de

sack 'cross his shoulders an' went off home des

ez gayly ez a colt in a barley patch."

"Would n't you call that stealing, Uncle Re

mus?" inquired the little boy very seriously.

"Ef Brer Rabbit had 'a' been folks, it 'd be

called stealin', but you know mighty well dat de

creeturs dunno de diffunce 'twix' takin' an' steal-

in'. When it come ter dat, dey 's a-plenty folks

dat ain't know de diffunce, an' how you gwineter

blame de creeturs?" Uncle Remus paused to see

what comment the little boy would make, but he

was silent, though it is doubtful if he was satis

fied.

"Brer Rabbit tuck de chickens on home, he

did, an' made way wid um. Now, dat wuz de las'

er de chickens, but des de beginnin's er de feath

ers. OF Miss Rabbit, she wanter burn um in de

fier, but Brer Rabbit say de whole neighborhood

would smell um, an' he 'low dat he got a better

way dan dat. So, nex' mornin' atter brekkus, he

82

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

borried a bag fum oF Brer Wolf, an' inter dis he

stuff de feathers, an' start off down de road.

"Well, suh, ez luck would have it, Brer Rab

bit hatter pass by Brer Fox house, an' who should

be stannin' at de gate wid his walkin'-cane in

han', but Brer Fox? Brer Fox, he fetched a bow,

wid, 'Brer Rabbit, whar you gwine?' Brer Rab

bit 'low, 'Ef I had de win', Brer Fox, I 'd be





gwine to mill. Dish yer's a turrible load I got, an'

I dunner how soon I '11 gi' out. I ain't strong

in de back an' limber in de knees like I useter be,

Brer Fox. You may be holdin' yo' own, an' I

hope you is, but I 'm on de down grade, dey ain't

no two ways 'bout dat.' Wid dat, he sot de bag

down by de side er de road, an' wipe his face wid

his hankcher.

"Brer Fox, he come on whar Brer Rabbit wuz

a-settin' at, an' ax ef it 's corn er wheat. Brer

Rabbit 'low dat tain't na'er one; it 's des some

stuff dat he gwine ter sell ter de miller. Brer Fox,

he want ter know what 'tis so bad he ain't know

what ter do, an' he up an' ax Brer Rabbit p'int-

edly. Brer Rabbit say he fear'd ter tell 'im kaze

'"Brer Rabbit, whar you gwine?'

BKOTHER RABBIT AND THE CHICKENS

83

de truck what he got in de bag is de onliest way

he kin make big money. Brer Fox vow he won't

tell nobody, an' den Brer Rabbit say dat bein'

ez him an' Brer Fox is sech good frien's --

neighbors, ez you might say -- he don't min'

tellin' 'im, kaze he know dat atter Brer Fox done

prommus, he won't breave a word 'bout it. Den

he say dat de truck what he got in de bag is roots

er de Winniannimus grass, an' when dey er groun'

up at de mill, dey er wuff nine dollars a poun'.

"Dis make Brer Fox open his eyes. He felt de

heft er de bag, he did, an' he say dat it's mighty

light, an' he dunner what make Brer Rabbit pant

an' grunt when 'tain't no heftier dan what it is.

"Brer Rabbit 'low dat de bag wouldn't 'a' felt

heavy ter him ef he wuz big an' strong like Brer

Fox. Dat kinder talk make Brer Fox feel biggity,

an' he 'low dat he'll tote de bag ter mill ef Brer

Rabbit feel like it 's too heavy. Brer Rabbit say

he '11 be mighty much erbleeged, an' be glad fer

ter pay Brer Fox sump'n ter boot. Art' so, off dey

put down de road, Brer Fox a-trottin' an' Brer

Rabbit gwine in a canter.

84

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

"Brer Fox ax what dey does wid de Winnian-

nimus grass alter dey gits it groun' up at de mill.

Brer Rabbit 'low dat rich folks buys it fer ter

make Whipmewhopme puddin'. Brer Fox say

he '11 take some home when de miller git it groun'

an'see how it tas'es,an'Brer Rabbit say he 's mo'

dan welcome. Atter dey been gwine on some

little time, Brer Rabbit look back an' see Mr.

Man a-comin', an' he say ter Brer Fox, sezee,

' Brer Fox, you is de outdoinist man I ever is see.

You done got me plum' wo' out, an' I 'm bleeze

ter take a res'. You go on an' I '11 ketch up wid

you ef I kin; ef not, des wait fer me at de mill.'

Brer Fox 'low, 'Shucks, Brer Rabbit! you

ain't 'quainted wid me; you dunner nothin' 'tall

'bout me. I kin go on dis away all day long an'

half de night.' Brer Rabbit roll his big eyes, an'

say, 'Well, suh!'

"An' den he sot down by de side er de road, an'

'twuz all he kin do fer ter keep fum bustin' out in

a big laugh.

"Bimeby, Mr. Man come 'long an' say, 'Who

dat wid de big bag on his back?' Brer Rabbit

BEOTHER RABBIT AND THE CHICKENS

85

make answer dat it 's Brer Fox. Mr. Man say,

'What he got in his bag?' Brt er Riabbit 'low, 'I ax 'im, an' he say it's some kinder' grass what he

takin' ter de mill fer ter git groun', but I seed mo'

dan one chicken feather stickin' ter de bag.' Mr.

Man say, 'Den he 's de chap what tuck an' tuck

my fat hens an' my slick pullets, an' I '11 make

'im sorry dat he yever is see a chicken.'

"Wid dat he put out atter Brer Fox, an' Brer

Rabbit, he put out too, but he stay in de bushes,

so dat nobody can't see 'im. Mr. Man he cotch

up wid Brer Fox, an' ax 'im what he got in de

bag. Brer Fox say he got Winniannimus grass

what he gwineter have groun' at de mill. Mr.

Man say he wanter see what Winniannimus grass

look like. Brer Fox sot de bag down an' say dat

when it 's groun' up de rich folks buys it fer ter

make Wliipmewhopme puddin'. Mr. Man open

de bag, an' dey wa' n't nothin' in it but chicken

feathers. He 'low, 'Whipmewhopme puddin'!

I '11 whip you an' whop you,' an' wid dat he grab

Brer Fox in de collar, an' mighty nigh frailed de

life out'n 'im.

86

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

"Brer Rabbit seed it well done, an' he des fell

down in de bushes an' roll an' laugh twel he can't

laugh no mo'."

"Well, I don't see why he should think it was

funny," the little boy remarked.

Uncle Remus looked hard at this modern little

boy before he answered: "Maybe you dunno Brer

Pox, honey; I don't speck you hear talk er de way

he try ter git de inturn on Brer Rabbit. But on

top er dat, Brer Rabbit wuz so ticklish dat mos"

anything would make 'im laugh. It sholy wuz

scaii'lous de way Brer Rabbit kin laugh."

LITTLE MISTER CRICKET AND THE OTHER
CREATURES
UNCLE REMUS was very anxious to know what the child thought about the story of Brother Rabbit and the chicken feathers, but he made no inquiries; he was willing to let the youngster's preferences show themselves without any urging on his part.
When the little boy did speak, he made no ref erence to Brother Rabbit and the chicken feath ers: his thoughts were elsewhere. "Uncle Re mus," he said, "I never saw a cricket. What do they look like?"
"You ain't never see no cricket!" exclaimed Uncle Remus, with a great display of amaze ment. "Well, dat bangs my time! What yo' ma an' pa -- speshually yo' pa -- what dey been doin' all deze lonesome years dat they ain't never
87

88

TOLD BY UNCLE BEMUS

show'd you no cricket? How dey speck you ter

git 'long in de worl' ef dey ain't gwine ter tell you

'bout de things you oughter know, an' show you

de things dat you oughter see? You ain't never

see no cricket, an' here you is mos' ready ter

shave off de down on your face!"

The child blushed. "Why, I have no down on

my face, Uncle Remus," he protested. '

"Well, you will have some er deze days, an'

den what will folks think uv a great big man

what ain't never seed no cricket?"

"Mother has never seen one," replied the little

boy, somewhat triumphantly.

"She 's a lady," Uncle Remus explained, "an'

dat's diffunt. She been brung up in 'Lantamatan-

tarum, an' I speck she' d fall down an' faint ef

she wuz ter see one. Folks ain't like dey use ter

be; in my day an' time, ef man er boy wuz ter say

dat he ain't never seed no cricket, dem what he

tol' de news ter would git up an' go 'way fum 'im;

but deze days I boun' you dey 'd huddle up close

'roun' 'im, an' fine in wid 'im, an' say dey ain't

never is seed one nudder."

LITTLE MISTER CRICKET

.89

"If you had never seen one, you would n't talk

that way, Uncle Remus," remarked the little boy

quite seriously. "How can I help myself, if I have

never seen one? It is n't my fault, is it?"

"Tooby sho' it ain't, honey. Nobody ain't

blamin' you. Yit when I see a great big boy what

ain't never seed no cricket, I bleeze ter ax myse'f

whar he come fum an' what he been doin'. I

boun' ef you 'd 'a' been wid yo' gran'mammy an

me you 'd 'a' seed crickets twel you got tired er

seein' um. Dat 's de kinder folks we-all is.

'T ain't no trouble ter we-all ter show chillun

what dey oughter see. I bet you, you' pa know'd

what a cricket wuz long 'fo' he wuz ol' ez you is.

Dey wa' n't nothin' fer ter hender 'im. Miss Sally

des turned 'im over ter me, an' say, 'Don't let 'im

git hurted,' an' dar he wuz. Ef he ain't seed all

dey wuz ter be seed, it 'uz kaze it 'uz in a show,

an' de show in town whar he can't git at it. Dat's

de way we done wid him, an' dat 's de way I 'd

like ter do wid you. It's a mighty pity you wa' n't

brung up here at home, stidder up dar in 'Lan-

tamatantarum, whar dey ain't nothin' 'tall but

90

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

dust, an' mud, an' money. De folks up dar ain't

want de mud an' dust, an' de mo' dey wash it off

de mo' dey gits on um; but dey does want de

money, an' de mo' dey scuffles fer it, de mo' dey

has ter scuffle."

"Is a cricket like a grasshopper, Uncle Re

mus?" inquired the little boy, who took no in

terest in the old man's prejudice against Atlanta.

"Dey mos'ly is, an' den ag'in dey mos'ly ain't.

Befo' de time dat ol' Grandaddy Cricket kick

down de chimbley, dey wa' n't no mo' like grass

hoppers dan I 'm like a steer, but atter dat, when

he git his knees on wrongsudouterds, dey sorter

look like grasshoppers 'cepin' when you look at

um right close, an' den dey don't look like um.

"Dey got lots mo' sense dan de yuther crawlin'

an' hoppin' creeturs. Dey ought not ter be put

wid de hoppin' creeturs, kaze dey don't b'long

wid 'um, an' dey would n't be a-hoppin' in deze

days ef ol' Grandaddy Cricket had n't 'a' got

cripple' when he kick de chimbley down. In de

times when ol' Boss Elephant, an' Brer Lion, an'

Brer Tiger AVUZ meanderin' roun' in deze parts.

LITTLE MISTER CRICKET

91

little Mr. Cricket wuz on mighty good terms wid

um. Ez dey say er folks, lie stood mighty well

whar dey know'd 'im -- mighty well -- an' he

wuz 'bout de sharpes' er de whole caboodle, ef

you '11 leave out de name er Brer Rabbit.

"It come 'bout one time dat de creeturs wuz

all sunnin' deyse'f -- it mought er been Sunday

fer all I know -- an' dey des stretch out an' sot

an' sot roun' lickin' der chops, an' blinkin' der

eyes, an' combin' der ha'r. Mr. Elephant wuz

swingin' hisse'f backerds an' forerds, an' flingin'

de san' on his back fer ter keep off de flies, an'

all de res' wuz gwine on 'cordin' ter der breed

an' need.

"Ef you '11 watch right close, honey, you' 11

fin' out fer yo'se'f dat when folks ain't got much

ter do, an' little er nothin' fer ter talk'bout, dey '11

soon git ter braggin', an' dat's des de way wid de

creeturs. Brer Fox start it up; he say, 'Gents, 'fo'

I fergit it off 'n my min', I wanter tell you dat I 'm

de swiffes' one in dis bunch.' Mr. Elephant wink

one er his little eyeballs, an' fling his snout in de

a'r an' whispered -- an' you mought 'a' hearn

92

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

dat whisper a mile-- 'I 'm de strenkiest; I

wanter call yo' 'tention ter dat.' Mr. Lion shuck

his mane an' showed his tushes. He say, 'Don't

fergit dat I 'm de King er all de creetur tribe.'

Mr. Tiger stretched hisse'f an' gap'd. He say,

'I 'm de purtiest an' de mos' servigrous.'

"Fum one ter de yuther de braggin' went

roun'. Ef 'twant dis it uz dat, an' ef 'twant

dat, 'twuz de yuther. Dey went on so twel bimeby

little Mr. Cricket chirped up an' say he kin make

all un um run dey heads off, fum ol' Mr. Elephant

down ter de las' one. Dey all laugh like it 's a

good joke, an' Brer Fox he 'low dat he had de

idee dat dey wuz all doin' some monstus tall

braggin', but Mr. Cricket wuz away ahead er de

whole gang, an' den he say, 'How you gwineter

begin fer ter commence fer ter do all deze great

'deeds an' didoes?' Mr. Cricket say, 'Des gi' me

time; gi' me time, an' yo '11 all hear fum me --

yo'll hear, but you won't stop fer ter lis'n', an'

den he work his jaws fer all de worl' like Brer

Rabbit does when he 's chawin' terbacker.

"Now, ol' Brer Rabbit know'd dat Mr.

Brer Fox, say, 'Gents, . . I wanter tell you dat I'm de swijfes' one in dis bunch'"

LITTLE MISTER CRICKET

93

Cricket wuz up ter some sharp trick er n'er, an'

so he wait twel he kin have a confab wid 'im. He

ain't had long ter wait, kaze Mr. Crickley

Cricket make up his min' dat Brer Rabbit wuz

de one what kin he'p him out. Dey bofe wanter

see one an'er, an' when dat 's de case, dey ain't

much trouble 'bout it. Dey soon got off by dey-

se'f, an' Brer Rabbit 'low dat Mr. Cricket got a

mighty big job on his han's, an' Mr. Cricket, he

say it's sech a big job dat he can't git thoo wid it

less'n Brer Rabbit will he'p 'im out. Mr. Cricket

say 't ain't much he gwine ter ax er Brer Rabbit,

but little ez 'tis, he bleeze ter ax it. Brer Rabbit

look at 'im right hard an' twis' his mustache.

'Out wid it, Mr. Cricket; out wid it, an' I '11 see ef

I kin he'p you out. But I want you ter take notice

dat all de yuthers is got a crow fer ter pick wid

me, on account er de way I been doin'.'

Mr. Cricket chirp up, ' So I hear, Brer Rabbit

-- so I hear,' an' den he went on fer ter tell Brer

Rabbit what he want 'im ter do. Brer Rabbit

laugh, he did, an' say, 'Ef dat's all you want, Mr.

Cricket, you kin count me in, kaze I laid off fer

94

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

ter he'p you lot's mo' dan dat -- lots mo'.' Mr.

Cricket say dat '11 be de greates' plenty, an' wid

dat dey went off home fer ter kinder res' deyse'f,

but not 'fo' dey fix on a day when dey '11 have

time fer ter work der trick on de yuther creeturs.

*' Dey 'greed on de day, an' dat day dey met,

an' atter colloguin' tergedder, off dey put ter de

place whar dey 'spected ter fin' de yuther cree

turs. De fust one dey meet wuz ol' Mr. Elephant.

Dey pass de time er day, dey did, an' Brer Rabbit

say he got bad news. Mr. Elephant flung up his

snout like he 'stonish'd, an' swung backerd an'

forerds like he 'bout ter cry. Brer Rabbit 'low dat

de win' blow'd a hick'y-nut down right 'pon top

er Mr. Cricket an' cripple 'im so he can't go

home, an' he ax ef Mr. Elephant won't tote 'im ez

fur ez he kin. Mr. Elephant say tooby sho' he will

an' be glad in de bargain, an' so he kneel down,

he did, an' let Mr. Cricket crawl on his back.

"But Mr. Cricket crawl furder dan de back;

he crawl on Mr. Elephant neck, an' den inter his

y'ear. Dis whar he wanter git, an' soon ez he got

settle, he flutter his wings right fas' an' Mr. Ele-

LITTLE MISTER CRICKET

95

phant think de win' is blowin' thoo de trees. Mr.

Cricket flutter his wings harder, an' Mr. Ele

phant think dey 's a storm comin' up. He splunge

thoo de bushes, he did, an' ef Mr. Cricket had n't

'a' been inside his year, he 'd 'a' been knocked

off by de lim's er de trees. Ez 'twuz, he sot back

an' laugh, an' say ter hisse'f dat Mr. Elephant

ain't hear nothin' 'tall ter what he will hear.

"Wid dat, he chune up his whistle, an' started

fer ter blow on it. He blow'd kinder low ter begin

wid, an' den he 'gun ter git louder. An' de louder

he got de mo' he skeer'd Mr. Elephant, an' he

went splungin' thoo de woods same ez a harry-

cane. He went so fas' dat he come mighty nigh

runnin' over King Lion whiles he wuz talkin' ter

oF Brer Tiger. He ain't hear 'um say, 'Mr.

Elephant, whar you gwine?' but he stop right

whar dey wuz an' 'gun ter turn roun' an' roun'.

King Lion ax 'im what de matter, an' Mr. Ele

phant say he b'lieve he gwine ravin' 'stracted. He

'low, 'I got a smgin' an' a whistlin' in one er my

years, an' I dunner which un it's in. Don't you-

al.1 hear it?'

96

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

"Dey lis'n, dey did, an' bless gracious, dey kin

hear it. OF King Lion look like he 'stonished. He

say, 'It soun's fer all de worl', Mr. Elephant, like

you des 'bout ter bile over, an' ef dat 's what yer

gwine ter do, I wanter be out 'n de way -- clean

out 'n de way.'

"Mr. Elephant turn roun' an' roun', he did,

an' ef he 'd 'a' been light-headed like some folks

I knows, he 'd 'a' drapt right dar. Mr. Cricket

watch his chance, an' when Mr. Elephant got

nigh ter King Lion, he tuck a flyin' jump an' lit

right in King Lion's mane, an' 'twant long 'fo'

he made his way ter de year. But while he wuz

makin' his way dar Mr. Elephant stopped whirl-

in' roun'; he stop an' lis'n, he did, an' he ain't

hear nothin'; he lis'n some mo' an' still he ain't

hear nothin'. He say, 'I b'lieve in my soul dat

I 'm kyo'd! I 'm mighty glad I met you-all, kaze

I know one un you is a doctor, an' ever which un

it is, he sho' has done de work.'

"By dis time, Mr. Cricket had got in King

Lion year, an' 'twant long 'fo' he start up his

whistlin'. He whistle low fer ter start wid, an'

'Mr. Elephant '(Kent splunyin' tkoo de woods same cz a harrycane'

LITTLE MISTER CRICKET

97

King Lion hoi' his head sideways an' lis'n. He

say, 'I still hears it, Mr. Elephant, an' ef youer

kyo'd I done eotch de thing you had.' Mr. Crick

et went a little louder, an' King Lion 'gun ter

back off like he had business ter ten' ter. Mr.

Tiger say, 'Whar you gwine? I hope you ain't

skeer'd er Brer Elephant, kaze he ain't gwineter

hurt you. Ef you gwine any whar, you better turn

'roun' an' go right.'

"But King Lion ain't pay no 'tention ter Mr.

Tiger; he des back off, he did, an' wave his tail

an' shake his mane. Mr. Cricket 'gun ter whistle

louder an' flutter his wings, an' make um zoon

like a locus'. King Lion say, 'I hear de win' a-

blowin' an' I better git home ter my wife an'

chillun,' an' off he put, runnin' like he wuz

gwine atter de doctor. Mr. Tiger laugh, an' say

dat some folks is so funny he dunner what ter

make un um. Dey stayed dar confabbin', an'

bimeby dey hear a fuss, an' here come King Lion

gwine ez hard ez he kin. Tryin' fer ter git away

fum de fuss in his year, he had run all roun' twel

he come back ag'in ter whar he start fum. He

98

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

had his tongue out, an' his tail wuz droopin'; he

wuz mighty nigh wo' out.

"He say, 'Heyo! what you-all doin' here? I

had de idee dat I lef you back yander whar I

come fum.' Mr. Elephant 'low, 'We ain't skacely

move out 'n our tracks. You run away an' lef us,

an' here you is back; what de name er goodness

is de matter wid you?' King Lion say, 'I done

got a whistlin' in my head, an' look like I can't

'scape fum it. It 's in dar yit, an' I dunner what

I 'm gwine ter do 'bout it.' Mr. Elephant say..

'Do like I done -- stan' it de bes' you kin.' Brer

Tiger 'low, ' I hear it, an' it soun' zactly like you

wuz 'bout ter bile over, an' when you does I

wanter be out 'n de way.'

"By dat time little Mr. Cricket had done made

a flyin' jump an' lit on Mr. Tiger, an' 'twant

long 'fo' he wuz snug in Mr. Tiger year. Mr.

Tiger lis'n, he did, an' den he 'gun ter back off

an' wave his tail. Mr. Elephant swing his snout,

an' say, 'What de matter, Mr. Tiger? I hope you

ain't thinkin' 'bout leavin' us.' But Mr. Tiger

wuz done gone. He des flit away. Long 'bout dat

LITTLE MISTER CRICKET

99

time, Mr. Rabbit come lopin' up, laughin' fit ter

kill. He 'low,' Brer Cricket say he gwine ter make

you-all run an' dat 's des what he done. Bofe un

you been runnin' kaze I see you pantin', an' ef

you '11 des wait here, Mr. Cricket will fetch Mr.

Tiger back safe an' soun',' an' dey ain't had ter

wait long, nudder, kaze bimeby, here come Mr.

Tiger, tongue out an' tail a-droopin'. He say,

'Hello! how come you-all ter outrun me? I got

de idee dat you wuz back yander in de woods

whar I come fum,' an' den dey got ter laughin'

at 'im, an' dey laugh twel dey can't laugh no mo'.

Mr. Cricket jump outer Mr. Tiger's year, an' git

in de grass, an' bimeby he show hisse'f.

"He come close up wid a 'Howdy do, gents?'

an' dey pass de time day wid 'im. Bimeby Mr.

Elephant 'low, 'Mr. Cricket, ain't you say de

yuther day dat you wuz gwineter make we-all

run?' an' Mr. Cricket, he make answer, 'Why, I

would n't talk 'bout runnin' ef I 'd been runnin'

same ez what you been doin'.' Mr. Elephant

swing his snout kinder slow an' say. 'How you

know I been runnin' ?' Mr. Cricket 'low, ' I know

100

TOLD BY UNCLE KEMUS

bekaze ef I had n't er belt on monstus tight,

I 'd 'a' fell off; mo' dan dat, ef I had n't er stop

ped singin' an' whistlin' you 'd 'a' been runnin'

yit.' Mr. Elephant shot his two little eyes, an'

say, 'Well, suh!'"

"What did the others do?" the little boy in

quired, when he was sure that the story was

ended.

"Dey mos'ly got 'way fum dem parts, kaze

'dey wuz skeer'd Mr. Cricket would git on um

ag'in. King Lion say he got ter look atter some

fresh meat what he got, Mr. Elephant say he

bleeze ter go an' cut some grass, an' Mr. Tiger

'low dat he got ter hunt up some vittles fer his

fambly. An' ez fer Mr. Cricket, he clomb on Brer

Rabbit's back, an' dey mosied off somers, I dun-

ner whar. All I know is dat dey giggle ez dey

went."

VI
WHEN BROTHER RABBIT WAS KING i
ONE afternoon, while Uncle Remus was sitting in the sun, he felt so comfortable and thankful for all the blessings that he enjoyed, and for those that he had seen others enjoy, that he suddenly closed his eyes; and he had no sooner done so than he drifted across the dim and pleasant borderland that lies somewhere between sleeping and waking. He must have drifted back again immediately, for it seemed that he was not so fast asleep that he was unable to hear the sound of stealthy footsteps somewhere near him. Instantly he was on the alert, but still kept his eyes closed. He knew at once that the little boy was trying to surprise him. The lad had im proved much in health since coming to the plan tation, and with the growth of his strength had come a certain degree of boisterousness that his
101

102

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

mother thought was somewhat unusual, but

which his grandmother and Uncle Remus knew

was the natural result of good health.

By opening one eye a trifle, Uncle Remus

could watch the youngster, who was creeping,

Indian-like, upon him, and this gave the old

negro an immense advantage, for just as the little

boy was about to jump at him, Uncle Remus

straightened himself in his chair and uttered a

blood-curdling yell that would have alarmed a

much larger and older person than the lad. As a

matter of fact, the little fellow was almost par

alyzed with fright, and for a moment or two could

hardly get his breath.

"Why, what in the world is the matter with

you, Uncle Remus?" he asked as soon as he

could speak.

"Wuz dat you comin' 'long dar, honey?" said

Uncle Remus, by way of response. "Well, ef

'twuz, you kin des go up dar ter de big house an'

tell um all dat you saved my life, kaze dat what

you done. Dey ain't no tellin' what would 'a'

happen ef you had n't 'a' come creepin' 'long an.'

WHEN BROTHER RABBIT WAS KING

103

woke me up, kaze whiles I wuz dozin' dar I wuz

on a train, an' de bullgine look like it wuz runnin'

away. 'Twant one er deze yer 'commydatin'

trains, kaze de man what tuck up de tickets say

he wa' n't in no hurry fer ter see how fur any

body gwine; dey wuz all boun' fer de same place,

an' when dey got dar dey 'd know it. De kyars

wuz lined wid caliker, an' de brakeman wuz

made out 'n straw. It went on, it did, an' de bull

gine run faster an' faster twel it run so fast you

could n't hear it toot fer brakes, an' des 'bout de

time dat eve'ything wuz a gittin' smashed up,

here you come an' wokened me -- an' a mighty

good thing, kaze ef I 'd 'a' stayed on dat train

dey would n't 'a' been 'nough er me left fer de

congergation ter sing a song over. I 'm mighty

thankful dat dey 's somebody got sense 'nough

fer ter come 'long an' skeer me out er my

troubles."

This statement was intended to change the

course of the little boy's thoughts -- to cause him

f.o forget that he had been frightened -- and it

was quite successful, for he began to talk about

104

TOLD BY UNCLE REMITS

dreams in general, telling some peculiar ones of

his own, such as children have.

"Talkin' 'bout dreams," remarked Uncle Re

mus, "it put me in min' er de man what been

sick off an' on, an' he hatter be mighty keerful er

his eatin'. One night he had a dream. It seemed

like dat somebody come 'long an' gi' him a great

big hunk er ol' time ginger-cake, an' it smell so

sweet an' taste so good dat he e't 'bout a poun'.

He wuz eatin' it in his sleep, but de dream wuz

so natchal dat de nex' mornin' dey hatter sen' fer

de doctor, an' 'twuz e'en 'bout all dey could do

fer ter pull 'im thoo. De doctor gun 'im all de

truck what he had in his saddle-bags, an' 'low

dat he b'lieve in his soul he 'd hatter sen' fer mo',

an' den atter dat he tuck an' lay down de law ter

de man. He say dat whatsomever else he mought

do, he better not eat no ginger-cakes in his

dreams, kaze de next un 'ud be sho' fer ter take

'im off spite er all de doctor truck in de roun' worl'."

Then the little boy told of a dream he had had. It seems that he had slipped into the pantry.

WHEN BROTHER RABBIT WAS KING

105

when no one was looking, and had taken a piece

of apple-pie. It was n't stealing, he said, for he

knew that if he asked his grandmother for a piece

she would have given it to him; but he didn't want

to bother her while she was talking to the sewing-

woman, and so he just went in the pantry and got

it for himself. Perhaps he took a larger piece than

his grandmother would have given him, but he

had nothing to measure it by, and so he was com

pelled to guess how much she would have given

him.

"I boun' you stretched yo' guesser, honey,"

said Uncle Remus dryly.

The child admitted with a laugh that perhaps

he had, and he was very sorry of it afterwards, for

when he went to bed he dreamed that something

scratched at his door and made such a fuss that

he was obliged to get up and let it in. He did n't

wait to see what it was, but just flung the door

open, and ran and jumped back in bed, pulling

the cover over his head. In the dream he lay right

still and listened. Everything was so quiet that he

became curious, and finally ventured to look out

106

TOLD BY UNCLE BEMUS

from under the cover. Well, sir, the sight that he

saw was enough, for between the door and the

bed a big black dog was lying. He seemed to be

very tired, for his tongue hung out long and red,

and he was panting as though he had come a

long way in a very short time.

Uncle Remus groaned in sympathy. The black

dog that gallops through a dream with his tongue

hanging out was one of his familiars. "I know

dat dog," he said. "He got a bunch er white on

de een' er his tail, an' his eyeballs look like dey

green in de dark. You call him an' he '11 growl,

call him ag'in, an' he '11 howl. I 'd know dat dog

ef I wuz ter see him in de daytime -- I 'd know

him so well dat I 'd run an' ax somebody fer ter

please, suh, wake me up, an' do it mighty

quick."

The little boy did n't know anything about

that; what he did know was that the dog in his

dream, when he had rested himself, jumped up

on the bed, and began to nose at the cover, and he

seemed to get mad when he failed to pull it off

the little boy. He tried and tried, and then he

WHEN BROTHER RABBIT WAS KING

107

seized a corner of the counterpane, or the spread,

or whatever you call it, and shook it with his

teeth. When he grew tired of this, the little boy

could hear him smelling all about over the bed,

and then he knew the creature was hunting for

the piece of apple-pie.

Uncle Remus agreed with the child about this.

" 'Cordin' ter my notion," he said, "when folks

slip 'roun' an' take dat what don't b'long ter um

er dat what dey ought n't ter have by good

rights, de big black dog is sho' ter come 'roun'

growlin' an' smellin' atter dey goes ter bed. Dey

ain't no two ways 'bout dat. Dey may not know

it, dey may be too sleepy fer ter see 'im in der

dreams, but de dog's dar. Mo' dan dat, dogs will

growl an' smell 'roun' ef deyer in dreams er outer

dreams. Dey got in de habits er smellin' 'way

back yander in de days when ol' Brer Rabbit had

tooken de place er de King one time when de

King wanter go off down de country fishin'."

The little boy seemed to be very much interested

in this information, but while they were speak-

in-g of this curious habit that is common to dogs,

108

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

a hound that had been raised on the place came

into view. He was going at a gallop, as if he had

important business to attend to, but when he had

galloped past a large tree, he paused suddenly,

and turned back to investigate it with his nose;

and though he was entirely familiar with the tree,

it seemed to be new to him now, for he smelled

all around the trunk of it and was apparently

much perplexed. Whatever information he re

ceived was sufficient to cause him to forget all

about the business that had caused him to come

galloping past the tree, for when his investiga

tion had ended, he turned about and went back

the way he had come.

"Now, you see dat, don't you?" exclaimed

Uncle Remus, with some show of indignation.

"Ain't it des a little mo' dan you wanter stan'?

Here he come, gwine, I dunner whar, des a-

gallin'-up like he done been sent fer. He come ter

dat ar tree, he did, an' went on by -- spang by!

-- an' den 'fo' you kin bat yo' eyeball, whiff, he

turn roun' an' go ter smellin' at de tree, des like

he ain't never seed it befo'; an' he must 'a' got

WHEN BEOTHER RABBIT WAS KING

108

some kind er news whar he smellin' at, kaze alter

lie smell twel it look like he gwineter smell de

bark clean off, he fergit all 'bout whar he gwine,

an' tuck his tail an' go on back whar he come

fum. Maybe you know sump'n 'bout it, honey --

you an' de balance er de white folks, but me --

I'm bofe blin' an' deff when it come ter tellin' you

what de dog foun' out. I may know what make

'im smell at de tree, but what news he got I never

is ter tell you."

"Well, you know you said that dogs got in the

habit of smelling away back yonder when old

Brother Rabbit took the place of the King, who

had gone fishing. I was wondering if that was a

story."

"Wuz you, honey?" Uncle Remus asked with

a pleased smile. "Well, you sho' is got a dump-

lin' eye fer de kinder tales what I tells. I b'lieve ef

I wuz ter take one er dem ol'-time tales an' skin it

an' drag de hide thoo de house an' roun' de lot --

ef I wuz ter do dat, I b'lieve you 'd open up on de

trail same ez oF Louder follerin' on atter Brer

Possum; I sho' does!"

110

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

The child seemed to appreciate the compli-^

merit, and he laughed in a way that did the old

negro a world of good. "I have found out one

thing, "said the little boy with emphasis. "When

ever you are hinting at a story, you always look

at me out of the corner of your eye, and there 's

always a funny little wrinkle at the corner of your

mouth."

"Well, suh!" exclaimed Uncle Remus, glee

fully; "well, suh! an' me a-settin' right here an'

doin' dat a-way 'fo' yo' face an' eyes! I never

would 'a' 'speckted it. Peepin' out de cornder er

my eyeball, an' a-wrinklin' at de mouf! It look

like I mus' be gettin' ol' an' fibble in de min'."

He chuckled as proudly as if some one had given

him a piece of pound-cake of which he was very

fond. But presently his chuckling ceased, and he

leaned back in his chair with a serious air,

"I dunno so mighty well 'bout all de yuther

times you talkin' 'bout, honey, but when I say

what I did 'bout ol' Brer Rabbit takin' de place

er der King, I sho' had a tale in my min'. I say

tale, but I dunner what you '11 say 'bout it; you

WHEN BROTHER RABBIT WAS KING

111

kin name it alter you git it. Well, way back yan-

der, mos' 'fo' de time when folks got in de habits

er dreamin' dreams, dey wuz a King an' dish yer

King king'd it over all un urn what wuz dar, mo'

speshually de creeturs, kaze what folks dey wuz

ain't know nothin'. 'tall 'bout whedder dey need

any kingin' er not; look like dey did n't count.

"Well, dish yer King what I 'm a-tellin' you

'bout had purty well grow'd up at de business,

and de time come when he got mighty tired er

settin' in one place an' hol'in' a crown on his

head fer ter keep it fum fallin' on de no'. He say

ter hisse'f dat he wanter git out an' git de fresh

a'r, an' have some fun 'long wid dem what he

been kingin' over. He 'low dat he wanter fix it so

dat he ain't a-keerin' whedder school keep er no,

an' he ax um all what de best thing he kin do.

Well, one say one thing an' de yuther say t' other,

but bimeby some un um chipped in an' say dat

de best way ter have fun is ter go fishin', an' dis

kinder hit de King right in de middle er his

notions.

"He jump up an' crack his heels tergedder, he

112

TOLD BY UNCLE EEMUS

did, an' he say dat dat 's what he been thinkin'

'bout all de time. A-fishin' it wuz an' a-fishin'

he 'd go, ef his life wuz spar'd twel he kin git ter

de creek. An', wid dat, dey wuz a mighty stirrin'

roun' 'mongs' dem what he wuz a-kingin' over;

some un um run off ter git fishin'-poles, an'

some run fer ter dig bait, an' some run fer ter git

de bottle, an'

dardeyhadit

"Some run fer ter dig bait"
-- you 'd 'a' thunk dat all creation wuz gwine fishin'."
"Uncle Remus," said the little boy, interrupt-

IWHEN BROTHER RABBIT WAS KING

us

ing the old man, "what did they want with a

bottle?"

The old man looked at the child with a puz

zled expression on his face. "De bottle?" he

asked with a sigh. "I b'lieve I did say sump'n

'bout de bottle. I dunner whedder it 'uz a long

white bottle er a chunky black un. Dem what

handed de tale down ter me ain't say what

kinder one it wuz, an' I 'm fear'd ter say right

short off dat it 'uz one er de yuther. We '11 des

call it a plain, eve'y-day bottle an' let it go at

dat."

"But what did they want with a bottle, Uncle

Remus?" persisted the little boy.

"You ain't never been fishin', is you honey?

An' you ain't never see yo' daddy go fishin'. All

I know is dat whar dey 's any fishin' gwrine on,

you '11 fin' a bottle some'rs in de neighborhoods

ef you '11 scratch about in de bushes. Well, de

creeturs done like folks long 'fo' folks got ter

doin' dat away, an' when dish yer King went

a-fishin', he had ter have a bottle fer ter put de

bait in.

114

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

"When eve'ything got good an' ready, an' de

King wuz 'bout ter start off, ol' Brer Rabbit

kinder hung his head on one side an' set up a

snigger. De King, he look 'stonish an' den he

'low, 'What 's de joke, ol' frien'?' 'Well/ sez ol'

Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'it look like ter me dat you

'bout ter go off an' fergit sump'n. 'Tain't none er

my business, but I could n't he'p fum gigglin'.'

De King, he say, 'Up an' out wid it, ol' frien';

le's hear de wust dey is ter hear.' 01' Brer Rab

bit, he say, sezee, 'I dunner ef it makes any dif-

funce, but who gwine ter do de kingin' whiles

you gone a-fishin'?'

"Wrell, de King look like he wuz might'ly tuck

back; he flung up bofe ban's an' sot right flat in a

cheer, an' den he 'low, 'I done got so dat I'm de

fergittines' creetur what live on top er de groun';

you may hunt high an' low an' you won't never

fin' dem what kin beat me a-fergittin'. Here I wuz

'bout fer ter go off an' leave de whole business at

sixes an' sev'ms.' Ol' Brer Rabbit, he say, sezee,

'Oh, I speck dat would 'a' been all right; dey

ain't likely ter be no harrycane, ner no fresh'

"De King . . . sot right flat in a cheer'' 115

116

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

whiles you gone.' De King, he 'low, 'Dat ain't

de thing; here I wuz 'bout ter go off on a frolic an'

leave eve'ything fer ter look atter itse'f. What yo'

reckon folks would 'a' said? I tell you now, dey

ain't no fun in bein' a King, kaze yo' time ain't

yo' own, an' you can't turn roun' widout skin-

nin' yo' shins on some

by-law er 'nother. 'Fo' I

go, ef go I does, I got ter

'p'int somebody fer ter

take my place an' be

King whiles I 'm gone;,

an' ef 'twant dat, it 'd

be sump'n' else, an' so

dar you go year

in an' year out.51

"He sot dar,,

_ he did, an'

study a n*
study, an"

bimeby h e

say, sezee,,

"Dey ain't no fun in bein' a King"

X$rer

WHEN BROTHER RABBIT WAS KING

117

bit, s'posin' you take my place whiles

I 'm gone? I '11

pay you well; all

you got to do is

ter set right

flat in a cheer

an' m a k e a

dollar a day.'

OF Brer

Rabbit

say dat would

suit him mighty

well,kazehe b 1 e e z e fer ter

" When de King went a-fishin', he went de
back way"

have some money so he kin buy his ol' 'oman

a caliker dress. Well, it ain't take um long

fer ter fix it all up, an' so Brer Rabbit, he done

de kingin' whiles de King gone a-fishin'. He

made de job a mighty easy one, kaze stidder set-

tin' up an' hol'in' de crown on his head, he tied

some strings on it an' fix it so it 'd stay on his

head widout hol'in'.

"Well, when de King went a-fishin', he went

118

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

de back way, an' he ain't mo' dan got out de gate

twel ol' Brer Rabbit hear a big rumpus in de

front yard. He hear sump'n' growlin' an' howlin'

an' whinin', an' he ax what it wuz. Some er dem

what wait on de King shuck der heads an' say

dat ef de King wuz dar he would n't pay no

'tention ter de racket fer der longest; dey say dat

de biggest kind er fuss ain't 'sturb de King, kaze

he 'd des set right flat an' wait fer some un ter

come tell somebody what de rumpus is 'bout, an'

den dat yuther somebody would tell some un else,

an' maybe 'bout dinner-time de King would fin'

out what gwine on, when all he hatter do wuz ter

look out de winder an' see fer hisse'f.

"When ol'Brer Rabbit

he lay back ez well e:

he kin wid dat ar

crown on top er his

head, an' make out

h e takin' a n a p .

Atter so 1 o n g a

time, word come
dat Mr. Dog WUZ

"Some er dem wliat wait on de King shuek der heads"

WHEN BROTHER RABBIT WAS KING

119

out dar in de en

try whar dey all

hatter wait at,

an' he sont

word dat he

bleeze ter see

de King. OF

Brer Rabbit,

he sot dar, he

did, an' do

likehestudy-

-0 in', an' atter

so long a

"He lay back

wid dat ar crown on top er time, lie tell

his head, an' make out he takin' a nap"

um fer ter

fetch Mr. Dog in an' let him say what he got ter

say. Well, Mr. Dog come creepin'in, he did,an' he

look mighty 'umble-come-tumble. He wuz so po'

dat it look like you can see eve'y bone in his body

an' he wuz mangy lookin'. His head hung down,

an' he wuz kinder shiverin' like he wuz col'. Brer

Rabbit make out he tryin' fer ter fix de crown on

his head so it'll set up straight, but all de time he

120

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

wuz lookin' at Mr. Dog fer ter see ef he know'd

'im -- an' sho' 'nough, lie did, kaze it 'uz de

same Mr. Dog what done give him many a long

chase.

"Well, Mr. Dog, he stood dar wid his head

hangin' down an' his tail 'tween his legs. Eve'y

thing wuz so still an' sollum dat he 'gun ter git

oneasy, an' he look roun' fer ter see ef dey 's any

'Well Mr. Dog come creepin in

WHEN [BROTHER RABBIT WAS KING

121

t

way fer ter git out widout runnin' over somebody.

Dey ain't no way, an' so Mr. Dog sorter wiggle

de een' er his tail fer ter show dat he ain't mad,

an' he stood dar 'specktin' dat eve'y minnit would

be de nex'.

"Bimeby, somebody say, 'Who dat wanter see

de King an' what business is he got wid 'im?'

When Mr. Dog hear dat, de howl dat he sot up

mought 'a' been heern a mile er mo'. He up an'

'low, he did, dat him an' all his tribe, an* mo'

speshually his kinnery, is been havin' de wuss

jtimes dat anybody ever is hear tell un. He say dat

whar dey use ter git meat, dey now gits bones, an'

mighty few er dem, an' whar dey use ier be fat,

dey now has ter lean up ag'in de fence, an' lean

mighty hard, ef dey wanter make a shadder. Mr.

Dog had lots mo' ter say, but de long an' de

short un it wuz dat him an' his kinnery wa' n't

treated right.

"OF Brer Rabbit, which he playin' King fer

de day, he kinder study, an' den he cle'r up his

th'oat an' look sollum. He ax ef dey 's any tur-

kentime out dar in de back yard er in de cellar

122

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

whar dey keep de harness grease, an' when dey

say dey speck dey 's 'a drap er two lef, ol' Brer

Rabbit tell um fer ter fetch it in, an' den he tell

um ter git a poun' er red pepper an' mix it wid

de turkentime. So said, so done. Dey grab Mr.

Dog, an' rub de turkentime an' red pepper frum

head ter heel, an' when

"Dey run im out'n de place whar de kingin' vmz done at"

WHEN BROTHEB BABBIT WAS KING

123

he holler dey run 'im out'n de place whar de

kingin' wuz done at.

"Well, time went on, an' one day follered

an'er des like dey does now, an' Mr. Dog ain't

never gone back home, whar his tribe an' his

kinnery wuz waitin' fer 'im. Dey wait, an' dey

wait, an' bimeby dey 'gun ter git oneasy. Den dey

wait some mo' but it git so dey can't stan' it no

longer, an' den a whole passel un um went ter de

house whar dey do de kingin' at, an' make some

inquirements 'bout Mr. Dog. Dem dat live at de

King's house up an' tell um dat Mr. Dog done

come an' gone. Dey say he got what he come

atter, an' ef he ain't gone back home dey dunner

whar he is. Dey tol' 'bout de po' mouf he put up,

an' dey say dat dey gun 'im purty well all dat a

gen'termun dog could ax fer.

"De yuther dogs say dat Mr. Dog ain't never

come back home, an' dem what live at de King's

house say dey mighty sorry fer ter hear sech bad

news, an' dey tell de dogs dat dey better hunt 'im

up an' fin' out what he done wid dat what de

king gi' 'im. De dogs ax how dey gwineter know

124

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

'im when dey fin' him, an' dem at de King's house

say dey kin tell 'im by de smell, kaze dey put

some turkentime an' red pepper

on 'im fer ter kill de

fleas an' kyo

"A whole passel un um went ter de house whar dey do the leingin'"
de bites. Well, sence dat day de yuther dogs been huntin' fer de dog what went ter de King's house; an' how does dey hunt? 'Tain't no needs fer ter tell you, honey, kaze you know

WHEN BROTHER RABBIT WAS KING,

125

pine-blank ez good ez I kin tell you. Sence

dat day an' hour dey been smellin' fer 'im.

Dey smells on de groun' fer ter see ef he been

'long dar; dey smells de trees, de stumps, an' de

bushes, an' when dey comes up wid an'er dog dat

dey ain't never seed befo', dey smells him good

fer ter see ef he got any red pepper an' turken-

time on 'im; an' ef you '11 take notice dey some

times smells at a bush er a stump, an' der bristles

will rise, an' dey '11 paw de groun' wid der fo' feet,

. an' likewise wid der behime feet, an' growl like

deyer mad. When dey do dat, dey er tellin' you

what dey gwineter do when dey git holt er dat dog

what went to de King's house an' ain't never

come back. I may be wrong, but I '11 bet you a

white ally ag'in' a big long piece er mince-pie dat

dey '11 be gwine on dat away when you git ter be

ol'ezlis."

VII
HOW OLD CRANEY-CROW LOST HIS HEAD
ONE day, while Uncle Remus was pre paring some wild cherry bark for a de coction which he took for his rheu matism, the little boy, who was an interested spectator of the proceedings, chanced to hear a noise overhead. Looking up, he saw a very large bird flying over. He immediately called the attention of Uncle Remus to the bird, which was indeed a singular-looking creature. Its long neck stretched out in front, and its long legs streamed out behind. Its wings were not very large, and it had no tail to speak of, but it flew well and rap idly, apparently anxious to reach its destination in the shortest possible time.
Uncle Remus shaded his eyes with his right hand as he gazed upward at the bird. "Laws-amussy!" he exclaimed; "is dey anybody yever
126

HOW OLD CRANEY-CROW LOST HIS HEAD 127
see de beat er dat!" He knew well that the bird was a blue heron going to join its kindred in Florida, but he affected great surprise at sight of the bird, and continued to gaze at it as long as it remained in sight. He drew a long breath when it could no longer be seen, and shook his head sadly. "Ef she ain't got no mo' sense dan what her great-grandaddy had, I 'm mighty sorry fer her," he declared.
"What kind of a bird is it, Uncle Remus?" the child inquired.
"Folks useter call um Craney-Crows, honey, but now dey ain't got no name but des plain blue crane -- an' I dunner whedder dey er wuff sech a big name. Yit I ain't got nothin' ag'in um dat I knows un. Mo' dan dat, when I ermembers 'bout de oF grandaddy crane what drifted inter deze parts, many's de long time ago, 'twould n't take much fer ter make me feel right sorry fer de whole kit an' bilin' un um -- dey er sech start natchul fools."
"But what is there to be sorry about, Un cle Remus?" the little boy asked. He was

128

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

rapidly learning to ask questions at the proper

time.

" 'Bout dey havin' sech a little grain er sense,

honey. Ef you know'd what I does, I dunner ef

you 'd be tickled, er ef you 'd feel sorry, an' it's

de same way wid me. When I think er dat ol'

Great-Grandaddy Crane, I dunner whedder ter

laugh er cry."

This was small satisfaction to the little boy,

and he was compelled to inquire about it. As this

was precisely what the old negro wanted him to

do, he lost nothing by being inquisitive. "Dey

wuz one time -- I dunno de day, an' I dunno de

year, but 'twuz one time -- dey come a big storm.

De win' blow'd a harrycane, an' de rain rained

like all de sky an' de clouds in it done been turn

ter water. De win' blow'd so hard dat it lifted ol'

Craney-Crow fum his roost in de lagoons way

down yan' whar dey live at, an' fotch 'im up in

deze parts, an' when he come, he come a-whirlin'.

De win' tuck 'im up, it did, an' turn 'im roun' an'

roun', an' when he lit whar he did* he stagger des

like he wuz drunk -- you know how you feel

HOW OLD CRANEY-CROW LOST HIS HEAD _ 129
when you been turnin* roun' an' roun'. Well, dat wuz de way wid him; he wuz so drunk dat he hat ter lean up ag'in a tree.
"But 'twant long 'fo' he 'gun ter feel all right, an' he look roun' fer ter see whar he at. He look an' he look, but he ain't fin' out, kaze he wuz a mighty fur ways fum home. Yit he feel de water half-way up his legs, an' ef ol' Craney-Crow is in a place whar he kin do a little wadin', he kinder has de home-feelin' -- you know how dat is yo'se'f. Well, dar he wuz, a mighty fur ways fum home, an' yit up ter his knees in water, an' he des stood dar, he did, an' tuck his ease, hopin' fer better times bimeby. Now, de place whar he wuz blow'd ter wuz Long Cane Swamp, an' I wish I had time fer ter take you over dar an' show you right whar he wuz at when he lit, an' I wish I had time fer ter take you all thoo de Swamp an' let you see fer yo'se'f what kinder Thing it is. 'Tain't only des a Swamp; it 's sump'n wuss 'n dat. You kin stan' in de middle un it, an' mos' hear it ketch its breff, an' dat what make I say dat 'tain't no Swamp, fer all it look like one.

130

TOLD BY UNCLE KEMUS

"Well, dar wuz oF Craney-Crow, an' dar wuz

de Thing you call de Swamp, an' bimeby de sun

riz an' let his lamp shine in dar in places; an den'

oF Graney-Crow had time fer ter look roun' an'

see whar he wuz at. But when he fin' out, he ain't

know no mo' dan what he know at fus'. Now,

you kin say what you please, an' you kin laugh ef

you wanter, but I 'm a-gwine ter tell you dat de

Swamp know'd dat dey wuz somebody dar what

ain't b'long dar. Ef you ax me how de Swamp

know'd, I '11 shake my head an' shet my eyes; an'

ef you ax me how I know it know'd, I '11 des

laugh at you. You '11 hatter take my word er leave

it, I don't keer which. But dar 'twuz. De Swamp

know'd dat somebody wuz dar what ain't b'long

dar, an' it went ter sleep an' had bad dreams,

an' it keep on havin' dem dreams all day long."

The little boy had accepted Uncle Remus's

statements up to this point, but when he said that

the Swamp went to sleep and had bad dreams,

the child fairly gasped with doubtful astonish

ment. "Why, Uncle Renaus, how could a swamp

go to sleep?"

HOW OLD CRANEY-CROW LOST HIS HEAD 131
"It 's des like I tell you, honey; you kin take my word er you kin leave it. One way er de yuther, you won't be no better of? dan what you is right now. All I know is dis, dat you can't tell no tale ter dem what don't b'lieve it."
"Do you believe it, Uncle Remus? Mother says the stories are fables." Thus the little boy was imbued, without knowing it, with the mod ern spirit of scientific doubt.
"Does you speck I 'd tell you a tale dat I don't b'lieve? Why, I dunner how I 'd put de words one atter de yuther. Whensomever you ain't b'iievin' what I 'm a-tellin', honey, des le' me know, an' I won't take de time an' trouble fer ter tell it."
"Well, tell me about the Swamp and old Craney-Crow," said the little boy, placing his small hand on Uncle Remus's knee coaxingly. i
"Well, suh, ef so be I must, den I shill. Whar WTUZ I? Yasser! de Swamp, bein' wide-awake all night long, is bleeze ter sleep endurin' er de day, an' so, wid ol' Craney-Crow stannin' in de water, when de sun rise up, de Swamp know dat sump'n

132

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

wuz wrong, an' it went ter sleep an' had mighty

bad dreams. De sun riz an' riz; it come up on one

side er de Swamp, an' atter so long a time stood

over it an' look down fer ter see what de matter.

But bright ez de lamp er de sun wuz, it can't

light up de Swamp, an' so it went on over an'

went down on t'er side.

"De day wuz in about like deze days is, an'

whiles de sun wuz s'archin' roun' tryin* fer ter

fin' out what de trouble is in de Swamp, oF

Craney-Crow wuz wadin' 'bout in de water tryin'

ter fin' some frog steak fer his dinner, er maybe a

fish fer ter whet his appetite on. But dey wa' n't

nary frog ner nary fish, kaze de Swamp done gone

ter sleep. De mo' ol' Craney-Crow waded de mo'

shallerer de water got, twel bimeby day wa'n't

nuff fer ter mo' dan wet his foots. He say, 'Hey!

how come dis?' But he ain't got no answer, kaze

de Swamp, wid all its bad dreams, wuz soun'

asleep. Dey wuz pools er water roun' an' about,

an' ol' Craney-Crow went fum one ter de yuther,

an' fum yuther ter t' other, but 'tain't do him no

good. He went an' stood by um, he did, but whiles

HOW OLD CRANEY-CROW LOST HIS HEAD 133
he stannin' dar, dey wa' n't a riffle on top un um. Bimeby he got tired er walkin' about, an' he stood on one leg fer ter res' hisse'f -- dough ef anybody '11 tell me how you gwineter res' yo'se'f< wid stannin' on one leg, I '11 set up an' tell um tales fum now tell Chris'mus, kaze ef I git tired I kin stan' on one leg an' do my restin' dat a-way.
"Well, den, dar wuz oF Craney-Crow, an' dar wuz de Swamp. OF Craney-Crow wuz wide awake, but de Swamp wuz fast asleep an' dreamin' bad dreams like a wiF hoss an' waggin gwine down hill. But de Swamp wa' n't no stiller dan oF Craney-Crow, stannin' on one leg wid one eye lookin' in de tops er de trees, an' de yuther one lookin' down in de grass. But in de Swamp er out'n de Swamp, time goes on an' night draps down, an' dat's de way it done dis time. An' when night drapped down, de Swamp kinder stretch itse'f an' 'gun ter wake up. OF Brer Mud Turkic opened his eyes an' sneeze so hard dat he roll off de bank inter de water -- kersplash -- an' he so close ter oF Craney-Crow dat he fetched a hop sideways, an' come mighty nigh steppin' on Mr.

134

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

Billy Black Snake. Dis skeer'd 'im so dat he

fetched an'er hop, an' mighty nigh lit on de frog

what he been huntin' fer. De frog he say 'hey!'

an' dove in de mud-puddle.

" Atter dat, when ol' Craney-Crow move 'bout,

he lif his foots high, an' he done like de ladies

does when dey walk in a wet place. De whole

caboodle wuz bran' new ter ol' Craney-Crow, an'

he look wid all his eyes, an' lissen wid all his

years. Dey wuz sump'n n'er gwine on, but he

can't make out what 'twuz. He ain't never is been

in no swamp befo', mo' speshually a Swamp what

got life in it. He been useter ma'shy places, whar

dey ain't nothin' but water an' high grass, but

dar whar he fin' hisse'f atter de harrycane, dey

wa' n't no big sight er water, an' what grass dey

wuz, wa' n't longer 'n yo' finger. Stidder grass

an' water, dey wuz vines, an' reeds, an' trees wid

moss on um dat made um look like Gran'suh

Graybeard, an' de vines an' creepers look like

dey wuz reachin' out fer 'im.

"He walked about, he did, like de groun' wuz

hot, an' when he walk he look like he wuz on

HOW OLD CRANEY-CROW LOST HIS HEAD 135
stilts, his legs wuz so long. He hunt roun' fer a place fer ter sleep, an' whiles he wuz doin' dat he tuck notice dat dey wuz sump'n n'er gwine on dat he ain't never is see de like un. De jacky-malantuns, dey lit up an' went sailin' roun' des like dey wuz huntin' fer 'im an' de frogs, dey holler at 'im wid, 'What you doin' here? What you doin' here?' Mr. Coon rack by an' laugh at 'im; Mr. Billy Gray Fox peep out'n de bushes an' bark at 'im; Mr. Mink show 'im de green eyes, an' Mr. Whipperwill scol' 'im.
"He move 'bout, he did, an' atter so long a time dey let 'im 'lone, an' den when dey wa' n't nobody ner nothin' pesterin' 'im, he 'gun ter look roun' fer hisse'f. Peepin' fust in one bush an' den in an'er, he tuck notice dat all de birds what fly by day had done gone ter bed widout der heads. Look whar he mought, ol' Craney-Crow ain't see na'er bird but what had done tuck his head off 'fo' he went ter bed. Look close ez he kin, he ain't see no bird wid a head on. Dis make 'im wonder, an' he ax hisse'f how come dis, an' de onliest an swer what he kin think un is dat gwine ter bed

136

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

wid der heads on wuz done gone out er fashion in

dat part er de country.

"Now, you kin say what you please 'bout de

creeturs an' der kin' -- 'bout de fowls dat fly, an'

de feathery creeturs what run on de groun' --

you kin say what you please 'bout urn, but dey

got pride; dey don't wanter be out'n de fashion.

When it comes ter dat, deyer purty much like

folks, an' dat 'uz de way wid oF Craney-Crow; he

don't wanter be out er fashion. He 'shame' fer ter

go ter bed like he allers been doin', kaze he ain't

want de yuthers fer ter laugh an' say he 'uz fum

de country deestrick, whar dey dunno much. Yit,

study ez he mought,he dunner which a-way ter do

fer ter git his head off. De yuthers had der heads

un' der wing. But he ain't know dat.

"He look roun', he did, fer ter see ef dey ain't

some un he kin ax 'bout it, an' he ain't hatter look

long nudder, fer dar, settin' right at 'im, wuz ol'

Brer Pop-Eye."

"But, Uncle Remus, who was old Brother

Pop-Eye?" inquired the little boy.

"Nobody in all de roun' worl', honey, but Brer

HOW OLD CBANEY-CROW LOST HIS HEAD 137
Rabbit. He had one name fer de uplan' an' an'er
name fer de bottom lan' -- de swamps an' de dreens. Wharsomever dar wuz any mischieviousness gwine on, right dar wuz Brer Rabbit ez big ez life an' twice ez natchul. He wuz so close ter ol' Craney-Crow dat he hatter jump when he seed 'im. Brer Pop-Eye say: 'No needs fer ter be skeer'd, frien' Craney-Crow. You may be mo' dan sho dat I 'm a well-wisher.' Ol' Craney-Crow 'low: 'It do me good fer ter hear you sesso, Mr. Pop-Eye, an' seein' dat it's you an' not some un else, I don't min' axin' you how all de flyin' birds takes der heads off when dey go ter bed. It sho stumps me.' Brer Pop-Eye say, 'An' no wonder, frien' Craney-Crow, kaze youer stranger in.deze parts. Dey ain't nothin' ter hide 'bout it. De skeeters is been so bad in dis Swamp sence de year one, an' endurin' er de time what's gone by, dat dern what live here done got in de habits er takin' off der heads an' puttin' um in a safe place.'
"De Craney-Crow 'low: 'But how in de name er goodness does dey do it, Brer Pop-Eye?' Mr.

138

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

Pop-Eye laugh ter hisse'f 'way down in his giz

zard. He say: 'Dey don't do it by deyse'f, kaze

dat 'ud be axin' too much. Oh, no! dey got some

un hired fer ter do dat kin' er work.' 'An' whar

kin I fin' 'im, Brer Pop-Eye?' sez oF Craney-

Crow, sezee. Brer Pop-Eye 'low: 'He'll be roun'

terreckly; he allers hatter go roun' fer ter see dat

he ain't miss none un urn.' OF Craney-Crow

sorter study, he did, an' den he 'low: 'How does

dey git der heads back on, Brer Pop-Eye?' Brer

Pop-Eye shuck his head. He say: ' I 'd tell you ef

I know'd, but I hatter stay up so much at night,

dat 'long 'bout de time when dey gits der heads

put on, I 'in soun' asleep an' sno'in' right along.

Ef you sesso, I '11 hunt up de doctor what does de

business, an' I speck he '11 commerdate you -- I

kin prommus you dat much, sence you been so

perlite.' OF Craney-Crow laugh an' say: 'I done

fin' out in my time dat dey don't nothin' pay like

perliteness, speshually ef she's ginnywine.'

"Wid dat, Brer Pop-Eye put out, he did, fer

ter fin' Brer Wolf. Knowin' purty well whar he

wuz, 'twant long 'fo' here dey come gallopin'

HOW OLD CRANEY-CROW LOST HIS HEAD 139
back. Brer Pop-Eye say: 'Mr. Craney-Crow, dis is Mr. Dock Wolf; Mr. Dock Wolf, dis is Mr. Craney-Crow; glad fer ter make you 'quainted, gents.'" At this point, Uncle Remus paused and glanced at the little boy, who was listening to the story with almost breathless interest. "You ain't got yo' hankcher wid you, is you?" the old man inquired gently.
"Mother always makes me carry a handker chief," the child replied, "and it makes the pocket of my jacket stick out. Why did you ask, Uncle Remus?"
"Kaze we er comin' ter de place whar you '11 need it," said the old man. "You better take it out an' hoi' it in yo' han'. Ef you got any tears in side er you, dey '11 come ter de top now."
The child took out his handkerchief, and held it in his hand obediently. "Well, suh/' Uncle Re mus went on, "atter dey been made 'quainted, oF Craney-Crow tell Dock Wolf 'bout his troubles, an' how he wanter do like de rest er de flyin' creeturs, an' Dock Wolf rub his chin an' put his thumb in his wescut pocket fer all de worl' like a

140

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

sho nuff doctor. He say ter ol' Craney-Crow dat

he ain't so mighty certain an' sho dat he kin he'p

'im much. He say dat in all his born days he ain't

never see no flyin' creetur wid sech a long neck,

an' dat he '11 hatter be mighty intickler how he

fool wid it. He went close, he did, an' feel un it an'

fumble wid it, an' all de time his mouf wuz water-

in' des like yone do when you see a piece er lemon

pie.

"He say: 'You '11 hatter hoi' yo' head lower,

Mr. Craney-Crow,' an' wid dat he snap down on

it, an' dat wuz de last er dat Craney-Crow. He

ain't never see his home no mo', an' mo' dan dat,

ol' Dock Wolf slung 'im 'cross his back an' can

tered off home. An' dat's de reason dat de

Craney-Crows all fly so fas' when dey come thoo

dis part er de country."

" But why did you ask me to take out my hand

kerchief, Uncle Remus?"

"Kaze I wanter be on de safe side," remarked

the old man with much solemnity. "Ef you got a

hankcher when you cry, you kin wipe off de

weeps, an' you kin hide de puckers in yo' face."

VIII
BEOTHER FOX FOLLOWS THE FASHION
^ ^HE little boy was not sure whether Uncle I Remus had finished the story; it would
JR_ have been hard for a grown man to keep up with the whimsical notions of the vener able old darkey, and surely you could n't expect a little bit of a boy, who had had no experience to speak of, to do as well. The little lad waited a while, and, seeing that Uncle Remus showed no sign of resuming the narrative, he spoke up. "I did n't see anything to cry about," he remarked.
"Well, some folks cries, an' yuther folks laughs. Dey got der reasons, too. Now, I dunnodat ol' Brer Rabbit wuz hard-hearted er col'blooded any mo' dan de common run er de creeturs, but it look like he kin see mo' ter tickle 'im dan ye yuthers, an' he wuz constant a-laughin'. Mos' er de time he'd laugh in his innerds, but den
141

142

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

ag'in, when sump'n tetch his funny-bone, he 'd

open up wid a big ha-ha-ha dat 'ud make de

yuther creeturs take ter de bushes.

"An' dat 'uz de way he done when oP Craney-

Crow had his head tooken off fer ter be in de

fashion. He laugh an' laugh twel it hurt 'im ter

laugh, an' den he laugh some mo' fer good med-

jur. He laughed plum twel mornin', an' den he

laugh whiles he wuz rackin' on todes home. He 'd

lope a little ways, an' den he'd set down by de

side er de road an' laugh some mo'. Whiles he

gwine on dis away, he come ter de place whar

Brer Fox live at, an' den it look like he can't git

no furder. Ef a leaf shook on de tree, it 'ud put

'im in min' er de hoppin' an' jumpin' an' scufflin'

dat ol' Craney-Crow done when Dock Wolf tuck

an' tuck off his head fer 'im.

"Ez luck would have it, Brer Fox wuz out in

his pea-patch fer ter see how his crap wuz gittin'

on, an' huntin' roun' fer ter see ef dey wuz any

stray tracks whar somebody had bin atter his

truck. WThiles he wuz lookin' roun' he hear some

un laughin' fit ter kill, an' he looked over de

BROTHER POX FOLLOWS THE FASHION

143

fence fer ter see who 't is. Dar wuz Brer Rabbit

des a-rollin' in de grass an' laughin' hard ez he

kin. Brer Fox low: 'Heyo, Brer Rabbit! what de

name er goodness de matter wid you?' Brer Rab

bit, in de middle er his laughin' can't do nothin'

but shake his head an' kick in de grass.

" 'Bout dat time, ol' Miss Fox stuck 'er head

out'n de winder fer ter see what gwine on. She

say, 'Sandy, what all dat fuss out dar? Ain't you

know dat de baby 's des gone ter sleep?' Brer

Fox, he say, "T ain't nobody in de roun' worl'

but Brer Rabbit, an' ef I ain't mighty much mis-

tooken, he done gone an' got a case er de high-

stericks.' Ol' Miss Fox say, 'I don't keer what he

got, I wish he 'd go on 'way fum dar, er hush up

his racket. He '11 wake de chillun, an' dem what

ain't 'sleep he '11 skeer de wits out'n 'um.'

"Wid dat, ol' Brer Rabbit cotch his breif, an'

pass de time er day wid Brer Fox an' his ol'

'oman. Den he say, 'You see me an' you hear

me, Brer Fox; well, des ez you see me now, dat de

way I been gwine on all night long. I speck maybe

it ain't right fer ter laugh at dem what ain't got de

144

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

sense dey oughter been born wid, but I can't he'p

it fer ter save my life; I try, but de mo' what I try

de wusser I gits. I oughter be at home right now,

an' I would be ef it had n't 'a' been fer sump'n I

seed las' night,' an' den he went ter laughin'

ag'in. OF Miss Fox, she fix de bonnet on her

head, an' den she say, 'What you see, Brer Rab

bit? It mus' be mighty funny; tell us 'bout it, an'

maybe we '11 laugh wid you.' Brer Rabbit 'low,

'I don't min' tellin' you, ma'am, ef I kin keep

fum laughin', but ef I hatter stop fer ter ketch my

breff, I know mighty well dat you '11 skuzen me.'

OF Miss Fox say, 'Dat we will, Brer Rabbit.'

"Wid dat Brer Rabbit up an' tol' all 'bout ol'

Craney-Crow comin' in de Swamp, an' not know-

in' how ter go ter bed. He say dat de funny part

un it wuz dat ol' Craney-Crow ain't know dat

when anybody went ter bed dey oughter take der

head off, an' den he start ter laughin' ag'in. Ol'

Miss Fox look at her ol' man an' he look at her;

dey dunner what ter say er how ter say it,

"Brer Rabbit see how dey er doin', but he ain't

pay no 'tention. He "low, 'Dat ol' Craney-Crow

BEOTHEE POX FOLLOWS THE FASHION

145

look like he had travel fur an' wide; he look like

he know what all de fashions is, but when he got

in de Swamp an' see all de creeturs -- dem what

run an' dem what fly -- sleepin' wid der heads

off, he sho' wuz tuck back; he say he ain't never

her er sech doin's ez dat. You done seed how

country folks do -- well, des dat away he done. I

been tryin' hard fer ter git home, an' tell my ol'

'oman'bout it, but eve'y time I gits a good start it

pop up in my min' 'bout how ol' Craney-Crow

done when he fin' out what de fashion wuz in dis

part er de country.' An' den Brer Rabbit sot inter

laughin', and Brer Fox an' ol' Miss Fox dey

j'ined in wid 'im, kaze dey ain't want nobody fer

ter git de idee dat dey don't know what de fash

ion is, speshually de fashion in de part er de

country whar dey er livin' at.

"OF Miss Fox, she say dat ol' Craney-Crow

must be a funny sort er somebody not ter know

what de fashions is, an' Brer Fox he 'gree twel he

grin an' show his tushes. He say he ain't keerin'

much 'bout fashions hisse'f, but he would n't like

fer ter be laughed at on de 'count er plain ig-

146

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

nunce. Brer Rabbit, he say he ain't makin' no

pertence er doin' eve'ything dat 's done, kaze he

ain't dat finnicky, but when fashions is comfer-

tubble an' coolin' he don't min' follerin' um fer

der own sake ez well ez his'n. He say now dat he

done got in de habits er sleepin' wid his head off,

he would n't no mo' sleep wid it on dan he'd fly.

"Ol' Miss Fox, she up 'n' spon', 'I b'lieve you,

Brer Rabbit -- dat I does!' Brer Rabbit, he

make a bow, he did, an' 'low, 'I know mighty

well dat I 'm ol'-fashion', an' dey ain't no 'nyin'

it, Miss Fox, but when de new gineration hit on

ter sump'n dat 's cool an' comfertubble, I ain't

de man ter laugh at it des kaze it's tollerbul new.

No, ma'am! I '11 try it, an' ef it work all right I '11

foiler it; ef it don't, I won't. De fus' time I try ter

sleep wid my head off I wuz kinder nervious, but

I soon got over dat, an' now ef it wuz ter go out

fashion, I 'd des keep right on wid it, I don't keer

what de yuthers 'd think. Dat's me; dat's me all

over.'

"Bimeby, Brer Rabbit look at de sun, an' des

vow he Weeze ter git home. He wish ol' Miss Fox

BROTHER FOX FOLLOWS THE FASHION

147

mighty well, an' made his bow, an' put out down

de road at a two-forty gait. Brer Fox look kinder

sheepish when his ol' 'oman look at 'im. He say

dat de idee er sleepin' wid yo' head off is bran

new ter him. Ol' Miss Fox 'low dat dey's a heap

er things in dis worl' what he dunno, an' what he

won't never fin' out. She say, 'Here I is a-scrim-

pin' an' a-workin' my eyeballs out fer ter be ez

good ez de bes', an' dar you is a projickin' roun'

an' not a-keerin' whedder yo' fambly is in de

fashion er not.' Brer Fox 'low dat ef sleepin' wid

yo' head off is one er de fashions, he fer one ain't

keerin' 'bout tryin'. OF Miss Fox say, 'No, an'

you ain't a-keerin' what folks say 'bout yo' wife

an' fambly. No wonder Brer Rabbit had ter

laugh whiles he wuz tellin' you 'bout Craney-

Crow, kaze you stood dar wid yo' mouf open like

you ain't got no sense. It '11 be a purty tale he '11

tell his fambly 'bout de tacky Fox fambly.'

"Wid dat OF Miss Fox switch away fum de

winder an' went ter cleanin' up de house, an'

bimeby Brer Fox went in de house hopin' dat

brekfus wuz ready; but dey wa' n't no sign er

148

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

nothin' ter eat. Atter so long a time, Brer Fox ax

when he wuz gwine ter git brekfus'. His ol' 'oman

low dat eatin' brekfus' an' gittin' it, too, wuz one

er de fashions. Ef he ain't follerin' fashions, she

ain't needer. He ain't say no mo', but went off

behin' de house an' had a mighty time er thinkin'

an' scratchin' fer fleas.

"When bedtime come, ol' Miss Fox wuz

mighty tired, an' she ain't a-keerin' much 'bout

fashions right den. Des ez she wuz fixin' fer ter

roll 'erse'f in de kivver, Brer Fox come in fum a

hunt he 'd been havin'. He fotch a weasel an' a

mink wid 'im, an' he put um in de cubberd whar

dey 'd keep cool. Den he wash his face an' han's,

an' 'low dat he 's ready fer ter have his head

tooken off fer de night, ef his ol' 'oman '11 be so

good ez ter he'p 'im.

"By dat time ol' Miss Fox had done got over

de pouts, but she ain't got over de idee er follerin'

atter de fashions, an' so she say she '11 be glad fer

ter he'p 'im do what 's right, seein' dat he 's so

hard-headed in gin'ul. Den come de knotty part.

Na'er one un um know'd what dey wuz 'bout,

BROTHER FOX FOLLOWS THE FASHION

149

an' dar dey sot an' jowered 'bout de bes' way fer

ter git de head off. Brer Fox say dey ain't but one

way, less'n you twis' de head off, an' goodness

knows he ain't want nobody fer ter be twis'in' his

neck, kaze he ticklish anyhow. Dat one way wuz

ter take de ax an' cut de head off. OF Miss Fox,

she squall, she did, an' hoi' up her han's like she

skeer'd.

"Brer Fox sot dar lookin' up de chimbley.

Bimeby his ol' 'oman 'low, 'De ax look mighty

skeery, but one thing I know, an' dat ain't two, it

ain't gwineter hurt you ef it 's de fashion. Brer

Fox kinder work his under jaw, but he ain't sayin'

nothin'. So his ol' 'oman went out ter de wood

pile an' got de ax, an' den she say, 'I 'm ready,

honey, whenever you is,' an' Brer Fox, he 'spon',

'I 'm des ez ready now ez I ever is ter be,' an'

wid dat she up wid de ax an' blip! she tuck 'irn

right on de neck. De head come right off wid little

er no trouble, an' ol' Miss Fox laugh an' say ter

herse'f dat she glad dey follerin' de fashion at

las'.

"Brer Fox sorter kick an' squirm when de

150

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

head fus' come off, but his ol' 'oman 'low dat dat

wuz de sign he wuz dreamin', an' atter he lay

right still she say he wuz havin' a better night's

res' dan what he 'd had in a mighty long time.

An' den she happen fer ter think dat whiles her

ol' man done gone an' got in de fashion, dar she

wuz ready fer ter go ter bed wid 'er head on. She

dunner how ter git 'er head off, an' she try ter

wake up her ol' man, but it look like he wuz one

er dem stubborn kinder sleepers what won't be

woken'd atter dey once drap off. She shake 'im

an' holler at 'im, but 'tain't do no good. She can't

make 'im stir, spite er all de racket she make, an'

she hatter go ter bed wid her head on.

"She went ter bed, she did, but she ain't sleep

good, kaze she had trouble in de min'. She 'd

wake up an' turn over, an' roll an' toss, an' won

der what de yuther creeturs 'd say ef dey know'd

she wuz so fur outer de fashion ez ter sleep wid

'er head on. An' she had bad dreams; she dremp

dat Brer Rabbit wuz laughin' at 'er, an' she start

fer ter run at 'im, an' de fust news she know'd de

dogs wuz on her trail an' gwine in full cry. 'Twuz

'So his of 'oman went out ter de woodpile an' got de ax"

BROTHER FOX FOLLOWS THE FASHION

151

dat a-way all night long, an' she wuz mo' dan

thankful when mornin' come.

"She try ter wake up her oF man, but still

he won't be woke. He lay dar, he did, an' won't

budge, an' bimeby ol' Miss Fox git mad an' go

off an' leave 'im. Atter so long a time she went

back ter whar he wuz layin', an' he wuz des like

she lef' 'im. She try ter roust 'im up, but he won't

be rousted. She holler so loud dat Brer Rabbit

which he wuz gwine by, got de idee dat she wuz

callin' him, an' he stick his head in de do' an'

'low, 'Is you callin' me, ma'am?'

"She say, 'La! Brer Eabbit? I ain't know you

wuz anywheres aroun'. I been tryin' fer ter wake

up my oF man; he mo' lazier dis mornin' dan I

ever is know 'im ter be. Ef my house wa' n't all

to' up, I 'd ax you in an' git you ter drag 'im out

an' git 'im up.'

"Brer Rabbit say, 'Ef dey ain't nothin' de

matter wid Brer Fox he '11 git up in good time.'

OF Miss Fox 'low, 'La! I dunner what you call

good time. Look at de sun -- it 's 'way up yan-

der, an' dar he is sleepin' like a log. To' he went

152

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

ter bed he made me take his head off, an' he ain't

woke up sence.' 'An' how did you git it off,

mum?' sez ol' Brer Rabbit, sezee. 'I tuck an1

tuck de ax an' cut it off,' se'she. Wid dat Brer

Rabbit flung bofe han's over his face, an' mosied

off like he wuz cryin'. Fum de way he look you 'd

'a' thunk his heart wuz broke; yit he wa' n't cryin'."

"Then what was he doing, Uncle Remus?" the little boy asked.
"Des a-laughin' -- laughin' fit ter kill. When ol' Miss Fox see 'im gwine long like he wuz cryin', she spicion'd dat sump'n wuz wrong, an' sho 'nuff 'twuz, kaze Brer Fox ain't wake up no mo'. She 'low, 'OP honey look like he dead, but he bet ter be dead dan outer de fashion!'
"I take notice, honey, dat you ain't use yo' hankcher yit. What de matter wid you? Is yo' weeps all dry up?"
The child laughed and stuffed his handker chief back in his pocket.

"She dremp dot Brer Rabbit wuz laughin' at 'er"

IX
*nfw
WHY THE TURKEY BUZZARD IS BALD-HEADED
OTHER," said the little boy one day, "do you know why the tur key buzzards are bald?"
"Why, no," replied the young mother, very much surprised. "I did n't even know they were bald. But why do you ask such a silly question?"
"Because Uncle Remus said you knew why they are bald."
"You tell Uncle Remus," said the grand mother, laughing heartily, "that I say he is an old rascal, and he had better behave himself."
The way of it was this: The little boy had been walking out in the fields with Uncle Remus, and had seen, away up in the sky, two or three turkey buzzards floating lazily along on motionless wings. From the fields they had gone into the woods, and in these woods they had found what
153

154

TOLD BY UNCLE BEMUS

Uncle Remus had said was a buzzard's nest. It

was in a hollow tree, flat on the ground, and

when they came near, the mother buzzard issued

forth from the hollow, with such a hissing and

flapping of wings that the little boy was frighten

ed for a moment.

"Go on 'way fum here, you bald-headed ol'

rapscallion; ef you don't I'll do you wuss dan

Brer Rabbit done you. Honey," he went on,

turning to the child, "you better put yo' hank-

cher ter yo' nose ef you gwineter look in dat nes',

kaze ol' Miss Turkey Buzzard is a scandalious

housekeeper."

The child did as he was bid, and, peeping in

the nest, he saw two young ones, as white as gos

lings. While he was peeping in he got a whiff of

the odor of the buzzards, and turned and ran

away from the place as hard as he could. Uncle

Remus followed suit, and hobbled away as fast as

his legs could carry him. When they were both

out of range of the buzzard's nest, they stopped

and laughed at each other.

"You nee'nter be skeer'd dat anything '11 ketch

WHY THE TURKEY BUZZARD IS BALD-HEADED 155
you, honey. Dey ain't nothin' but a race-boss got yo' gait. Why, ef I had n't 'a' been wid you, you 'd 'a' been home by now, kaze you 'd 'a' started when oP Miss Buzzard fus flew out er dat hole."
The little boy made no denial, for he knew that what Uncle Remus said had much more than a grain of truth in it. Besides, he was thinking of other things just then. He soon made known what it was. "Why did you call the buzzard baldheaded, Uncle Remus?"
"A mighty good reason," responded the old man. "Dey ain't no mo' got fedders on de top er der head dan you got ha'r in de pa'm er yo' han'. You ketch one un um, an' ef you kin hoi' yo' breff long nuff ter look, you'll see dat I 'm tellin' you de trufe. I ain't blamin' um fer dat, kaze dey got a mighty good reason fer bein' bal'-headed. Dey's mighty few folks dat know what de reason is, an' one un um is yo' ma. Ef you '11-kinder coax 'er, I speck she'll tell you."
This was what led up to the question the child had asked his mother, and was the occasion of

156

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

the grandmother's laughing remark that Uncle

Remus was an old rascal.

The little boy gave Uncle Remus the full par

ticulars the next time he saw him. The old man

laughed merrily when he heard that his Miss

Sally had called him an old rascal. "Talk 'bout

yo' smart wimmen folks!" he exclaimed. "Dey

ain't na'er man in de worF what kin hoi' a candle

ter yo' gran'ma; an' des ez you see 'er now, dat

des de way she been sence she wuz a gal. She

know what you gwineter say long 'fo' you kin git

de words out 'n yo' mouf; she kin look right thoo

you an' tell you what you thinkin' 'bout. You

may laugh all you wanter, but ef youer feelin'

bad she '11 know it. When Miss Sally goes an'

dies, dey won't be na'er nudder somebody fer ter

take her place. Dey ain't no two ways 'bout dat."

"I think she is getting used to mother," the

little boy remarked in his old-fashioned way -- a

way that was a source of constant amazement to

Uncle Remus, who could hardly understand how

a, child could act and talk like a grown person. He

regarded the child with a puzzled look, and

WHY THE TURKEY BUZZARD IS BALD-HEADED 157
closed his eyes with a sigh. The child had no idea that Uncle Remus was either puzzled or amazed, and so he harked back to the original problem. "Why is the buzzard bald-headed?" he asked.
"Ef yo' ma an' yo' gran'ma dunno," replied Uncle Remus, "I speck I'll hatter tell you, an' de bes' way ter do dat is ter tell de tale dat de oF folks tol' der chillun. What make it mo' easy, is dat dey ain't nothin' er Brer Turkey Buzzard in it but his name. Ef he wuz in it hisse'f, I don't speck you 'd stay long nuff fer ter hear me tell it." The child laughed, for he remembered how he wanted to run away from the tree when old Mrs. Buzzard came flopping out. He laughed, but said nothing, and Uncle Remus resumed:
"Dey wuz a time when Brer Rabbit live in one side uv a holler tree. One day whiles he wuz gwine pirootin' roun', oF Miss Turkey Buzzard come knockin' at de do', an' when she don't hear nothin' she stuck 'er head in an' look roun'. Ter see 'er den an' see 'er now you would n't know she wuz de same creetur. She had a fine top-knot on 'er head, bigger dan de one on de freezlin' hen,

158

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

which de win' done blow all her fedders de wrong

way. Yasser, she had a fine top-knot, an' she 'uz

purty good-lookin'.

"Well, suh, she peeped in, she did, an' den she

seed dat dey wa' n't nobody in dar, needer Gran-

daddy Owl, ner Brer Polecat, ner Brer Rattle

snake. She take an'er look, an' den in she walked,

an' made 'erself mighty much at home. It ain't

take ol' Miss Buzzard long fer ter fix her nes',

kaze she ain't want nothin' but five sticks an' a

han'ful er leaves. She went out an' fotch um in

an' dar she wuz. She went right straight ter

housekeeping kaze she ain't had ter put down no

kyarpits, ner straighten out no rugs, ner move de

cheers roun', ner wash no dishes.

"Well, long todes night, er maybe a little later,

Brer Rabbit come home, an' like he mos' allers

done, he come a-laughin'. He been projickin' wid

some er de yuther creeturs, an he wuz mighty

pleased wid hisse'f. When he fus' come he ain't

take no notice er ol' Miss Buzzard. He come in

a-laughin', an' he laugh twel he don't wanter

laugh no mo'. But bimeby he 'gun ter take notice

WHY THE TURKEY BUZZARD IS BALD-HEADED 159
dat ever'thing wa' n't des like it use ter be. He 'low, ' Somebody done been here while I 'm gone, an' whoever 'twuz, is got a mighty bad brefiV He keep still, kaze 'twuz mighty dark in de holler, but
he keep on wigglin' his nose an'
"Long todes.night, er maybe a little later, Brer Rabbit come home"
tryin' ter sneeze. Bimeby, he say, 'I dunner who 'twuz; all I know, is dat he better go seede doctor.'
"Dis 'uz too. much fer oF Miss Buzzard, an' she say, 'I thank you kin'ly, Brer Rabbit! Youer in de way er makin' frien's wharsomever you go!' Brer Rabbit, he jump mos' out 'n his skin, he

160"

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

wuz so skeer'd. He cotch his breff an' sneeze, an'

den lie 'low, 'Heyo, Sis Buzzard! is dat you? I

thought you stayed in de trees. What win' blow

you here, an' how is oF Brer Buzzard?' She say,

'Oh, he 's doin' ez well ez you kin speck a man

ter do; he 's 'way fum home when he oughter be

dar, an' when he 's dar, he 's in de way. Men

folks is monstus tryin', Brer Rabbit; you know

dat yo'se'f.' Brer Rabbi* %w, 'I ain't 'sputin'

what you say, but when wimmen gits out er sorts,

an' has de all-overs, ez you may say, de men folks

has ter b'ar de brunt er der ailments. You kin put

dat down fer a fack.'

"Dey went on dat a-way, 'sputin' 'bout de seek

twel ol' Miss Buzzard 'gun ter git sleepy. She say,

'Brer Rabbit, ef you took mo' time for sleep,

you 'd be lots better off.' Brer Rabbit 'low, 'May

be so -- maybe so, Sis Buzzard, but I can't help

my habits. I'm a light sleeper, but I wuz born so,

an' if you so much ez move endurin' er de night

I'll have one eye open.' OF Miss Buzzard say,

*Ef dat 's de case, Brer Rabbit, I '11 thank you

fer ter wake me ef you hear a snake crawlin'.

WHY THE TURKEY BUZZARD IS BALD-HEADED 161
Dey ain't many things I 'm afeard un, an' one uv um is a snake.' Brer Rabbit laugh hearty, an' low, 'Ef snakes wuz all dat trouble me, Sis Buzzard, I 'd be mo' dan happy. Many an' many's de time when I uv woke up an' foun' um quiled up in my britches laig.' Miss Buzzard, she sorter flutter her wings, an' say, 'Oh, hush, Brer Rabbit! you gi' me de creeps; you sho do.'
"Dat 'uz de fust night," said Uncle Remus, flinging away a quid of tobacco and taking a fresh one. "By de nex' day ol' Miss Buzzard had done took up her 'bode an' lodgin' whar Brer Rabbit wuz livin'at. He ain't say nothin', kaze he des waitin' de time when he kin play some kinder prank on her an' her fambly. All dat he need fer ter brace 'im up wuz ter have a mighty strong stomach, an' he thank de Lord dat he got dat. Time went on, an' ez any kinder soun' egg will hatch ef you gi' it time, so ol' Miss Buzzard egg hatch, an' mos' 'fo' you know it, ef you ain't hat ter live dar like Brer Rabbit, she hatch out her eggs an' have a pair er mighty likely chillun, ef you kin call Buzzards likely.

162

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

"Ol' Miss Buzzard wuz monstus proud er deze

young uns, an' de time come when she wuz hard

put ter git um vittles. She 'd fly off an' dey 'd

"01' Miss Buzzard wuz monstus proud er deze young uns"
holler fer sump'n ter eat when dey hear 'er come back, an' it got so atter while dat dey 'd hatter go hongry, dey wuz so ravenous. An' den she 'gun ter look sideways at Brer Rabbit. He knew mighty well what she thinkin' 'bout, but he ain't say nothin'. He 'd come an' go des like ol' Miss Buzzard want in de back part er her head, but all de time, he know'd what she plannin' ter do, an' he ack accordin'. He low ter ol' Miss Buzzard dat

WHY THE TURKEY BUZZARD IS BALD-HEADED 163

he know she wanter be kinder private when she

raisin' a fambly, an' ez dey wuz two hollers in de

tree, he say he gwinter make his home in de

yuther one. Miss Buzzard, she say, she did, dat

Brer Rabbit wuz mighty good fer ter be thinkin'

'bout yuther people, but Brer Rabbit make a bow

an' say he been raise dat a-way.

"But 'fo' Brer Rabbit went in de yuther holler

he made sho dat dey wuz mo' dan one way er

gittin'out. Hewentindar, | he did, an' scratch

about an'make ' ^

a new bed, an'

den he git in

it fer ter git it

warm. He set

dar wid one

eye open an'

t'er one shot.

He sot so still

dat oF Miss

Buzzard got

de idee dat he
"He sot so still dat ol.

gone abroad,

Buzzard got de idee dat he gone abroad

164

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

an' so when her chillun cry fer dey dinner, she

say, 'Don't cry, honey babies; mammy gwine

ter git you a

good warm dinner 'fo'

long, an' it '11
be fresh meat,
too, you kin 'pen' on dat.'

De chillun, dey

cry wuss at dis,

k a z e dey so

hongry dey

don't wanter

" Went off ter his laughin'-place

wait a minnit. Dey say,' Git it

now, mammy! git it now!' OF Brer Rabbit wuz

settin' in dar lis'nin', an' he 'low ter hisse'f, 'It'll

tas'e mighty good when you does git it, honey

babies!' Wid dat, he skip out fum dar, an' went

off ter his laughin'-place."

"Atter so long a time, oF Miss Buzzard went

'roun' ter de yuther holler, an' peep in. Ef Brer

WHY THE TURKEY BUZZARD IS BALD-HEADED 165
Rabbit had 'a' been in dar, she wuz gwineter ax 'im how he like his new house, but he wa' n't dar,
"She 'uz mighty glad dot Brer Rabbit wa'n't dar"
an' she hove a long breff, kaze when you gwineter do mischief, it seem like eve'ybody know what

166

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

you gwineter do. Anyhow, she 'uz mighty glad

dat Brer Rabbit wa' n't dar fer ter look at 'er wid

his pop-eyes. Den she tell her chillun dat she

gwine off atter some vittles, an' she flop 'er wings

a time er two, an' off she flew'd.

"Dey got 'long tollable well dat day an' de

nex' but 'twant long 'fo' der craw 'gun ter feel

like a win'-bag, an' den dey set up a cry fer mo'

vittles, an' der mammy ain't got no vittles fer ter

gi' um. Brer Rabbit went abroad mighty soon dat

day, an' atter he had his fill er fun an' turnip

greens he come home an' went ter bed. He went

ter bed, he did, an' went ter sleep, but he ain't

sleep long, kaze he hear some kinder noise. He

wake up, an' open an' shet his pop-eyes kinder

slow, an' wiggle his mouf an' nose. He kin hear

ol' Miss Buzzard trompin' roun' at his front door,

kinder hummin' a chune ter herself. He say,

'Heyo, dar! who dat projickin' at my front do'?'

OF Miss Buzzard, she say, 'Take yo' res', Brer

Rabbit; 'tain't nobody but me. I got de idee dat

some un wuz pirootin' roun' de place, an' I des

got up fer ter see dat everything wuz all right.'

WHY THE TURKEY BUZZARD IS BALD-HEADED 167
"Brer Rabbit say, 'It's mighty dark in here,' an' 'A mighty good reason,' sez ol' Miss Buzzard, se'she, 'kaze it 's black night out here,' se'she;
"De mornin sun wuz shinin thoo a knot-hole right in Brer Rabbit's face"
you can't see yo' *> han' befo' you,' se'she. Dis make Brer Rabbit laugh, kaze de mornin' sun wuz shinin' thoo a knot-hole right in Brer Rab bit's face. He laugh an' low ter hisse'f, * Shoot yo'

168

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

shekels, ol' 'oman, an' shoot um hard, kaze youer

gwineter git de rough een' er dis business. You

hear my horn!' He hear ol' Miss Buzzard walkin'

roun' out dar, an' he holler out, 'I can't git out!

I b'lieve it 's daytime out dar, an' I can't git

out! Somebody better run here an' he'p me ter

git out. Some un done lock me in my own

house, an' I can't git out! Ain't somebody

gwineter run here an' turn me out! I can't git

a breff er fresh a'r.'

"Well, ol' Miss Buzzard ain't got no mo' sense

dan ter b'lieve Brer Rabbit, an' she wuz des cer

tain an' sho dat he wuz her meat. She say, 'I'm

de one what shet you up in dar, an' I 'm gwine ter

keep you in dar twel youer done dead, an' den

I '11 pull de meat off'n yo' bones, bofe fat an' lean,

an' feed mychillun. I done got you shot upwid red

clay an' white, an' I 'm gwineter keep you in dar

bofe day an' night, twel you ain't got no breff

in you.' Wid dat she went in her own house

an' sot down wid 'er chillun fer ter wait an'

see what gwineter happen. Brer Rabbit he stay

still fer de longes', kaze he one er de mos' fidg-

WHY THE TURKEY BUZZABD IS BALD-HEADED 169
etty creeturs you yever is lay yo' eyes on. He stay right still, he did, twel ol' Miss Turkey Buzzard git tired er waitin' an' come out fer ter promenade up an' down 'fo' Brer Rabbit front do'.
"He hear de ol' huzzy, an' he say, 'I know you des jokin' wid me, Sis Buzzard; please, ma'am, le' me out. My breff gittin' shorter, an' dish yer an' what in here smell mos' ez bad ez what yo' breff do. Please, ma'am, make 'as'e an' let me out.' Den she got mad. 'My breff, I hear you say! Well, 'fo' I git thoo wid you, you won't have no breff--I prommus you dat.' Atter ol' Miss Buz zard went back in her part er de house, Brer Rab bit tuck a notion dat he'd git out er dar, an' pay 'er back fer de ol' an' de new. An' out er his back door he went. He ain't take time fer ter go ter de laughin'-place--no, suh! not him. Stidder dat he put off ter whar he know'd Mr. Man had been cle'rin' up a new groan'. Dey wuz a tin bucket what Mr. Man had done off an' forgot, an' Brer Rabbit tuck dat an' fill it full er red-hot embers, an' went sailin' back home wid it.

170

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

"When he git dar, he stuck his head in Miss

Buzzard do', an' low, 'Peep-eye, Sis Buzzard! I

hope you done had yo' dinner ter day, an' ef you

ain't I got it right here fer you an' you mo' dan

welcome ter all dat's in it.' He ain't mo' dan got

de words out 'n his mouf, 'fo' ol' Miss Buzzard

flew'd out at 'im des like she flew'd out at you, de

yuther day. She flew'd out, she did, but she ain't

flew'd fur 'fo' she got de hot ashes over her head

an' neck, an' de way she hopp'd 'roun'

wuz so scandalious dat folks

calls dat kinder doin's de

buzzard-dance down ter

dis day an' time.

1 "Some er de ashes got

on de little buzzards, an

fum dat time on none

er de buzzard tribe is

had any ha'r er fed-

ders on der head,

an' not much on der

"She got de hot ashes over her head an' neck"

neck. An' ef you look
.
at UHX fight ClOSC,

WHY THE TURKEY BUZZARD IS BALD-HEADED 171
you '11 fin' dat I 'm 'a' tellin' you de plain trufe. i Dey look so ba'r on der head an' neck dat you wanter gi' um a piece er rag fer to tie roun' it ter keep um fum ketchin' col'."

X
BROTHER DEER AN KING SUNS DAUGHTER
IT is only fair to say that the little boy came to the plantation somewhat preju diced. His mother, had never known the advantages of association with the old-time ne groes, and was a great stickler for accuracy of speech. She was very precise in the use of English and could not abide the simple dialect in which the stories had been related to the little boy's father. She was so insistent in this matter that the child's father, when asked for a story such as Uncle Remus had told him, thought it best to avoid the dialect that he knew so well. In conse quence, the essence of the stories was dissipated for the child, and he lacked the enthusiasm which Uncle Remus had hoped to find.
But this enthusiasm came by degrees as Uncle Remus wandered from one tale to another. The
172

I
BROTHER DEER AN KING SUNS DAUGHTER 173
child never told his mother how he enjoyed the stories, and yet he came to play the part that had been played by his father long before he was born, and matters came to such a pass, that, if he was long with Uncle Remus without hearing a story, he straightway imagined that the old man was angry or out of sorts. The lad was gaining in health and strength every day he remained on the plantation, and in consideration of this fact -- and as the result of wise diplomacy of Uncle Remus -- the child's mother relaxed the disci pline that she had thought necessary for his wel fare, so that not many weeks elapsed before his cheeks became ruddy with health. Uncle Remus hailed him as a town rowdy, and declared that the plantation would soon be too small to hold him.
"I pity yo' gran'ma," said Uncle Remus, "kaze ef you stay roun' here, she '11 hatter buy all de 'j'inin' plantations ef she gwineter keep you on her lan'."
There was no more corn to be hauled, but there was harness to be mended, and the little boy, sit-

174

TOLD BY UNCLE BEMUS

ting on a high stool in the workshop, or leaning

against Uncle Remus, watched the operation

with great interest. He observed one day that the

old man was frowning darkly. His forehead was

puckered into knots and seamed with wrinkles

that did not belong there, and his eyebrows were

drawn together over his nose.

"What is the matter with you, Uncle Remus?

Are you angry, or are you going to cry?"

"I '11 tell you de trufe, honey. I 'm mighty nigh

on de p'int er cryin'. You see my face puckered

up, don't you? Well, ef you had ez much on yo'

min' ez what I got on mine, you 'd be boohooin'

same ez a baby. I tell you dat. An' des ter show

you dat I 'm in deep trouble, I '11 ax you ter tell

me how many times dey is."

"How many times? How many times what?"

the child inquired.

Uncle Remus regarded him sorrowfully, and

then returned to his work with a heavy sigh.

"Did I ax you 'bout what? No, I ain't; I ax'd

you 'bout times. I say ez plain ez writin': 'How

many times is dey?' an' you 'spon', 'How many

BROTHER DEER AN' KING SUN'S DAUGHTER 175
times what?' It look mighty funny ter me. Dar's daytime an' night-time, bedtime an' meal-time, an' some time an' no time, an' high time an' fly time, an' long time an' wrong time, 'simmon time an' plum time. Dey ain't no use er talkin'; it 's iiuff fer ter make yo' head swim. I been tryin' fer ter count um up, but de mo' I count um up de mo' dey is."
The little boy looked at the old man with a half-smile on his face. He was plainly puzzled, but he did n't like to admit it even to himself. "Why do you want to know how many times there are?" he asked.
"Kaze I wanter live an' 1'arn," replied Uncle Remus. "Le' me see," he went on, puckering his face again. "Dars de oP time an' de new time, de col' time an' de due time -- bless yo' soul, honey, I can't count um up. No, suh; you '11 hatter skusen me!"
He paused and looked at the little boy to see what the child could make out of all he had said.
He saw nothing in the small countenance but

176

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

curiosity. "What made you think of it?" was the

question the child asked.

"Mos' eve'ything I see make me think 'bout it,

an' you '11 think 'bout it you'se'f, when you come

ter be ol' ez what I is. But de reason it wuz run-

nin' in my head dis time wuz kaze I start ter tell a

tale widout knowin' when de time wuz. I know it

wuz 'way back yander, but de mont' er de year I

can't tell, an' when I try ter fix on de time eve'y

thing look dim an' smoky, an' I say ter myse'f

dat dey mus' be a fog in my mind."

"Can't you tell the story unless you can find

out about the time?" inquired the little boy.

"Tooby sho' I kin, honey; but you 'd b'lieve it

lots quicker ef you know'd what time it happen.

'Fo' yo' great-gran'ma died she had a trunk fulJ

er ollymenacks, an' I boun' you ef I had 'em here

whar you could look at um, we would n't have no

trouble. I speck dey done got strow'd about

endurin' er de war time.

"Well, anyhow, once 'pon a time, when dey

wuz mighty few folks in de worl', ef any, Brer

Deer fell in love wid ol' King Sun's daughter."

BROTHER DEER AN KING SUNS DAUGHTER 177
Having made this preliminary statement, Uncle Remus paused to see what effect it had on the child. Amazement and incredulity were written on the little boy's face, observing which the old man smiled. "You nee'nter git de idee in yo' head dat ol' King Sun is like he wuz in dem days. No, bless you! He wuz des ez diffunt ez dem times wuz fum deze times, an' when you git ter readin' in de books you '11 fin' out. what de diffunce wuz. He wuz closer by, an' he ain't hide out at night like he does now. He wuz up in de sky, but he ain't live ez high up; he wuz mo' neighborly, ez you may say.
"He live so close by dat he useter sen' de house-gal down ter de spring fer drinkin'-water. Three times a day she 'd come ter fetch it; she 'd clime down wid de bucket in her han' an' she 'd clime back wid de bucket on her head, an' she 'd sing bofe ways, comin' an' gwine. In dem times dey all know 'd dat ol' King Sun had a daughter, but dey ain't know what 'er name is; an' dey know she wuz purty. Well, Brer Deer he hear talk un 'er, an' he tuck a notion dat he gwineter mar-

178

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

ry 'er, but he dunner how he gwineter git up dar

whar she live at. He study an' study, but he can't

fin' no way.

"He was settin' down by de road studyin' out a

plan fer ter git word ter de gal, when ol' Brer

Rabbit come lopin' down de lane. He mus' a been

playin' hoss, kaze when he see Brer Deer, he shied

an' sneezed, he did, an' make like he gwineter

run away. But he ain't run. He pass de time er

day wid Brer Deer an' ax 'im how his copper-

osity seem to segashuate. Brer Deer 'low dat his

copperosity is segashuatin' all right, but he got

trouble in his min' an' he can't git it out. He

looked mighty sollumcolly when he say dis, an'

Brer Rabbit say he sorry.

"He sot down, Brer Rabbit did, an' cross his

legs, an' rub his chin same like de doctor do when

he gwineter slap a dose er bitter truck on yo' in-

sides. He rub his chin, he did, an' look like he

know all dey is fer ter be know'd. He say, 'Brer

Deer, when I wuz growin' up I useter hear de ol'

folks say dat a light heart made a long life, an'

I b'lieve um. I sho' does. Dey know'd what dey

BROTHER DEER AN' KING SUN'S DAUGHTER 179
wuz talkin' 'bout, kaze I done had de speunce un
it.
"Brer Deer shuck his head an' grieve. Ef he'd 'a' had a hankcher, he 'a' had need un it right den an' dar, but he wink his eye fas' fer ter git de tears out 'n um. He 'low, 'I speck youer tellin' me de trufe, Brer Rabbit, but I can't he'p it ef you is. I am what I am, an' I can't be no ammer. I feels mo' like cryin' dan I does like eatin', an' I'm dat fractious dat I can't skacely see straight. OF Mr. Ram tol' me howdy a while ago, an' I ain't done a thing but run at 'im an butt him slonchways. You nee'nter tell me dat I ain't got no business fer ter do dat a-way; I des can't he'p it.'
"Brer Rabbit kinder edge hisse'f away fum Brer Deer. He say, 'Dat bein' de case, Brer Deer, I speck I better gi' you mo' room. When I lef home dis mornin' my ol' 'oman 'low: "You better take keer er yo'se'f, honey," an' I'm gwineter do dat identual thing. I dunno dat I'm skeered er gittin' hurted, but I'm monstus ticklish when de horned creeturs is roun'.' Brer

180

TOLD BY UNCLE EEMUS

Deer say: 'You nee'nter be fear'd er me, Brer

Rabbit. I been knowin' you a long time, an'

many 's de night dat we bofe graze in de same

pastur', you a-nibblin' on de green grass an' me

a-crappin' it. I 'm monstus glad I run 'cross you,

kaze ef I can't tell my troubles ter some un, I

b'lieve in my soul I '11 bust wide open.'

"Wid dat Brer Deer went on fer ter tell Brer

Rabbit dat he done fell dead in love wid ol' King

Sun's daughter. He dunner how come it ter be so,

but anyhow so it is. He ain't had no talk wid 'er;

he ain't mo' dan cotch a glimp' er de gal, yet dar

he wuz dead in love wid 'er. Brer Rabbit mought

laugh at 'im ef he wanter; he'll des set dar an'

take it. He talk an' talk, he did, twel Brer Rabbit

got right sorry fer 'im. He sot dar, he did, an'

study, an' he tell Brer Deer dat he'll he'p 'im ef

he kin, an' he mos' know he kin.

"Brer Deer raise his head, an' open his eyes.

He say, 'Brer Rabbit, you 'stonish me--you

sho' does. Ef you'll he'p me out in dis, I'll stan'

by you thoo thick an' thin.' But Brer Rabbit say

he ain't doin' it fer no pay; he done lay by his

"Brer Deer went onfer ter tell Brer Rabbit"

BROTHER DEER AN' KING SUN'S DAUGHTER 181
crap, an' he ain't got nothin' much ter do, an' he say he'll he'p Brer Deer des fer ter keep his han' in. Brer Deer look like he wuz might'ly holp up. Fust he smole a smile, an' den he broke out in a laugh. He say, 'Youer de man fer my money!'
"Brer Rabbit kinder wiggle his nose. He say, 'Ef you keep yo' money twel you think you got too much, you'll have it by you fer many a long year ter come.' Wid dat, he got up an' bresh de dus' off'n his britches, an' shuck han's wid Brer Deer. He say, 'I hope fer ter have some good news fer you de nex' time we meet in de big road.' He bowed, he did, an' den off he put, lippity-clip. He look back fer ter see ef Brer Deer wuz follerin' 'im, but Brer Deer had sense 'nuff fer ter hunt 'im a cool place in de woods, whar he kin take de fust nap what he had in many a night an' day.
"Brer Rabbit lope off todes de spring, kaze he know'd dat de spring wuz de place whar King Sun's house-gal come atter water--an' she hatter tote a mighty heap un it. It look like de mo' water what King Sun drunk de mo' he want,

182

TOLD BY UNCLE BEMUS

an' dat bein' de case, de gal had 'bout ez much,

totin' ez she kin do. Brer Rabbit went down ter

de spring, but dey wa'n't nobody dar, an' he look

in it an' see hisse'f in de water. Dar he wuz, his

ha'r all comb, his face clean, an' he look slicker

dan sin. He laugh, he did, an' say ter de Rabbit

what he see in de water, 'You sho' is mighty

good-lookin', whoever you is, an' ef you blame

anybody, don't blame me, kaze I can't he'p it.'

"Now, down at de bottom er de spring wuz ol'

man Spring Lizzard. He wuz takin' his mornin'

nap, when we hear some un talkin'. He raise up,

he did, an' lissen; den he look an' see Brer Rab

bit lookin' at hisse'f*in de water, an' he holler out,

'Maybe you ain't ez good-lookin' ez you think

you is.' Brer Rabbit holler back, 'Hello, dar! dis

is de fus time I know'd dat yo' shadder in de

water kin talk back at you.'

" Wid dat, Mr. Spring Lizzard come fum under

de green moss, an' float ter de top er de water.

He pass de time er day wid Brer Rabbit, an' ax

'im whar he gwine, an' what he gwine ter do

when he git dar. Brer Rabbit 'low dat he tryin*

BROTHER DEER AN' KING SUN'S DAUGHTER 183
fer ter do a good turn ter a frien' what's in trouble an' den he went on an' toF de ol' Spring Lizzard 'bout Brer Deer an' King Sun's daughter. De Spring Lizzard say she's a mighty likely gal, kaze he seed her one time when she slip off an' come wid de house-gal atter water. He say she got long ha'r dat look like spun silk, an' eyes dat shine like de mornin' star.
"Brer Rabbit say he don't 'spute it, but what he wanter know is how he kin git word ter King Sun 'bout Brer Deer. De Spring Lizzard say dat's easy. He say dat when de house-gal come atter water, she hatter let down de step-ladder, an' Brer Rabbit kin slip by'er an' go up, er he hisse'f kin git in de bucket an' go up. Brer Rabbit say he kinder jub'us 'bout gwine, kaze he's a kinder home body, an' den de Spring Lizzard 'low dat ef Brer Deer will write a note, he'll take it.
"Well, Brer Deer can't write an' Brer Rabbit kin; so dey fix it up 'twix' urn, an' 'twant long 'fo' dey had de note writ, an' Brer Rabbit tuck it an' gi' it ter de Spring Lizzard. He say, 'Don't let it git wet, whatever you does,' and de Spring Liz-

184

TOLD BY TJNCLE REMUS

zard ax how it gwineter git wet when he put it in

his pocket? He say dat eve'ybody but him, de

fishes an' de frogs got a wrong idee 'bout water,

kaze 'tain't wet ez it mought be, 'ceppin' on a

rainy day.

"Time went on des like it do now; night swung

by an' day sivung in, an' here come King Sun's

house-gal atter a bucket er water. She let down

de step-ladder an' come singin' ter de spring. She

drapped her bucket in, an' de Spring Lizzard

stepped in, an' crope roun' ter whar de shadder

wuz de heaviest. De gal clomb up de step-ladder,

an' pulled it atter her, an' went 'long de path ter

King Sun's house. She took de water in de settin'-

room fer ter gi' King Sun a fresh drink, an' he

grabbed up de gourd an' drunk an' drunk twel it

look like he gwineter bust. Atter dat he went in

de liberry, an' de Spring Lizzard crope out an'

lef' Brer Deer note on de table, an' den he crope

back in de bucket.

"Atter while, King Sun's daughter come

bouncin' in de room atter a drink er water, an'

she see de note. She grab it up an' read it, an' den

BROTHER DEER AN' KING SUN'S DAUGHTER 185
she holler: 'Pa, oh, pa! here's a letter fer you, an' I mos' know dey's sump'n in it 'bout me! La! I dunner who 't is dat's got de impidence fer ter put my name in a letter.' OF King Sun run his fingers thoo his beard, des like he combin' it, an' den he cle'r up his thoat. He take de letter an'hoi'
|
it off fum 'im, an' den put on his specks. He 'low, 'Well, well, well! who'd a thunk it?' an' den he look at his daughter. She look at de flo' an' pat< 'er foot. He say, 'I ain't never hear er sech im pidence.' De gal 'low, 'What do he say, pa?' Wid dat, he han' 'er de letter, an' when she read it, she got red in de face, an' den she got white. She think one way, an' den she think an'er. She got mad an' she got glad, an' den she had de allovers, des like gals does deze days when some un ax um fer ter have um.
"So den, dar 'twuz; Brer Deer want ter marry de gal, an' de gal dunner whedder she wanter marry er not. Den oF King Sun got his pen, an' put a little water in de ink, kaze it wuz mighty nigh dried up, an' den he writ a letter back ter Brer Deer. He say dat ef de one what writ de let-

186

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

ter will sen' 'im a bag er gold, he kin have de gal.

He foP de letter up an' han' it ter de gal, an' she

not knowin' what else ter do, tuck an' put it on

de table whar she fin' de yuther one.

"De Spring Lizzard had his eye on 'er, an'

when she went out'n de room, he clomb up on

de table an' got de letter, an' went back in de

bucket ag'in. Dat evenin' de house-gal hatter

fetch water fer de night, an' she let down de step-

ladder an' went ter de spring. When she dip de

bucket in, de Spring Lizzard, he slide out, an'

went ter his bed un' de long green moss. 'Twant

long 'fo' Brer Rabbit had de letter, an' atter dat,

'twant no time 'fo' Brer Deer know'd what de

intents wuz. 'Twix' an' 'twen um dey got up a

bag er gold, an' Brer Rabbit tuck it ter de spring

whar de house-gal got water.

"De nex' mornin' de daughter come 'erse'f,

kaze she wanter see what kinder man Brer Deer

is. At de spring she fin' a bag er gold. She clap 'er

ban's an' holler out: 'Look what I fin'--fin',

fin', fin'y! It's min'--min', min', min'y!' Brer

Rabbit wuz settin' in de bushes, an' Brer Deer

BROTHER DEER AN' KING SUN'S DAUGHTER 187
wa'n't fur off, an' dey bofe watch de gal aprancin' an' dancin'; an' den, bimeby Brer Deer went out whar she kin see 'im, an' he des walk up ter 'er an' say, 'Look what I fin'; honey, youer mine!' An' dat 'uz de way Brer Deer got ol' King Sun's daughter."

XI
BROTHER RABBIT'S CRADLE
I WISH you'd tell me what you tote a hankcher fer," remarked Uncle Remus, after he had reflected over the matter a little while. "Why, to keep my mouth clean," answered the little boy.
Uncle Remus looked at the lad, and shook his head doubtfully. "Uh-uh!" he exclaimed. "You can't fool folks when dey git ez ol' what I is. I been watchin' you now mo' days dan I kin count, an' I ain't never see yo' mouf dirty 'nuff fer ter be wiped wid a hankcher. It 's allers clean -- too clean ter suit me. Dar's yo' pa, now; when he wuz a little chap like you, his mouf useter git dirty in de mornin' an' stay dirty plum twel night. Dey wa' sca'cely a day dat he did n't look like he been playin' wid de pigs in de stable lot. Ef he yever is tote a hankcher, he ain't never show it ter me."
188

BROTHER RABBITS CRADLE

9

"He carries one now," remarked the little boy

with something like a triumphant look on his

face.

"Tooby sho'," said Uncle Eemus; "tooby sho'

he do. He start ter totin' one when he tuck an'

tuck a notion ferter goa-courtin'. It had his name

in one cornder, an' he useter sprinkle it wid stuff

out'n a pepper-sauce bottle. It sho' wuz rank, dat

stuff wuz; it smell so sweet it make you fergit

whar you live at. I take notice dat you ain't got

none on yone."

"No; mother says that cologne or any kind of

perfumery on your handkerchief makes you

common."

Uncle Remus leaned his head back, closed his

eyes, and permitted a heartrending groan to issue

from his lips. The little boy showed enough anx

iety to ask him what the matter was. "Nothin'

much, honey; I wuz des tryin' fer ter count how

many diffunt kinder people dey is in dis big worP,

an' 'fo'I got mo' dan half done wid my countin', a

pain struck me in my mizry, an' I had ter break

off."

190

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

"I know what you mean," said the child.

"You think mother is queer; grandmother thinks

so too."

"How come you ter be so wise, honey?" Uncle

Remus inquired, opening his eyes wide with as

tonishment.

"I know by the way you talk, and by the way

grandmother looks sometimes," answered the

little boy.

Uncle Remus said nothing for some time.

When he did speak, it was to lead the little boy to

believe that he had been all the time engaged in

thinking about something else. "Talkin' er dirty

folks," he said, "you oughter seed yo' pa when

he wuz a little bit er chap. Dey wuz long days

when you couldn't tell ef he wuz black er white,

he wuz dat dirty. He'd come out'n de big house

in de mornin' ez clean ez a new pin, an' 'fo' ten

er-clock you could n't tell what kinder clof his

cloze wuz made out'n. Many's de day when I've

seed ol' Miss -- dat's yo' great-gran'mammy --

comb 'nuff trash out'n his head fer ter fill a bas

ket."

BROTHER RABBIT'S CRADLE

191

The little boy laughed at the picture that

Uncle Remus drew of his father. "He's very

clean now," said the lad loyally.

"Maybe he is an' maybe he ain't," remarked

Uncle Remus, suggesting a doubt. "Dat's needer

here ner dar. Is he any better off clean dan what

he wuz when you could n't put yo' han's on 'im

widout havin' ter go an' wash um? Yo' gran'-

mammy useter call 'im a pig, an' clean ez he may

be now, I take notice dat he makes mo' com

plaint er headache an' de heartburn dan what he

done when he wuz runnin' roun' here half-naked

an' full er mud. I hear tell dat some nights he

can't git no sleep, but when he wuz little like you

--no, suh, I'll not say dat, bekaze he wuz bigger

dan what you is fum de time he kin toddle roun'

widout nobody he'pin' him; but when he wuz ol'

ez you an' twice ez big, dey ain't narry night dat

he can't sleep--an' not only all night, but half de

day ef dey'd 'a' let 'im. Dey ought ter let you

run roun' here like he done, an' git dirty. Dey

ain't nothin' mo' wholesomer dan a peck er two

er clean dirt on a little chap like you."

192

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

There is no telling what comment the child

would have made on this sincere tribute to clean

dirt, for his attention was suddenly attracted to

something that was gradually taking shape in the

hands of Uncle Remus. At first it seemed to be

hardly worthy of notice, for it had been only a

thin piece of board. But now the one piece had

become four pieces, two long and two short, and

under the deft manipulations of Uncle Remus it

soon assumed a boxlike shape.

The old man had reached the point of his work

where silence was necessary to enable him to do it

full justice. As he fitted the thin boards together,

a whistling sound issued from his lips, as though

he were letting off steam; but the singular noise

was due to the fact that he was completely ab

sorbed in his work. He continued to fit and

trim, and trim and fit, until finally the little boy

could no longer restrain his curiosity. "Uncle

Remus, what are you making?" he asked

plaintively.

"Larroes fer ter kech meddlers," was the

prompt and blunt reply.

BROTHER RABBIT'S CRADLE

193

"Well, what are larroes to catch meddlers ?'*

the child insisted.

"Nothin' much an' sump'n mo'. Dicky, Dicky,

killt a chicky, an' fried it quicky, in de oven, like

a sloven. Den ter his daddy's Sunday hat, he tuck

'n' hitched de oF black cat. Now what you reckon

make him do dat? Ef you can't tell me word fer

word an' spellin' fer spellin' we '11 go out an'

come in an' take a walk."

He rose, grunting as he did so, thus paying an

unintentional tribute to the efficacy of age as the

partner of rheumatic aches and stiff joints. "You

hear me gruntin'," he remarked -- "well, dat's

bekaze I ain't de chicky fried by Dicky, which he

e't 'nuff fer ter make 'im sicky." As he went out

the child took his hand, and went trotting along

by his side, thus affording an interesting study for

those who concern themselves with the extremes

of life. Hand in hand the two went out into the

fields, and thence into the great woods, where

Uncle Remus, after searching about for some

time, carefully deposited his oblong box, remark

ing: "Ef I don't make no mistakes, dis ain't so

194

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

mighty fur fum de place whar de creeturs has der

playgroun', an' dey ain't no tellin' but what one

un um '11 creep in dar when deyer playin' hidin',

an' ef he do, he '11 sho' be our meat."

"Oh, it's a trap!" exclaimed the little boy, his

face lighting up with enthusiasm.

" An' dey wa' n't nobody here fer ter tell you!"

Uncle Remus declared, astonishment in his tone.

"Well, ef dat don't bang my time, I ain't no free

nigger. Now, ef dat had 'a' been yo' pa at de same

age, I'd 'a' had ter tel 'im forty-lev'm times, an'

den he would n't 'a' b'lieved me twel he see

sump'in in dar tryin' fer ter git out. Den he'd

say it wuz a trap, but not befo'. I ain't blamin'

'im," Uncle Remus went on, "kaze 'tain't eve'y

chap dat kin tell a trap time he see it, an' mo'

dan dat, traps don' allers ketch what dey er

sot fer."

He paused, looked all around, and up in the

sky, where fleecy clouds were floating lazily

along, and in the tops of the trees, where the

foliage was swaying gently in the breeze. Then

he looked at the little boy. "Ef I ain't gone an'

BROTHER BABBIT'S CRADLE

195

got los'," he said, " ain't so mighty fur fum de

place whar Mr. Man, once 'pon a time -- not yo'

time ner yit my time, but some time -- tuck 'n'

sot a trap fer Brer Rabbit. In dem days, dey

had n't 1'arnt how to be kyarpenters, an' dish yer

trap what I'm tellin' you 'bout wuz a great big

contraption. Big ez Brer Rabbit wuz, it wuz lots

too big fer him.

"Now, whiles Mr. Man wuz fixin' up dis trap,

Mr. Rabbit wa' n't so mighty fur off. He hear de

saw -- er-rash! er-rash! -- an' he hear de ham

mer -- bang, bang, bang! -- an' he ax hisse'f

what all dis racket wuz 'bout. He see Mr. Man

come out'n his yard totin' sump'n, an' he got

furder off; he see Mr. Man comin' todes de

bushes, an' he tuck ter de woods; he see

'im comin' todes de woods, an' he tuck ter

de bushes. Mr. Man tote de trap so fur

an' no furder. He put it down, he did, an'

Brer Rabbit watch 'im; he put in de bait, an'

Brer Rabbit watch 'im; he fix de trigger, an'

still Brer Rabbit watch 'im. Mr. Man look at de

trap an' it satchify him. He look at it an' laugh,

196

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

an' when he do dat, Brer Rabbit wunk one eye,

an' wiggle his mustache, an' chaw his cud.

"An' dat ain't all he do, needer. He sot out in

de bushes, he did, an' study how ter git some

game in de trap. He study so hard, an' he got so

errytated, dat he thumped his behime foot on de

groun' twel it soun' like a cow dancin' out dar in

de bushes, but 'twant no cow, ner yit no calf --

'twuz des Brer Rabbit studyin'. Atter so long a

time, he put out down de road todes dat part er

de country whar mos' er de creeturs live at.

Eve'y time he hear a fuss, he 'd dodge in de

bushes, kaze he wanter see who comin'. He keep

on an' he keep on, an' bimeby he hear oF Brer

Wolf trottin' down de road.

"It so happen dat Brer Wolf wuz de ve'y one

what Brer Rabbit wanter see. Dey was perlite ter

one an'er, but dey wa' n't no frien'ly feelin' 'twixt

um. Well, here come ol' Brer Wolf, hongrier dan

a chicken-hawk on a frosty mornin', an' ez he

come up he see Brer Rabbit settin' by de side er

de road lookin' like he done los' all his fambly

an' his friends ter boot.

BROTHER RABBIT'S CRADLE

197

"Dey pass de time er day, an' den Brer Wolf

kinder grin an' say, 'Laws-a-massy, Brer Rabbit,

what ail you? You look like you done had a spell

er fever an' ague; what de trouble?' 'Trouble,

Brer Wolf? You ain't never see no trouble twel

you git whar I 'm at. Maybe you would n't min'

it like I does, kaze I ain't usen ter it. But I boun'

you done seed me light-minded fer de las' time.

I 'm done -- I 'm plum wo' out,' sez Brer Rabbit,

sezee. Dis make Brer Wolf open his eyes wide.

He say, 'Dis de fus time I ever is hear you talk

dat a-way, Brer Rabbit; take yo' time an' tell me

'bout it. I ain't had my brekkus yit, but dat don't

make no diffunce, long ez youer in trouble. I '11

he'p you out ef I kin, an' mo' dan dat, I '11 put

some heart in de work.' When he say dis, he grin

an' show his tushes, an' Brer Rabbit kinder edge

'way fum 'im. He say, 'Tell me de trouble, Brer

Rabbit, an' I '11 do my level bes' fer ter he'p you

out.'

"Wid dat, Brer Rabbit 'low dat Mr. Man

done been hire him fer ter take keer er his truck

patch, an'keep out de minks, de mush-rats, an' de

198

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

weasels. He say dat he done so well settin' up

night alter night, when he des might ez well been

in bed, dat Mr. Man prommus 'im sump'n extry

'sides de mess er greens what he gun 'im eve'y

day. Atter so long a time, he say, Mr. Man 'low

dat he gwineter make 'im a present uv a cradle so

he kin rock de little Rabs ter sleep when dey cry.

So said, so done, he say. Mr. Man make de cradle

an' tell Brer Rabbit he kin take it home wid' im.

He start out wid it, he say, but it got so heavy

he hatter set it down in de woods, an' dat 's de

reason why Brer Wolf seed 'im settin' down by de

side er de road, lookin' like he in deep trouble.

Brer Wolf sot down, he did, an' study, an' bime-

by he say he 'd like mighty well fer ter have a

cradle fer his chillun, long ez cradles wuz de

style. Brer Rabbit say dey been de style fer de

longest, an' ez fer Brer Wrolf wantin' one, he say

he kin have de one what Mr. Man make fer him,

kaze it 's lots too big fer his chillun. 'You know

how folks is,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee. 'Dey try ter

do what dey dunner how ter do, an' dar 's der

house bigger dan a barn, an' dar 's de fence wid

BROTHER RABBIT'S CRADLE

199

mo' holes in it dan what dey is in a saine, an'

kaze dey have great big chillun dey got de idee

dat eve'y cradle what dey make mus' fit der own

chillun. An' dat 's how come I can't tote de

cradle what Mr. Man make fer me mo' dan ten

steps at a time.'

"Brer Wolf ax Brer Rabbit what he gwineter

do fer a cradle, an' Brer Rabbit 'low he kin man

age fer ter git long wid de ol' one twel he kin

'suade Mr. Man ter make 'im an'er one, an' he

don't speck dat '11 be so mighty hard ter do. Brer

Wolf can't he'p but b'lieve dey's some trick in it,

an' he say he ain't see de ol' cradle when las' he

wuz at Brer Rabbit house. Wid dat, Brer Rabbit

bust out laughin'. He say, 'Dat 's been so long

back, Brer Wolf, dat I done fergit all 'bout it;

'sides dat, ef dey wuz a cradle dar, I boun' you

my ol' 'oman got better sense dan ter set it

in de parler, whar comp'ny comes; an' he laugh

so loud an' long dat he make Brer Wolf right

shame er himse'f.

"He 'low, ol' Brer Wolf did, 'Come on, Brer

Rabbit, an' show me whar de cradle is. Ef it 's

200

TOLD BY UNCLE BEMTJS

too big fer yo' chillun, it '11 des 'bout fit mine.'

An' so off dey put ter whar Mr. Man done sot his

trap. 'Twant so mighty long 'fo' dey got whar

dey wuz gwine, an' Brer Rabbit say, 'Brer Wolf,

dar yo' cradle, an' may it do you mo' good dan

it's yever done me!' Brer Wolf walk all roun' de

trap an' look at it like 'twuz live. Brer Rabbit

thump one er his behime foots on de groun' an'

Brer Wolf jump like some un done shot a gun

right at 'im. Dis make Brer Rabbit laugh twel

he can't laugh no mo'. Brer Wolf, he say he

kinder nervious 'bout dat time er de year, an'

de leas' little bit er noise '11 make 'im jump. He

ax how he gwineter git any purchis on de cradle,

an' Brer Rabbit say he '11 hatter git inside an'

walk wid it on his back, kaze dat de way he

done done.

"Brer Wolf ax what all dem contraptions on

de inside is, an' Brer Rabbit 'spon' dat dey er de

rockers, an' dey ain't no needs fer ter be skeer'd

un um, kaze dey ain't nothin' but plain wood.

Brer Wolf say he ain't 'zackly skeer'd, but he

done got ter de p'int whar he know dat you better

BROTHER RABBIT'S CRADLE

201

look 'fo' you jump. Brer Rabbit 'low dat ef dey's

any jumpin' fer ter be done, he de one ter do it,

an' lie talk like he done fergit what dey come fer.

Brer Wolf, he fool an' fumble roun', but bimeby

he walk in de cradle, sprung de trigger, an' dar

he wuz! Brer Rabbit, he holler out, 'Come on,

Brer Wolf; des hump yo'se'f, an' I '11 be wid you.'

But try ez he will an' grunt ez he may, Brer Wolf

can't budge dat trap. Bimeby Brer Rabbit git

tired er waitin' an' he say dat ef Brer Wolf ain't

gwineter come on he 's gwine home. He 'low dat

a frien' what say he gwineter he'p you, an' den go

in a cradle an' drap off ter sleep, dat's all he

wanter know 'bout um; an' wid dat he made fer

de bushes, an' he wa' n't a minnit too soon, kaze

here come Mr. Man fer ter see ef his trap had

been sprung. He look, he did, an' sho' nuff, it 'uz

sprung, an' dey wuz sump'n in dar, too, kaze he

kin hear it rustlin' roun' an' kickin' fer ter git

out.

"Mr. Man look thoo de crack, an' he see Brer

Wolf, which he wuz so skeer'd twel his eye look

right green. Mr. Man say, 'Aha! I got you, is I?

202

TOLD BY UNCLE REML'S

Brer Wolf say, 'Who?' Mr. Man laugh twel he

can't sca'cely talk, an' still Brer Wolf say, 'Who?

Who you think you got?' Mr. Man 'low, 'I don't

think, I knows. Youer ol' Brer Rabbit, dat 's who

you is.' Brer Wolf say, 'Turn me outer here, an'

I '11 show you who I is.' Mr. Man laugh fit ter

kill. He 'low, 'You neenter change yo' voice; I 'd

know you ef I met you in de dark. Youer Brer

Rabbit, dat 's who you is.' Brer Wolf say, 'I

ain't not; dat 's what I 'm not!'

"Mr. Man look thoo de crack ag'in, an' he see

de short years. He 'low, 'You done cut off yo'

long years, but still I knows you. Oh, yes! an' you

done sharpen yo' mouf an' put smut on it -- but

you can't fool me.' Brer Wolf say, 'Nobody ain't

tryin' fer ter fool you. Look at my fine long

bushy tail.' Mr. Man 'low, 'You done tied an'er

tail on behime you, but you can't fool me. Oh, no,

Brer Rabbit! You can't fool me.' Brer Wolf say,

'Look at de ha'r on my back; do dat look like

Brer Rabbit?' Mr. Man 'low, 'You done waller-

ed in de red san', but you can't fool me.'

"Brer Wolf say, 'Look at my long black legs;

BROTHER RABBIT'S CRADLE

203

do dey look like Brer Rabbit?' Mr. Man 'low,

'You kin put an'er j'int in yo' legs, an' you kin

smut um, but you can't fool me.' Brer Wolf say,

'Look at my tushes; does dey look like Brer Rab

bit?' Mr. Man 'low, 'You done got new toofies,

but you can't fool me.' Brer Wolf say, 'Look at

my little eyes; does dey look like Brer Rabbit?'

Mr. Man 'low, 'You kin squinch yo' eyeballs,

but you can't fool me, Brer Rabbit.' Brer Wolf

squall out, 'I ain't not Brer Rabbit, an'you better

turn me out er dis place so I kin take hide an

ha'r off 'n Brer Rabbit.' Mr. Man say, 'Ef bofe

hide an' ha'r wuz off, I 'd know you, kaze 'tain't

in you fer ter fool me.' An' it hurt Brer Wolf

feelin's so bad fer Mr. Man ter 'spute his word, dat

he bust out inter a big boo-boo, an' dat 's 'bout

all I know."

"Did the man really and truly think that

Brother Wolf was Brother Rabbit?" asked the

little boy.

"When you pin me down dat a-way," re

sponded Uncle Remus, "I 'm bleeze ter tell you

dat I ain't too certain an' sho' 'bout dat. De tale

204

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

come down fum my great-grandaddy's great-

grandaddy; it come on down ter my daddy, an'

des ez he gun it ter me, des dat a-way I done gun

it ter you."

XII

BROTHER RABBIT AND BROTHER BULL-FROG

I

that the little boy got permission to go to mill with Uncle Remus was to

be long remembered. It was a bran

new experience to the city-bred child, and he

enjoyed it to the utmost. It is true that Uncle

Remus did n't go to mill in the old-fashioned

way, but even if the little chap had known of the

old-fashioned way, his enjoyment would not have

been less. Instead of throwing a bag of corn on

the back of a horse, and perching himself on top

in an uneasy and a precarious position, Uncle

Remus placed the corn in a spring wagon, helped

the little boy to climb into the seat, clucked to

the horse, and went along as smoothly and as

rapidly as though they were going to town.

Everything was new to the lad -- the road, the

scenery, the mill, and the big mill-pond, and, best

205

206

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

of all, Uncle Remus allowed him to enjoy himself

in his own way when they came to the end of

their journey. He was such a cautious and timid

child, having little or none of the spirit of adven

ture that is supposed to dominate the young, that

the old negro was sure he would come to no harm.

Instead of wandering about, and going to places

where he had no business to go, the little boy sat

where he could see the water flowing over the big

dam. He had never seen such a sight before, and

the water seemed to him to have a personality of

its own -- a personality with both purpose and

feeling.

The river was not a very large one, but it was

large enough to be impressive when its waters fell

and tumbled over the big dam. The little boy

watched the tumbling water as it fell over the

dam and tossed itself into foam on the rocks

below; he watched it so long, and he sat so still

that he was able to see things that a noisier

youngster would have missed altogether. He saw

a big bull-frog creep warily from the water, and

wipe his mouth and eyes with one of his fore legs

BROTHER RABBIT AND BROTHER BULL-FROG 207
and he saw the same frog edge himself softly to ward a white butterfly that was flitting about near the edge of the stream. He saw the frog lean for ward, and then the butterfly vanished. It seemed like a piece of magic. The child knew that the frog had caught the butterfly, but how? The flut tering insect was more than a foot from the frog when it disappeared, and he was sure that the frog had neither jumped nor snapped at the but terfly. What he saw, he saw as plainly as you can see your hand in the light of day.
And he saw another sight too that is not given to every one to see. While he was watching the tumbling water, and wondering where it all came from and where it was going, he thought he saw swift-moving shadows flitting from the water be low up and into the mill-pond above. He never would have been able to discover just what the shadows were if one of them had not paused a moment while half-way to the top of the falling water. It poised itself for one brief instant, as a humming-bird poises over a flower, but during that fraction of time the little boy was able to see

208

TOLD BY TJNCLE REMUS

that what he thought was a shadow was really a

fish going from the water below to the mill-pond

above. The child could hardly believe his eyes,

and for a little while it seemed that the whole

world was turned topsy-turvy, especially as the

shadows continued to flit from the water below to

the mill-pond above. i And he was still more puzzled when he report

ed the strange fact to Uncle Remus, for the old

negro took the information as a matter of course.

With him the phenomenon was almost as old as

his experience. The only explanation that he

could give of it was that the fish -- or some kinds

of fish, and he did n't know rightly what kind it

was -- had a habit of falling from the bottom of

the falls to the top. The most that he knew was

that it was a fact, and that it was occurring every

day in the year when the fish were running. It was

certainly wonderful, as in fact everything would

be wonderful if it were not so familiar.

"We ain't got but one way er lookin' at

things," remarked Uncle Remus, "an' ef you '11

b'lieve me, honey, it 's a mighty one-sided way.

BROTHER RABBIT AND BROTHER BULL-PROG 209
Ef you could git on a perch some'rs an' see things like dey reely is, an' not like dey seem ter us, I be boun' you 'd hoi' yo' breff an' shet yo' eyes."
The old man, without intending it, was going too deep into a deep subject for the child to follow him, and so the latter told him about the bull frog and the butterfly. The statement seemed to call up pleasing reminiscences, for Uncle Remus laughed in a very hearty way. And when his laughing had subsided, he continued to chuckle until the little boy wondered what the source of his amusement could be. Finally he asked the old negro point blank what had caused him to laugh at such a rate.
"Yo' pa would 'a' know'd," Uncle Remus re plied, and then he grew solemn again and sighed heavily. For a little while he seemed to be listen ing to the clatter of the mill, but, finally, he turned to the little boy. "An' so you done made de 'quaintance er ol' Brer Bull-Frog? Is you take notice whedder he had a tail er no?"
"Why, of course he did n't have a tail!" exclaimed the child. "Neither toad-frogs nor

210

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

bull-frogs have tails. I thought everybody knew

that."

"Oh, well, ef dat de way you feel 'bout um,

'tain't no use fer ter pester wid um. It done got so

now dat folks don't b'lieve nothin' but what dey

kin see, an' mo' dan half un um won't b'lieve

what dey see less 'n dey kin feel un it too. But

dat ain't de way wid dem what 's ol' 'nough fer

ter know. Ef I 'd 'a' tol' you 'bout de fishes

swimmin' ag'in fallin' water, you would n't 'a'

b'lieved me, would you? No, you would n't --

an' yit, dar 'twuz right 'fo' yo' face an' eyes. Dar

dey wuz a-skeetin' fum de bottom er de dam

right up in de mill-pon', an' you settin' dar look-

in' at um. S'posin' you wuz ter say dat you won't

b'lieve um less'n you kin feel um; does you speck

de fish gwineter hang dar in de fallin' water an'

wait twel you kin wade 'cross de slipp'y rocks an'

put yo' han' on um? Did you look right close fer

ter see ef de bull-frog what you seed is got a tail

er no?"

The little boy admitted that he had not. He

knew as well as anybody that no kind of a frog

BROTHER RABBIT AND BROTHER BULL-FROG 211
has a tail, unless it is the Texas frog, which is only a horned lizard, for he saw one once in Atlanta, and it was nothing but a rusty-back lizard with a horn on his head.
"I ain't 'sputin' what you say, honey," said Uncle Remus, "but de creetur what you seed mought 'a' been a frog an' you not know it. One thing I does know is dat in times gone by de bull frog had a tail, kaze I hear de ol' folks sesso, an' mo' dan dat, dey know'd des how he los' it -- de whar, an' de when, an' de which-away. Fer all I know it wuz right here at dish yer identual millpon'. I ain't gwine inter court an' make no affledave on it, but ef anybody wuz ter walk up an' p'int der finger at me, an' say dat dis is de place whar ol' Brer Bull-Frog lose his tail, I 'd up an' 'low, 'Yasser, it mus' be de place, kaze it look might'ly like de place what I been hear tell 'bout.' An' den I 'd shet my eyes an' see ef I can't git it straight in my dream."
Uncle Remus paused, and pretended to be counting a handful of red grains of corn that he had found somewhere in the mill. Seeing that he

212

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

showed no disposition to tell how Brother Bull-

Frog had lost his tail, the little boy reminded him

of it. But the old man laughed. "Ef Brer Bull-

Frog ain't never had no tail," he said, "how de name er goodness he gwineter lose um? Ef he

yever is had a tail, why den dat 's a gray hoss uv an'er color. Dey 's a tale 'bout 'im havin' a tail

an' losin' it, but how kin dey be a tale when dey

ain't no tail?"

Well, the little boy did n't know at all, and he looked so disconsolate and so confused that the

old negro relented. "Now, den," he remarked,

"ef ol' Brer Bull-Frog had a tail an' he ain't got

none now, dey must 'a' been sump'n happen. In

dem times -- de times what all deze tales tells you 'bout -- Brer Bull-Frog stayed in an' aroun' still water des like he do now. De bad col' dat he had in dem days, he 's got it yit -- de same pop-

eyes, an' de same bal' head. Den, ez now, dey

wa' n't a bunch er ha'r on it dat you could pull

out wid a pa'r er tweezers. Ez he bellers now, des data-wayhe bellered den,mo'speshuallyat night.

An' talk 'bout settin' up late -- why, ol' Brer

BROTHER RABBIT AND BROTHER BULL-FROG 213
Bull-Frog could beat dem what fust got in de habits er settin' up late.
"De yuiher creeturs can't git no sleep,
"Dey 's one thing dat you '11 hatter gi' 'im credit fer, an' dat wuz keepin' his face an' han's

214

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

clean, an' in takin' keer er his cloze. Nobody, not

even his mammy, had ter patch his britches er

tack buttons on his coat. See 'im whar you may

an' when you mought, he wuz allers lookin' spick

an' span des like he done come right out'n a ban'-

box. You know what de riddle say 'bout 'im;

when he stan' up he sets down, an' when he walks

he hops. He 'd 'a' been mighty well thunk un, ef

it had n't but 'a' been fer his habits. He holler so

much at night dat de yuther creeturs can't git no

sleep. He 'd holler an' holler, an' 'bout de time

you think he bleeze ter be 'shame' er hollerin' so

much, he 'd up an' holler ag'in. It got so dat de

creeturs hatter go 'way off some'rs ef dey wanter

git any sleep, an' it seem like dey can't git so fur

off but what Brer Bull-Frog would wake um up

time dey git ter dozin' good.

"He 'd raise up an' 'low, 'Here I is! Here I is!

Wharbouts is you? Wharbouts is you? Come

along! Come along!' It 'uz des dat a-way de whole

blessed night, an' de yuther creeturs, dey say dat

it sholy was a shame dat anybody would set right

flat-footed an' ruin der good name. Look like he

BROTHER RABBIT AND BROTHER BULL-FROG 2i5
pestered ev'ybody but ol'Brer Rabbit, an' de rea son dat he liked it wuz kaze it worried de yuther
creeturs. He 'd set an'
"He'd set an" Kssen, . . . an'den he'd laugh fit ter kill"
lissen, ol' Brer Rabbit would, an' den he 'd laugh fit ter kill kaze he ain't a-keerin' whed-

216

TOLD BY UNCLE KEMTJS

der er no he git any sleep er not. Ef dey 's

anybody what kin set up twel de las' day

in de mornin' an' not git red-eyed an' heavy-

headed, it 's ol' Brer Rabbit. When he wanter

sleep, he 'd des shet one eye an' sleep, an' when

he wanter stay 'wake, he 'd des open bofe eyes,

an' dar he wuz wid all his foots under 'im, an' a-

chawin' his terbacker same ez ef dey wa' n't no

Brer Bull-Frog in de whole Nunited State er

Georgy.

"It went on dis way fer I dunner how long --

ol' Brer Bull-Frog a-bellerin' all night long an'

keepin' de yuther creeturs 'wake, an' Brer Rab

bit a-laughin'. But, bimeby, de time come when

Brer Rabbit hatter lay in some mo' calamus root,

ag'in de time when 't would be too col' fer ter dig

it, an' when he went fer ter hunt fer it, his way led

'im down todes de mill-pon' whar Brer Bull-Frog

live at. Dey wuz calamus root a-plenty down dar,

an' Brer Rabbit, atter lookin' de groun' over,

promise hisse'f dat he 'd fetch a basket de nex'

time he come, an' make one trip do fer two. He

ain'tbeen down dar long 'fo' he had a good chance

BROTHER RABBIT AND BROTHER BULL-FROG 217
fer ter hear Brer Bull-Frog at close range. He hear him, he v did, an' he shake his head
\3F~
an'say data ~vTf" v mighty little bit er datmuS-: _ Hf sic would go a long ways,
' "His way led 'im down todes de mill-pan' "
kaze dey ain't nobody what kin stan' flat-foot ed an' say dat Brer Bull-Frog is a better singer dan de mockin'-bird.

218

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

"Well, whiles Brer Rabbit wuz pirootin' roun'

fer ter see what mought be seed, he git de

idee dat he kin hear thunder way off yander.

He lissen ag'in, an' he hear

"He lissen ag'in, an' hear Brer Bull-Frog mumblin' an' grumblln' "
Brer Bull-Frog mumblin' an' grumblin' ter hisse'f, an' he must 'a' had a mighty bad col', kaze his talk soun' des like a bummil-eye bee been kotch in a sugar-barrel an' can't git

BROTHER RABBIT AND BROTHER BULL-FROG 215
out. An' dat creetur must 'a' know'd dat Brer Rabbit wuz down in dem neighborhoods, kaze, atter while, he 'gun to talk louder, an' yit nio' louder. He say, 'Whar you gwine? Whar you gwinef an' den, 'Don't go too fur -- don't go too fur!' an', atter so long a time, 'Come back-- come back! Come back soon !' Brer Rabbit, he sot dar, he did, an' work his nose an' wiggle his mouf, an' wait fer ter see what gwineter happen nex'.
"Whiles Brer Rabbit settin' dar, Brer BullFrog fall ter mumblin' ag'in an' it look like he 'bout ter drap off ter sleep, but bimeby he talk louder, 'Be my frien'--be my frien'! Oh, be my frien'!' Brer Rabbit wunk one eye an' smole a smile, kaze he done hear a heap er talk like dat. He wipe his face an' eyes wid his pocket-hankcher, an' sot so still dat you'd 'a' thunk he wa'n't nothin' but a chunk er wood. But Brer BullFrog, he know'd how ter stay still hisse'f, an' he ain't so much ez bubble a bubble. But atter whiles, when Brer Rabbit can't stay still no mo', he got up fum whar he wuz settin' at an' mosied

229

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

out by de mill-race whar de grass is fresh an' de

trees is green.

1 "Brer Bull-Frog holla, 'Jug-er-rum -- jug-er-

rumSWade in here--I 'II gi' you some!' Now dey

ain't nothin' dat oF Brer Rabbit like better dan a

little bit er dram fer de stomach-ache, an' his

mouf 'gun ter water right den an' dar. He went

a little closer ter de mill-pon', an' Brer Bull-Frog

keep on a-talkin' 'bout de jug er rum, an' what he

gwine do ef Brer Rabbit will wade in dar. He look

at de water, an' it look mighty col'; he look ag'in

an' it look mighty deep. It say, 'Lap-lap!' an' it

look like it 's a-creepin' higher. Brer Rabbit

drawed back wid a shiver, an' he wish mighty

much dat he 'd 'a' fotch his overcoat.

"Brer Bull-Frog say, 'Knee deep-- knee deep!

Wade in -- wade in!' an' he make de water bub

ble des like he takin' a dram. Den an' dar,

sump'n n'er happen, an' how it come ter happen

Brer Rabbit never kin tell; but he peeped in de

pon' fer ter see ef he kin ketch a glimp er de jug,

an' in he went -- kerchug! He ain't never know

whedder he fall in, er slip in, er ef he was pushed

BROTHER RABBIT AND BROTHER BULL-FROG 221
in, but dar he wuz! He come mighty nigh not jgittin out; but he scramble an' he scuffle twel he git
''In he went -- Jcerckug!"

222

TOLD BY UNCLE EEMUS

back ter de bank whar he kin clim' out, an' he

stood dar, he did, an' kinder shuck hisse'f, kaze

he mighty glad fer ter fin' dat he 's in de worl'

once mo'. He know'd dat a leetle mo' an' he 'd 'a'

been gone fer good, kaze when he drapped in, er

jumped in, er fell in, he wuz over his head an'

years, an' he hatter do a sight er kickin' an' scuf-

flin' an' swallerin' water 'fo' he kin git whar he

kin grab de grass on de bank.

"He sneeze an' snoze, an' wheeze an' whoze,

twel it look like he 'd drown right

whar he wuz stan'in' any way you

kin fix it. He say ter hisse'f

dat he ain't never gwine-

ter git de tas'e er river

water outer his

mouf an' nose, an'

he wonder how in de

worl' dat plain wa

ter kin be so watery.

OF Brer Bull-Frog,

~~-
' He wonder how in de worl' dat -plain water Inn be so watery"

helaugh like a
. DUli in de

BROTHER RABBIT AND BROTHER BULL-FROG 223
an' Brer Rabbit gi' a sidelong look dat oughter tol' 'im ez much ez a map kin tell one er deze yer school scholars. Brer Rabbit look at 'im, but he ain't say narry a word. He des shuck hisse'f once mo', an' put out fer home whar he kin set in front er de fire an' git dry.
"Atter dat day, Brer Rabbit riz mighty soon an' went ter bed late, an' he watch Brer BullFrog so close dat dey wa' n't nothin' he kin do but what Brer Rabbit know 'bout it time it 'uz done; an' one thing he know'd better dan all -- he know'd dat when de winter time come Brer Bull-Frog would have ter pack up his duds an' move over in de bog whar de water don't git friz up. Dat much he know'd, an' when dat time come, he laid off fer ter make Brer Bull-Frog's journey, short ez it wuz, ez full er hap'nin's ez de day when de oF cow went dry. He tuck an' move his bed an' board ter de big holler poplar, not fur fum de mill-pon', an' dar he stayed an' keep one eye on Brer Bull-Frog bofe night an' day. He ain't lose no flesh whiles he waitin', kaze he ain't one er deze yer kin' what mopes an' gits sollum-

224

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

colly; he wuz all de time betwixt a grin an' a

giggle.

"He know'd mighty well -- none better -- dat

time goes by turns in deze low groun's, an' he

wait fer de day when Brer Bull-Frog gwineter

move his belongin's fum pon' ter bog. An' bime-

by dat time come, an' when it come, Brer Bull-

Frog is done fergit off'n his mind all 'bout Brer

Rabbit an' his splashification. He rig hisse'f out

in his Sunday best, an' he look kerscrumptious

ter dem what like dat kinder doin's. He had on a

little sojer hat wid green an' white speckles all

over it, an' a long green coat, an' satin britches,

an' a white silk wescut, an' shoes wid silver

buckles. Mo' dan dat, he had a green umbrell,

fer ter keep fum havin' freckles, an' his long spot

ted tail wuz done up in de umbrell kivver so dat

it won't drag on de groun'."

Uncle Remus paused to see what the little boy

would say to this last statement, but the child's

training prevented the asking of many questions,

and so he only laughed at the idea of a frog with a

tail, and the tail done up in the cover of a green.

BROTHER RABBIT AND BROTHER BULL-FROG 225
umbrella. The laughter of the youngster was hearty enough to satisfy the old negro, and he went on with the story.
"Whiles all dis gwine on, honey, you better b'lieve dat Brer Rabbit wa' n't so mighty fur fum dar. When Brer Bull-Frog come out an' start fer ter promenade ter de bog, Brer Rabbit show hisse'f an' make like he skeered. He broke an' run, an' den he stop fer ter see what't is -- an' den he run a leetle ways an' stop ag'in, an' he keep on dodgin' an' runnin' twel he fool Brer Bull-Frog inter b'lievin' dat he wuz skeer'd mighty nigh ter death.
"You know how folks does when dey git de idee dat somebody 's 'fear'd un um -- ef you don't you '11 fin' out long 'fo' yo' whiskers gits ter hangin' to yo' knees. Wrhen folks take up dis idee, dey gits biggity, an' dey ain't no stayin' in de same country wid um.
"Well, Brer Bull-Frog, he git de idee dat Brer Rabbit wuz 'fear'd un 'im, an' he shuck his umbrell like he mad, an' he beller: 'Whar my gun?' Brer Rabbit flung up bofe han's like he wuz

J*

t t 4 I v" y^"

'

shuck his umbrell' like he mad" 226

BROTHER RABBIT AND BROTHER BULL-FROG 227
skeer'd er gittin' a load er shot in his vitals, an' den he broke an' run ez hard ez he kin. Brer BullFrog holler out, 'Come yer, you vilyun, an' le' me gi' you de frailin' what I done promise you!' but oF Brer Rabbit, he keep on a-gwine. Brer Bull-Frog went hoppin' atter, but he ain't make much headway, kaze all de time he wuz hoppin' he wuz tryin' to strut.
"'Twuz e'en about ez much ez Brer Rabbit kin do fer ter keep fum laughin', but he led Brer Bull-Frog ter de holler poplar, whar he had his hatchet hid. Ez he went in, he 'low, 'You can't git me!' He went in, he did, an' out he popped on t'er side. By dat time Brer Bull-Frog wuz mighty certain an' sho dat Brer Rabbit wuz skeer'd ez he kin be, an' inter de holler he went, widout so much ez takin' de trouble ter shet up his umbrell. When he got in de holler, in co'se he ain't see hide ner ha'r er Brer Rabbit, an' he beller out, 'Whar is you? You may hide, but I '11 fin' you, an' when I does -- when I does!' He ain't say all he wanter say, kaze by dat time Brer Rabbit wuz lammin' on de tree wid his hatchet. He hit it some

228

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

mighty heavy whacks, an' Brer Bull-Frog git de

idee dat somebody

wuz cuttin' it down. ''^*

"Brer Rabbit run roun' ter whar he wuz an' chop his tail of"

BROTHER RABBIT AND BROTHER BULL-FROG 229
"Dis kinder skeer'd 'im, kaze he know dat ef de tree fell while he in de holler, it 'd be all-night Isom wid him. But when he make a move fer ter turn roun' in dar fer ter come out, Brer Rabbit run roun' ter whar he wuz, an' chop his tail off right smick-smack-smoove."
The veteran story-teller paused, and looked at the clouds that were gathering in the sky. '"Twould n't 'stonish me none," he remarked dryly, "ef we wuz ter have some fallin' wedder."
"But, Uncle Remus, what happened when Brother Rabbit cut off the Bull-Frog's tail?" in^ quired the little boy.
The old man sighed heavily, and looked around, as if he were hunting for some way of es cape. "Why, honey, when de Frog tail wuz cut off, it stayed off, but dey tells me dat it kep' on a wigglin' plum twel de sun went down. Dis much I does know, dat sence dat day, none er de Frog fambly has been troubled wid tails. Ef you don't believe me you kin ketch um an' see."

XIII
WHY MR. DOG IS TAME
"^HERE were quite a number of dogs on
1 the plantation -- foxhounds, harriers, a sheep dog, and two black-and-tan hounds that had been trained to tree coons and 'possums. In these, the little boy took an abiding interest, and he soon came to know the name and history of each individual dog. There was Jonah, son of Hodo, leader of the foxhounds, Jewel, leader of the harriers, and Walter, the sheep dog, who drove up the cows and hogs every evening. Indeed, it was not long before the little boy knew as much about the dogs as Uncle Remus did. He imagined he knew more, for one day he in formed the old man that once upon a time all dogs were wild, and roamed about the woods and fields just as the wild animals do now.

WHY MB. DOG IS TAME

231

"You see me settin' here," Uncle Remus re

marked; "well, suh, oF ez I is, I 'd like mighty

well ter fin' out how you come ter know 'bout

deze happenin's way back yander."

The little boy made no secret of the matter; he

answered with pride that his mother had been

reading to him out of a great big book with pic

tures in it. Uncle Remus stretched his arms above

his head, and opened wide his eyes. Astonish

ment took possession of his countenance. The

child laughed with delight when he saw the

amazement of Uncle Remus. "Yes," he went on,

"mother read about all the wild animals. The

book said that when the dogs were wild they used

to go in droves, just as the wolves do now."

"Yasser, dat 's so!" exclaimed Uncle Remus

with admiration, "an' ef you keep on like you

gwine, 'twon't be long 'fo' you '11 know lot's mo'

'bout de creeturs dan what I does--lot's mo'."

Then he became confidential -- "Wuz dey any

thing in de big book, honey, 'bout de time dat de

Dog start in fer ter live widMr.Man? " The little

boy shook his head. If there was anything about

232

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

it in the big book from which his mother had beers

reading, she had kept it to herself.

"Well, I'm mighty glad dey ain't nothin' in

dar 'bout it, kaze ef dey had 'a' been, I'd 'a*

been bleeze ter gi' up my job, kaze when dey

gits ter puttin' tales in a. book, dat's a sign."

"A sign of what, Uncle Remus?"

"Des a sign, honey -- a plain sign. Ef you

dunner what a sign is, I'll never tell you."

"When did the Dog begin to live with Mr.

Man?" the little boy inquired. "Once he was

wild, and now he is tame. How did he become

tame?"

"Ah-yi! den you got de idee dat ol' man Re

mus know sump'n n'er what ain't down in de

books?"

"Why, you asked me if there was anything in

the big book that told about the time when the

Dog went to live with Mr. Man," the little boy

replied.

"Dat's what I done," exclaimed Uncle Remus

with a laugh. "An' I done it kaze I laid off ter tel

you 'bout it one er deze odd-come-shorts when de

WHY MR. DOG IS TAME

233

moon ridin' high, an' de win' playin' a chune in

de big pine."

"Why not tell it now?" the little boy asked.

"Le' me see, is I well er is I sick? Is I full er is

I hongry? Ef I done fergot what I had fer dinner

day 'fo' yistiddy, den 'tain't no use fer ter try ter

tell a tale 'bout oP times. Wuz it cake? No,

'twant cake. Wuz it chicken-pie? No, 'twant

chicken-pie. What, den? Ah-h-h! Now I knows:

'Twuz tater custard, an' it seem like I kin tas'e it

yit. Yasser! Day 'fo' yistiddy wuz so long ago dat

it look like a dream."

"It was n't any dream," the little boy declared.

"Mother wouldn't let me have any at the house,

and when grandmother sent your dinner, she put

two pieces of potato custard on a plate, and you

said that one of them was for me."

"An' you e't it," Uncle Remus declared; "you

e't it, an'you liked it so well dat you sot yo'eye on

my piece, an' ef I had n't 'a' grabbed it, I boun'

I would n't 'a' had no tater custard."

The little boy laughed and blushed. "How did

you know I wanted the other piece?" he asked.

234

TOLD BY UNCLE EEMUS

"I know it by my nose an' my two big toes,"

Uncle Remus replied. "Put a boy in smellin' dis

tance uv a piece er tater custard, an' it seem like

de custard will fly up an' hit him in de mouf, no

matter how much he try ter dodge."

Uncle Remus paused and pulled a raveling

from his shirt-sleeve, looking at the little boy

meanwhile.

"I know very well you have n't forgotten the

story," remarked the child, "for grandmother

says you never forgot anything, especially the old-

time tales."

"Well, suh, I speck she knows. She been

knowin'me ev'ry sence shewuz a baby gal, an' mo'

dan dat, she know right p'int blank what I'm

a-thinkin' 'bout when she kin git her eye on me."

"And she says she never caught you tellin' a

fib."

"Is she say dat?" Uncle Remus inquired with

a broad grin. "Ef she did, I'm lots sharper dan I

looks ter be, kaze many and many's de time

when I been skeer'd white, thinkin' she done

cotch me. Tooby sho', tooby sho'!"

WHY MR. DOG IS TAME

235

"But what about the Dog, Uncle Remus?"

"What dog, honey? Oh, you'll hatter scuzen

me -- I'm lots older dan what I looks ter be.

You mean de Dog what tuck up at Mr. Man's

house. Well, ol' Brer Dog wuz e'en about like he

is deze days, scratchin' fer fleas, an' growlin' over

his vittles stidder sayin' grace, an' berryin' de

bones when he had one too many. He wuz des

like he is now, 'ceppin' dat he wuz wiF. He gal

loped wid Brer Fox, an' loped wid Brer Wolf, an'

cantered wid Brer Coon. He went all de gaits, an'

he had dez ez good a time ez any un um, an' des

ez bad a time.

"Now, one day, some'rs 'twix' Monday mornin'

an' Saddy night, he wuz settin' in de shade

scratchin' hisse'f, an' he wuz tooken wid a spell er

thinkin'. He'd des come thoo a mighty hard

winter wid de yuther creeturs, an' he up an' say

ter hisse'f dat ef he had ter do like dat one mo'

season, it'd be de en' er him an' his fambly.

You could count his ribs, an' his hip-bones stuck

out like de horns on a hat-rack.

"Whiles he wuz settin' dar, scratchin' an'

236

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

studyin', an' studyin' an' scratching who should

come meanderin' down de big road but oF Brer

Wolf; an' it 'uz 'Hello, Brer Dog! you look like

you ain't seed de inside uv a smokehouse fer

quite a whet. I ain't sayin' dat I got much fer ter

brag on, kaze I ain't in no better fix dan what

you is. De colder it gits, de skacer de vittles

grows.' An' den he ax Brer Dog whar he gwine

an' how soon he gwineter git dar. Brer Dog make

answer dat it don't make no diffunce whar he go

ef he don't fin' dinner ready.

"Brer Wolf 'low dat de way ter git dinner is

ter make a fier, kaze 't ain't no use fer ter try ter

eat ef dey don't do dat. Ef dey don't git nothin'

fer ter cook, dey '11 have a place whar dey kin

keep warm. Brer Dog say he see whar Brer Wolf

is dead right, but whar dey gwine git a fier? Brer

Wolf say de quickest way is ter borry a chunk

fum Mr. Man er his ol' 'oman. But when it come

ter sayin' who gwine atter it, dey bofe kinder

hung back, kaze dey know'd dat Mr. Man had a

walkin'-cane what he kin p'int at anybody an1

snap a cap on it an' blow de light right out.

WHY ME. DOG IS TAME

237

"But bimeby, Brer Dog say '11 go atter de

chunk er fier, an' he ain't no mo' dan say dat,

'fo' off he put, an' he travel so peart, dat 'twant

long 'fo' he come ter Mr. Man's house. When he

got ter de gate he sot down an' done some mo'

studyin', an' ef de gate had 'a' been shot, he'd 'a'

turned right roun' an' went back like he come;

but some er de chillun had been playin' out in de

yard, an' dey lef de gate open, an so dar 'twuz.

Study ez he mought, he can't fin' no skuce fer

gwine back widout de chunk er fier. An' in he

went.

"Well, talk 'bout folks bein' 'umble; you ain't

seed no 'umble-come-tumble twel you see Brer

Dog when he went in dat gate. He ain't take time

fer ter look roun', he so skeer'd. He hear hogs

a-gruntin' an' pigs a-squealin', he hear hens

a-cacklin' an' roosters crowin', but he ain't turn

his head. He had sense 'nuff not ter go in de house

by de front way. He went roun' de back way whar

de kitchen wuz, an' when he got dar he 'fraid ter

go any furder. He went ter de do', he did, an' he

'fraid ter knock. He hear chillun laughin' an

238

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

playin' in dar, an' fer de fust time in all his born

days, he 'gun ter feel lonesome.

"Bimeby, some un open de do' an' den shot it

right quick. But Brer Dog ain't see nobody; he

'uz too 'umble-come-tumble fer dat. He wuz

lookin' at de groun', an' wonderin'- what 'uz

gwineter happen nex'. It must 'a' been one er de

chillun what open de do', kaze 'twant long 'fo*

here come Mr. Man wid de walkin'-cane what

had fier in it. He come ter de do', he did, an' he

say, 'What you want here?' Brer Dog wuz too

skeer'd fer ter talk; all he kin do is ter des wag

his tail. Mr. Man, he 'low, 'You in de wrong

house, an' you better go on whar you got some

business.'

"Brer Dog, he crouch down close ter de groun'y

an' wag his tail. Mr. Man, he look at 'ina, an' he

ain't know whedder fer ter turn loose his gun er

not, but his oF 'oman, she hear him talkin', an*

she come ter de do', an' see Brer Dog crouchin"

dar, 'umbler dan de' 'umblest, an' she say, To*

feller! you ain't gwine ter hurt nobody, is you?'

an' Brer Dog 'low, 'No, ma'am, I ain't; I des

WHY MR. DOG IS TAME

239

come fer ter borry a chunk er fier.' An' she say,

'What in de name er goodness does you want wid

fier? Is you gwine ter burn us out'n house an'

home?' Brer Dog 'low, 'No, ma'am! dat I ain't;

I des wanter git warm.' Den de 'oman say, 'I

clean fergot 'bout de col' wedder -- come in de

kitchen here an' warm yo'se'f much ez you

wanter.'

"Dat wuz mighty good news fer Brer Dog, an'

in he went. Dey wuz a nice big fier on de h'ath,

an' de chillun wuz settin' all roun' eatin' der

dinner. Dey make room fer Brer Dog, an' down

he sot in a warm cornder, an' 'twant long 'fo'

he wuz feelin' right splimmy-splammy. But he

wuz mighty hongry. He sot dar, he did, an'

watch de chillun' eatin' der ashcake an' butter

milk, an' his eyeballs 'ud foller eve'y mouffle dey

e't. De 'oman, she notice dis, an' she went ter de

cubberd an' got a piece er warm ashcake, an' put

it down on de h'ath.

"Brer Dog ain't need no secon' invite -- he

des gobble up de ashcake 'fo' you kin say Jack

Robberson wid yo' mouf shot. He ain't had nigh

240

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

nuff, but lie know'd better dan ter show what his

appetites wuz. He 'gun ter feel good, an' den he

got down on his hunkers, an' lay his head down

on his fo'paws, an' make like he gwine ter sleep.

Atter 'while, he smell Brer Wolf, an' he raise his

head an' look todes de do'. Mr. Man he tuck

notice, an' he say he b'lieve dey's some un

sneakin' roun'. Brer Dog raise his head, an' snuff

todes de do', an' growl ter hisse'f. So Mr. Man

tuck down his gun fum over de fireplace, an'

went out. De fust thing he see when he git mt

in de yard wuz Brer Wolf runnin' out de gate,

an' he up wid his gun -- bang!--an' he hear

Brer Wolf holler. All he got wuz a han'ful er

ha'r, but he come mighty nigh gittin' de whole

hide.

"Well, atter dat, Mr. Man fin' out dat Brer

Dog could do 'im a heap er good, fus' one way

an' den an'er. He could head de cows off when

dey make a break thoo de woods, he could take

keer er de sheep, an' he could warn Mr. Man

when some er de yuther creeturs wuz prowlin'

roun'. An' den he wuz some comp'ny when Mr.

WHY MR. DOG IS TAME

241

Man went huntin'. He could trail de game, an'

he could fin' his way home fum anywheres; an' he

could play wid de chillun des like he wuz one un

um.

'"Twant long 'fo' he got fat, an' one day

when he wuz amblin' in de woods, he meet up

wid Brer Wolf. He howdied at 'im, he did, but

Brer Wolf won't skacely look at 'im. Atter 'while

he say, 'Brer Dog, why 'n't you come back dat

day when you went atter fier?' Brer Dog p'int ter

de collar on his neck. He 'low, 'You see dis? W'ell,

it '11 tell you lots better dan what I kin.' Brer

Wolf say, 'You mighty fat. Why can't I come dar

an' do like you does?' Brer Dog 'low, 'Dey ain't

nothin' fer ter hinder you.'

"So de next mornin', bright an' early, Brer

Wolf knock at Mr. Man's do'. Mr. Man peep out

an' see who 't is, an' tuck down his gun an' went

out. Brer Wolf try ter be perlite, an' he smile.

But when he smile he show'd all his tushes, an'

dis kinder skeer Mr. Man. He say, 'What you

doin' sneakin' roun' here?' Brer Wolf try ter be

mo' perliter dan ever, an' he grin fum year ter

242

TOLD BY UNCLE BEMUS

year. Dis show all his tushes, an' Mr. Man lam

med aloose at 'im. An' dat 'uz de las' time dat

Brer Wolf ever try ter live widMr. Man, an fum

dat time on down ter dis day, it 'uz war 'twix

Brer Wolf an' Brer Dog."

XIV
BROTHER RABBIT AND THE GIZZARD-EATER
I T SEEM like ter me dat I hear somebody say, not longer dan day To' yistiddy, dat dey'd be mighty glad ef dey could fin' some un fer ter bet wid urn," said Uncle Remus, staringhard at the little boy, and then suddenly shutting his eyes tight, so that he might keep from laugh ing at the expression he saw on the child's face. Receiving no immediate response to his remark, the old man opened his eyes again, and found the little boy regarding him with a puzzled air.
"My mother says it is wrong to bet," said the child after awhile. He was quite serious, and it was just this aspect of seriousness that made him a little different from another little boy that had been raised at Uncle Remus's knee. "Mother says that no Christian would want to bet."
The old man closed his eyes again, as though
243

244

TOLD BY UNGLE REMUS

trying to remember something. He frowned and

smacked his mouth before he spoke. "It look like

dat I never is ter git de tas'e er dat chicken-pie

what yo' gran'ma sont me out'n my mouf. I

dunner when I been had any chicken-pie what

stayed wid me like dat chicken-pie. But 'bout

dat bettin'," he remarked, straightening himself

in his chair, "I speck I mus' 'a' been a-dreamin'.

I know mighty well it could n't 'a' been you; so

we '11 des up an' say it wuz little Dreamus, an' let

it go at dat. All I know is dat dey wuz a little chap

loungin' roun' here tryin' fer ter 1'arn how ter

play mumbly-peg wid one er de case-knives what

he tuck fum de white folks' dinner-table, an'

whiles he wuz in de middle er his 1'arnin', de oF

speckled hen run fum under de house here, an'

sot up a mighty cacklin', kaze she fear'd some un

wuz gwineter interrupt de eggs what she been

nussin' an' warmin' up. She cackle, an' she

cackle, an' den she cackle some mo' fer ter keep

fum fergittin' how; an' 'long 'bout dat time, dish

yer little boy what I been tellin' you 'bout -- I

speck we '11 be bleeze ter call him Dreamus -- he

BROTHER RABBIT AND THE GIZZARD-EATER 245
up wid a rock an' flung it right at 'er, an' ef she 'd 'a' been in de way er de rock, he 'd 'a' come mighty nigh hittin' her. Dis make de ol' hen bofe skeer'd an' fear'd an' likewise mad, an' she hitched a squall on ter her cackle, an' flop her wings. Seein' dat de hen wuz mad, dis little chap, which he name Dreamus, he got mad, too, an' he 'lowed, 'I bet you I make you hush!' an' dar dey had it, de ol' hen runnin' an' squallin', an' de little chap zoonin' rocks at her. I speck de hen would 'a' bet ef she 'd 'a' know'd how -- an' she sho' would 'a' won de bet, kaze de las' news I hear fum 'er she wuz runnin' an' squallin'."
The little boy squirmed uneasily in his chair. He remembered the incident very well, so well that he hardly knewwhat to say. But afterawhile, thinking that it was both necessary and polite to say something, he declared that when he made that remark to the hen he knew she would n't understand him, and that what he said about bet ting was just a saying.
"Dat mought be, honey," said Uncle Remus, "but don't you fool yo'se'f 'bout dat hen not

246

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

knowin' how ter talk, kaze dey has been times

an' places when de creeturs kin do lots mo' talk-

in' dan folks. When you git ter be oP ez what I is,

you '11 know dat talkin' ain't got nothin' in de

roun' worF ter do wid fedders, an' needer wid fur.

I hear you say you want ter bet wid de ol' hen,

an' ef you still wantin' you got a mighty good

chance dis day ef de sun is mighty nigh down. I '11

bet you a thrip ag'in a ginger-cake dat when you

had yo' dinner you ain't fin' no chicken gizzard

in yo' part er de pie."

"No," replied the child, "I did n't, and when I

asked grandmother about it, she said she was

going to raise some chickens next year with

double gizzards."

"Did she say dat? Did Miss Sally say dat?"

inquired Uncle Remus, laughing delightedly.

"Well, suh, dat sho' do bang my time! How

come she ter know dat some er de creeturs got

double gizzards? She sho' is de outdoin'est white

'oman what's yever been bornded inter de worP.

She done sont me de chicken gizzard des so I kin

tell you 'bout de double gizzards an' de what-

BROTHER BABBIT AND THE GIZZARD-EATER 247
nots. Double gizzards! De ve'y name flings me 'way back yander ter ol' folks an' oF times. Laws-a-massy! I wonder what Miss Sally gwine do nex'; anybody what guess it oughter be presi dent by good rights." Uncle Remus paused, and lowered his voice to a confidential tone -- "She ain't tell you 'bout de time when de Yallergater wuz honin' fer ol' Brer Rabbit's double gizzards, is she, honey?"
"No, she did n't tell me that, but she laughed, and when I asked her what she was laughing at, she said I 'd find out by the time I was seven feet tall."
"You hear dat, don't you?" Uncle Remus spoke as though there were a third person in the room. " What I been tellin' you all dis time? " and then he laughed as though this third person were laughing with him. "You may try, an' you may fly, but you never is ter see de beat er Miss Sally."
"Was grandmother talking about a tale, Uncle Remus? It must have been a very funny one, for she laughed until she had to take off her spec tacles and wipe them dry," said the little boy.

248

TOLD BY UNCLE REMITS

"Dat 's her! dat 's Miss Sally up an' down, an'

dey can't nobody git ahead er her. She know'd

mighty well dat time you say sump ?n 'bout

double gizzards my min' would fly right back ter

de time when de Yalligater wuz dribblin' at de

mouf, an' ol' Brer Rabbit wuz shaking in his

shoes."

"If it 's a long story, I 'm afraid you have n't

time to tell it now," suggested the little boy.

The child was so polite that the old negro stood

somewhat in awe of him, and he was afraid, too,

that it was ominous of some misfortune -- there

was something uncanny about it from Uncle

Remus's point of view. "Bless you, honey!

I got des ez much time ez what dey is -- it all

b'longs ter me an' you. Maybe you wanter go

some'rs else; maybe you '11 wait twel some yuther

day fer de platted whip dat I hear you talkin* 'bout."

"No; I '11 wait and get the story and the whip together -- if you are not too tired."
The old negro looked at the little boy from the corner of his eye to see if he was really in earnest.

BROTHER RABBIT AND THE GIZZARD-EATER 249
Satisfying himself on that score, he promptly began to plait the whip while he unraveled the story. He seemed to be more serious than usual, but one of the peculiarities of Uncle Remus, as many a child had discovered, was that he was not to be judged by any outward aspect. This is the way he began:
"Ever since I been pirootin' roun' in deze lowgroun's, it's been de talk er dem what know'd dat Brer Rabbit wuz a mighty man at a frolic. I don't speck he'd show up much in deze days, but in de times when de creeturs wuz bossin' dey own jobs, Brer Rabbit wuz up fer perty nigh ev'ything dat wuz gwine on ef dey want too much work in it. Dey could n't be a dance er a quiltin' nowhar's aroun' but what he'd be dar; he wuz fust ter come an' last ter go.
"Well, dey wuz one time when he went too fur an' stayed too late, bekaze a big rain come endurin' de time when dey wuz playin' an' dancin', an' when Brer Rabbit put out fer home, he foun' dat a big freshet done come an' gone. De dreens had got ter be creeks, de creeks had got ter be

250

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

rivers, an' de rivers -- well, I ain't gwine ter tell

you what de rivers wuz kaze you 'd think dat I

done tol' de trufe good-bye.

By makin' big jumps an'

gwine out er his way, Brer

Rabbit manage fer ter git

ez close ter home ez de creek,

but when he git dar, de creek

wuz so wide dat it

make him feel like

he been los' so long

dat his fambly done

fergot him. Many

an many a time had " Be holla'd ferdeman what run de ferry"

he cross' dat creek on a log, but de log done gone, an' de water wuz spread out all over creation. De water wuz wide, but dat wa' n't mo' dan half -- it look like it wuz de wettest water dat Brer Rab bit ever lay eyes on.
"Dey wuz a ferry dar fer times like dis, but it look like it wuz a bigger fresh dan what dey had counted on. Brer Rabbit, he sot on de bank an' wipe de damp out'n his face an' eyes, an' den he

BROTHER RABBIT AND THE GIZZARD-EATER 251

holla'd fer de man what run de ferry. He holla'd

an' holla'd, an' bimeby, he hear some un answer

him, an' he looked a little closer, an' dar wuz de

man, which his name wuz Jerry, way up in de top

lim's uv a tree; an'

he looked still clos

er, an' he seed

dat Jerry had

company,

kaze dar wuz oP Brer

B'ar settin' at de foot er de tree,

waitin' fer Jerry fer ter come

down so he kin tell 'im

howdy." Uncle Remus

paused to see

what effect

this statement

would have on the

little boy. The

''Dar wuz dt Brer B'ar settin' at defoot er de tree"

youngster said nothing, but

his shrewd smile showed the old man that

he fully appreciated the reason why Jerry

252

TOLD BY UNCLE KEMUS

was in no hurry to shake hands with Brother

Bear,

"Well, suh, Brer Rabbit took notice dat dey

wuz sump'n mo' dan dampness 'twix' um, an he

start in ter holla again, an' he holla'd so loud, an'

he holla'd so long, dat he woke up ol' Brer Yalli-

gater. Now, it ain't make ol' Brer Yalligater feel

good fer ter be wokened up at dat hour, kaze he'd

des had a nice supper er pine-knots an' sweet

'taters, an' he wuz layin' out at full lenk on his

mud bed. He 'low ter hisse'f, he did, 'Who in de

nation is dis tryin' fer ter holla de bottom out er

de creek?' He lissen, an' den he turn over an'

lissen ag'in. He shot one eye, an' den he shot de

yuther one, but dey ain't no sleepin' in dat neigh-

berhood. Jerry in de tree, he holla back, 'Can't

come -- got comp'ny!'

"Brer Yalligater, he hear dis, an' he say ter

hisse'f dat ef nobody can't come, he kin, an' he

riz ter de top wid no mo' fuss dan a fedder-bed

makes when you let it 'lone. He riz, he did, an' his

two eyes look des perzackly like two bullets

floatin' on de water. He riz an' wunk his eye, an'

BROTHER RABBIT AND THE GIZZARD-EATER 253
ax Brer Rabbit howdy, an' mo' speshually how is his daughter. Brer Rabbit, he say dat dey ain't no tellin' how his daughter is, kaze when he lef
"He riz an' wunk his eye, an' ax Brer Rabbit howdy"
home her head wuz a-swellin'. He say dat some er de neighbors' ehillun come by an' flung rocks at her an' one un um hit her on top er de head right whar de cow-lick is, an' he hatter run atter de doctor.
"Brer Yalligater 'low, 'You don't tell me, Brer Rabbit, dat it's come ter dis! Yo' ehillun gittin' chunked by yo' neighbors' ehillun! Well, well, well! I wish you 'd tell me wharbouts it 's all agwine ter een' at. Why, it '11 git so atter while dat dey ain't no peace anywhar's 'ceppin at my house in de bed er de creek.'

254,

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

"Brer Rabbit say, 'Ain't it de trufe? An' not

only does Brer Fox chillun chunk my chillun on

dey cow-licks, but no sooner is I gone atter de

doctor dan here come de creek a-risin'. I may be

wrong, but I ain't skeer'd ter say dat it beats any

thing I yever is lay eyes on. Over yander in de

fur woods is what my daughter is layin' 'wid de

headache, an' here's her pa, an' 'twix' us is de

b'ilin' creek. Ef I wuz ter try ter wade, ten ter one

de water would be over my head, an' ef not dat

bad, all de pills what de doctor gi' me would melt

"'Ef you think you Icin stay in one place long enough, Til try ter put you 'cross de creek'"
in my pocket. An' dey might pizen me, kaze de doctor ain't say dey wuz ter be tuck outside.'
"01' Brer Yalligater float on de water like he

BROTHER RABBIT AND THE GIZZARD-EATER 25
ain't weigh no mo' dan one er deze yer postitch stomps, an' he try ter drop a tear. He groan, he did, an' float backerds an' forrerds like a tired ca noe. He say, 'Brer Rabbit, ef dey yever wuz a rover you is one. Up you come an' off you go, an* dey ain't no mo' keepin' up wid you dan ef you had wings. Ef you think you kin stay in one place long enough, I'll try ter put you 'cross de creek. Brer Rabbit kinder rub his chin whiles he wiggle his nose. He 'low, sezee, 'Brer 'Gater, how deep is dat water what you floatin' in?' Brer Yalligater say, sezee, 'Brer Rabbit, ef me an' my oF 'omen wuz ter jine heads, an' I wuz ter stan' on de tip-een' my tail, dey'll still be room enough fer all er my chillun 'fo' we totch bottom.'
"Brer Rabbit, he fell back like he gwineter faint. He 'low, 'Brer 'Gater, you don't tell met You sholy don't mean dem last words! Why, you make me feel like I'm furder fum home and dem what's done lost fer good! How de name er good ness you gwineter put me 'cross dis slippery water?' Brer Yalligater, he blow a bubble or two out'n his nose, an' den he say, sezee, 'Ef you kin

256

TOLD BY UNCLE KEMUS

stay still in one place long 'nough, I'm gwineter

take you 'cross on nay back. You nee'nter say

thanky, yit I want you ter know dat I ain't eve'y-

body's water-boss.' Brer Rabbit lie 'low, sezee,

'I kin well b'lieve dat, Brer 'Gater, but some

how, I kinder got a notion dat yo' tail mighty

limber. I hear ol' folks say dat you kin knock a

chip fum de back er yo' head wid de tip-een' er

yo' tail an' never haf try.' Brer Yalligater smack

his mouf, an' say, sezee, 'Limber my tail may

be, Brer Rabbit, an' fur-reachin', but don't

blame me. It wuz dat a-way when it wuz 'gun ter

me. It's all j'inted up 'cordin' ter natur.'

"Brer Rabbit, he study an' study, an' de mo'

he study, de wuss he like it. But he bleeze ter go

home -- dey wa'n't no two ways 'bout dat --

an' he 'low, sezee, 'I speck what you say is

some'rs in de neighborhoods er de trufe, Brer

'Gater, an' mo' dan dat, I b'lieve I'll go 'long wid

you. Ef you '11 ride up a leetle closer, I'll make

up my mind so I won't keep you waitin'.' Brer

Yalligater, he float by de side er de bank same

ez a cork out'n a pickle bottle. He ain't do like he

BROTHER RABBIT AND THE GIZZARD-EATER 257
in a hurry, kaze he drapt a word er two about de wedder, an' he say dat de water wuz mighty col' down dar in de slushes. But Brer Rabbit tuck notice dat when he smole one er his smiles, he show'd up a double row er tushes, dat look like dey'd do mighty good work in a saw-mill. Brer Rabbit, he 'gun ter shake like he havin' a chill; he 'low, 'I feel dat damp, Brer 'Gater, dat I mought des ez well be in water up ter my chin!' BrerYalligater ain't say nothin', but he can't hide his tushes. Brer Rabbit look up, he look down, an' he look all aroun'. He ain't skacely know what ter do. He 'low, 'Brer 'Gater, yo' back mighty roughnin'; how I gwine ter ride on it?' Brer Yalligater say, sezee, 'De roughnin' will he'p you ter hoi' on, kaze you'll hatter ride straddle. You kin des fit yo' foots on de bumps an' kinder brace yo'se'f when you think yea see a log floatin' at us. You kin des set up dar same ez ef you wuz settin' at home in yo' rockin'-cheer.
"Brer Rabbit shuck his head, but he got on, he did, an' he ain't no sooner git on dan he wish mighty hard he wuz off. Brer Yalligater say,

258

TOLD BY UNCLE KEMUS

sezee. 'You kin pant ef you wanter, Brer Rabbit,

but I'll do de paddlin',' an' den he slip thoo de

water des like he greased. Brer Rabbit sho' wuz

skeer'd but he keep his eye open, an' bimeby he

tuck notice dat Brer Yalligater wa' n't makin' fer

de place whar de lan'in's at, an' he up an' sesso.

He 'low, 'Brer 'Gater, ef I ain't mighty much

' Brer 'Gater, ef I ain't mighty muck mistooken, you ain't headin' fer de lan'in""
mistooken, you ain't headin' fer de lan'in'.' Brer Yalligater say, sezee, 'You sho' is got mighty good eyes, Brer Rabbit. I been waitin' fer you a long time, an' I'm de wust kinder waiter. I most know you ain't ferget dat day in de stubble, when you say you gwineter show me oP man Trouble. Well, you ain't only show 'im ter me, but you made me shake han's wid 'im. You sot de dry

.

BROTHER RABBIT AND THE GIZZARD-EATER 259

grass afire, an' burn me scandalious. Dat de

reason my back so rough, an' dat de reason my

hide so tough. Well, I been a-waitin' sence dat

time, an' now here you is. You burn me twel I

hatter squench de burnin' in de big quagmire.'

"Brer Yalligater laugh, but he had de laugh all

on his side, kaze dat wuz one er de times when

Brer Rabbit ain't feel like gigglin'. He sot dar

a-shakin' an' a-shiverin'. Bimeby he 'low, sezee,

'What you gwine do, Brer 'Gater?' Brer Yalli

gater, say, sezee, 'It look like ter me dat sence

you sot de dry grass afire, I been havin' symp

toms. Dat what de doctor say. He look at my

tongue, an' feel er my pulsh, an' shake his head.

He say dat bein's he 's my frien', he don't mind

tellin' me dat my symptoms is gittin' mo' wusser

dan what dey been, an' ef I don't take sump'n

I'll be fallin' inter one deze yer inclines what

make folks flabby an' weak.'

"Brer Rabbit, he shuck an' he shiver'd. He

'low, sezee, 'What else de doctor say, Brer

'Gater?' Brer Yalligater keep on a-slippin' along;

he say, sezee, 'De doctor ain't only look at my

260

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

tongue -- he medjer'd my breff, an' he hit me

on my bosom -- tip-tap-tap! -- an' he say dey

ain't but one thing dat '11 kyo me. I ax 'im what

dat is, an' he say it's Rabbit gizzard.' Brer Yal-

ligater slip an' slide along, an' wait fer ter see

what Brer Rabbit gwineter say ter dat. He ain't

had ter wait long, kaze Brer Rabbit done his

thinkin' like one er deze yer machines what got

lightnin' in it. He 'low, sezee, 'It's a mighty good

thing you struck up wid me dis day, Brer 'Gater,

kaze I got des perzackly de kinder physic what

you lookin' fer. All de neighbors say I'm mighty

quare an' I speck I is, but quare er not quare,

I 'm long been lookin' fer de gizzard-eater.'

"Brer Yalligater ain't say nothin'; he des slide

thoo de water, an' lissen ter what Brer Rabbit

sayin'. Brer Rabbit 'low, sezee, 'De las' time I

wuz tooken sick, de doctor come in a hurry, an'

he sot up wid me all night -- not a wink er sleep

did dat man git. He say he kin tell by de way I

wuz gwine on, rollin' an' tossin', an' moanin' an'

groanin', dat dey wa' n't no physic gwineter do

me no good. I ain't never see no doctor scratch

BROTHER RABBIT AND THE GIZZARD-EATER 261
his head like dat doctor did; he done like he wuz stumped, he sho' did. He say he ain't never see nobody wid my kind er trouble, an' he went off an' call in one er his brer doctors, an' de two knock dey heads tergedder, an' say my trouble all come fum havin' a double gizzard. When my oF 'oman hear dat, she des flung her apron over her head, an' fell back in a dead faint, an' a little mo' an' I 'd 'a' had ter pay a doctor bill on her accounts. When she squalled, some er my chillun got skeer'd an' tuck ter de woods, an' dey ain't all got back when I lef' home las' night.'
"Brer Yalligater, he des went a-slippin' long thoo de water; he lissen, but he ain't sayin' nothin'. Brer Rabbit, he 'low, sezee, 'It's de fatal trufe, all dis dat I'm a-tellin' you. De doctor, he flew'd roun' twel he fotch my ol' 'oman to, an' den he say dey ain't no needs ter be skittish on accounts er my havin' a double giz zard, kaze all I had ter do wuz ter be kinder keerful wid my chawin's an' gnyawin's, an' my comin's an' gwines. He say dat I 'd hatter suffer wid it twel I fin' de gizzard-eater. I ax 'im whar

262

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

bouts is he, an' he say dat I 'd know him when I

seed him, an' ef I fail ter know 'im, he '11 make

hisse'f beknown ter me. Dis kinder errytate me,

kaze when a man's a doctor, an' is got de idee er

kyoin' anybody, dey ain't no needs ter deal in no

riddles. But he say dat tain't no use fer ter tell all

you know, speshually fo' dinner.'

"Brer Yalligater went a-slidin' long thoo de

water; he lissen an' smack his mouf, but he ain't

sayin' nothin'. Brer Rabbit, he talk on; he 'low,

sezee, 'An dey wuz one thing he toF me mo'

plainer dan all de rest. He say dat when anybody

wuz 'flicted wid de double gizzard, dey dassent

cross water wid it, kaze ef dey's anything dat a

double gizzard won't stan' it's de smell er

water.'

"Brer Yalligater went slippin' long thoo de

water, but he feel like de time done come when

he bleeze ter say sump'n. He say, sezee, 'How

come youer crossin' water now, ef de doctor tell

you dat?' Dis make Brer Rabbit laugh; he 'low,

'Maybe I ought n't ter tell you, but fo' I kin

cross water dat double gizzard got ter come out.

BROTHER RABBIT AND THE GIZZARD-EATER 263
De doctor done tol' me dat ef she ever smell water, dey '11 be sech a swellin' up dat my skin won't hoi' me; an' no longer dan' las' night, 'fo' I come ter dis creek -- 'twuz a creek den, whatsomever you may call it now -- I tuck out my double gizzard an' hid it in a hick'ry holler. An' ef youer de gizzard-eater, now is yo' chance, kaze ef you put it off, you may rue de day. Ef youer in de notion I '11 take you right dar an' show you de stump whar I hid it at -- er ef you wanter be lonesome 'bout it, I '11 let you go by yo'se'f an' I'll stay right here.'
"Brer Yalligater, he slip an' slide thoo de water. He say, sezee, 'Whar'd you say you'd stay?' Brer Rabbit 'low, sezee, 'I'll stay right here, Brer 'Gater, er anywhar's else you may choosen; I don't keer much whar I stays er what I does, so long ez I get rid er dat double gizzard what's been a-tarrifyin' me. You better go by yo'se'f, kaze bad ez dat double gizzard is done me, I got a kinder tendersome feelin' fer it, an' I 'm fear'd ef I wuz ter go 'long wid you, an' see you grab it, dey'd be some boo-hooin' done. Ef

264

TOLD BY UNCLE REMTJS

you go by yo'se'f, des rap on de stump an' say --'

Ef youer ready, I'm ready an' a little mo' so, un'

you won't have no trouble wid her. She's hid

right in dem woods yander, an' de holler hick'ry

stump ain't so mighty fur fum whar de bank er

de creek oughter be.'

"Brer Rabbit make a big jump an' lan' on solid ground"
"Brer 'Gater ain't got much mo' sense dan what it 'ud take fer ter clim' a fence atter some body done pulled it down, an' so he kinder slew'd hisse'f aroun', an' steered fer de woods -- de same woods whar dey's so many trees, an' whar ol' Sis Owl starts all de whirl-win's by fannin' her wings. Brer Yalligater swum an' steered, twel he come close ter lan', an' when he done dat

BROTHER RABBIT AND THE GIZZARD-EATER 265
Brer Rabbit make a big jump an' lan' on solid ground. He mought er got his feet wet, but ef he did 'twuz ez much. He 'low, sezee --
"' You po' ol' 'Gater, ef you know'd A fum Izzard, You'd know mighty well dot I'd keep my Gizzard.'
An' wid dat, he wuz done gone -- done clean gone!"

XV
BROTHER RABBIT AND MISS NANCY
ONE day, when Uncle Remus had told one of the stories that have already been set forth, the little boy was un usually thoughtful. He had asked his mother whether there was ever a time when the animals acted and talked like people, and she, without reflecting, being a young and an impulsive woman, had answered most emphatically in the negative. Now, this little boy was shrewder than he was given credit for being, and he knew that neither his grandmother nor Uncle Remus would set great store by what his mother said. How he knew this would be difficult to explain, but he knew it all the same. Therefore, when he interjected a doubt as to the truth of the tales, he kept the name of his authority to himself.
"Uncle Remus," said the little boy, "how do

BROTHER RABBIT AND MISS NANCY

267

you know that the tales you tell are true?

Could n't somebody make them up?"

The old man looked at the little child, and

knew who had sown the seeds of doubt in his

mind, and the knowledge made him groan and

shake his head. "Maybe you think I done it,

honey, but ef you does, de sooner you fergit it

off n yo' min', de better fer you, kaze I'd set here

an' dry up an' blow way 'fo' I kin tell a tale er my

own make-up; an' ef dey's anybody deze days

what kin make um up, I 'd like fer ter snuggle up

ter 'im, an' ax 'im ter 1'arn me how."

"Do you really believe the animals could,

talk?" asked the child.

"What diffunce do it make what I b'lieve,

honey? Ef dey kin talk in dem days, er ef dey

can't, b'lievin' er not b'lievin' ain't gwineter

he'p matters. OF folks what live in dem times dey

say de creeturs kin talk, kaze dey done talk wid

um, an' dey tell it ter der chillun an' der chillun

tell it ter der chillun right on down ter deze days.

So den what you gwineter do 'bout it -- b'lieve

dem what had it fum de ol' folks dat know'd, er

268

TOLD BY UNCLE EEMTJS

dem what ain't never hear nothin' 'tall about it

twel dey git it second ban' fum a oF nigger

man?"

The child perceived that Uncle Remus was

hitting pretty close to home, as the saying is, and

he said nothing for a while. "I have n't said that

I don't believe them," he remarked presently.

"Ef you said it, honey, you ain't say it whar I

kin hear you, but I take notice dat you hoi' yo'

head on one side an' kinder wrinkle yo' face up

when I tell deze tales. Ef you don't b'lieve um,

tain't no mo' use fer me ter tell um dan 't is fer me

terfly."

"My face always wrinkles when I laugh, Uncle

Remus."

"An' when you cry," responded the old man

so promptly that the child laughed, though he

hardly knew what he was laughing at.

"I'm gwineter tell you one now," remarked

Uncle Remus, wiping a smile from his face with

the back of his hand, "an' you kin take it er leave

it, des ez you please. Ef you see anything wrong

in it anywhar, you kin p'int it out ez we go 'long.

BROTHER RABBIT AND MISS NANCY

269

I been tellin' you dat Brer Rabbit wuz a heap

bigger in dem days dan what he is now. It looks

like de fambly done run ter seed, an' I bet you dat

ninety-nine thousan' year fum dis ve'y day, de

Rabbit-tum-a-hash crowd won' be bigger dan

fiel'-mice -- I bet you dat. He wa' n't only

bigger, but he wuz mighty handy 'bout a farm,

when he tuck a notion, speshually ef Mr. Man

had any greens in his truck-patch. Well, one

time, times wuz so hard dat he hatter hire out fer

his vittles an' cloze. He had de idee dat he wuz

gittin' a mighty heap fer de work he done, an

Mr. Man tell his daughter dat he gittin' Brer

Rabbit mighty cheap. Dey wuz bofe satchified,

an' when dat's de case, eve'ybody else oughter

be satchified. Brer Rabbit kin hoe taters, an'

chop cotton, an' fetch up breshwood, an' split

de kindlin, an' do right smart.

"He say ter hisse'f, Brer Rabbit did, dat ef he

ain't gittin' no money an' mighty few cloze, he

boun' he 'd have a plenty vittles. De fust week er

two, he ain't cut up no shines; he wuz gittin'

usen ter de place. He stuck ter his work right

270

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

straight along twel Mr. Man say lie one er de bes'

han's on de whole place, an' he tell his daughter

dat she better set 'er cap fer Brer Rabbit. De gal

she toss her head an' make a mouf, but all de

samey she 'gun ter cas' sheep eyes at 'im.

"One fine day, when de sun shinin' mighty hot,

Brer Rabbit 'gun ter git mighty hongry. He say

he want some water. Mr. Man say, 'Dar de

bucket, an' yan' de spring. Eve'ything fix so you

kin git water monstus easy.' Brer Rabbit git de

water, but still dey wuz a gnyawin' in his

stomach, an' bimeby he say he want some bread.

Mr. Man say, 'Tain't been so mighty long sense

you had brekkus, but no matter 'bout dat.Yan's

de house, in de house you'll fin' my daughter, an'

she '11 gi' you what bread you want.'

"Wid dat Brer Rabbit put out fer de house,

an' dar he fin' de gal. She say, 'La, Brer Rabbit,

you oughter be at work, but stidder dat here you

is at de house. I hear pap say dat youer mighty

good worker, but ef dis de way you does yo' work,

I dunner what make 'im sesso.' Brer Rabbit say,

'I'm here, Miss Nancy, kaze yo' daddy sont

BROTHER RABBIT AND MISS NANCY

271

me.' Miss Nancy 'low, 'Ain't you 'shame er

yo'se'f fer ter talk dat away? You know pap ain't

sont you.' Brer Rabbit say, 'Yassum, he did,' an'

den he smole one er deze yer lopsided smiles.

Miss Nancy kinder hang 'er head an' low, 'Stop

lookin' at me so brazen.' Brer Rabbit stood dar

wid his eyes shot, an' he ain't say nothin'. Miss

Nancy say, 'Is you gone ter sleep? You oughter

be 'shame fer ter drap off dat away whar dey's

ladies.'

"Brer Rabbit make a bow, he did, an' 'low,

'You tol' me not ter look at you, an' ef I ain't ter

look at you, I des ez well ter keep my eyes shot.'

De gal she giggle an' say Brer Rabbit ought n't

ter make fun er her right befo' her face an' eyes.

She ax what her pap sont 'im fer, an' he 'low dat

Mr. Man sont 'im for a dollar an' a half, an'

some bread an' butter. Mills Nancy say she don't

b'lieve 'im, an' wid dat she run down todes de

fiel' whar her pa wuz workin' an' holler at 'im --

'Pap! Oh, pap!' Mr. Man make answer, 'Hey?'

an' de gal say, 'Is you say what Brer Rabbit say

you say?' Mr. Man he holler back dat dat 's des

272

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

what he say, an' Miss Nancy she run back ter der

house, an' gi' Brer Rabbit a dollar an' a half an'

some bread an' butter.

"Time passed, an' eve'y once in a while Brer

Rabbit'd go ter de house endurin' de day, an' tell

Miss Nancy dat her daddy say fer ter gi' 'im

money an' some bread an' butter. An' de gal,

she 'd go part er de way ter whar Mr. Man is

workin', an' holler an' ax ef he sesso, an' Mr.

Man 'd holler back, 'Yes, honey, dat what I say.'

It got so atter while dat dey ain't so mighty much

money in de house, an' 'bout dat time, Miss

Nancy, she had a beau, which he useter come ter

see her eve'y Sunday, an' sometimes Sat'day, an'

it got so, atter while, dat she won't skacely look

at Brer Rabbit. ,

"Dis make 'im laugh, an' he kinder studied

how he gwineter git even wid um, kaze de beau

got ter flingin' his sass roun' Brer Rabbit, an' de

gal, she'd giggle, ez gals will. But Brer Rabbit

des sot dar, he did, an' chaw his terbacker, an'

spit in de fier. But one day Mr. Man hear 'im

talkin' ter hisse'f whiles deyer workin' in de

"De beau got ter fling-in' his sasx roun' -Brer Rabbit'

BROTHER RABBIT AND MISS NANCY

273

same fiel', and he ax Brer Rabbit what he

say. Brer Rabbit 'low dat he des tryin' fer

ter 1'arn a speech what he hear a little bird

say, an' wid dat he went on diggin' in de groun' des like he don't keer whedder anything happen er not. But dis don't satchify Mr. Man,

an' he ax Brer Rabbit what de speech is. Brer Rabbit 'low dat de way de little bird say it dey

ain't no sense ter itfur ez he kin see. But Mr. Man keep on axin' 'im what 'tis, an' bimeby he up an'

'low, 'De beau kiss de gal an' call her honey; den he kiss her ag'in, an' she gi' im de money.'

"Mr. Man say, 'Which money?' Brer Rabbit 'low, 'Youer too much fer me. Dey tells me dat money's money, no matter whar you git it, er

how you git it. Ef de little bird wa'n't singin' a song, den I'm mighty much mistooken.' But dis don' make Mr. Man feel no better dan what he been feelin'. He went on workin', but all de time de speech dat de little bird made wuz runnin' in his min':

" De beau kiss de gal, an' call her honey; Den he kiss her ag 'in, an' she gi' 'im de money."

274

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

"He keep on sayin' it over in his roin', an' de

mo' he say it de mo' it worry him. Dat night when

he went home, de beau wuz dar, an' he wuz mo'

gayly dan ever. He flung sass at Brer Rabbit, an

Brer Rabbit des sot dar an' chaw his terbacker,

an' spit in de fier. Den Mr. Man went ter de

place whar he keep his money, an' he fin' it

mos' all gone. He come back, he did, an' he

say, 'Whar my money?' De gal, she ain't

wanter have no words 'fo' her beau, an' 'spon',

'You know whar 'tis des ez well ez I does,' an'

de man say, 'I speck youer right 'bout dat, an'

sence I does, I want you ter pack up an' git right

out ter dis house an' take yo' beau wid you.' An'

so dar 'twuz.

"De gal, she cry some, but de beau muched

her up, an' dey went of? an' got married, an'

Mr. Man tuck all his things an' move off

somers, I dunner whar, an' dey wa' n't nobody

lef in dem neighberhoods but me an' Brer

Rabbit."

"You and Brother Rabbit?" cried the little

boy.

"De gal, she cry some, but dey ivent off an' got married'

BROTHER RABBIT AND MISS NANCY

275

"Dat's what I said," replied Uncle Remus.

"Me an' Brer Rabbit. De gal, she toP her chillun

'bout how Brer Rabbit had done her an' her pa,

an' fum dat time on, deyer been persooin' on

atterhirn."

XVI
THE HARD-HEADED WOMAN
UNCLE REMUS had observed a dis position on the part of the little boy to experiment somewhat with his elders. The child had come down to the plantation from the city such a model youngster that those who took an interest in his behavior, and who were themselves living the free and easy life possible only in the country places, were inclined to believe that he had been unduly repressed. This was particularly the case with the little fellow's
/
grandmother, who was aided and abetted by Uncle Remus himself, with the result that the youngster was allowed liberties he had never had before. The child, as might be supposed, was quick to take advantage of such a situation, and was all the time trying to see how far he could go before the limits of his privileges --
276

THE HARD-HEADED WOMAN

277

new and inviting so far as he was concerned --

would be reached. They stretched very much

farther on the plantation than they would have

done in the city, as was natural and proper, but

the child, with that adventurous spirit common to

boys, was inclined to push them still farther than

they had ever yet gone; and he soon lost the most

obvious characteristics of a model lad.

Little by little he had pushed his liberties, the

mother hesitating to bring him to task for fear of

offending the grandmother, whose guest she was,

and the grandmother not daring to interfere, for

the reason that it was at her suggestion, implied

rather than direct, that the mother had relaxed

her somewhat rigid discipline. It was natural, un

der the circumstances, that the little fellow should

become somewhat wilful and obstinate, and he

bade fair to develop that spirit of disobedience

that will make the brightest child ugly and dis

contented.

Uncle Remus, as has been said, observed all

these symptoms, and while he had been the first

to deplore the system that seemed to take all

78

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

the individuality out of the little fellow, he

soon became painfully aware that something

would have to be done to renew the discipline

that had been so efficacious when the mother

was where she felt free to exercise her whole

influence.

"You ain't sick, is you, honey?" the old man

inquired one day in an insinuating tone. "Kaze ef

you is, you better run back ter de house an' let de

white folks dose you up. Yo' mammy knows des

'zackly de kinder physic you need, an' how much,

an' ef I ain't mighty much mistooken, 't won't be

so mighty long 'fo' she '11 take you in han'." The

child looked up quickly to see whether Uncle

Remus was in earnest, but he could find nothing

in that solemn countenance that at all resembled

playfulness. "You may be well," the old man

went on, "but dey's one thing certain an' sho' --

you don't look like you did when you come ter;

we-all's house, an' you don't do like you done.

You may look at me ef you wanter, but I'm a-

tellin' you de fatal trufe, kaze you ain't no mo' de

same chiT what useter 'ten' ter his own business

THE HARD-HEADED WOMAN

279

all day an' night -- you ain't no mo' de same chiF

dan I'm dat ol' hen out dar. I 'low'd I mought be

mistooken, but I hear yo' granny an' yo' mammy

talkin' t'er night atter you done gone ter bed, an'

de talk dat dey talked sho' did open ray eyes,

kaze I never spected fer ter hear talk like dat."

For a long time the little boy said nothing, but

finally he inquired what Uncle Remus had

heard. "Iain'tno eavesdrapper," the old man re

plied, "but I hear 'nough fer ter last me whiles

you stay wid us. I dunner how long dat '11 be, but

I don't speck it '11 be long. Now des look at you!

Dar you is fumblin' wid my shoe knife, an' rnos'

'fo' you know it one een' er yo' finger will be

down dar on de flo', an' you '11 be a-squallin' like

somebody done killt you. Put it right back whar

you got it fum. Why n't you put it down when I

ax you? -- an' don't scatter my pegs! Put down

dat awl! You '11 stob yo'se'f right in de vitals, an'

den Miss Sally will blame me. Laws-a-massy!

take yo' han' outer dat peg box! You '11 git um all

over de flo', an' dey '11 drap thoo de cracks. I be

boun' ef I take my foot in my han', an' go up yan'

280

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

an' tell yo' mammy how good you is, she 11 make

you take off yo' cloze an' go ter bed -- dat's des

'zackly what she '11 do. An' dar you is foolin' wid

my fillin's! -- an', bless gracious, ef you ain't set-

tin' right flat-footed on my shoemaker's wax, an'

itright saft! I'll hatter ax yo'mammy ter please'm

not let you come down here no mo' twel de day

you start home!"

"I think you are very cross," complained the

child. "I never heard you talk that way before.

And grandmother is getting so she is n't as nice as

she used to be."

"Ah-yi!" exclaimed Uncle Remus in a tri

umphant tone. '' I know'd it! you done got so dat

you won't do a blessed thing dat anybody ax you

ter do. You done got a new name, an' 'tain't so

new but what I can put bofe han's behime one,

an' shet my eyes an' call it out. Eve'ybody on de

place know what 'tis, an' I hear de oF red rooster

callin' it out de yuther day when you wuz chunk-

in' at 'im." At once the little boy manifested

interest in what the old negro was saying, and

when he looked up, curiosity shone in his eyes.

THE HARD-HEADED WOMAN

281

"What did the rooster say my name is, Uncle

Remus?"

"Why, when you wuz atter him, he flew'd up

on de lot fence, an' he 'low, 'Mr. Hardhead! Mr.

Hardhead!' an' dat sho' is yo' name. You kin

squirm, an' frown, an' twis', but dat rooster is

sho' got yo' name down fine. Ef he 'd 'a' des

named you once, maybe folks would 'a' fergot it

off'n der min', but he call de name twice des ez

plain ez he kin speak, an' dar you sets wid Mr.

Hardhead writ on you des ez plain ez ef de rooster

had a put it on you wid a paint-brush. You can't

rub it off an' you can't walk roun' it."

"But what must I do, Uncle Remus?"

"Des set still a minnit, an' try ter be good. It

may th'ow you in a high fever fer ter keep yo'

han's outer my things, er it may gi' you a agur

fer ter be like you useter be, but it '11 pay you in

de long run; it mos' sholy will."

"Well, if you want me to be quiet," said the

child, "you 11 have to tell me a tale."

"Ef you sit still too long, honey, I 'm afeard de

creeturs on de plantation will git de idee dat

282

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

sump'n done happen. Dar 's de oF sow -- you

ain't run her roun' de place in de last ten minnits

er sech a matter; an' dar's de calf, an' de chick

ens, an' de Guinny hens, an' de oF gray gooses --

dey '11 git de idee dat you done broke yo' leg er

yo' arm; an' dey '11 be fixin' up fer ter have a

frolic if dey miss you fer longer dan fifteen min

nits an' a half. How you gwineter have any fun ef

you set an' lissen ter a tale stidder chunkin' an'

runnin' de creeturs? I mos' know you er ailin' an'

by good rights de doctor oughter come an' look

at you."

The little boy laughed uneasily. He was not the

first that had been sobered by the irony of Uncle

Remus, which, crude though it was, was much

more effective than downright quarreling. " Yas-

ser!" Uncle Reinus repeated, "de doctor oughter

come an' look at you -- an' when I say doctor, I

mean doctor, an' not one er deze yer kin' what

goes roun' wid a whole passel er pills what ain't

bigger dan a gnat's heart. What you want is a

great big double-j'inted doctor wid a big black

beard an' specks on, what '11 fill you full er de

THE HAED-HEADED WOMAN

283

rankest kin' er physic. Ez you look now, you put

me in min' er de 'oman an' de dinner-pot; dey

ain't no two ways 'bout dat."

"If it is a tale, please tell it, Uncle Remus,"

said the little boy.

"Oh, it sho is a tale all right!" exclaimed the

old man, "but you ain't no mo' got time fer ter

hear it dan de birds in de tree. You 'd hatter set

still an' lissen, an' dat 'ud put you out a whole

lot, kaze dar 's de chickens ter be chunked, an' de

pigs ter be crippled an' a whole lot er yuther

things fer ter be did, an' dey ain't nobody else in

de roun' worl' dat kin do it ez good ez you kin.

Well, you kin git up an' mosey long ef you want-

er, but I'm gwineter tell dish yer tale ef I hatter

r'ar my head back an' shet my eyeballs an' tell it

ter myse'f fer ter see ef I done fergit it off'n my

min'.

"Well, once 'pon a time -- it mought 'a' been

in de year One fer all I know -- dey wuz a 'oman

dat live in a little cabin in de woods not so mighty

fur fum water. Now, dis 'oman an' dis cabin

mought 'a' been in de Nunited State er Georgy,

284

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS'

er dey mought 'a' been in de Nunited State er

Yallerbammer -- you kin put um whar you

please des like I does. But at one place er de

yuther, an' at one time er nuther, dis 'oman live

dar des like I 'm a-tellin' you. She live dar, she

did, an' fus' an' las' dey wuz a mighty heap er

talk about her. Some say she wuz black, some

say she wuz mighty nigh white, an' some say she

wa' n't ez black ez she mought be; but dem what

know'd, dey say she wuz nine parts Injun an' one

part human, an' I speck dat 's des ez close ter

trufe ez we kin git in dis kinder wedder ef we

gwineter keep cool.

"Fum all I kin hear -- an' I been keepin' bofe

years wide open, she wuz a monstus busy 'oman,

kaze it wuz de talk 'mongst de neighbors dat she

done a heap er things what she ain't got no busi

ness ter do. She had a mighty bad temper, an'

her tongue wuz a-runnin' fum mornin' twel

night. Folks say dat 'twuz long an' loud an'

mighty well hung. Dey lissen an' shake der head,

an' atter while word went roun' dat de 'oman

done killt her daughter. Ez ter dat, I ain't never

THE HARD-HEADED WOMAN

285

is hear de rights un it; she mought, an' den ag'in

she mought n't -- dey ain't no tellin' -- but dey

wuz one thing certain an' sho' she done so quare,

dat folks say she cut up des like a Friday-born

fool.

"Her ol' man, he done de best dat he could. He

went 'long an' ten' ter his own business, an' when

her tongue 'gun ter clack, he sot down an' made

fish-baskets, an' ax-helves. But dat ain't make no

diffunce ter de 'oman, kaze she wuz one deze yer

kin' what could quoil all day whedder dey wuz

anybody fer ter quoil at er not. She quoiled an'

she quoiled. De man, he ain't say nothin' but dis

des make her quoil de mo'. He split up kin'lin'

an' chopped up wood, an' still she quoil'; he

fotch home meal an' he fotch home meat, but

still she quoil'. An' she 'fuse fer ter cook what

he want her to cook; she wuz hard-headed des

like you, an' she 'd have her own way ef she

died fer it.

"Ef de man, he say, 'Please 'm cook me some

grits,' she 'd whirl in an' bile greens; ef he ax fer

fried meat, she 'd bake him a hoe-cake er corn

286

TOLD BY UXCLE REMUS

bread. Ef he want roas' tater she 'd bile him a

mess er beans, an' all de time, she 'd be givin' 'im

de wuss kinder sass. Oh, she wuz.a honey! An'

when it come ter low-down meanness, she wuz

rank an' ripe. She 'd take de sparrer-grass what

he fotch, an' kindle de fire wid it. She 'd burn de

spar'-ribs an' scorch de tripe, an' she 'd do eve'y

kinder way but de right way, an' dat she

would n't do, not ter save yo' life.

"Well, dis went on an' went on, an' de man

ain't make no complaints; he des watch an' wait

an' pray. But atter so long a time, he see dat dat

ain't gwine ter do no good, an' he tuck an' change

his plans. He spit in de ashes, he did, an' he make

a cross-mark, an' turn roun' twice so he kin face

de sunrise. Den he shuck a gourd-vine flower

over de pot, an' sump'n tol' 'im fer ter take his

res' an' wait twel de moon come up. All dis time

de 'oman, she wuz a quoilin', but bimeby, she

went on 'bout hsr business, an' de man had some

peace; but not fer long. He ain't no more dan had

time fer ter put some thunderwood buds an' some

calamus-root in de pot, dan here she come, an'

\
"Den he shuck a gourd-vine flower over de pot"

THE HARD-HEADED WOMAN

2S7

she come a-quoilin'. She come in she did, an' she

slam things roun' des like you slams de gate.

" Atter kickin' up a rippet, an' makin' de place

hot ez she kin, de 'oman made a big fire un' de

pot, an' flew'd roun' dar des like she tryin' fer ter

cook a sho' 'nough supper. She made some

dumplin's an' flung um in de pot; den she put in

some peas an' big pods er red pepper, an' on top

er all she flung a sheep's head. De man, he sot

dar, an' look straight at de cross-mark what he

done made in de ashes. Atterwhile, he 'gun to

smell de calamus-root a-cookin' an' he know'd by

dat, dat sump'n wuz gwineter happen.

"De pot, it biled, an' biled, an' fus' news you

know, de sheep's head 'gun ter butt de dumplin's

out, an' de peas, dey flew'd out an' rattled on de

flo' like a bag er bullets done busted. De 'oman,

she run fer ter see what de matter is, an' when she

got close ter de pot de steam fum de thunderwood

hit her in de face an' eyes an' come mighty nigh

takin' her breff away. Dis kinder stumped 'er fer

a minnit, but she had a temper big 'noagh fer ter

drag a bull down, an' all she had ter do when she

88

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

lose her breff wuz ter fling her han's in de a'r an'

fetch a snort, an' dar she wuz.

"She moughter been mad befo', but dis time

she wuz mighty nigh plum' crazy. She look at de

pot, an' she look at her ol' man; she shot her eye

balls an' clinched her han's; she yerked off her

head-hankcher, an' pulled her ha'r loose fum de

wroppin'-strings; she stomped her foot, an'

smashed her toofies tergedder.

"She railed at de pot; she 'low, 'What ail you,

you black Dickunce? I b'lieve youer de own brer

ter de OF Boy! You been foolin' wid me fer de

longest, an' I ain't gwine ter put up wid it! I'm

gwineter tame you down!' Wid dat, she flung off

de homespun sack what she been w'arin' an' run

outer de house an' got de ax.

"Her ol' man say, 'Whar you gwine, honey?'

She 'low, 'I'm a gwine whar I'm a gwine, dat's

whar I'm a gwine!' De man, he ain't spon' ter dat

kinder talk, an' de 'oman, she went out in back

yard fer ter hunt fer de'ax. Look like she gwineter

keep on gittin' in trouble, kaze de ax wuz on top

er de wood what de man done pile up out dar.

THE HARD-HEADED WOMAN

289

It wuz layin' up dar, de ax wuz, des ez slan-

chendicklar ez you please, but time it see her comin' ---- "

"But, Uncle Remus!" the child exclaimed, "how could the ax see her? "
The old negro looked at the little boy with an expression of amazed pity on his face. He looked all around the room and then raised his eyes to the rafters, where a long cobweb was swaying slowly in a breeze so light that nothing else would respond to its invitation. Then he sighed and closed his eyes. " I wish yo' pa wuz here right now, I mos' sholy does -- yo' pa, what useter set right whar youer settin'! You done been raised in town whar dey can't tell a ax fum a wheelbarrer. Ax ain't got no eye! Well, whoever is hear de beat er dat! Ef anybody else is got dat idee, I'll be much erbleege ef you '11 show um ter me. Here you is mighty nigh big 'nough fer eat raw tater widout havin' de doctor called in, an' a-settin'dar sayin' dat axes ain't got no eyes. Well, you ax yo' gran'ma when you go back ter de house an' see what she say.

290

TOLD BY UNCLE BEMUS

"Now, le' me see; wharbouts wuz I at? Oh,

yes! De ax wuz on top er woodpile, an' when it

seed de 'oraan comin', it des turned loose an' slip

down on de yuther side. It wa'n't tryin' fer ter

show off, like I've seed some folks 'fo' now; it

des turned loose eve'ything an' fell down on de

yuther side er de woodpile. An' whiles de 'oman

wuz gwin roun' atter it, de ax, it clum back

on top er de woodpile an' fell off on t'er side.

Dem what handed de tale down ter me ain't

say how long de 'oman an' de ax keep dis

up, but ef a ax is got eyes, it ain't got but one

leg, an' it must not 'a' been so mighty long 'fo'

de 'oman cotch up wid it -- an' when she did

she wuz so mad dat she could 'a' bit a railroad

track in two, ef dey 'd 'a' been one anywhar's

roun' dar.

"Well, she got de ax, an' it look like she wuz

madder dan ever. De man, he say, 'Better let de

pot 'lone, honey; ef you don't you '11 sholy wish

you hadder.' De 'oman, she squall out, 'I'll let

you 'lone ef you fool wid me, an' ef I do you

won't never pester nobody no mo'.' Man, he say,

'De ax, it clum back on top er de woodpile an' fell off on der side"

THE HARD-HEADED WOMAN

291

'I 'm a-tellin' you de trufe, honey, an' dis may be

de las' chance you '11 git ter hear it.'

"De 'oman raise de ax like she gwineter hit

de man, an' den it look like she tuck a n'er no

tion, an' she start todes de pot. De man, he low,

'You better hear me, honey! You better drap de

ax an' go out doors an' cool yo'se'f off, honey!'

It seem like he wuz a mighty saf'-spoken man,

wid nice feelin's fer all. De 'oman, she say,' Don't

you dast ter honey me -- ef you does I '11 brain

you stidder de pot!' De man smole a long smile

an' shuck his head; he say, 'All de same, honey,

you better pay 'tention ter deze las' words I'm

a-tellin' you!'

"But de 'oman, she des keep right on. She'd

'a' gone faster dan what she did, but it look like

de ax got heavier eve'y step she tuck heavier

an' heavier. An' it look like de house got bigger

-- bigger an' bigger; an' it seem like de do' got

wider -- wider an' wider! She moughter seed all

dis, an' I speck she did, but she des keep right on,

shakin' de ax, an' moufin' ter herse'f. De man,

he holler once mo' an' fer de las' time- .'Don't let

292

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

ol' Nick fool you, honey, ef you does, he sho will

git you!'

"But she keep on an' keep on, an' de house got

bigger an' de do' got wider. De pot see her corn-

in', an' it got fum a-straddle er de fire, whar it had

been settin' at, an' skipped out' de do' an' out in

de yard." Uncle Remus paused to see what ef

fect this statement would have on the child, but

save the shadow of a smile hovering around his

mouth, the youngster gave no indication of unbe

lief. "De 'oman," said Uncle Remus, with a

chuckle that was repressed before it developed

into a laugh, "look like she 'stonish', but her

temper kep' hot, an' she run out atter de pot wid

de ax ez high ez she kin hoi' it; but de pot keep

on gwine, skippin' long on three legs faster dan

de 'oman kin run on two; an' de ax kep' on git-

tin' heavier an' heavier, twel, bimeby, de 'oman

hatter drap it. Den she lit out atter de pot like she

wuz runnin' a foot-race, but fast ez she run, de

pot run faster.

"De chase led right inter de woods an' down

de spring branch, an' away over yander beyan' de

'Den she lit out otter de pot like she wuz runnin' afoot-race"

THE HARD-HEADED WOMAN

293

creek. De pot went so fast an' it went so fur dat

atter while de 'oman 'gun ter git weak. But de

temper she had helt 'er up fer de longest, an' mo'

dan dat, eve'y time she 'd sorter slack up, de pot

would dance an' caper roun' on its three legs,

an' do like it 's givin' her a dar' -- an' she keep

a-gwine twel she can't hardly go no furder.

"De man he stayed at de house, but de 'oman

an' de pot ain't git so fur but what he kin hear um

scufflin' an scramblin' roun' in de bushes, an' he

set dar, he did, an' look like he right sorry fer

anybody what 's ez hard-headed ez de 'oman.

But she look like she bleeze ter ketch dat pot. She

say ter herse'f dat folks will never git done talkin'

'bout her ef she let herse'f be outdone by a oF

dinner-pot what been in de fambly yever sence

dey been any fambly.

"So she keep on, twel she tripped up on a vine

er de bamboo brier, an' down she come! It seem

like de pot seed her, an' stidder runnin' fum 'er,

here it come a-runnin' right at 'er wid a chunk er

red fire. Oh, you kin laugh, honey, an' look like

vou don't b'lieve me, but dat ain't make no dif-

294

TOLD BY UNCLE REMUS

funce,kaze de trufe ain't never been hurted yit by

dem what ain't b'lieve it. I dunner whar de chunk

er fire come fum, an' I dunner how de dinner-pot

come ter have motion, but dar 'tis in de tale --

take it er leave it, des ez you bleeze.

"Well, suh, when de 'oman fell, de pot made at

her wid a chunk er red fire. De 'oman see it com-

in', an' she set up a squall dat moughter been

heard a mile. She jump up, she did, but it seem

like she wuz so weak an' tired dat she can't stan'

on her foots, an' she start fer ter fall ag'in, but de

dinner-pot wuz dar fer ter ketch 'er when she fell.

An' dat wuz de last dat anybody yever is see er

de hard-headed 'oman. Leas' ways, she ain't

never come back ter de house whar de man wuz

settin' at.

"De pot? Well, de way dey got it in de tale is

dat de pot des laugh twel it hatter hoi' its sides

fer ter keep fum crackin' open. It come a-hoppin'

an' a-skippin' up de spring paff. It hopped along,

It did, twel it come ter de house, an' it made a

runnin' jump in de do'. Den it wash its face,

an' scrape de mud off'n it foots, an' wiped off de

THE HARD-HEADED WOMAN

295

grease what de 'oman been too lazy fer ter clean

off. Den it went ter de fireplace, an' kinder sprad

dle out so it'll fit de bricks what been put dar fer

it ter set on.

"De man watch all dis, but he ain't say noth-

in'. Atter while he hear a mighty bilin' an' bub-

blin' an' when he went ter look fer ter see what

de matter, he see his supper cookin' an' atter so

long a time, he fish it out an' eat it. He eat in

peace, an' atter dat he allers had peace. An' when

you wanter be hard-headed, an' have yo' own

way, you better b'ar in ruin' de 'oman an' de

dinner-pot."

THE END

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Beatrice Waverly is robbed of $5,000 and suspicion fastens upon Buck Thornton, but she soon realizes he is not guilty. Intensely exciting, here is a real story of the Great Far West.
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Donald McKay, son of Hector McKay, millionaire lum ber king, falls in love with " Nan of the Sawdust Pile," a charming girl who has been ostracized by her townsfolk.
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GAPPY RICKS
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WEBSTER: MAN'S MAN
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