en den he go hoppin' off to'rds home。 He didn't got fur w'en who should he meet but Brer Fox； en den Brer Rabbit； he open up：
〃'W'at dis twix' you en me； Brer Fox？' sez Brer Rabbit； sezee。 'I hear tell you gwine ter sen' me ter 'struckshun； en nab my fambly； en 'Stroy my shanty；' sezee。
〃'Den Brer Fox he git mighty mad。
'Who bin tellin' you all dis？' sezee。
〃Brer Rabbit make like he didn't want ter tell； but Brer Fox he 'sist en 'sist； twel at las' Brer Rabbit he up en tell Brer Fox dat he hear Jack Sparrer say all dis。
〃'Co'se；' sez Brer Rabbit； sezee； 'w'en Brer Jack Sparrer tell me dat I flew up； I did； en I use some langwidge w'ich I'm mighty glad dey weren't no ladies 'round' nowhars so dey could hear me go on； sezee。
〃Brer Fox he sorter gap； he did； en say he speck he better be sa'nter'n on。 But； bless yo' soul； honey； Brer Fox ain't sa'nter fur； 'fo' Jack Sparrer ffipp down on a 'simmon…bush by de side er de road； en holler out：
〃'Brer Fox！ Oh； Brer Fox！…Brer Foir 〃Brer Fox he des sorter canter long； he did； en make like he don't hear 'im。 Den Jack Sparrer up'n sing out agin：
'Brer Fox！ Oh； Brer Fox！ Hole on； Brer Fox！ I got some news fer you。 Wait Brer Fox！ Hit'll 'stonish you。'
〃Brer Fox he make like he don't see Jack Sparrer； ner needer do he hear 'im； but bimeby he lay down by de road； en sorter stretch hisse'f like he fixin' fer ter nap。 De tattlin' Jack Sparrer he flew'd 'long； en keep on callin' Brer Fox； but Brer Fox； he ain't sayin' nuthin'。 Den little Jack Sparrer； he hop down on de groun' en flutter 'roun' 'mongst de trash。 Dis sorter 'track Brer Fox 'tenshun； en he look at de tattlin' bird； en de bird he keep on callin'：
'I got sump'n fer ter tell you； Brer Fox。'
〃'Git on my tail； little Jack Sparrer；' sez Brer Fox； sezee； 'kaze I'm de'f in one year； en I can't hear out'n de udder。 Git on my tail；' sezee。
〃Den de little bird he up'n hop on Brer Fox's tail。
〃'Git on my back； little Jack Sparrer； kaze I'm de'f in one year en I can't hear out'n de udder。'
〃Den de little bird hop on his back。
〃'Hop on my head； little Jack Sparrer； kaze I'm de'f in bofe years。
〃Up hop de little bird。
〃'Hop on my toof； little Jack Sparrer； kaze I'm de'f in one year en I can't hear out'n de udder。'
〃De tattlin' little bird hop on Brer Fox's toof； en den…〃
Here Uncle Remus paused； opened wide his mouth and closed it again in a way that told the whole story。 *1
〃Did the Fox eat the bird all…all…up？〃 asked the little boy。
〃Jedge B'ar come long nex' day；〃 replied Uncle Remus； 〃en he fine some fedders； en fum dat word went roun' dat ole man Squinch Owl done kotch nudder watzizname。〃
*1 An Atlanta friend heard this story in Florida； but an alligator was substituted for the fox； and a little boy for the rabbit。 There is another version in which the impertinent gosling goes to tell the fox something her mother has said； and is caught； and there may be other versions。 I have adhered to the middle Georgia version； which is characteristic enough。 It may be well to state that there are different versions of all the stories…the shrewd narrators of the mythology of the old plantation adapting themselves with ready tact to the years； tastes； and expectations of thefr juvenile audiences。
XX HOW MR。 RABBIT SAVED HIS MEAT
〃ONE time；〃 said Uncle Remus； whetting his knife slowly and thoughtfully on the palm of his hand； and gazing reflectively in the fire…〃one time Brer Wolf…〃
〃Why； Uncle Remus！〃 the little boy broke in； 〃I thought you said the Rabbit scalded the Wolf to death a long time ago。〃
The old man was fairly caught and he knew it； but this made little difference to him。 A frown gathered on his usually serene brow as he turned his gaze upon the child…a frown in which both scorn and indignation were visible。 Then all at once he seemed to regain control of himself。 The frown was chased away by a look of Christian resignation。
〃Dar now！ W'at I tell you？〃 he exclaimed as if addressing a wituess concealed under the bed。 〃Ain't I done tole you so？ Bless grashus！ ef chilluns ain't gittin' so dey knows mo'n ole fokes； en dey'll spute longer you en spute longer you； ceppin der ma call urn； w'ich I speck twon't be long 'fo' she will； en den Ill set yere by de chimbly…coruder en git some peace er mine。 W'en ole Miss wuz livin'；〃 continued the old man； still addressing some imaginary person； 'hit 'uz mo'n enny her ehilluns 'ud dast ter do ter come 'sputin' longer me；： en Mars John'll tell you de same enny day you ax 'im。〃
〃Well； Uncle Remus； you know you said the Rabbit poured hot water on the Wolf and killed him；〃 said the little boy。
The old man pretended not to hear。 He was engaged in searching among some scraps of leather under his chair； and kept on talking to the imaginary person。 Finally； he found and drew forth a nicely plaited whip…thong with a red snapper all waxed and knotted。
〃I wuz fixin' up a wi'p fer a little chap；〃 he continued； with a sigh； 〃but； bless grashus！ 'fo' I kin git 'er done） de little chap done grow'd up twel he know mo'n I duz。〃
The child's eyes filled with tears and his lips began to quiver； but he said nothing； whereupon Uncle Remus immediately melted。
〃I 'clar' to goodness；〃 he said； reaching out and taking the little boy tenderly by the hand； 〃ef you ain't de ve'y spit en image er ole Miss Wen I brung 'er de las' news er de war。 Hit's des like skeerin' up a ghos' w'at you ain't fear'd un。〃
Then there was a pause； the old man patting the little child's hand caressingly。
〃You ain't mad； is you； honey？〃 Uncle Remus asked finally； 〃kaze ef you is； I'm gwine out yere en butt my head 'gin de do' jam'。〃
But the little boy wasn't mad。 Uncle Remus had conquered him and he had conquered Uncle Remus in pretty much the same way before。 But it was some time before Uncle Remus would go on with the story。 He had to be coaxed。 At last； however； he settled himself back in the chair and began：
〃Co'se； honey； hit mout er bin ole Brer Wolf； er hit mout er bin er n'er Brer Wolf； it mout er bin 'fo' he got kotch up wid； er it mont er bin atterwards。 Ez de tale wer gun to me des dat away I gin it unter you。 One time Brer Wolf wnz comm' long home fum a fishin' frolic。 He s'anter long de road； he did； wid his string er fish 'cross his shoulder； wen fus news you know ole Miss Pa'tridge； she hop outer de bushes en flutter long right at Brer Wolf nose。 Brer Wolf he say ter hisse'f dat ole Miss Pa'tridge tryin' fer ter toll 'im 'way fum her nes'； en wid dat he lay his fish down en put out inter de bushes whar ole Miss Pa'tridge come fum； en 'bout dat time Brer Rabbit； he happen long。 Dar wuz de fishes； en dar wuz Brer Rabbit； en w'en dat de case w'at you speck a sorter innerpen'ent man like Brer Rabbit gwine do？ I kin tell you dis； dat dem fishes ain't stay whar Brer Wolf put um at； en w'en Brer Wolf come back dey wuz gone。
〃Brer Wolf； he sot down en scratch his head； he did； en study en study； en den hit sorter rush inter his mine dat Brer Rabbit bin 'long dar； en den Brer Wolf； he put out fer Brer Rabbit house； en w'en he git dar he hail 'im。 Brer Rabbit； he dunno nuthin' tall 'bout no fishes。 Brer Wolf he up'n say he bleedzd ter bleeve Brer Rabbit got dem fishes。 Brer Rabbit 'ny it up en down； but Brer Wolf stan' to it dat Brer Rabbit got dem fishes。 Brer Rabbit； he say dat if Brer Wolf b'leeve he got de fishes； den he give Brer Wolf lief fer ter kill de bes' cow he got。 Brer Wolf； he tuck Brer Rabbit at his word； en go off ter de pastur' en drive up de cattle en kill Brer Rabbit bes' cow。
〃Brer Rabbit； he hate mighty bad fer ter lose his cow； but he lay his plans； en he tell his chilluns dat he gwineter have dat beef yit。 Brer Wolf； he bin tuck up by de patter…rollers 'fo' now； en he mighty skeerd un um； en fus news you know； yer come Brer Rabbit hollerin' en tellin' Brer Wolf dat de patter…rollers comm。
You run en hide； Brer Wolf；' sez Brer Rabbit； sezee； 'en I'll stay yer en take keer er de cow twel you gits back；' sezee。
〃Soon's Brer Wolf hear talk er de patter…rollers； he scramble off inter de underbrush like he bin shot out'n a gun。 En he want mo'n gone 'fo' Brer Rabbit； he whirl in en skunt de cow en salt de hide down； en den he tuck'n cut up de kyarkiss en stow it 'way in de smoke…'ouse； en den he tuck'n stick de een' er de cow…tail in de groun'。 Atter he gone en done all dis； den Brer Rabbit he squall out fer Brer Wolf：
'Run yer； Brer Wolf！ Run yer！ Yo' cow gwine in de groun'！ Run yer！'
〃W'en ole Brer Wolf got dar； w'ich he come er scootin'； dar wuz Brer Rabbit horin' on ter de cow…tail； fer ter keep it fum gwine in de groun'。 Brer Wolf； he kotch holt； en dey 'gin a pull er two en up come de tail。 Den Brer Rabbit； he wink his off eye en Say； sezee：
〃'Dar！ de tail done pull out en de cow gone；' sezee。 〃But Brer Wolf he wer'n't de man fer ter give it up dat away； en he got 'irn a spade； en a pick…axe； en a shovel； en he dig en dig fer dat cow twel diggin' wuz pas' all endu'unce； en ole Brer Rabbit he sot up dar in his front po'ch en smoke his seegyar。 Eve'y time ole Brer Wolf stuck de pick…axe in de clay； Brer Rabbit； he giggle ter his chilluns：
〃'He diggy； diggy； diggy； but no meat dar！ He diggy； diggy； diggy； but no