in' nuthin'； en Brer Fox； he lay low。
〃‘Tu'n me loose； fo' I kick de natal stuffin' outen you；' sez Brer Rabbit； sezee； but de Tar…Baby； she ain't sayin' nuthin'。 She des hilt on； en de Brer Rabbit lose de use er his feet in de same way。 Brer Fox； he lay low。 Den Brer Rabbit squall out dat ef de Tar…Baby don't tu'n 'im loose he butt 'er cranksided。 En den he butted； en his head got stuck。 Den Brer Fox； he sa'ntered fort'； lookin' dez ez innercent ez wunner yo' mammy's mockin'…birds。
〃‘Howdy； Brer Rabbit；' sez Brer Fox； sezee。 ‘You look sorter stuck up dis mawnin'；' sezee； en den he rolled on de groun'； en laft en laft twel he couldn't laff no mo'。 ‘I speck you'll take dinner wid me dis time； Brer Rabbit。 I done laid in some calamus root； en I ain't gwineter take no skuse；' sez Brer Fox； sezee。〃
Here Uncle Remus paused； and drew a two…pound yam out of the ashes。
〃Did the fox eat the rabbit？〃 asked the little boy to whom the story had been told。
〃Dat's all de fur de tale goes；〃 replied the old man。 〃He mout； an den agin he moutent。 Some say Judge B'ar come 'long en loosed 'im … some say he didn't。 I hear Miss Sally callin'。 You better run 'long。〃
III WHY MR。 POSSUM LOVES PEACE
〃ONE night；〃 said Uncle Remus…taking Miss Sally's little boy on his knee； and stroking the child's hair thoughtfully and caressingly… 〃one night Brer Possum call by fer Brer Coon； 'cordin' ter greement； en atter gobblin' up a dish er fried greens en smokin' a seegyar； dey rambled fort' fer ter see how de ballance er de settlement wuz gittin' long。 Brer Coon； he wuz one er deze yer natchul pacers； en he racked 'long same ez Mars John's bay pony； en Brer Possum he went in a han'…gallup； en dey got over heap er groun； mon。 Brer Possum； he got his belly full er 'simmons； en Brer Coon； he scoop up a 'bunnunce er frogs en tadpoles。 Dey amble long； dey did； des ez sociable ez a basket er kittens； twel bimeby dey hear Mr。 Dog talkin' ter hisse'f way off in de woods。
〃'Spozen he runs up on us； Brer Possum； w'at you gwineter do？' sez Brer Coon； sezee。 Brer Possum sorter laugh 'round de cornders un his mouf。
〃'Oh； ef he come； Brer Coon； I'm gwineter stan' by you；' sez Brer Possum。 'W'at you gwineter do？' sezee。
〃'Who？ me？' sez Brer Coon。 'Ef he run up onter me； I lay I give 'im one twis'；' sezee。〃
〃Did the dog come？〃 asked the little boy。
〃Go 'way； honey！〃 responded the old man； in an impressive tone。 〃Go way！ Mr。 Dog； he come en he come a zoonin'。 En he ain't wait fer ter say howdy； nudder。 He des sail inter de two un urn。 De ve'y fus pas he make Brer Possum fetch a grin fum year ter year； en keel over like he wuz dead。 Den Mr。 Dog； he sail inter Brer Coon； en right dar's whar he drap his money purse； kaze Brer Coon wuz cut out fer dat kinder bizness； en he fa'rly wipe up de face er de yeth wid 'im。 You better b'leeve dat w'en Mr。 Dog got a chance to make hisse'f skase he tuck it； en w'at der wuz lef' un him went skaddlin' thoo de woods like hit wuz shot outen a muskit。 En Brer Coon； he sorter lick his doze inter shape en rack off； en Brer Possum； he lay dar like he wuz dead； twel bimeby he raise up sorter keerful like； en w'en he fine de coas' cle'r he scramble up en scamper off like sumpin was atter 'im。〃
Here Uncle Remus paused long enough to pick up a live coal of fire in his fingers； transfer it to the palm of his hand； and thence to his clay pipe； which he had been filling…a proceeding that was viewed by the little boy with undisguised admiration。 The old man then proceeded：
〃Nex' time Brer Possum met Brer Coon； Brer Coon 'fuse ter 'spon' ter his howdy； en dis make Brer Possum feel mighty bad； seein' ez how dey useter make so many 'scurshuns tergedder。
'W'at make you hor yo' head so high； Brer Coon？' sez Brer Possum； sezee。
〃'I ain't runnin' wid cowerds deze days；' sez Brer Coon。 'W'en I wants you I'll sen' fer you；' sezee。
〃Den Brer Possum git mighty mad。
〃'Who's enny cowerd？' sezee。
〃'You is；' sez Brer Coon； 'dat's who。 I ain't so…shatin' wid dem w'at lays down on de groun' en plays dead w'en dar's a free fight gwine on；' sezee。
〃Den Brer Possum grin en laugh fit to kill hisse'f。 〃'Lor'； Brer Coon； you don't speck I done dat kaze I wuz 'feared； duz you？' sezee。 'W'y I want no mo 'feared dan you is dis minnit。 W'at wuz dey fer ter be skeered un？' sezee。 'I know'd you'd git away wid Mr。 Dog ef I didn't； en I des lay dar watchin' you shake him； waitin' fer ter put in w'en de time come；' sezee。
〃Brer Coon tu'n up his nose。
〃'Dat's a mighty likely tale；' sezee； 'w'en Mr。 Dog ain't mo'n tech you 'fo' you keel over； en lay dar stiff；' sezee。
〃'Dat's des w'at I wuz gwineter tell you 'bout； sez Brer Possum； sezee。 'I want no mo' skeer'd dan you is right now； en' I wuz fixin' fer ter give Mr。 Dog a sample er my jaw；' sezee； 'but I'm de most ticklish chap w'at you ever laid eyes on； en no sooner did Mr。 Dog put his nose down yer 'mong my ribs dan I got ter laughin'； en I laughed twel I ain't had no use er my lim's；' sezee； 'en it's a mussy unto Mr。 Dog dat I wuz ticklish； kaze a little mo' en I'd e't 'im up；' sezee。 'I don't mine fightin'； Brer Coon； no mo' dan you duz；' sezee； 'but I declar' ter grashus ef I kin stan' ficklin'。 Git me in a row whar dey ain't no ticklin' 'lowed； en I'm your man； sezee。
〃En down ter dis day〃…continued Uncle Remus； watching the smoke from his pipe curl upward over the little boy's head…〃down ter dis day； Brer Possum's bound ter s'render w'en you tech him in de short ribs； en he'll laugh ef he knows he's gwineter be smashed fer it。〃
IV HOW MR。 RABRIT WAS TOO SHARP FOR MR。 FOX
〃UNCLE REMUS；〃 said the little boy one evening； when he had found the old man with little or nothing to do； 〃did the fox kill and eat the rabbit when he caught him with the Tar…Baby？〃
〃Law； honey； ain't I tell you 'bout dat？〃 replied the old darkey； chuckling slyly。 〃I 'clar ter grashus I ought er tole you dat； but old man Nod wuz ridin' on my eyeleds 'twel a leetle mo'n I'd a dis'member'd my own name； en den on to dat here come yo mammy hollerin' atter you。
〃W'at I tell you w'en I fus' begin？ I tole you Brer Rabbit wuz a monstus soon creetur； leas'ways dat's w'at I laid out fer ter tell you。 Well； den； honey； don't you go en make no udder calkalashuns； kaze in dem days Brer Rabbit en his fambly wuz at de head er de gang w'en enny racket wuz on han'； en dar dey stayed。 'Fo' you begins fer ter wipe yo' eyes 'bout Brer Rabbit； you wait en see whar'bouts Brer Rabbit gwineter fetch up at。 But dat's needer yer ner dar。
〃W'en Brer Fox fine Brer Rabbit mixt up wid de Tar…Baby； he feel mighty good； en he roll on de groun' en laff。 Bimeby he up'n say； sezee：
〃'Well； I speck I got you dis time； Brer Rabbit； sezee； 'maybe I ain't； but I speck I is。 You been run…nin' roun' here sassin' atter me a mighty long time； but I speck you done come ter de een' er de row。 You bin cuttin' up yo' capers en bouncin''roun' in dis neighberhood ontwel you come ter b'leeve yo'se'f de boss er de whole gang。 En den youer allers some rs whar you got no bizuess；' sez Brer Fox； sezee。 'Who ax you fer ter come en strike up a 'quaintance wid dish yer Tar…Baby？ En who stuck you up dar whar you iz？ Nobody in de roun' worril。 You des tuck en jam yo'se'f on dat Tar…Baby widout waitin' fer enny invite；' sez Brer Fox； sezee； en dar you is； en dar youll stay twel I fixes up a bresh…pile and fires her up； kaze rm gwineter bobby…cue you dis day； sho；' sez Brer Fox； sezee。
〃Den Brer Rabbit talk mighty 'umble。
〃'I don't keer w'at you do wid me； Brer Fox；' sezee； 'so you don't fling me in dat brier…patch。 Roas' me； Brer Fox' sezee； but don't fling me in dat brierpatch；' sezee。
〃'Hit's so much trouble fer ter kindle a fier；' sez Brer Fox； sezee； 'dat I speck I'll hatter hang you；' sezee。
〃'Hang me des ez high as you please； Brer Fox；' sez Brer Rabbit； sezee； but do fer de Lord's sake don't fling me in dat brier…patch；' sezee。
〃'I ain't got no string；' sez Brer Fox； sezee； en now I speck I'll hatter drown you；' sezee。
〃'Drown me des ez deep ez you please； Brer Fox；' sez Brer Rabbit； sezee； 'but do don't fling me in dat brier…patch；' sezee。
〃'Dey ain't no water nigh；' sez Brer Fox； sezee； 'en now I speck I'll hatter skin you；' sezee。
〃'Skin me； Brer Fox；' sez Brer Rabbit； sezee； 'snatch out my eyeballs； t'ar out my years by de roots； en cut off my legs；' sezee； but do please； Brer Fox； don't ffing me in dat brier…patch；' sezee。
〃Co'se Brer Fox wanter hurt Brer Rabbit bad ez he kin； so he cotch 'im by de behime legs en slung 'im right in de middle er de brier…patch。 Dar wuz a considerbul flutter whar Brer Rabbit struck de bushes； en Brer Fox sorter hang 'roun' fer ter see w'at wuz gwineter happen。 Bimeby he hear somebody call 'im； en way up de hill he see Brer Rabbit settin' crosslegged on a chinkapin log koamin' de pitch outen his har wid a chip。 Den Brer Fox know dat he bin swop off mighty bad。 Brer Rabbit wnz bleedzed fer ter fling back some er his sass； en he holler out：
〃'Bred en bawn in a brier…patch； Brer Fox…bred en bawn in a brier…patch！' en wid dat he skip out des ez lively ez a cricket in de embers。〃
V THE STORY OF THE DELUGE AND HOW IT CAME ABOUT
〃ONE time；〃 said Uncle Remus…adjusting his spec