en he git mighty mad。 He sorter speck who de somebody is； but ole Brer Rabbit he cover his tracks so cute dat Brer Fox dunner how ter ketch 'im。 Bimeby； one day Brer Fox take a walk all roun' de groun'…pea patch； en 'twan't long 'fo' he fine a crack in de fence whar de rail done bin rub right smoove； en right dar he sot 'im a trap。 He tuck'n ben' down a hick'ry saplin'； growin' in de fence…cornder； en tie one een' un a plow4ine on de top； en in de udder een' he fix a loop…knot； en dat he fasten wid a trigger right in de crack。 Nex' mawnin' w'en ole Brer Rabbit come slip…pin' 'long en crope thoo de crack； de loop…knot kotch 'im behime de folegs； en de saplin' flew'd up； en dar he wuz 'twix' de heavens en de yeth。 Dar he swulig； cn he fear'd he gwineter fall； en he fear'd he wer'n't gwineter fall。 W'ile he wuz a fixin' up a tale fer Brer Fox； he hear a lumberin' down de road； en present'y yer cum ole Brer B'ar arriblin' 'long film whar he bin takin' a bee…tree。 Brer Rabbit； he hail 'im：
〃'Howdy； Brer B'ar！'
〃Brer Ba'r； he look 'roun en bimeby he see Brer Rabbit swingin' fum de saplin'； en he holler out：
〃'Heyo； Brer Rabbit！ How you come on dis mawnin'？'
〃'Much oblije； I'm middlin'； Brer B'ar；' sez Brer Rabbit； sezee。
〃Den Brer B'ar； he ax Brer Rabbit w'at he doin' up dar in de elements； en Brer Rabbit； he up'n say he makin' dollar minnit。 Brer B'ar； he say how。 Brer Rabbit say he keepin' crows out'n Brer Fox's groun' pea patch； en den he ax Brer B'ar ef he don't wanter make dollar minnit； kaze he got big fambly er ohil…luns fer to take keer un； en den he make sech nice skeercrow。 Brer B'ar 'low dat he take de job； en den Brer Rabbit show 'im how ter ben' down de saplin'； en 'twan't long 'fo' Brer B'ar wuz swingin' up dar in Brer Rabbit place。 Den Brer Rabbit； he put out fer Brer Fox house； en w'en he got dar he sing out：
〃'Brer Fox！ Oh； Brer Fox！ Come out yer； Brer Fox； en Ill show you de man w'at bin stealin' yo' goobers。'
〃Brer Fox； he grab up his walkin'…stick； en bofe un urn went runnin' back down ter der goober…patch； en w'en dey got dar； sho 'nuff； dar wuz ole Brer B'ar。
〃'Oh； yes！ youer kotch； is you？' sez Brer Fox； en 'fo' Brer B'ar could 'splain； Brer Rabbit he Jump up en down； en holler out：
〃'Hit 'im in de mouf； Brer Fox； hit 'im in do mouf'； en Brer Fox； he draw back wid de walkin'cane； en blip he tuck 'im； en eve'y time Brer B'ar'd try ter 'splain； Brer Fox'd shower down on him。
〃W'iles all dis 'uz gwine on； Brer Rabbit； he slip off en git in a mud…hole en des lef' his eyes stickin' out； kaze he know'd dat Brer B'ar'd be a comin' atter 'im。 Sho 'nuff； bimeby here come Brer B'ar down de road； en w'en he git ter de mud…hole； he Say：
Howdy； Brer Frog； is you seed Brer Rabbit go by yer？'
He des gone by；' sez Brer Rabbit； en ole man B'ar tuck off down de road like a skeer'd mule； en Brer Rabbit； he come out en dry hisse'f in de sun； en go home ter his fambly same ez enny udder man。
〃The Bear didn't catch the Rabbit； then？〃 inquired the little boy； sleepily。
〃Jump up film dar； honey！〃 exclaimed Uncle Remus； by way of reply。 〃I ain't got no time fer ter be settin' yer proppin' yo' eyeleds open。〃
XXIV MR。 BEAR CATCHES OLD MR。 BULL…FROG
'WELL； Uncle Remus；〃 said the little boy； count…mg to see if he hadn't lost a marble somewhere； 〃the Bear didn't catch the Rabbit after all； did he？〃
〃Now you talkin'； honey；〃 replied the old man； his earnest face breaking up into little eddies of smiles… now you talkin' sho。 'Tain't bin proned inter no Brer B'ar fer ter kotch Brer Rabbit。 Hit sorter like settin' a mule fer ter trap a hummin'…bird。 But Brer B'ar； he tuck'n got hisse'f inter some mo' trubble； w'ich it look like it mighty easy。 Ef folks could make der livin' longer gittin' inter trubble；〃 continued the old man； looking curiously at the little boy； 〃ole Miss Favers wouldn't be bodder'n yo' ma fer ter borry a cup full er sugar eve'y now en den； en it look like ter me dat I knows a nigger dat wouldn't be squattin' 'roun' yer makin' dese yer fish…baskits。〃
〃How did the Bear get into more trouble； Uncle Remus？〃 asked the little boy。
〃N atchul； honey。 Brer B'ar； he tuck a notion dat ole Brer Bull…frog wuz de man w'at fool 'im； en he say dat he'd come up wid 'im ef 'twuz a year atterwuds。 But 'twan't no year； an 'twan't no mont'； en mo'n dat； hit wan't skasely a week； w'en bimeby one day Brer B'ar wuz gwine home fum de takin' un a bee…tree； en lo en beholes； who should he see but ole Brer Bull…frog settin' out on de aidge er de mud…muddle fas' 'sleep！ Brer B'ar drap his axe； he did； en crope up； en retch out wid his paw； en scoop ole Brer Bull…frog in des dis away。〃 Here the old man used his hand ladle…fashion； by way of illustration。 〃He scoop 'im in； en dar he wuz。 W'en Brer B'ar got his dampers on 'im good； he sot down en talk at 'im。
〃'Howdy； Brer Bull…frog； howdy！ En how yo fambly？ I hope deyer well； Brer Bull…frog； kaze dis day you got some bizness wid me w'at'll las' you a mighty long time。'
〃Brer Bull…frog； he dunner w'at ter say。 He dunner wat's up； en he don't say nuthin'。 Ole Brer B'ar he keep runnin' on：
〃'Youer de man w'at tuck en fool me 'bout Brer Rabbit t'er day。 You had yo' fun； Brer Bull…frog； en now I'll git mine。'
〃Den Brer Bull…frog； he gin ter git skeerd； he did； en he up'n say：
〃'W'at I bin doin'； Brer B'ar？ How I bin foolin' you？'
〃Den Brer B'ar laff； en make like he dunno； but he keep on talkin'。
〃'Oh； no； Brer Bull…frog！ You ain't de man w'at stick yo' head up out'n de water en tell me Brer Rabbit done gone on by。 Oh； no！ you ain't de man。 I bonn' you ain't。 'Bout dat time； you wuz at home with yo' fambly； whar you allers is。 I dunner whar you wuz； but I knows whar you is； Brer Bull…frog； en hit's you en me fer it。 Atter de sun goes down dis day you don't fool no mo' folks gwine 'long dis road。'
〃Co'se； Brer Bull…frog dunner w'at Brer B'ar drivin' at； but he know sump'n hatter be done； en dat mighty soon； kaze Brer B'ar 'gun to snap his jaws tergedder en foam at de mouf； en Brer Bull…frog holler out：
〃'Oh； pray； Brer B'ar！ Lemme off dis time； en I won't never do so no mo'。 Oh； pray； Brer B'ar！ do lemme off dis time； en I'll show you de fattes' bee…tree in de woods。'
〃Ole Brer B'ar； he chomp his toofies en foam at de mouf。 Brer Bull…frog he des up'n squall：
〃'Oh； pray； Brer B'ar！ I won't never do so no mo'！ Oh； pray； Brer B'ar！ Lenune off dis time！'
〃But ole Brer B'ar say he gwineter make way wid 'im； en den he sot en study； ole Brer B'ar did； how he gwineter squench Brer Bull…frog。 He know he can't drown 'im； en he ain't got no fier fer ter bu'n 'im； en he git mighty pestered。 Bimeby ole Brer Bull…frog； he sorter stop his cryin' en his boo…hooin'； en he up'n say：
〃'Ef you gwineter kill me； Brer B'ar； kyar me ter dat big flat rock out dar on de aidge er de mill…pon'； whar I kin see my fambly； en atter I see urn； den you kin take you axe en sqush me。'
〃Dis look so fa'r and squar' dat Brer B'ar he 'gree； en he take ole Brer Bull…frog by wunner his behime legs； en sling his axe on his shouder； en off he put fer de big flat rock。 When he git dar he lay Brer Bullfrog down on de rock； en Brer Bull…frog make like he lookin' 'roun' fer his folks。 Den Brer B'ar； he draw long breff en pick up his axe。 Den he spit in his han's en draw back en come down on de rock…pow！〃
〃'Did he kill the Frog； Uncle Remus？〃 asked the little boy； as the old man paused to scoop up a thimbleful of glowing embers in his pipe。
'Deed； en dat hc didn't； honey。 'Twix' de time w'en Brer B'ar raise up wid his axe en w'en he come down wid it； ole Brer Bull…frog he lipt up en dove down in de mill…pon'； kerblink…kerblunk！ En w'en he riz way out in de pon' he riz a singin'； en dish yer's de song w'at he sing：
〃'Ingle…go…jang； my joy； my joy… Ingle…go…jang； my joy！ I'm right at home； my joy； my joy… Ingle…go…jang； my joy！'〃
〃That's a mighty funny song；〃 said the little boy。
'Funny now； I speck；〃 said the old man； 〃but 'twern't funny in dem days； en 'twouldn't be funny now ef folks know'd much 'bout de Bull…frog langwidge ez dey useter。 Dat's w'at。〃
XXV HOW MR。 RABBIT LOST HIS FINE BUSHY TML
〃ONE time；〃 said Uncle Remus； sighing heavily and settling himself back in his seat with an afr of melancholy resiguation…〃one time Brer Rabbit wnz gwine 'long down de road shakin' his big bushy tail； en feelin' des ez scrumpshus ez a bee…martin wid a fresh bug。〃 Here the old man paused and glanced at the little boy； but it was evident that the youngster had become so accustomed to the marvelous developments of Uncle Remus's stories； that the extraordinary statement made no nnusual impression upon him。 Therefore the old man began again； and this time in a louder and more insinuating tone：
〃One time ole man Rabbit； he wuz gwine 'long down de road shakin' his long； bushy tail； en feelin' mighty biggity。〃
This was effective。
〃Great goodiiess； Uncle Remus！〃 exclaimed the little boy in open…eyed wonder； 〃everybody knows that rabbits haven't got long； bushy tails。〃
The old man shifted his position in his chafr and allowed his venerable head to drop forward until his whole appearance was suggestive of the deepest dejection； and this was intensified by