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diff --git a/old/60804-0.txt b/old/60804-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 48b3c62..0000000 --- a/old/60804-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4401 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, Daddy Jake the Runaway, by Joel Chandler -Harris - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: Daddy Jake the Runaway - And Short Stories Told after Dark - - -Author: Joel Chandler Harris - - - -Release Date: November 29, 2019 [eBook #60804] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DADDY JAKE THE RUNAWAY*** - - -E-text prepared by Richard Tonsing, David Edwards, and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images -generously made available by Internet Archive (https://archive.org) - - - -Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this - file which includes the original illustrations. - See 60804-h.htm or 60804-h.zip: - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/60804/60804-h/60804-h.htm) - or - (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/60804/60804-h.zip) - - - Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - https://archive.org/details/daddyjakerunaway00harruoft - - -Transcriber’s note: - - Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - - - - - -DADDY JAKE -THE RUNAWAY - - -[Illustration: JUDGE RABBIT AND THE FAT MAN.] - - -[Illustration] - - -[Illustration] - - -DADDY JAKE -THE RUNAWAY - -And Short Stories Told after Dark - -by - -“UNCLE REMUS” - -JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS - - -[Illustration] - - - - - - -New York -The Century Co. -1898 - -Copyright, 1889, by -Joel Chandler Harris. - -The De Vinne Press, New York. - - - - - CONTENTS - - - PAGE - - DADDY JAKE, THE RUNAWAY: - - CHAPTER I 1 - - CHAPTER II 28 - - CHAPTER III 53 - - HOW A WITCH WAS CAUGHT 83 - - THE LITTLE BOY AND HIS DOGS 93 - - HOW BLACK SNAKE CAUGHT THE WOLF 108 - - WHY THE GUINEAS STAY AWAKE 118 - - HOW THE TERRAPIN WAS TAUGHT TO FLY 123 - - THE CREATURE WITH NO CLAWS 134 - - UNCLE REMUS’S WONDER STORY 139 - - THE RATTLESNAKE AND THE POLECAT 149 - - HOW THE BIRDS TALK 152 - - THE FOOLISH WOMAN 165 - - THE ADVENTURES OF SIMON AND SUSANNA 171 - - BROTHER RABBIT AND THE GINGERCAKES 183 - - BROTHER RABBIT’S COURTSHIP 188 - - - - - ILLUSTRATIONS - - - PAGE - - JUDGE RABBIT AND THE FAT MAN, FRONTISPIECE - - “THE YOUNGSTERS SAW DADDY JAKE, AND WENT RUNNING AFTER - HIM.” 9 - - “THE FIELD-HANDS WERE SINGING AS THEY PICKED THE OPENING - COTTON.” 19 - - “‘MAYBE HE KNOWS WHERE DADDY JAKE IS,’ SAID LILLIAN.” 25 - - “THE FIELD-HANDS DISCUSSED THE MATTER.” 29 - - THE MILLER AND HIS CHILDREN. 41 - - “AN’ OLE MAN JAKE, HE DAR TOO.” 49 - - “LUCIEN SAW HIM, AND RUSHED TOWARD HIM.” 57 - - POOR OLD SUE TELLS HER STORY. 63 - - “MR. RABBIT SQUALL OUT, ‘COON DEAD!’” 71 - - “DEN DE FROGS DEY WENT TO WORK SHO NUFF.” 75 - - “THE OLD NEGRO PUT HIS HANDS TO HIS MOUTH AND CALLED.” 79 - - “SHE STOOD DAR A MINIT, DAT OLE BLACK CAT DID.” 87 - - “‘ALL READY, NOW. STICK YO’ HEAD IN.’” 105 - - “EN EVE’Y TIME HE SWUNG MR. BLACK SNAKE TUCK ’N LASH ’IM - WID HE TAIL.” 115 - - “‘BRER TARRYPIN, HOW YOU FEEL?’” 127 - - BILLY BIG-EYE AND TOMMY LONG-WING. 159 - - SIMON SHAKES THE PEBBLES. 175 - - - - - DADDY JAKE - THE RUNAWAY - - - - - DADDY JAKE, THE RUNAWAY - - - CHAPTER I - -One fine day in September, in the year 1863, there was quite an uproar -on the Gaston plantation, in Putnam County, in the State of Georgia. -Uncle Jake, the carriage-driver, was missing. He was more than fifty -years old, and it was the first time he had been missing since his -mistress had been big enough to call him. But he was missing now. Here -was his mistress waiting to order the carriage; here was his master -fretting and fuming; and here were the two little children, Lucien and -Lillian, crying because they didn’t know where Uncle Jake was—“Daddy -Jake,” who had heretofore seemed always to be within sound of their -voices, ready and anxious to amuse them in any and every way. - -Then came the news that Daddy Jake had actually run away. This was, -indeed, astounding news, and although it was brought by the son of the -overseer, none of the Gastons would believe it, least of all Lucien and -Lillian. The son of the overseer also brought the further information -that Daddy Jake, who had never had an angry word for anybody, had struck -the overseer across the head with a hoe-handle, and had then taken to -the woods. Dr. Gaston was very angry, indeed, and he told the overseer’s -son that if anybody was to blame it was his father. Mrs. Gaston, with -her eyes full of tears, agreed with her husband, and Lucien and Lillian, -when they found that Daddy Jake was really gone, refused to be -comforted. Everybody seemed to be dazed. As it was Saturday, and -Saturday was a holiday, the negroes stood around their quarters in -little groups discussing the wonderful event. Some of them went so far -as to say that if Daddy Jake had taken to the woods it was time for the -rest of them to follow suit; but this proposition was hooted down by the -more sensible among them. - -Nevertheless, the excitement on the Gaston plantation ran very high when -it was discovered that a negro so trusted and so trustworthy as Daddy -Jake had actually run away; and it was not until all the facts were -known that the other negroes became reconciled to Daddy Jake’s absence. -What were the facts? They were very simple, indeed; and yet, many lads -and lasses who read this may fail to fully comprehend them. - -In the first place, the year in which Daddy Jake became a fugitive was -the year 1863, and there was a great deal of doubt and confusion in the -South at that time. The Conscription Act and the Impressment Law were in -force. Under the one, nearly all the able-bodied men and boys were -drafted into the army; and under the other, all the corn and hay and -horses that the Confederacy needed were pressed into service. This state -of things came near causing a revolt in some of the States, especially -in Georgia, where the laws seemed to bear most heavily. Something of -this is to be found in the history of that period, but nothing -approaching the real facts has ever been published. After the -Conscription Act was passed the planters were compelled to accept the -services of such overseers as they could get, and the one whom Dr. -Gaston had employed lacked both experience and discretion. He had never -been trained to the business. He was the son of a shoemaker, and he -became an overseer merely to keep out of the army. A majority of those -who made overseeing their business had gone to the war either as -volunteers or substitutes, and very few men capable of taking charge of -a large plantation were left behind. - -At the same time overseers were a necessity on some of the plantations. -Many of the planters were either lawyers or doctors, and these, if they -had any practice at all, were compelled to leave their farming interests -to the care of agents; there were other planters who had been reared in -the belief that an overseer was necessary on a large plantation; so -that, for one cause and another, the overseer class was a pretty large -one. It was a very respectable class, too; for, under ordinary -circumstances, no person who was not known to be trustworthy would be -permitted to take charge of the interests of a plantation, for these -were as varied and as important as those of any other business. - -But in 1863 it was a very hard matter to get a trustworthy overseer; and -Dr. Gaston, having a large practice as a physician, had hired the first -person who applied for the place, without waiting to make any inquiries -about either his knowledge or his character; and it turned out that his -overseer was not only utterly incompetent, but that he was something of -a rowdy besides. An experienced overseer would have known that he was -employed, not to exercise control over the house-servants, but to look -after the farm-hands; but the new man began business by ordering Daddy -Jake to do various things that were not in the line of his duty. -Naturally, the old man, who was something of a boss himself, resented -this sort of interference. A great many persons were of the opinion that -he had been spoiled by kind treatment; but this is doubtful. He had been -raised with the white people from a little child, and he was as proud in -his way as he was faithful in all ways. Under the circumstances, Daddy -Jake did what other confidential servants would have done; he ignored -the commands of the new overseer, and went about his business as usual. -This led to a quarrel—the overseer doing most of the quarreling. Daddy -Jake was on his dignity, and the overseer was angry. Finally, in his -fury, he struck the old negro with a strap which he was carrying across -his shoulders. The blow was a stinging one, and it was delivered full in -Uncle Jake’s face. For a moment the old negro was astonished. Then he -became furious. Seizing an ax-handle that happened to be close to his -hand, he brought it down upon the head of the overseer with full force. -There was a tremendous crash as the blow fell, and the overseer went -down as if he had been struck by a pile-driver. He gave an awful groan, -and trembled a little in his limbs, and then lay perfectly still. Uncle -Jake was both dazed and frightened. He would have gone to his master, -but he remembered what he had heard about the law. In those days a negro -who struck a white man was tried for his life, and if his guilt could be -proven, he was either branded with a hot iron and sold to a speculator, -or he was hanged. - -The certainty of these punishments had no doubt been exaggerated by -rumor, but even the rumor was enough to frighten the negroes. Daddy Jake -looked at the overseer a moment, and then stopped and felt of him. He -was motionless and, apparently, he had ceased to breathe. Then the old -negro went to his cabin, gathered up his blanket and clothes, put some -provisions in a little bag, and went off into the woods. He seemed to be -in no hurry. He walked with his head bent, as if in deep thought. He -appeared to understand and appreciate the situation. A short time ago he -was the happy and trusted servant of a master and mistress who had -rarely given him an unkind word; now he was a fugitive—a runaway. As he -passed along by the garden palings he heard two little children playing -and prattling on the other side. They were talking about him. He paused -and listened. - -“Daddy Jake likes me the best,” Lucien was saying, “because he tells me -stories.” - -“No,” said Lillian, “he likes me the best, ’cause he tells me all the -stories and gives me some gingercake, too.” - -The old negro paused and looked through the fence at the little -children, and then he went on his way. But the youngsters saw Daddy -Jake, and went running after him. - -“Let me go, Uncle Jake!” cried Lucien. “Le’ me go, too!” cried Lillian. -But Daddy Jake broke into a run and left the children standing in the -garden, crying. - -It was not very long after this before the whole population knew that -Daddy Jake had knocked the overseer down and had taken to the woods. In -fact, it was only a few minutes, for some of the other negroes had seen -him strike the overseer and had seen the overseer fall, and they lost no -time in raising the alarm. Fortunately the overseer was not seriously -hurt. He had received a blow severe enough to render him unconscious for -a few minutes,—but this was all; and he was soon able to describe the -fracas to Dr. Gaston, which he did with considerable animation. - -“And who told you to order Jake around?” the doctor asked. - -“Well, sir, I just thought I had charge of the whole crowd.” - -“You were very much mistaken, then,” said Doctor Gaston, sharply; “and -if I had seen you strike Jake with your strap, I should have been -tempted to take my buggy-whip and give you a dose of your own medicine.” - -As a matter of fact, Doctor Gaston was very angry, and he lost no time -in giving the new overseer what the negroes called his “walking-papers.” -He paid him up and discharged him on the spot, and it was not many days -before everybody on the Gaston plantation knew that the man had fallen -into the hands of the Conscription officers of the Confederacy, and that -he had been sent on to the front. - -At the same time, as Mrs. Gaston herself remarked, this fact, however -gratifying it might be, did not bring Daddy Jake back. He was gone, and -his absence caused a great deal of trouble on the plantation. It was -found that half-a-dozen negroes had to be detailed to do the work which -he had voluntarily taken upon himself—one to attend to the -carriage-horses, another to look after the cows, another to feed the -hogs and sheep, and still others to look after the thousand and one -little things to be done about the “big house.” But not one of them, nor -all of them, filled Daddy Jake’s place. - -[Illustration: “THE YOUNGSTERS SAW DADDY JAKE, AND WENT RUNNING AFTER -HIM.”] - -Many and many a time Doctor Gaston walked up and down the veranda -wondering where the old negro was, and Mrs. Gaston, sitting in her -rocking-chair, looked down the avenue day after day, half expecting to -see Daddy Jake make his appearance, hat in hand and with a broad grin on -his face. Some of the neighbors, hearing that Uncle Jake had become a -fugitive, wanted to get Bill Locke’s “track-dogs” and run him down, but -Doctor Gaston and his wife would not hear to this. They said that the -old negro wasn’t used to staying in the woods, and that it wouldn’t be -long before he would come back home. - -Doctor Gaston, although he was much troubled, looked at the matter from -a man’s point of view. Here was Daddy Jake’s home; if he chose to come -back, well and good; if he didn’t, why, it couldn’t be helped, and that -was an end of the matter. But Mrs. Gaston took a different view. Daddy -Jake had been raised with her father; he was an old family servant; he -had known and loved her mother, who was dead; he had nursed Mrs. Gaston -herself when she was a baby; in short, he was a fixture in the lady’s -experience, and his absence worried her not a little. She could not bear -to think that the old negro was out in the woods without food and -without shelter. If there was a thunderstorm at night, as there -sometimes is in the South during September, she could hardly sleep for -thinking about the old negro. - -Thinking about him led Mrs. Gaston to talk about him very often, -especially to Lucien and Lillian, who had been in the habit of running -out to the kitchen while Daddy Jake was eating his supper and begging -him to tell a story. So far as they were concerned, his absence was a -personal loss. While Uncle Jake was away they were not only deprived of -a most agreeable companion, but they could give no excuse for not going -to bed. They had no one to amuse them after supper, and, as a -consequence, their evenings were very dull. The youngsters submitted to -this for several days, expecting that Daddy Jake would return, but in -this they were disappointed. They waited and waited for more than a -week, and then they began to show their impatience. - -“I used to be afraid of runaways,” said Lillian one day, “but I’m not -afraid now, ’cause Daddy Jake is a runaway.” Lillian was only six years -old, but she had her own way of looking at things. - -“Pshaw!” exclaimed Lucien, who was nine, and very robust for his age; “I -never was afraid of runaways. I know mighty well they wouldn’t hurt me. -There was old Uncle Fed; he was a runaway when Papa bought him. Would he -hurt anybody?” - -“But there might be some bad ones,” said Lillian, “and you know Lucinda -says Uncle Fed is a real, sure-enough witch.” - -“Lucinda!” exclaimed Lucien, scornfully. “What does Lucinda know about -witches? If one was to be seen she wouldn’t stick her head out of the -door to see it. She’d be scared to death.” - -“Yes, and so would anybody,” said Lillian, with an air of conviction. “I -know I would.” - -“Well, of course,—a little girl,” explained Lucien. “Any little girl -would be afraid of a witch, but a great big double-fisted woman like -Lucinda ought to be ashamed of herself to be afraid of witches, and -that, too, when everybody knows there aren’t any witches at all, except -in the stories.” - -“Well, I heard Daddy Jake telling about a witch that turned herself into -a black cat, and then into a big black wolf,” said Lillian. - -“Oh, that was in old times,” said Lucien, “when the animals used to talk -and go on like people. But you never heard Daddy Jake say he saw a -witch,—now, did you?” - -“No,” said Lillian, somewhat doubtfully; “but I heard him talking about -them. I hope no witch will catch Daddy Jake.” - -“Pshaw!” exclaimed Lucien. “Daddy Jake carried his rabbit-foot with him, -and you know no witch can bother him as long as he has his rabbit-foot.” - -“Well,” said Lillian, solemnly, “if he’s got his rabbit-foot and can -keep off the witches all night, he won’t come back any more.” - -“But he _must_ come,” said Lucien. “I’m going after him. I’m going down -to the landing to-morrow, and I’ll take the boat and go down the river -and bring him back.” - -“Oh, may I go, too?” asked Lillian. - -“Yes,” said Lucien, loftily, “if you’ll help me get some things out of -the house and not say anything about what we are going to do.” - -Lillian was only too glad to pledge herself to secrecy, and the next day -found the two children busily preparing for their journey in search of -Daddy Jake. - -The Gaston plantation lay along the Oconee River in Putnam County, not -far from Roach’s Ferry. In fact, it lay on both sides of the river, and, -as the only method of communication was by means of a bateau, nearly -everybody on the plantation knew how to manage the boat. There was not -an hour during the day that the bateau was not in use. Lucien and -Lillian had been carried across hundreds of times, and they were as much -at home in the boat as they were in a buggy. Lucien was too young to -row, but he knew how to guide the bateau with a paddle while others used -the oars. - -This fact gave him confidence, and the result was that the two children -quietly made their arrangements to go in search of Daddy Jake. Lucien -was the “provider,” as he said, and Lillian helped him to carry the -things to the boat. They got some meal-sacks, two old quilts, and a good -supply of biscuits and meat. Nobody meddled with them, for nobody knew -what their plans were, but some of the negroes remarked that they were -not only unusually quiet, but very busy—a state of things that is looked -upon by those who are acquainted with the ways of children as a very bad -sign, indeed. - -The two youngsters worked pretty much all day, and they worked hard; so -that when night came they were both tired and sleepy. They were tired -and sleepy, but they managed to cover their supplies with the -meal-sacks, and the next morning they were up bright and early. They -were up so early, indeed, that they thought it was a very long time -until breakfast was ready; and, at last, when the bell rang, they -hurried to the table and ate ravenously, as became two travelers about -to set out on a voyage of adventure. - -It was all they could do to keep their scheme from their mother. Once -Lillian was on the point of asking her something about it, but Lucien -shook his head, and it was not long before the two youngsters embarked -on their journey. After seating Lillian in the bateau, Lucien unfastened -the chain from the stake, threw it into the boat, and jumped in himself. -Then, as the clumsy affair drifted slowly with the current, he seized -one of the paddles, placed the blade against the bank, and pushed the -bateau out into the middle of the stream. - -It was the beginning of a voyage of adventure, the end of which could -not be foretold; but the sun was shining brightly, the mocking-birds -were singing in the water-oaks, the blackbirds were whistling blithely -in the reeds, and the children were light-hearted and happy. They were -going to find Daddy Jake and fetch him back home, and not for a moment -did it occur to them that the old negro might have gone in a different -direction. It seemed somehow to those on the Gaston plantation that -whatever was good, or great, or wonderful had its origin “down the -river.” Rumor said that the biggest crops were grown in that direction, -and that there the negroes were happiest. The river, indeed, seemed to -flow to some far-off country where everything was finer and more -flourishing. This was the idea of the negroes themselves, and it was -natural that Lucien and Lillian should be impressed with the same -belief. So they drifted down the river, confident that they would find -Daddy Jake. They had no other motive—no other thought. They took no -account of the hardships of a voyage such as they had embarked on. - -Lazily, almost reluctantly as it seemed, the boat floated down the -stream. At first, Lucien was inclined to use the broad oar, but it -appeared that when he paddled on one side the clumsy boat tried to turn -its head up stream on the other side, and so, after a while, he dropped -the oar in the bottom of the boat. - -The September sun was sultry that morning, but, obeying some impulse of -the current, the boat drifted down the river in the shade of the -water-oaks and willows that lined the eastern bank. On the western bank -the Gaston plantation lay, and as the boat floated lazily along the -little voyagers could hear the field-hands singing as they picked the -opening cotton. The song was strangely melodious, though the words were -ridiculous. - - My dog’s a ’possum dog, - _Here, Rattler! here!_ - He cross de creek upon a log, - _Here, Rattler! here!_ - - He run de ’possum up a tree, - _Here, Rattler! here!_ - He good enough fer you an’ me, - _Here, Rattler! here!_ - - Kaze when it come his fat’nin time, - _Here, Rattler! here!_ - De ’possum eat de muscadine, - _Here, Rattler! here!_ - - He eat till he kin skacely stan’, - _Here, Rattler! here!_ - An’ den we bake him in de pan, - _Here, Rattler! here!_ - -[Illustration: “THE FIELD-HANDS WERE SINGING AS THEY PICKED THE OPENING -COTTON.”] - -It was to the quaint melody of this song that the boat rocked and -drifted along. One of the negroes saw the children and thought he knew -them, and he called to them, but received no reply; and this fact was so -puzzling that he went back and told the other negroes that there was -some mistake about the children. “Ef dey’d ’a’ bin our chillun,” he -said, “dey’d ’a’ hollered back at me, sho’.” Whereupon the field-hands -resumed their work and their song, and the boat, gliding southward on -the gently undulating current, was soon lost to view. - -To the children it seemed to be a very pleasant journey. They had no -thought of danger. The river was their familiar friend. They had crossed -and recrossed it hundreds of times. They were as contented in the bateau -as they would have been in their mother’s room. The weather was warm, -but on the river and in the shade of the overhanging trees the air was -cool and refreshing. And after a while the current grew swifter, and the -children, dipping their hands in the water, laughed aloud. - -Once, indeed, the bateau, in running over a long stretch of shoals, was -caught against a rock. An ordinary boat would have foundered, but this -boat, clumsy and deep-set, merely obeyed the current. It struck the -rock, recoiled, touched it again, and then slowly turned around and -pursued its course down the stream. The shoals were noisy but harmless. -The water foamed and roared over the rocks, but the current was deep -enough to carry the bateau safely down. It was not often that a boat -took that course, but Lucien and Lillian had no sense of fear. The -roaring and foaming of the water pleased them, and the rushing and -whirling of the boat, as it went dashing down the rapids, appeared to be -only part of a holiday frolic. After they had passed the shoals, the -current became swifter, and the old bateau was swept along at a rapid -rate. The trees on the river bank seemed to be running back toward home, -and the shadows on the water ran with them. - -Sometimes the boat swept through long stretches of meadow and marsh -lands, and then the children were delighted to see the sandpipers and -killdees running along the margin of the water. The swallows, not yet -flown southward, skimmed along the river with quivering wing, and the -kingfishers displayed their shining plumage in the sun. Once a moccasin, -fat and rusty, frightened by the unexpected appearance of the young -voyagers, dropped into the boat; but, before Lucien could strike him -with the unwieldy oar, he tumbled overboard and disappeared. Then the -youngsters ate their dinner. It was a very dry dinner; but they ate it -with a relish. The crows, flying lazily over, regarded them curiously. - -“I reckon they want some,” said Lucien. - -“Well, they can’t get mine,” said Lillian, “’cause I _jest_ about got -enough for myself.” - -They passed a white man who was sitting on the river bank, with his coat -off, fishing. - -“Where under the sun did you chaps come from?” he cried. - -“Up the river,” replied Lucien. - -“Where in the nation are you going?” - -“Down the river.” - -“Maybe he knows where Daddy Jake is,” said Lillian. “Ask him.” - -“Why, he wouldn’t know Daddy Jake from a side of sole leather,” -exclaimed Lucien. - -By this time the boat had drifted around a bend in the river. The man on -the bank took off his hat with his thumb and forefinger, rubbed his head -with the other fingers, drove away a swarm of mosquitoes, and muttered, -“Well, I’ll be switched!” Then he went on with his fishing. - -Meanwhile the boat drifted steadily with the current. Sometimes it -seemed to the children that the boat stood still, while the banks, the -trees, and the fields moved by them like a double panorama. -Queer-looking little birds peeped at them from the bushes; fox-squirrels -chattered at them from the trees; green frogs greeted them by plunging -into the water with a squeak; turtles slid noiselessly off the banks at -their approach; a red fox that had come to the river to drink -disappeared like a shadow before the sun; and once a great white crane -rose in the air, flapping his wings heavily. - -Altogether it was a very jolly journey, but after a while Lillian began -to get restless. - -“Do you reckon Daddy Jake will be in the river when we find him?” she -asked. - -Lucien himself was becoming somewhat tired, but he was resolved to go -right on. Indeed, he could not do otherwise. - -“Why, who ever heard of such a thing?” he exclaimed. “What would Daddy -Jake be doing in the water?” - -“Well, how are we’s to find him?” - -“Oh, we’ll find him.” - -“But I want to find him right now,” said Lillian, “and I want to see -Mamma, and Papa, and my dollies.” - -“Well,” said Lucien with unconscious humor, “if you don’t want to go, -you can get out and walk back home.” At this Lillian began to cry. - -[Illustration: “‘MAYBE HE KNOWS WHERE DADDY JAKE IS,’ SAID LILLIAN.”] - -“Well,” said Lucien, “if Daddy Jake was over there in the bushes and was -to see you crying because you didn’t want to go and find him, he’d run -off into the woods and nobody would see him any more.” - -Lillian stopped crying at once, and, as the afternoon wore on, both -children grew more cheerful; and even when twilight came, and after it -the darkness, they were not very much afraid. The loneliness—the sighing -of the wind through the trees, the rippling of the water against the -sides of the boat, the hooting of the big swamp-owl, the cry of the -whippoorwill, and the answer of its cousin, the chuck-will’s-widow—all -these things would have awed and frightened the children. But, shining -steadily in the evening sky, they saw the star they always watched at -home. It seemed to be brighter than ever, this familiar star, and they -hailed it as a friend and fellow-traveler. They felt that home couldn’t -be so far away, for the star shone in its accustomed place, and this was -a great comfort. - -After a while the night grew chilly, and then Lucien and Lillian wrapped -their quilts about them and cuddled down in the bottom of the boat. -Thousands of stars shone overhead, and it seemed to the children that -the old bateau, growing tired of its journey, had stopped to rest; but -it continued to drift down the river. - - - CHAPTER II - -You may be sure there was trouble on the Gaston place when night came -and the children did not return. They were missed at dinner-time; but it -frequently happened that they went off with some of the plantation -wagons, or with some of the field-hands, and so nothing was thought of -their absence at noon; but when night fell and all the negroes had -returned from their work, and there was still no sign of the children, -there was consternation in the big house and trouble all over the -plantation. The field-hands, returned from their work, discussed the -matter at the doors of their cabins and manifested considerable anxiety. - -[Illustration: “THE FIELD-HANDS DISCUSSED THE MATTER.”] - -At first the house-servants were sent scurrying about the place hunting -for the truants. Then other negroes were pressed into service, until, -finally, every negro on the place was engaged in the search, and torches -could be seen bobbing up and down in all parts of the plantation. The -negroes called and called, filling the air with their musical halloos, -but there was no reply save from the startled birds, or from the dogs, -who seemed to take it for granted that everybody was engaged in a grand -’possum hunt, and added the strength of their own voices to the general -clamor. - -While all this was going on, Mrs. Gaston was pacing up and down the long -veranda wringing her hands in an agony of grief. There was but one -thought in her mind—the _river_, the RIVER! Her husband in the midst of -his own grief tried to console her, but he could not. He had almost as -much as he could do to control himself, and there was in his own -mind—the RIVER! - -The search on the plantation and in its vicinity went on until nearly -nine o’clock. About that time Big Sam, one of the plough-hands, who was -also a famous fisherman, came running to the house with a frightened -face. - -“Marster,” he exclaimed, “de boat gone—she done gone!” - -“Oh, I knew it!” exclaimed Mrs. Gaston—“the river, the river!” - -“Well!” said Doctor Gaston, “the boat must be found. Blow the horn!” - -Big Sam seized the dinner-horn and blew a blast that startled the echoes -for miles around. The negroes understood this to be a signal to return, -and most of them thought that the children had been found, so they came -back laughing and singing, and went to the big house to see the -children. - -“Wh’abouts you fine um, marster?” asked the foreman. - -“They haven’t been found, Jim,” said Dr. Gaston. “Big Sam says that the -boat is gone from the landing, and that boat must be found to-night.” - -“Marster,” said a negro, coming forward out of the group, “I seed a boat -gwine down stream dis mornin’. I wuz way up on de hill—” - -“And you didn’t come and tell me?” asked Dr. Gaston in a severe tone. - -“Well, suh, I hollered at um, an’ dey ain’t make no answer, an’ den it -look like ter me ’t wuz dem two Ransome boys. Hit mos’ drap out’n my -min’. An’ den you know, suh, our chillun ain’t never had no doin’s like -dat—gittin’ in de boat by dey own-alone se’f an’ sailin’ off dat a-way.” - -“Well,” said Dr. Gaston, “the boat must be found. The children are in -it. Where can we get another boat?” - -“I got one, suh,” said Big Sam. - -“Me, too, marster,” said another negro. - -“Then get them both, and be quick about it!” - -“Ah-yi, suh,” was the response, and in a moment the group was scattered, -and Big Sam could be heard giving orders in a loud and an energetic tone -of voice. For once he was in his element. He could be foreman on the -Oconee if he couldn’t in the cotton-patch. He knew every nook and cranny -of the river for miles up and down; he had his fish-baskets sunk in many -places, and the overhanging limbs of many a tree bore the marks of the -lines of his set-hooks. So for once he appointed himself foreman, and -took charge of affairs. He and Sandy Bill (so-called owing to the -peculiar color of his hair) soon had their boats at the landing. The -other negroes were assembled there, and the most of them had torches. - -“Marster,” said Big Sam, “you git in my boat, an’ let little Willyum -come fer ter hol’ de torch. Jesse, you git in dar wid Sandy Bill. Fling -a armful er light’ood in bofe boats, boys, kaze we got ter have a light, -and dey ain’t no tellin’ how fur we gwine.” - -The fat pine was thrown in, everything made ready, and then the boats -started. With one sweep of his broad paddle, Big Sam sent his boat into -the middle of the stream, and, managed by his strong and willing arms, -the clumsy old bateau became a thing of life. Sandy Bill was not far -behind him. - -The negroes used only one paddle in rowing, and each sat in the stern of -his boat, using the rough but effective oar first on one side and then -the other. - -[Illustration] - -From a window, Mrs. Gaston watched the boats as they went speeding down -the river. By her side was Charity, the cook. - -“Isn’t it terrible!” she exclaimed, as the boats passed out of sight. -“Oh, what shall I do?” - -“’T would be mighty bad, Mist’iss, _ef_ dem chillun wuz los’; but dey -ain’t no mo’ los’ dan I is, an’ I’m a-standin’ right yer in de cornder -by dish yer cheer.” - -“Not lost! Why, of course they are lost. Oh, my darling little -children!” - -“No ’m, dey ain’t no mo’ los’ dan you is. Dey tuck dat boat dis mornin’, -an’ dey went atter ole man Jake—dat’s whar dey er gone. Dey ain’t gone -nowhar else. Dey er in dat boat right now; dey may be asleep, but dey er -in dar. Ain’t I year um talkin’ yistiddy wid my own years? Ain’t I year -dat ar Marse Lucien boy ’low ter he sister dat he gwine go fetch ole man -Jake back? Ain’t I miss a whole can full er biscuits? Ain’t I miss two -er dem pies w’at I lef’ out dar in de kitchen? Ain’t I miss a great big -hunk er light-bread? An’ who gwine dast ter take um less’n it’s dem ar -chillun? Dey don’t fool me, mon. I’m one er de oldest rats in de barn—I -is dat!” - -Charity’s tone was emphatic and energetic. She was so confident that her -theory was the right one that she succeeded in quieting her mistress -somewhat. - -“An’ mo’ ’n dat,” she went on, seeing the effect of her remarks, “dem -chillun ’ll come home yer all safe an’ soun’. Ef Marster an’ dem niggers -don’t fetch um back, dey ’ll come deyse’f; an’ old man Jake ’ll come wid -um. You min’ wa’t I tell you. You go an’ go ter bed, honey, an’ don’t -pester yo’se’f ’bout dem chillun. I’ll set up yer in the cornder an’ -nod, an’ keep my eyes on w’at’s gwine on outside.” - -But Mrs. Gaston refused to go to bed. She went to the window, and away -down the river she could see the red light of the torches projected -against the fog. It seemed as if it were standing still, and the -mother’s heart sank within her at the thought. Perhaps they had found -the boat—empty! This and a thousand other cruel suggestions racked her -brain. - -But the boats were not standing still; they were moving down the river -as rapidly as four of the stoutest arms to be found in the county could -drive them. The pine torches lit up both banks perfectly. The negroes -rowed in silence a mile or more, when Big Sam said: - -“Marster, kin we sing some?” - -“Does it seem to be much of a singing matter, Sam?” Dr. Gaston asked, -grimly. - -“No, suh, it don’t; but singin’ he’ps ’long might’ly w’en you workin’, -mo’ speshually ef you er doin’ de kind er work whar you kin sorter hit a -lick wid the chune—kinder keepin’ time, like.” - -Dr. Gaston said nothing, and Big Sam went on: - -“’Sides dat, Marster, we-all useter sing ter dem chillun, an’ dey knows -our holler so well dat I boun’ you ef dey wuz ter year us singin’ an’ -gwine on, dey’d holler back.” - -“Well,” said Dr. Gaston, struck by the suggestion, “sing.” - -“Bill,” said Big Sam to the negro in the other boat, “watch out for me; -I’m gwine away.” - -“You’ll year fum me w’en you git whar you gwine,” Sandy Bill replied. - -With that Big Sam struck up a song. His voice was clear and strong, and -he sang with a will. - - Oh. Miss Malindy, you er lots too sweet for me; - I cannot come to see you - Ontil my time is free— - Oh, den I’ll come ter see you, - An’ take you on my knee. - - Oh, Miss Malindy, now don’t you go away; - I cannot come to see you - Ontil some yuther day— - Oh, den I’ll come ter see you— - Oh, den I’ll come ter stay. - - Oh, Miss Malindy, you is my only one; - I cannot come ter see you - Ontil de day is done— - Oh, den I’ll come ter see you, - And we’ll have a little fun. - - Oh, Miss Malindy, my heart belongs ter you; - I cannot come ter see you - Ontil my work is thoo’. - Oh, den I’ll come ter see you, - I ’ll come in my canoe. - -The words of the song, foolish and trivial as they are, do not give the -faintest idea of the melody to which it was sung. The other negroes -joined in, and the tremulous tenor of little Willyum was especially -effective. The deep dark woods on either side seemed to catch up and -echo back the plaintive strain. To a spectator on the bank, the scene -must have been an uncanny one—the song with its heart-breaking melody, -the glistening arms and faces of the two gigantic blacks, the flaring -torches, flinging their reflections on the swirling waters, the great -gulfs of darkness beyond—all these must have been very impressive. But -these things did not occur to those in the boats, least of all to Dr. -Gaston. In the minds of all there was but one thought—the children. - -The negroes rowed on, keeping time to their songs. Their arms appeared -to be as tireless as machinery that has the impulse of steam. Finally -Big Sam’s boat grounded. - -“Hol’ on dar, Bill!” he shouted. “Watch out!” He took the torch from the -little negro and held it over his head, and then behind him, peering -into the darkness beyond. Then he laughed. - -“De Lord he’p my soul!” he exclaimed; “I done clean fergit ’bout -Moccasin Shoals! Back yo’ boat, Bill.” Suiting the action to the word, -he backed his own, and they were soon away from the shoals. - -“Now, den,” he said to Bill, “git yo’ boat in line wid mine, an’ hol’ -yo’ paddle in yo’ lap.” Then the boats, caught by the current, moved -toward the shoals, and one after the other touched a rock, turned -completely around, and went safely down the rapids, just as the -children’s boat had done in the forenoon. Once over the shoals, Big Sam -and Sandy Bill resumed their oars and their songs, and sent the boats -along at a rapid rate. - -A man, sitting on the river bank, heard them coming, and put out his -torch by covering it with sand. He crouched behind the bushes and -watched them go by. After they had passed he straightened himself, and -remarked: - -“Well, I’ll be switched!” Then he relighted his torch, and went on with -his fishing. It was the same man that Lucien and Lillian had seen. - -The boats went on and on. With brief intervals the negroes rowed all -night long, but Dr. Gaston found no trace of his children. In sheer -desperation, however, he kept on. The sun rose, and the negroes were -still rowing. At nine o’clock in the morning the boats entered Ross’s -mill-pond. This Dr. Gaston knew was the end of his journey. If the boat -had drifted into this pond, and been carried over the dam, the children -were either drowned or crushed on the rocks below. If their boat had not -entered the pond, then they had been rescued the day before by some one -living near the river. - -It was with a heavy heart that Dr. Gaston landed. And yet there were no -signs of a tragedy anywhere near. John Cosby, the miller, fat and -hearty, stood in the door of the mill, his arms akimbo, and watched the -boats curiously. His children were playing near. A file of geese was -marching down to the water, and a flock of pigeons was sailing overhead, -taking their morning exercise. Everything seemed to be peaceful and -serene. As he passed the dam on his way to the mill, Dr. Gaston saw that -there was a heavy head of water, but possibly not enough to carry a -large bateau over; still—the children were gone! - -[Illustration: THE MILLER AND HIS CHILDREN] - -The puzzled look on the miller’s face disappeared as Dr. Gaston -approached. - -“Well, the gracious goodness!” he exclaimed. “Why, howdy, Doc.—howdy! -Why, I ’m right down glad to see you. Whichever an’ whichaway did you -come?” - -“My little children are lost,” said Dr. Gaston, shaking the miller’s -hand. The jolly smile on John Cosby’s face disappeared as suddenly as if -it had been wiped out with a sponge. - -“Well, now, that’s too bad—too bad,” he exclaimed, looking at his own -rosy-cheeked little ones standing near. - -“They were in a bateau,” said Dr. Gaston, “and I thought maybe they -might have drifted down here and over the mill-dam.” - -The miller’s jolly smile appeared again. “Oh, no, Doc.—no, no! Whichever -an’ whichaway they went, they never went over that dam. In time of a -freshet, the thing might be did; but not now. Oh, no! Ef it lies betwixt -goin’ over that dam an’ bein’ safe, them babies is jest as safe an’ -soun’ as mine is.” - -“I think,” said Dr. Gaston, “that they started out to hunt Jake, my -carriage-driver, who has run away.” - -“Jake run away!” exclaimed Mr. Cosby, growing very red in the face. -“Why, the impident scoundull! Hit ain’t been three days sence the ole -rascal wuz here. He come an’ ’lowed that some of your wagons was -a-campin’ out about two mile from here, an’ he got a bushel of meal, -an’ said that if you didn’t pay me the money down I could take it out -in physic. The impident ole scoundull! An’ he was jest as -’umble-come-tumble as you please—a-bowin’, an’ a-scrapin’, an’ -a-howdy-do-in’.” - -But the old miller’s indignation cooled somewhat when Dr. Gaston briefly -told him of the incident which caused the old negro to run away. - -“Hit sorter sticks in my gizzard,” he remarked, “when I hear tell of a -nigger hittin’ a white man; but I don’t blame Jake much.” - -“And now,” said Dr. Gaston, “I want to ask your advice. You are a -level-headed man, and I want to know what you think. The children got in -the boat, and came down the river. There is no doubt in my mind that -they started on a wild-goose chase after Jake; but they are not on the -river now, nor is the boat on the river. How do you account for that?” - -“Well, Doc., if you want my naked beliefs about it, I’ll give ’em to -you, fa’r an’ squar’. It’s my beliefs that them youngsters have run up -agin old Jake somewhar up the river, an’ that they are jest as safe’an’ -soun’ as you is. Them’s my beliefs.” - -“But what has become of the boat?” - -“Well, I’ll tell you. Old Jake is jest as cunning as any other nigger. -He took an’ took the youngsters out, an’ arterwards he drawed the boat -out on dry land. He rightly thought there would be pursuit, an’ he -didn’t mean to be ketched.” - -“Then what would you advise me to do?” asked Dr. Gaston. - -The old man scratched his head. - -“Well, Doc., I’m a-talkin’ in the dark, but it’s my beliefs them -youngsters ’ll be at home before you can get there to save your life. -Jake may not be there, but if he’s found the boy an’ gal, he ’ll carry -’em safe home. Now you mind what I tell you.” - -Dr. Gaston’s anxiety was too great to permit him to put much confidence -in the old miller’s prediction. What he said seemed reasonable enough, -but a thousand terrible doubts had possession of the father’s mind. He -hardly dared go home without the children. He paced up and down before -the mill, a most miserable man. He knew not where to go or what to do. - -Mr. Cosby, the miller, watched him awhile, and shook his head. “If Doc. -don’t find them youngsters,” he said to himself, “he ’ll go plum -deestracted.” But he said aloud: - -“Well, Doc., you an’ the niggers must have a breathing-spell. We’ll go -up to the house an’ see ef we can’t find somethin’ to eat in the -cubberd, an’ arterwards, in the time you are restin’, we’ll talk about -findin’ the youngsters. If there’s any needcessity, I’ll go with you. My -son John can run the mill e’en about as good as I can. We’ll go up yan -to ’Squire Ross’s an’ git a horse or two, an’ we’ll scour the country on -both sides of the river. But you’ve got to have a snack of somethin’ to -eat, an’ you’ve got to take a rest. Human natur’ can’t stand the -strain.” - -Torn as he was by grief and anxiety, Dr. Gaston knew this was good -advice. He gratefully accepted John Cosby’s invitation to breakfast, as -well as his offer to aid in the search for the lost children. After -Doctor Gaston had eaten, he sat on the miller’s porch and tried to -collect his thoughts so as to be able to form some plan of search. While -the two men were talking, they heard Big Sam burst out laughing. He -laughed so loud and heartily that Mr. Cosby grew angry, and went into -the back yard to see what the fun was about. In his heart the miller -thought the negroes were laughing at the food his wife had set before -them, and he was properly indignant. - -“Well, well,” said he, “what’s this I hear? Two high-fed niggers -a-laughin’ beca’se their master’s little ones are lost and gone! And has -it come to this? A purty pass, a mighty purty pass!” Both the negroes -grew very serious at this. - -“Mars’ John, we-all was des projickin’ wid one an’er. You know how -niggers is w’en dey git nuff ter eat. Dey feel so good dey ’bleege ter -holler.” - -Mr. Cosby sighed, and turned away. “Well,” said he, “I hope niggers ’s -got souls, but I know right p’int-blank that they ain’t got no hearts.” - -Now, what was Big Sam laughing at? - -He was laughing because he had found out where Lucien and Lillian were. -How did he find out? In the simplest manner imaginable. Sandy Bill and -Big Sam were sitting in Mr. Cosby’s back yard eating their breakfast, -while little Willyum was eating his in the kitchen. It was the first -time the two older negroes had had an opportunity of talking together -since they started from home the day before. - -“Sam,” said Sandy Bill, “did you see whar de chillun landed w’en we come -’long des a’ter sun-up dis mornin’?” - -“Dat I didn’t,” said Sam, wiping his mouth with the back of his -hand—“dat I didn’t, an’ ef I had I’d a hollered out ter Marster.” - -“Dat w’at I wuz feared un,” said Sandy Bill. - -“Feared er what?” asked Big Sam. - -“Feared you’d holler at Marster ef you seed whar dey landed. Dat how -come I ter run foul er yo’ boat.” - -“Look yer, nigger man, you ain’t done gone ’stracted, is you?” - -“Shoo, chile! don’t talk ter me ’bout gwine ’stracted. I got ez much -sense ez Ole Zip Coon.” - -“Den whyn’t you tell Marster? Ain’t you done see how he troubled in he -min’?” - -“I done see dat, en it makes me feel bad; but t’er folks got trouble, -too, lots wuss’n Marster.” - -“Is dey los’ der chillun?” - -“Yes—Lord! dey done los’ eve’ybody. But Marster ain’t los’ no chillun -yit.” - -“Den wat we doin’ way down yer?” asked Big Sam in an angry tone. - -[Illustration: “AN’ OLE MAN JAKE, HE DAR TOO.”] - -“Le’ me tell you,” said Sandy Bill, laying his hand on Big Sam’s -shoulder; “le’ me tell you. Right cross dar fum whar I run foul er yo’ -boat is de biggest cane-brake in all creation.” - -“I know ’im,” said Big Sam. “Dey calls ’im Hudson’s cane-brake.” - -“Now you talkin’,” said Sandy Bill. “Well, ef you go dar you ’ll fin’ -right in the middle er dat cane-brake a heap er niggers dat you got -’quaintance wid—Randall Spivey, an’ Crazy Sue, an’ Cupid Mitchell, an’ -Isaiah Little—dey er all dar; an’ ole man Jake, he dar too.” - -“Look yer, nigger,” Sam exclaimed, “how you know?” - -“I sent ’im dar. He come by me in de fiel’ an’ tole me he done kilt de -overseer, an’ I up an’ tell ’im, I did, ‘Make fer Hudson’s cane-brake,’ -an’ dar ’s right whar he went.” - -It was at this point that Big Sam’s hearty laughter attracted the -attention of Dr. Gaston and Mr. Cosby. - -“Now, den,” said Sandy Bill, after the miller had rebuked them and -returned to the other side of the house, “now, den, ef I’d ’a’ showed -Marster whar dem chillun landed, en tole ’im whar dey wuz, he’d ’a’ gone -’cross dar, en seed dem niggers, an’ by dis time nex’ week ole Bill -Locke’s nigger-dogs would ’a’ done run um all in jail. You know how -Marster is. He think kaze he treat his niggers right dat eve’ybody else -treat der’n des dat a-way. But don’t you worry ’bout dem chillun.” - -Was it possible for Sandy Bill to be mistaken? - - - CHAPTER III - -Lucien and Lillian, cuddled together in the bottom of their boat, were -soon fast asleep. In dreams of home their loneliness and their troubles -were all forgotten. Sometimes in the starlight, sometimes in the dark -shadows of the overhanging trees, the boat drifted on. At last, toward -morning, it was caught in an eddy and carried nearer the bank, where the -current was almost imperceptible. Here the clumsy old bateau rocked and -swung, sometimes going lazily forward, and then as lazily floating back -again. - -As the night faded away into the dim gray of morning, the bushes above -the boat were thrust softly aside and a black face looked down upon the -children. Then the black face disappeared as suddenly as it came. After -awhile it appeared again. It was not an attractive face. In the dim -light it seemed to look down on the sleeping children with a leer that -was almost hideous. It was the face of a woman. Around her head was a -faded red handkerchief, tied in a fantastic fashion, and as much of her -dress as could be seen was ragged, dirty, and greasy. She was not -pleasant to look upon, but the children slept on unconscious of her -presence. - -Presently the woman came nearer. On the lower bank a freshet had -deposited a great heap of sand, which was now dry and soft. The woman -sat down on this, hugging her knees with her arms, and gazed at the -sleeping children long and earnestly. Then she looked up and down the -river, but nothing was to be seen for the fog that lay on the water. She -shook her head and muttered: - -“Hit ’s p’izen down yer for dem babies. Yit how I gwine git um out er -dar?” - -She caught hold of the boat, turned it around, and, by means of the -chain, drew it partially on the sand-bank. Then she lifted Lillian from -the boat, wrapping the quilt closer about the child, carried her up the -bank, and laid her beneath the trees where no dew had fallen. Returning, -she lifted Lucien and placed him beside his sister. But the change -aroused him. He raised himself on his elbow and rubbed his eyes. The -negro woman, apparently by force of habit, slipped behind a tree. - -“Where am I?” Lucien exclaimed, looking around in something of a fright. -He caught sight of the frazzled skirt of the woman’s dress. “Who is -there behind that tree?” he cried. - -“Nobody but me, honey—nobody ner nothin’ but po’ ole Crazy Sue. Don’t be -skeerd er me. I ain’t nigh ez bad ez I looks ter be.” - -It was now broad daylight, and Lucien could see that the hideous -ugliness of the woman was caused by a burn on the side of her face and -neck. - -“Wasn’t I in a boat?” - -“Yes, honey; I brung you up yer fer ter keep de fog fum pizenin’ you.” - -“I dreamed the Bad Man had me,” said Lucien, shivering at the bare -recollection. - -“No, honey; ’t want nobody ner nothin’ but po’ ole Crazy Sue. De boat -down dar on de sand-bank, an’ yo’ little sissy layin’ dar soun’ asleep. -Whar in de name er goodness wuz you-all gwine, honey?” asked Crazy Sue, -coming nearer. - -“We were going down the river hunting for Daddy Jake. He’s a runaway -now. I reckon we’ll find him after a while.” - -“Is you-all Marse Doc. Gaston’ chillun?” asked Crazy Sue, with some show -of eagerness. - -“Why, of course we are,” said Lucien. - -Crazy Sue’s eyes fairly danced with joy. She clasped her hands together -and exclaimed: - -“Lord, honey, I could shout,—I could des holler and shout; but I ain’t -gwine do it. You stay right dar by yo’ little sissy till I come back; I -want ter run an’ make somebody feel good. Now, don’t you move, honey. -Stay right dar.” - -With that Crazy Sue disappeared in the bushes. Lucien kept very still. -In the first place, he was more than half frightened by the strangeness -of his surroundings, and, in the second place, he was afraid his little -sister would wake and begin to cry. He felt like crying a little -himself, for he knew he was many miles from home, and he felt very cold -and uncomfortable. Indeed, he felt very lonely and miserable; but just -when he was about to cry and call Daddy Jake, he heard voices near him. -Crazy Sue came toward him in a half-trot, and behind her—close behind -her—was Daddy Jake, his face wreathed in smiles and his eyes swimming in -tears. Lucien saw him and rushed toward him, and the old man stooped and -hugged the boy to his black bosom. - -“Why, honey,” he exclaimed, “whar de name er goodness you come f’um! -Bless you! ef my eyes wuz sore de sight un you would make um well. How -you know whar yo’ Daddy Jake is?” - -[Illustration: “LUCIEN SAW HIM AND RUSHED TOWARD HIM.”] - -“Me and sister started out to hunt you,” said Lucien, whimpering a -little, now that he had nothing to whimper for, “and I think you are -mighty mean to run off and leave us all at home.” - -“Now you talkin’, honey,” said Daddy Jake, laughing in his old fashion. -“I boun’ I’m de meanes’ ole nigger in de Nunited State. Yit, ef I’d ’a’ -know’d you wuz gwine ter foller me up so close, I’d ’a’ fotch you wid -me, dat I would! An’ dar’s little Missy,” he exclaimed, leaning over the -little girl, “an’ she’s a-sleepin’ des ez natchul ez ef she wuz in her -bed at home. What I tell you-all?” he went on, turning to a group of -negroes that had followed him,—Randall, Cupid, Isaiah, and others,—“What -I tell you-all? Ain’t I done bin’ an’ gone an’ tole you dat deze chillun -wuz de out-doin’est chillun on de top-side er de roun’ worl’?” - -The negroes—runaways all—laughed and looked pleased, and Crazy Sue -fairly danced. They made so much fuss that they woke Lillian, and when -she saw Daddy Jake she gave one little cry and leaped in his arms. This -made Crazy Sue dance again, and she would have kept it up for a long -time, but Randall suggested to Daddy Jake that the boat ought to be -hauled ashore and hidden in the bushes. Crazy Sue stayed with the -children while the negro men went after the boat. They hauled it up the -bank by the chain, and then they lifted and carried it several hundred -yards away from the river, and hid it in the thick bushes and grass. - -“Now,” said Daddy Jake, when they had returned to where they left the -children, “we got ter git away f’um yer. Dey ain’t no tellin’ w’at gwine -ter happen. Ef deze yer chillun kin slip up on us dis away w’at kin a -grown man do?” - -The old man intended this as a joke, but the others took him at his -word, and were moving off. “Wait!” he exclaimed. “De chillun bleeze ter -go whar I go. Sue, you pick up little Missy dar, an’ I’ll play hoss fer -dish yer chap.” - -Crazy Sue lifted Lillian in her arms, Daddy Jake stooped so that Lucien -could climb up on his back, and then all took up their march for the -middle of Hudson’s cane-brake. Randall brought up the rear in order, as -he said, to “stop up de holes.” - -It was a narrow, slippery, and winding path in which the negroes trod—a -path that a white man would have found difficult to follow. It seemed to -lead in all directions; but, finally, it stopped on a knoll high and dry -above the surrounding swamp. A fire was burning brightly, and the smell -of frying meat was in the air. On this knoll the runaway negroes had -made their camp, and for safety they could not have selected a better -place. - -It was not long before Crazy Sue had warmed some breakfast for the -children. The negroes had brought the food they found in the boat, and -Crazy Sue put some of the biscuits in a tin bucket, hung the bucket on a -stick, and held it over the fire. Then she gave them some bacon that had -been broiled on a stone, and altogether they made a hearty breakfast. - -During the morning most of the negro men stayed in the cane-brake, some -nodding and some patching their clothes, which were already full of -patches. But after dinner, a feast of broiled fish, roasted sweet -potatoes, and ash-cake, they all went away, leaving Crazy Sue to take -care of the children. After the men had all gone, the woman sat with her -head covered with her arms. She sat thus for a long time. After a while -Lucien went to her and put his hand on her shoulder. - -“What’s the matter?” he asked. - -“Nothin’, honey; I wuz des a-settin’ yer a-studyin’ an’ a-studyin’. Lots -er times I gits took dat a-way.” - -“What are you studying about?” said Lucien. - -“’Bout folks. I wuz des a-studyin’ ’bout folks, an’ ’bout how come I -whar I is, w’en I oughter be somers else. W’en I set down dis a-way, I -gits dat turrified in de min’ dat I can’t stay on de groun’ sca’cely. -Look like I want ter rise up in de elements an’ fly.” - -“What made you run away?” Lucien asked with some curiosity. - -“Well, you know, honey,” said Crazy Sue, after a pause, “my marster -ain’t nigh ez good ter his niggers ez yo’ pa is ter his’n. ’Tain’t dat -my marster is any mo’ strick, but look like hit fret ’im ef he see one -er his niggers settin’ down anywheres. Well, one time, long time ago, I -had two babies, an’ dey wuz twins, an’ dey wuz des ’bout ez likely -little niggers ez you ever did see. De w’ite folks had me at de house -doin’ de washin’ so I could be where I kin nurse de babies. One time I -wuz settin’ in my house nursin’ un um, an’ while I settin’ dar I went -fast ter sleep. How long I sot dar ’sleep, de Lord only knows, but w’en -I woked up, Marster wuz stan’in in de do’, watchin’ me. He ain’t say -nothin, yit I knowed dat man wuz mad. He des turn on his heel an’ walk -away. I let you know I put dem babies down an’ hustled out er dat house -mighty quick. - -[Illustration: POOR OLD SUE TELLS HER STORY.] - -“Well, sir, dat night de foreman come ’roun’ an’ tole me dat I mus’ go -ter de fiel’ de nex’ mornin’. Soon ez he say dat, I up an’ went ter de -big house an’ ax Marster w’at I gwine do wid de babies ef I went ter de -fiel’. He stood an’ look at me, he did, an’ den he writ a note out er -his pocket-book, an’ tol’ me ter han’ it ter de overseer. Dat w’at I -done dat ve’y night, an’ de overseer, he took an’ read de note, an’ den -he up an’ say dat I mus’ go wid de hoe-han’s, way over ter de two-mile -place. - -“I went, kaze I bleeze ter go; yit all day long, whiles I wuz hoein’ I -kin year dem babies cryin’. Look like sometimes dey wuz right at me, an’ -den ag’in look like dey wuz way off yander. I kep’ on a-goin’ an’ I kep’ -on a-hoein’, an’ de babies kep’ on a-famishin’. Dey des fade away, an’ -bimeby dey died, bofe un um on the same day. On dat day I had a fit an’ -fell in de fier, an’ dat how come I burnt up so. - -“Look like,” said the woman, marking on the ground with her bony -forefinger—“look like I kin year dem babies cryin’ yit, an’ dat de -reason folks call me Crazy Sue, kaze I kin year um cryin’ an’ yuther -folks can’t. I’m mighty glad dey can’t, kaze it ’ud break der heart.” - -“Why didn’t you come and tell Papa about it?” said Lucien, indignantly. - -“Ah, Lord, honey!” exclaimed Crazy Sue, “yo’ pa is a mighty good man, -an’ a mighty good doctor, but he ain’t got no medicine wa’t could ’a’ -kyored me an’ my marster.” - -In a little while Daddy Jake put in an appearance, and the children soon -forgot Crazy Sue’s troubles, and began to think about going home. - -“Daddy Jake,” said Lucien, “when are you going to take us back home?” - -“I want to go right now,” said Lillian. - -Daddy Jake scratched his head and thought the matter over. - -“Dey ain’t no use talkin’,” said he, “I got ter carry you back an’ set -you down in sight er de house, but how I gwine do it an’ not git -kotched? Dat w’at troublin’ me.” - -“Why, Papa ain’t mad,” said Lucien. “I heard him tell that mean old -overseer he had a great mind to take his buggy whip to him for hitting -you.” - -“Ain’t dat man dead?” exclaimed Daddy Jake in amazement. - -“No, he ain’t,” said Lucien. “Papa drove him off the place.” - -“Well, I be blest!” said the old man with a chuckle. “W’at kinder head -you reckon dat w’ite man got?—Honey,” he went on, growing serious again, -“is you _sholy sho_ dat man ain’t dead?” - -“Didn’t I see him after you went away? Didn’t I hear Papa tell him to go -away? Didn’t I hear Papa tell Mamma he wished you had broken his neck? -Didn’t I hear Papa tell Mamma that you were a fool for running away?” -Lucien flung these questions at Daddy Jake with an emphasis that left -nothing to be desired. - -“Well,” said Daddy Jake, “dat mus’ be so, an’ dat bein’ de case, we’ll -des start in de mornin’ an’ git home ter supper. We’ll go over yander -ter Marse Meredy Ingram’s an’ borry his carriage an’ go home in style. I -boun’ you, dey’ll all be glad to see us.” - -Daddy Jake was happy once more. A great burden had been taken from his -mind. The other negroes when they came in toward night seemed to be -happy, too, because the old man could go back home; and there was not -one but would have swapped places with him. Randall was the last to -come, and he brought a big, fat chicken. - -“I wuz cornin’ ’long cross de woods des now,” he said, winking his eye -and shaking his head at Daddy Jake, “an’, bless gracious, dis chicken -flew’d right in my han’. I say ter myse’f, I did, ‘Ole lady, you mus’ -know we got comp’ny at our house,’ an’ den I clamped down on ’er, an’ -yer she is. Now, ’bout dark, I’ll take ’er up yander an’ make Marse -Ingram’s cook fry ’er brown fer deze chillun, an’ I’ll make ’er gimme -some milk.” - -Crazy Sue took the chicken, which had already been killed, wet its -feathers thoroughly, rolled it around in the hot embers, and then -proceeded to pick and clean it. - -Randall’s programme was carried out to the letter. Mr. Meredith Ingram’s -cook fried the chicken for him, and put in some hot biscuit for good -measure, and the milker gave him some fresh milk, which she said would -not be missed. - -The children had a good supper, and they would have gone to sleep -directly afterward, but the thought of going home with Daddy Jake kept -them awake. Randall managed to tell Daddy Jake, out of hearing of the -children, that Dr. Gaston and some of his negroes had been seen at -Ross’s mill that morning. - -“Well,” said Daddy Jake, “I bleeze ter beat Marster home. Ef he go back -dar widout de chillun, my mistiss’ll drap right dead on de flo’.” This -was his only comment. - -Around the fire the negroes laughed and joked, and told their -adventures. Lillian felt comfortable and happy, and as for Lucien, he -himself felt a hero. He had found Daddy Jake, and now he was going to -carry him back home. - -Once, when there was a lull in the talk, Lillian asked why the frogs -made so much fuss. - -“I speck it’s kaze dey er mad wid Mr. Rabbit,” said Crazy Sue. “Dey er -tryin’ der best ter drive ’im outen de swamp.” - -“What are they mad with the Rabbit for?” asked Lucien, thinking there -might be a story in the explanation. - -“Hit’s one er dem ole-time fusses,” said Crazy Sue. “Hit’s most too ole -ter talk about.” - -“Don’t you know what the fuss was about?” asked Lucien. - - -“Well,” said Crazy Sue, “one time Mr. Rabbit an’ Mr. Coon live close ter -one anudder in de same neighborhoods. How dey does now, I ain’t -a-tellin’ you; but in dem times dey wa’n’t no hard feelin’s ’twix’ um. -Dey des went ’long like two ole cronies. Mr. Rabbit, he wuz a fisherman, -and Mr. Coon, he wuz a fisherman—” - -“And put ’em in pens,” said Lillian, remembering an old rhyme she had -heard. - -“No, honey, dey ain’t no Willium-Come-Trimbletoe in dis. Mr. Rabbit an’ -Mr. Coon wuz bofe fishermans, but Mr. Rabbit, he kotch fish, an’ Mr. -Coon, he fished fer frogs. Mr. Rabbit, he had mighty good luck, an’ Mr. -Coon, he had mighty bad luck. Mr. Rabbit, he got fat an’ slick, an’ Mr. -Coon, he got po’ an’ sick. - -“Hit went on dis a-way tell one day Mr. Coon meet Mr. Rabbit in de big -road. Dey shook han’s, dey did, an’ den Mr. Coon, he ’low: - -“‘Brer Rabbit, whar you git sech a fine chance er fish?’ - -“Mr. Rabbit laugh an’ say: ‘I kotch um outen de river, Brer Coon. All I -got ter do is ter bait my hook,’ sezee. - -“Den Mr. Coon shake his head an’ ’low: ‘Den how come I ain’t kin ketch -no frogs?’ - -“Mr. Rabbit sat down in de road an’ scratched fer fleas, an’ den he -’low: ‘Hit’s kaze you done make um all mad, Brer Coon. One time in de -dark er de moon, you slipped down ter de branch an’ kotch de ole King -Frog; an’ ever sence dat time, w’enever you er passin’ by, you kin year -um sing out, fus’ one an’ den anudder—_Yer he come! Dar he goes! Hit ’im -in de eye; hit ’im in de eye! Mash ’im an’ smash ’im; mash ’im an’ smash -’im!_ Yasser, dat w’at dey say. I year um constant, Brer Coon, an’ dat -des w’at dey say.’ - -[Illustration: “MR. RABBIT SQUALL OUT, ‘COON DEAD!’”] - -“Den Mr. Coon up an’ say: ‘Ef dat de way dey gwine on, how de name er -goodness kin I ketch um, Brer Rabbit? I bleeze ter have sump’n ter eat -fer me an’ my fambly connection.’ - -“Mr. Rabbit sorter grin in de cornder er his mouf, an’ den he say: -‘Well, Brer Coon, bein’ ez you bin so sociable ’long wid me, an’ ain’t -never showed yo’ toofies w’en I pull yo’ tail, I’ll des whirl in an’ -he’p you out.’ - -“Mr. Coon, he say: ‘Thanky, thanky-do, Brer Rabbit.’ - -“Mr. Rabbit hung his fish on a tree lim’, an’ say: ‘Now, Brer Coon, you -bleeze ter do des like I tell you.’ - -“Mr. Coon ’lowed dat he would ef de Lord spared ’im. - -“Den Mr. Rabbit say: ‘Now, Brer Coon, you des rack down yander, an’ git -on de big san’-bar ’twix’ de river an’ de branch. W’en you git dar you -mus’ stagger like you sick, and den you mus’ whirl roun’ an’ roun’ an’ -drap down like you dead. After you drap down, you must sorter jerk yo’ -legs once er twice, an’ den you mus’ lay right still. Ef fly light on -yo’ nose, let ’im stay dar. Don’t move; don’t wink yo’ eye; don’t switch -yo’ tail. Des lay right dar, an’ ’t won’t be long ’fo’ you year f’um me. -Yit don’t you move till I give de word.’ - -“Mr. Coon, he paced off, he did, an’ done des like Mr. Rabbit tol’ ’im. -He staggered roun’ on de san’-bank, an’ den he drapped down dead. Atter -so long a time, Mr. Rabbit come lopin’ ’long, an’ soon’s he git dar, he -squall out, ‘Coon dead!’ Dis rousted de frogs, an’ dey stuck dey heads -up fer ter see w’at all de rippit wuz ’bout. One great big green un up -an’ holler, _W’at de matter? W’at de matter?_ He talk like he got a bad -col’. - -“Mr. Rabbit ’low: ‘Coon dead!’ - -“Frog say: _Don’t believe it! Don’t believe it!_ - -“N’er frog say: _Yes, he is! Yes, he is!_ Little bit er one say: _No, he -ain’t! No, he ain’t!_ - -“Dey kep’ on ’sputin’ an’ ’sputin’, tell bimeby hit look like all de -frogs in de neighborhoods wuz dar. Mr. Rabbit look like he ain’t -a-yearin’ ner a-keerin’ wa’t dey do er say. He sot dar in de san’ like -he gwine in mournin’ fer Mr. Coon. De Frogs kep’ gittin’ closer an’ -closer. Mr. Coon, he ain’t move. W’en a fly’d git on ’im Mr. Rabbit he’d -bresh ’im off. - -“Bimeby he ’low: ‘Ef you want ter git ’im outen de way, now’s yo’ time, -Cousin Frogs. Des whirl in an’ bury him deep in de san’.’ - -“Big ole Frog say: _How we gwine ter do it? How we gwine ter do it?_ - -“Mr. Rabbit ’low: ‘Dig de san’ out fum under ’im an’ let ’im down in de -hole.’ - -[Illustration: “DEN DE FROGS DEY WENT TO WORK SHO NUFF.”] - -“Den de Frogs dey went ter work sho nuff. Dey mus’ ’a’ bin a hunderd un -um, an’ dey make dat san’ fly, mon. Mr. Coon, he ain’t move. De Frogs, -dey dig an’ scratch in de san’ tell atter while dey had a right smart -hole, an’ Mr. Coon wuz down in dar. - -“Bimeby big Frog holler: _Dis deep nuff? Dis deep nuff?_ - -“Mr. Rabbit ’low: ‘Kin you jump out?’ - -“Big Frog say: _‘Yes, I kin! Yes, I kin!’_ - -“Mr. Rabbit say: ‘Den’t ain’t deep nuff.’ - -“Den de Frogs dey dig an’ dey dig, tell, bimeby, Big Frog say: _Dis deep -nuff? Dis deep nuff?_ - -“Mr. Rabbit ’low: ‘Kin you jump out?’ - -“Big Frog say: _I dess kin! I dess kin!_ - -“Mr. Rabbit say: ‘Dig it deeper.’ - -“De Frogs keep on diggin’ tell bimeby, big Frog holler out: _Dis deep -nuff? Dis deep nuff?_ - -“Mr. Rabbit ’low: ‘Kin you jump out?’ - -“Big Frog say: _No, I can’t! No, I can’t! Come he’p me! Come he’p me!_ - -“Mr. Rabbit bust out laughin’, and holler out: - -“‘RISE UP, SANDY, AN’ GIT YO’ MEAT!’ an’ Mr. Coon riz.” - -Lucien and Lillian laughed heartily at this queer story, especially the -curious imitation of frogs both big and little that Crazy Sue gave. -Lucien wanted her to tell more stories, but Daddy Jake said it was -bedtime; and the children were soon sound asleep. - -The next morning Daddy Jake had them up betimes. Crazy Sue took Lillian -in her arms, and Daddy Jake took Lucien on his back. As they had gone -into the cane-brake, so they came out. Randall and some of the other -negroes wanted to carry Lillian, but Crazy Sue wouldn’t listen to them. -She had brought the little girl in, she said, and she was going to carry -her out. Daddy Jake, followed by Crazy Sue, went in the direction of Mr. -Meredith Ingram’s house. It was on a hill, more than a mile from the -river, and was in a grove of oak-trees. As they were making their way -through a plum orchard, not far from the house, Crazy Sue stopped. - -“Brer Jake,” she said, “dis is all de fur I’m gwine. I’m ’mos’ too close -ter dat house now. You take dis baby an’ let dat little man walk. -’Tain’t many steps ter whar you gwine.” Crazy Sue wrung Daddy Jake’s -hand, stooped and kissed the children, and with a “God bless you all!” -disappeared in the bushes, and none of the three ever saw her again. - -[Illustration: “THE OLD NEGRO PUT HIS HANDS TO HIS MOUTH AND CALLED.”] - -Mr. Meredith Ingram was standing out in his front yard, enjoying a pipe -before breakfast. He was talking to himself and laughing when Daddy Jake -and the children approached. - -“Howdy, Mars’ Meredy,” said the old negro, taking off his hat and bowing -as politely as he could with the child in his arms. Mr. Ingram looked at -him through his spectacles and over them. - -“Ain’t that Gaston’s Jake?” he asked, after he had examined the group. - -“Yasser,” said Daddy Jake, “an’ deze is my marster’s little chillun.” - -Mr. Ingram took his pipe out of his mouth. - -“Why, what in the world!—Why, what under the sun!—Well, if this doesn’t -beat—why, what in the nation!”—Mr. Ingram failed to find words to -express his surprise. - -Daddy Jake, however, made haste to tell Mr. Ingram that the little ones -had drifted down the river in a boat, that he had found them, and wished -to get them home just as quickly as he could. - -“My marster bin huntin’ fer um, suh,” said the old negro, and I want ter -beat him home, kaze ef he go dar widout deze chillun, my mistiss’ll be a -dead ’oman—she cert’n’y will, suh.” - -“Well, well, well!” exclaimed Mr. Ingram. “If this don’t beat—why, of -course, I’ll send them home. I’ll go with ’em myself. Of course I will. -Well, if this doesn’t—George! hitch up the carriage. Fetch out Ben Bolt -and Rob Roy, and go and get your breakfast. Jake, you go and help him, -and I’ll take these chaps in the house and warm ’em up. Come on, little -ones. We’ll have something to eat and then we’ll go right home to Pappy -and Mammy.” They went in, Mr. Ingram muttering to himself, “Well, if -this doesn’t beat—” - -After breakfast Mr. Ingram, the children, Daddy Jake, and George, the -driver, were up and away, as the fox-hunters say. Daddy Jake sat on the -driver’s seat with George, and urged on the horses. They traveled -rapidly, and it is well they did, for when they came in sight of the -Gaston place, Daddy Jake saw his master entering the avenue that led to -the house. The old negro put his hands to his mouth and called so loudly -that the horses jumped. Doctor Gaston heard him and stopped, and in a -minute more had his children in his arms, and that night there was a -happy family in the Gaston house. But nobody was any happier than Daddy -Jake. - - - - - HOW A WITCH WAS CAUGHT - - -The little boy sat in a high chair and used his legs as drumsticks, much -to the confusion of Uncle Remus, as it appeared. After a while the old -man exclaimed: - -“Well, my goodness en de gracious! how you ever in de roun’ worl’ er -anywheres else speck me fer ter make any headway in tellin’ a tale wiles -all dish yer racket gwine on? I don’t want ter call nobody’s pa, kase he -mos’ allers talks too loud, en if I call der ma’t won’t make so mighty -much difference, kase she done got so usen ter it dat she dunner w’en -dey er makin’ any fuss. I believe dat ef everything wuz ter git right -good en still on deze premises des one time, you’ ma would in about die -wid de headache. Anyway, she’d be mighty sick, bekaze she ain’t usen ter -not havin’ no fuss, en she des couldn’t git ’long widout it. - -“I tell you right now, I’d be afeard fer ter tell any tale roun’ yer, -kaze de fust news I know’d I’d git my eyes put out, er my leg broke, er -sump’n’ n’er. I knows deze yer w’ite chillun, mon! dat I does; I knows -um. Dey’ll git de upper hand er de niggers ef de Lord spar’s um. En he -mos’ inginner’lly spar’s um. - -“Well, now, ef you want ter hear dish yer tale w’at I bin tu’nin’ over -in my min’ you des got ter come en set right yer in front er me, whar I -kin keep my two eyes on you; kaze I ain’t gwine ter take no resks er no -foolishness. Now, den, you des better behave, bekaze hit don’t cost me -nothin’ fer ter cut dis tale right short off. - -“One time der wuz a miller man w’at live by a river en had a mill. He -wuz a mighty smart man. He tuck so much toll dat he tuck ’n buyed ’im a -house, en’ he want ter rent dat ’ar house out ter folks, but de folks -dey ’lowed dat de house wuz ha’nted. Dey’d come ’en rent de house, dey -would, en move in dar, en den go upsta’rs en go ter bed. Dey’d go ter -bed, dey would, but dey couldn’t sleep, en time it got day dey’d git out -er dat house. - -“De miller man, he ax’d um w’at de matter wuz, but dey des shuck der -head en’ ’low de house wuz ha’nted. Den he tuck ’n try ter fine out w’at -kind er ha’nt she wuz dat skeer folks. He sleep in de house, but he -ain’t see nothin’, en de mos’ w’at he year wuz a big ole gray cat -a-promenadin’ roun’ en hollerin’. Bimeby hit got so dat dey want no fun -in havin’ de ha’nted house, en w’en folks’d come ’long de miller man, -he’d des up en tell um dat de house ’uz ha’nted. Some ’ud go up en some -wouldn’t, but dem w’at went up didn’t stay, kaze des ’bout bedtime dey’d -fetch a yell en des come a-rushin’ down, en all de money in de Nunited -States er Georgy wouldn’t git um fer ter go back up dar. - -“Hit went on dis away twel one time a preacher man com’ ’long dar en say -he wanted some’rs ter stay. He was a great big man, en he look like he -wuz good accordin’. De miller man say he hate mighty bad for to -discommerdate ’im, but he des pintedly ain’t got no place whar he kin -put ’im ’cep’ dat ’ar ha’nted house. De preacher man say he des soon -stay dar ez anywhar’s, kase he bin livin’ in deze low-groun’s er sorrer -too long fer ter be sot back by any one-hoss ha’nts. De miller man -’lowed dat he wuz afeard de ha’nts ’ud worry ’im might’ly, but de -preacher man ’low, he did, dat he use ter bein’ worried, en he up en -tell de miller man dat he’d a heap rather stay in de house wid de ha’nt, -no matter how big she is, dan ter stay out doors in de rain. - -“So de miller man, he ’low he ain’t got no mo’ ’pology fer ter make, -bekaze ef de preacher man wuz ready fer ter face de ha’nts and set up -dar en out blink um, dey wouldn’t be nobody in de roun’ worl’ no gladder -dan ’im. Den de miller man showed de preacher man how ter git in de -house en had ’im a great big fier built. En atter de miller man wuz done -gone, de preacher man drawed a cheer up ter de fier en waited fer de -ha’nts, but dey ain’t no ha’nts come. Den w’en dey ain’t no ha’nts come, -de preacher man tuck ’n open up he satchel en got ’im out some spar’ -ribs en sot um by de fier fer ter cook, en den he got down en said he -pra’rs, en den he got up en read he Bible. He wuz a mighty good man, -mon, en he prayed en read a long time. Bimeby, w’en his spar’ ribs git -done, he got some bread out’n he satchel, en fixed fer ter eat his -supper. - -“By de time he got all de meat off’n one er de ribs, de preacher man -listened, en he year’d a monst’us scramblin’ en scratchin’ on de wall. -He look aroun’, he did, en dar wuz a great big black cat a-sharpenin’ -’er claws on de door facin’. Folks, don’t talk! dat ’ar cat wuz er -sight! Great long w’ite toofs en great big yaller eye-balls a-shinin’ -like dey wuz lit up way back in ’er head. She stood dar a minit, dat ole -black cat did, en den she ’gun ter sidle up like she wuz gwine ter mount -dat preacher man right dar en den. But de preacher man, he des shoo’d at -’er, en it seem like dis sorter skeer’d ’er, kaze she went off. - -[Illustration: “SHE STOOD DAR A MINIT, DAT OLE BLACK CAT DID.”] - -“But de preacher man, he kep’ his eye open, en helt on ter his spar’ -rib. Present’y he year de ole black cat comin’ back, en dis time she -fotch wid ’er a great big gang er cats. Dey wuz all black des like she -wuz, en der eye-balls _shineded_ en der lashes wuz long en w’ite. Hit -look like de preacher man wuz a-gwine ter git surroundered. - -“Dey come a-sidlin’ up, dey did, en de ole black cat made a pass at de -preacher man like she wuz a-gwine ter t’ar he eyes out. De preacher man -dodged, but de nex’ pass she made de preacher man fotch ’er wipe with -his spar’ rib en cut off one er ’er toes. Wid dat de ole black cat fotch -a yell dat you might a yeard a mile, en den she gin ’erself a sort er a -twis’ en made her disappearance up de chimbley, en w’en she do dat all -de yuther cats made der disappearance up de chimbley. De preacher man he -got up, he did, en looked und’ de bed fer ter see ef he kin fine any mo’ -cats, but dey wuz all done gone. - -“Den he tuck ’n pick up de cat toe w’at he done knock off wid de spar’ -rib, en wrop it up in a piece er paper en put it in he pocket. Den he -say his pra’rs some mo’, en went ter bed en slep’ right straight along -twel broad daylight, en nuthin’ ain’t dast ter bodder ’im. - -“Nex’ mornin’ de preacher man got up, he did, en say his pra’rs en eat -his breakkus, en den he ’low ter hisse’f dat he’ll go by en tell de -miller man dat he mighty much erblige. ’Fo’ he start, hit come ’cross he -min’ ’bout de cats w’at pester ’im de night befo’, and he tuck ’n feel -in he pockets fer de big black cat toe w’at he done cut off wid de spar’ -rib. But it seems like de toe done grow in de night, en bless goodness! -w’en he unwrop it ’t want nuthin’ less dan a great big finger wid a ring -on it. - -“So de preacher man tuck ’n fix up all his contrapments, en den call on -de miller man en tol’ ’im he wuz mighty much erblige kaze he let ’im -stay in de house. De miller man wuz ’stonish’ fer ter see de preacher -man, kaze he knew dat w’en folks stay all night in dat house dey ain’t -come down no mo’. He wuz ’stonish’, but he didn’t say much. He des stan’ -still en wunder. - -“But de preacher man, he up ’n ax ’bout de miller man’s wife, en say he -wants ter see ’er en tell ’er good-bye, bein’ ez how dey ’d all bin so -good. So de miller man, he tuck ’n kyar de preacher inter de room whar -his wife wuz layin’ in bed. De ole ’oman had de counterpin drawed up -und’ ’er chin, but she look mighty bad roun’ de eyes. Yit, she tuck ’n’ -howdied de preacher man en tole ’im he wuz mighty welcome. - -“Dey talk en talk, dey did, en atter w’ile de preacher man hoi’ out his -han’ fer ter tell de ’oman good-bye; but de ’oman, she belt out ’er lef’ -han’, she did, like she want dat fer ter git shucken. But de preacher -man wouldn’t shake dat un. He say dat ain’t nigh gwine ter do, bekaze -w’en folks got any perliteness lef’ dey don’t never hol’ out de lef’ -han’. De ’oman she say her right wuz cripple, but her ole man ’low he -ain’t never hear ’bout dat befo’, en den he tuck’n make ’er pull it out -from und’ de kivver, en den dey seed dat one er ’er fingers wuz done -clean gone. De miller man he up ’n ’low: - -“‘How come dis?’ - -“De ’oman she ’low, ‘I cut it off.’ - -“De miller man he ’low, ‘How you cut it off?’ - -“De ’oman she ’low, ‘I knock it off?’ - -“De miller man he ’low, ‘Wharbouts you knock it off?’ - -“De ’oman she ’low, ‘I broke it off’ - -“De miller man he ’low, ‘When you break it off?’ - -“Den de ’oman she ain’t say nuthin’. She des lay dar, she did, en pant -en look skeered. De preacher man he study a little en den he say he -speck he kin kyo’ dat han’, en he tuck de finger out ’n he pocket en -tried it on de ’oman’s han’, en it fit! Yassar! it fit in de place right -smick smack smoove. Den de preacher man he up en tell de miller man dat -de ’oman wuz a witch, en wid dat de ’oman fetched a yell en kivvered ’er -head wid de counterpin. - -“Yit dis ain’t do ’er no good, kaze de preacher man say he done look in -de books en de onliest way fer ter kyo’ a witch is ter bu’n ’er; en it -ain’t look so bad, nuther, kaze when dey tied ’er she tuck ’n tu’n ter -be a great big black cat, en dat’s de way she wuz w’en she wuz burnt.” - - - - - THE LITTLE BOY AND HIS DOGS - - -“Uncle Remus’s little patron seemed to be so shocked at the burning of -the woman that the old man plunged at once into a curious story about a -little boy and his two dogs. - -“One time,” said Uncle Remus, scratching his head as if by that means to -collect his scattered ideas, “dere wuz a ’oman livin’ ’longside er de -big road, en dish yer ’oman she had one little boy. Seem like ter me dat -he mus’ ’a’ bin des ’bout yo’ size. He mout ’a’ bin a little broader in -de shoulder en a little longer in de leg, yit, take ’im up one side en -down de udder, he wuz des ’bout yo’ shape en size. He wuz a mighty smart -little boy, en his mammy sot lots by ’im. Seem like she ain’t never have -no luck ’cept’n ’long wid dat boy, kaze dey wuz one time w’en she had a -little gal, en, bless yo’ soul! somebody come ’long en tote de little -gal off, en w’en dat happen de ’oman ain’t have no mo’ little gal, en de -little boy ain’t have no mo’ little sister. Dis make bofe er um mighty -sorry, but look like de little boy wuz de sorriest, kaze he show it de -mosest. - -“Some days he’d take a notion fer ter go en hunt his little sister, en -den he’d go down de big road en clam a big pine-tree, en git right spang -in de top, en look all roun’ fer ter see ef he can’t see his little -sister some’rs in de woods. He couldn’t see ’er, but he’d stay up dar in -de tree en swing in de win’ en ’low ter hisself dat maybe he mout see -’er bimeby. - -“One day, w’iles he wuz a-settin’ up dar, he see two mighty fine ladies -walkin’ down de road. He clam down out’n de tree, he did, en run en tol’ -his mammy. Den she up en ax: - -“‘How is dey dress, honey?’ - -“‘Mighty fine, mammy, mighty fine, puffy-out petticoats en long green -veils.’ - -“‘How des dey look, honey?’ - -“‘Spick span new, mammy.’ - -“‘Dey ain’t none er our kin, is dey, honey?’ - -“‘Dat dey ain’t, mammy—dey er mighty fine ladies.’ - -“De fine ladies, dey come on down de road, dey did, en stop by de -’oman’s house, en beg ’er fer ter please en gi’ um some water. Dey -little boy, he run en fetch ’em a gourd full, en dey put de gourd und’ -der veils, en drunk, en drunk, en drunk des like dey wuz mighty nigh -perish fer water. De little boy watch um. ’Reckly he holler out: - -“‘Mammy, mammy! W’at you recken? Dey er lappin’ de water.’ De woman -hollered back: - -“‘I recken dat’s de way de quality folks does, honey.’ - -“Den de ladies beg fer some bread, en de little boy tuck um a pone. Dey -eat it like dey wuz mighty nigh famish fer bread. Bimeby de little boy -holler out en say: - -“‘Mammy, mammy! W’at you recken? Dey er got great long tushes.’ De -’oman, she holler back: - -“’ I recken all de quality folks is got um, honey.’ - -“Den de ladies ax fer some water fer to wash der han’s, en de little boy -brung um some. He watch um, en bimeby he holler out: - -“‘Mammy, mammy! W’at you recken? Dey got little bit er hairy han’s en -arms.’ De ’oman, she holler back: - -“‘I recken all de quality folks is got um, honey.’ - -“Den de ladies beg de ’oman fer ter please en let de little boy show um -whar de big road forks. But de little boy don’t want ter go. He holler -out: - -“‘Mammy, folks don’t hatter be showed whar de road forks’; but de oman -she ’low: - -“‘I recken de quality folks does, honey.’ - -“De little boy, he ’gun ter whimpie en cry kaze he don’t want ter go wid -de ladies, but de ’oman say he oughter be ’shame er hisse’f fer ter be -gwine on dat away ’fo’ de quality folks, en mo’ ’n dat, he mout run upon -his little sister en fetch ’er home. - -“Now dish yer little boy had too mighty bad dogs. One er um wuz name -Minnyminny Morack, en de t’er one wuz name Follerlinsko, en dey wuz so -bad dey hatter be tied in de yard day en night, ’cep’ w’en dey wuzent -a-huntin’. So de little boy, he went en got a pan er water en sot ’im -down in de middle er de flo’, en den he went en got ’im a willer lim’, -en he stuck it in de groun’. Den he ’low: - -“‘Mammy, w’en de water in dish yer pan tu’ns ter blood, den you run out -en tu’n loose Minnyminny Morack en Follerlinsko, en den w’en you see dat -dar wilier lim’ a-shakin’, you run en sick um on my track.’ - -“De ’oman, she up an’ say she’d tu’n de dogs loose, en den de little boy -he stuck his han’s in he pockets en went on down de road a wisserlin’ -des same ez enny yuther little boy, ’cep’ dat he wuz lots smarter. He -went on down de road, he did, en de fine quality ladies dey come on -behin’. - -“De furder he went de faster he walk. Dis make de quality ladies walk -fas’, too, en ’t want so mighty long ’fo’ de little boy year um makin’ a -mighty kuse fuss, en w’en he t’un ’roun’, bless gracious! dey wuz -a-pantin’, kaze dey wuz so tired en hot. De little boy ’low ter hisse’f -dat it mighty kuse how ladies kin pant same es a wil’ varment, but he -say he speck dat de way de quality ladies does w’en dey gits hot en -tired, en he make like he can’t year um, kaze he want ter be nice en -perlite. - -“Atter a w’ile, w’en de quality ladies t’ink de little boy want lookin’ -at um, he seed one er um drap down on ’er all-fours en trot ’long des -like a varmint, en’t want long ’fo’ de yuther one drapt down on ’er -all-fours. Den de little boy ’lowed: - -“_Shoo!_ Ef dat de way quality ladies res’ derse’f w’en dey git tired I -reckon a little chap ’bout my size better be fixin fer ter res’ -hisse’f.’ - -“So he look ’roun’, he did, en he tuck ’n pick ’im out a great big -pine-tree by de side er de road, en ’gun to clam it. Den w’en dey see -dat, one er de quality ladies ’low: - -“‘My goodness! W’at in de worl’ you up ter now?’ Little boy he say, -sezee: - -“‘I’m des a-clamin’ a tree fer ter res’ my bones.’ Ladies, dey ’low: - -“‘Whyn’t you res’ um on de groun’?’ Little boy say, sezee: - -“‘Bekaze I like ter git up whar it cool en high. - -“De quality ladies, dey tuck ’n walk ’roun’ en ’roun’ de tree like dey -wuz medjun it fer ter see how big it is. Bimeby, atter w’ile dey say, -sezee: - -“‘Little boy, little boy! you better come down frum dar en show us de -way ter de forks er de road.’ Den de little boy ’low: - -“‘Des keep right on, ladies—you’ll fin’ de forks er de road; you can’t -miss um. I’m afeard fer ter come down, kaze I might fall en hurt some er -you all.’ De ladies dey say, sezee: - -“‘You better come down yer ’fo’ we run en tell yo’ mammy how bad you -is.’ De little boy ’low: - -“‘W’iles you er tellin’ ’er please um’ tell ’er how skeerd I is.’ - -“Den de quality ladies got mighty mad. Dey walked ’roun’ dat tree en -fairly snorted. Dey pulled off der bonnets, en der veils, en der -dresses, en, lo en beholes! de little boy seen dey wuz two great big -pant’ers. Dey had great big eyes, en big sharp tushes, en great long -tails, en dey look up at de little boy en growl en grin at ’im twel he -come mighty nigh havin’ a chill. Dey tried ter clam de tree, but dey had -done trim der claws so dey could git on gloves, en dey couldn’t clam no -mo’. - -“Den one er um sot down in de road en made a kuse mark in de san’, en -der great long tails tu’n’d ter axes, en no sooner is der tails tu’n ter -axes den dey ’gun ter cut de tree down. I ain’t dast ter tell you how -sharp dem axes wuz, kase you wouldn’t nigh b’lieve me. One er um stood -on one side er de tree, en de yuther one stood on de yuther side, en dey -whack at dat tree like dey wuz takin’ a holiday. Dey whack out chips ez -big ez yo’ hat, en’t want so mighty long ’fo’ de tree wuz ready fer ter -fall. - -“But w’iles de little boy wuz settin’ up dar, skeerd mighty nigh ter -def, hit come inter his min’ dat he had some eggs in his pocket w’at he -done brung wid ’im fer ter eat w’enever he git hongry. He tuck out one -er de eggs en broke it, en say: ‘Place, fill up!’ en, bless yo’ soul! de -place fill up sho ’nuff, en de tree look des ’zackly like nobody ain’t -bin a-cuttin’ on it. - -“But dem ar pant’ers dey wuz werry vig’rous. Dey des spit on der han’s -en cut away. W’en dey git de tree mighty nigh cut down de little boy he -pull out ’n’er egg en broke it, en say, ‘Place, fill up!’ en by de time -he say it de tree wuz done made soun’ agin. Dey kep’ on dis away twel de -little boy ’gun ter git skeerd agin. He done broke all he eggs, ’ceptin’ -one, en dem ar creeturs wuz des a-cuttin’ away like dey wuz venomous, -w’ich dey mos’ sholy wuz. - -“Des ’bout dat time de little boy mammy happen ter stumble over de pan -er water w’at wuz settin’ down on de flo’, en dar it wuz all done tu’n -ter blood. Den she tuck ’n run en unloose Minnyminny Morack en -Follerlinsko. Den w’en she do dat she see de wilier lim’ a-shakin’, en -den she put de dogs on de little boy track, en away dey went. De little -boy year um a-comin’, en he holler out: - -“‘Come on, my good dogs. Here, dogs, here.’ - -“De pant’ers dey stop choppin’ en lissen. One ax de yuther one w’at she -year. Little boy say: - -“‘You don’ year nothin’. Go on wid yo’ choppin. - -“De pant’ers dey chop some mo’, en den dey think dey year de dogs -a-comin’. Den dey try der bes fer ter git away, but’t want no use. Dey -ain’t got time fer ter change der axes back inter tails, en co’se dey -can’t run wid axes draggin’ behin’ um. So de dogs cotch um. De little -boy, he ’low: - -“‘Shake um en bite um. Drag um ’roun’ en ’roun’ twel you drag um two -mile.’ So de dogs dey drag um ’roun’ two mile. Den de little boy say, -sezee: - -“‘Shake um en t’ar um. Drag um ’roun’ en ’roun’ twel you drag um ten -mile.’ So dey drag um ten mile, en by de time dey got back, de pant’ers -wuz col’ en stiff. - -“Den de little boy clum down out ’n de tree, en sot down fer ter res’ -’hisse’f. Bimeby atter w’ile, he ’low ter hisse’f dat bein’ he hay so -much fun, he b’lieve he takes his dogs en go way off in de woods fer ter -see ef he can’t fin’ his little sister. He call his dogs, he did, en -went off in de woods, en dey ain’t bin gone so mighty fur ’fo’ he seed a -house in de woods away off by itse’f. - -“De dogs dey went up en smelt ’roun’, dey did, en come wid der bristles -up, but de little boy ’low he’d go up dar anyhow en see w’at de dogs wuz -mad ’bout. So he call de dogs en went todes de house, en w’en he got -close up he saw a little gal totin’ wood en water. She wuz a mighty -purty little gal, kaze she had a milk-white skin, en great long yaller -hair; but ’er cloze wuz all in rags, en she wuz cryin’ kaze she hatter -work so hard. Minnyminny Morack en Follerlinsko wagged der tails w’en -dey seed de little gal, en de little boy know’d by dat dat she wuz his -sister. - -“So he went up en ax er w’at ’er name is, en she say she dunner w’at ’er -name is, kaze she so skeerd she done fergit. Den he ax ’er w’at de name -er goodness she cryin’ ’bout, en she say she cryin’ kaze she hatter work -so hard. Den he ax ’er who de house belong ter, en she ’low it b’long -ter a great big ole black B’ar, en dis old B’ar make ’er tote wood en -water all de time. She say de water is ter go in de big wash-pot, en de -wood is fer ter make de pot bile, en de pot wuz ter cook folks w’at de -great big ole B’ar brung home ter he chilluns. - -“De little boy didn’t tell de little gal dat he wuz ’er br’er, but he -’low dat he was gwine ter stay en eat supper wid de big ole B’ar. De -little girl cried en ’low he better not, but de little boy say he ain’t -feared fer ter eat supper wid a B’ar. So dey went in de house, en w’en -de little boy got in dar, he seed dat de B’ar had two great big -chilluns, en one er um wuz squattin’ on de bed, en de yuther one wuz -squattin down in de h’ath. De chilluns, dey wuz bofe er um name Cubs, -fer short, but de little boy want skeerd er um, kaze dar wuz his dogs -fer ter make way wid um ef dey so much ez roll der eye-ball. - -“De ole B’ar wuz a mighty long time comin’ back, so de little gal she up -’n fix supper, anyhow, en de little boy he tuck ’n scrouge Cubs fus on -one side en den on yuther, en him en de little gal got much ez dey want. -Atter supper de little boy tole de little gal dat he’d take en comb ’er -ha’r des ter w’ile away de time; but de little gal ha’r ain’t bin comb -fer so long, en it am got in such a tankle, dat it make de po’ creetur -cry fer ter hear anybody talkin’ ’bout combin’ un it. Den de little boy -’low he ain’t gwine ter hurt ’er, en he tuck ’n warm some water in a pan -en put it on ’er ha’r, en den he comb en curlt it des ez nice as you -mos’ ever see. - -“W’en de ole B’ar git home he wuz mighty tuck ’n back w’en he seed he -had com’ny, en w’en he see um all settin’ down like dey come den fer ter -stay. But he wuz mighty perlite, en he shuck han’s all ’roun’, en set -down by de fier en dry his boots, en ax ’bout de craps, en ’low dat de -wedder would be monstus fine ef dey could git a little season er rain. - -“Den he tuck ’n make a great ’miration over de little gal’s ha’r, en he -ax de little boy how in de roun’ worl’ kin he curl it en fix it so nice. -De little un ’low it’s easy enough. Den de ole B’ar say he b’lieve he -like ter git his ha’r curlt up dat way, en de little boy say: - -“‘Fill de big pot wid water.’ - -“De ole B’ar filled de pot wid water. Den de little boy say: - -“‘Buil’ a fier und’ de pot en heat de water hot.’ - -“W’en de water got scaldin’ hot, de little boy say: - -“‘All ready, now. Stick yo’ head in. Hit ’s de onliest way fer ter make -yo’ ha’r curl.’ - -“Den de ole B’ar stuck he head in de water, en dot wuz de las’ er him, -bless gracious! De scaldin’ water curlt de ha’r twel it come off, en I -speck dat whar dey get de idee ’bout puttin’ b’ar grease on folks’ ha’r. -De young b’ars dey cry like ever’ting w’en dey see how der daddy bin -treated, en dey want bite and scratch de little boy en his sister, but -dem dogs—dat Minnyminny Morack en dat Follerlinsko—dey des laid holt er -dem dar b’ars, en dey want enough lef’ er um ter feed a kitten.” - -“What did they do then?” asked the little boy who had been listening to -the story. The old man took off his spectacles and cleaned the glasses -on his coat-tail. - -[Illustration: “ALL READY, NOW. STICK YO’ HEAD IN.”] - -“Well, sir,” he went on, “de little boy tuck ’n kyard his sister home, -an’ his mammy says she ain’t never gwine ter set no sto’ by folks wid -fine cloze, kaze dey so ’ceitful; no, never, so long as de Lord mout -spar’ ’er. En den, atter dat, dey tuck ’n live terge’er right straight -’long, en ef it hadn’t but a bin fer de war, dey’d a bin a-livin’ dar -now. Bekaze war is a mighty dangersome business.” - - - - - HOW BLACK SNAKE CAUGHT THE WOLF - - -“One time,” said Uncle Remus, putting the “noses” of the chunks together -with his cane, so as to make a light in his cabin, “Brer Rabbit en ole -Brer Wolf wuz gwine down de road terge’er, en Brer Wolf, he ’low dat -times wuz mighty hard en money skace. Brer Rabbit, he ’gree ’long wid -’im, he did, dat times wuz mighty tight, en he up en say dat ’t wuz in -about much ez he kin do fer ter make bofe en’s meet. He ’low, he did: - -“‘Brer Wolf, you er gittin’ mighty ga’nt, en ’t won’t be so mighty long -’fo’ we’ll batten be tuck up en put in de po’-house. W’at make dis?’ -says Brer Rabbit, sezee: ‘I be bless ef I kin tell, kaze yer er all de -creeturs gittin’ ga’nt w’iles all de reptules is a-gittin’ seal fat. No -longer ’n yistiddy, I wuz comin’ along throo de woods, w’en who should I -meet but ole Brer Snake, en he wuz dat put dat he ain’t kin skacely pull -he tail ’long atter he head. I ’low ter mese’f, I did, dat dish yer -country gittin’ in a mighty bad way w’en de creeturs is got ter go -’roun’ wid der ribs growin’ terge’er w’iles de reptules layin’ up in de -sun des nat’ally fattenin’ on der own laziness. Yessar, dat w’at I -’lowed.’ - -“Brer Wolf, he say, he did, dat if de reptules wuz gittin’ de ’vantage -er de creeturs dat away, dat hit wuz ’bout time fer ter clean out de -reptules er leaf de country, en he ’low, fuddermo’, dat he wuz ready fur -ter jine in wid de patter-rollers en drive um out. - -“But Brer Rabbit, he ’low, he did, dat de bes’ way fer ter git ’long wuz -ter fin’ out whar’bouts de reptules hed der smoke-’house en go in dar en -git some er de vittles w’at by good rights b’long’d ter de creeturs. -Brer Wolf say maybe dis de bes’ way, kaze ef de reptules git word dat de -patter-rollers is a-comin’ dey ’ll take en hide de gingercakes, en der -simmon beer, en der w’atzis-names, so dat de creeturs can’t git um. By -dis time dey come ter de forks er de road, en Brer Rabbit he went one -way, en Brer Wolf he went de yuther. - -“Whar Brer Wolf went,” Uncle Remus went on, with increasing gravity, “de -goodness knows, but Brer Rabbit, he went on down de road todes he own -house, en w’iles he wuz lippitin’ long, nibblin’ a bite yer en a bite -dar, he year a mighty kuse fuss in de woods. He lay low, Brer Rabbit -did, en lissen. He look sharp, he did, en bimeby he ketch a glimp’ er -ole Mr. Black Snake gwine ’long thoo de grass. Brer Rabbit, he lay low -en watch ’im. Mr. Black Snake crope ’long, he did, des like he wuz -greased. Brer Rabbit say ter hisse’f: - -“‘Hi! dar goes one er de reptules, en ez she slips she slides ’long.’ - -“Yit, still he lay low en watch. Mr. Black Snake crope ’long, he did, en -bimeby he come whar dey wuz a great big poplar-tree. Brer Rabbit, he -crope on his belly en follow ’long atter. Mr. Black Snake tuck ’n circle -all ’roun’ de tree, en den he stop en sing out: - - “‘Watsilla, watsilla, - Consario wo! - Watsilla, watsilla, - Consario wo!’ - -“En den, mos’ ’fo’ Brer Rabbit kin wink he eye, a door w’at wuz in de -tree flew’d open, en Mr. Black Snake tuck ’n crawl in. Brer Rabbit ’low, -he did: - -“‘Ah-yi! Dar whar you stay! Dar whar you keeps yo’ simmon beer! Dar whar -you hides yo’ backbone en spar’ ribs. Ah-yi!’ - -“W’en Mr. Black Snake went in de house, Brer Rabbit crope up, he did, en -lissen fer ter see w’at he kin year gwine on in dar. But he ain’t year -nothin’. Bimeby, w’iles he settin’ ’roun’ dar, he year de same song: - - “‘Watsilla, watsilla, - Consario, wo! - Watsilla, watsilla, - Consario wo!’ - -“En mos’ ’fo’ Brer Rabbit kin hide in de weeds, de door hit flew’d open, -en out Mr. Black Snake slid. He slid out, he did, en slid off, en atter -he git out er sight, Brer Rabbit, he tuck ’n went back ter de -poplar-tree fer ter see ef he kin git in dar. He hunt ’roun’ en he hunt -’roun’, en yit ain’t fin’ no door. Den he sat up on he behin’ legs, ole -Brer Rabbit did, en low: - -“‘Hey! w’at kinder contrapshun dish yer? I seed a door dar des now, but -dey ain’t no door dar now.’ - -“Ole Brer Rabbit scratch he head, he did, en bimeby hit come inter he -min’ dat maybe de song got sump’n ’n’er ter do wid it, en wid dat he -chuned up, he did, en sing: - - “‘_Watsilla, watsilla, - Bandario, wo-haw!_’ - -“Time he say fus’ part, de door sorter open, but w’en he say de las’ -part hit slammed shet ag’in. Den he chune up some mo’: - - “‘Watsilla, watsilla, - Bandario, wo-haw!’ - -“Time he say de fus’ part de door open little ways, but time he say de -las’ part hit slammed shet ag’in. Den Brer Rabbit ’low he ’d hang ’roun’ -dar en fin’ out w’at kind er hinges dat er door wuz a-swingin’ on. So he -stays ’roun’ dar, he did, twel bimeby Mr. Black Snake came ’long back. -Brer Rabbit crope up, he did, en he year ’im sing de song: - - “‘Watsilla, watsilla, - Consario wo! - Watsilla, watsilla, - Consario wo!’ - -“Den de door open, en Mr. Black Snake, he slid in, en Brer Rabbit, he -lipped off in de bushes en sung de song by hisse’f. Den he went home en -tuck some res’, en nex’ day he went back; en w’en Mr. Black Snake come -out en went off, Brer Rabbit, he tuck ’n sing de song, en de door hewed -open, en in he went. He went in, he did, en w’en he got in dar, he fin’ -lots er goodies. He fin’ cakes en sausages, en all sort er nice doin’s. -Den he come out, en de nex’ day he went he tole Ole Brer Wolf, en Brer -Wolf, he’low dat, bein’ ez times is hard, he b’lieve he ’ll go ’long en -sample some er Mr. Black Snake’s doin’s. - -“Dey went, dey did, en soon ez dey fin’ dat Mr. Black Snake is gone, -Brer Rabbit he sing de song, en de door open, en in he went. He went in -dar, he did, en he gobbled up his bellyful, en w’iles he doin’ dis Brer -Wolf he gallop ’roun’ en ’roun’, tryin’ fer ter git in. But de door done -slam shet, en Brer Wolf ain’t know de song. Bimeby Brer Rabbit he come -out, he did, lickin’ he chops en wipin’ he mustash, en Brer Wolf ax ’im -w’at de name er goodness is de reason he ain’t let ’im go in ’long wid -’im. - -“Brer Rabbit, he vow, he did, dat he ’spected any gump ’ud know dat -somebody got ter stay outside en watch w’iles de yuther one wuz on de -inside. Brer Wolf say he ain’t thunk er dat, en den he ax Brer Rabbit -fer ter let ’im in, en please be so good ez ter stay out dar en watch -w’iles he git some er de goodies. - -“Wid dat Brer Rabbit, he sung de song: - - “‘Watsilla, watsilla, - Consario wo! - Watsilla, watsilla, - Consario wo!’ - -“He sung de song, he did, en de door flew’d open, en Brer Wolf he lipt -in, en gun ter gobble up de goodies. Brer Rabbit, he stayed outside, en -make like he gwine ter watch. Brer Wolf, he e’t en e’t, en he keep on -a-eatin’. Brer Rabbit, he tuck en stan’ off in de bushes, en bimeby he -year Mr. Black Snake a-slidin’ thoo de grass. Brer Rabbit, he ain’t say -nothin’. He ’low ter hisse’f, he did, dat he was dar ter watch, en dat -w’at he gwine ter do ef de good Lord spar’ ’im. So he set dar en watch, -en Mr. Black Snake, he come a-slidin’ up ter de house en sing de song, -en den de door flew’d open en in he went. - -“Brer Rabbit set dar en watch so hard, he did, dat it look like he eyes -gwine to pop out. ’T want long ’fo’ he year sump’n ’n’er like a scuffle -gwine on in de poplar-tree, en, fus’ news you know, Brer Wolf come -tumberlin’ out. He come tumberlin’ out, he did, en down he fell, kaze -Mr. Black Snake got ’im tie hard en fas’ so he ain’t kin run. - -[Illustration: “EN EVE’Y TIME HE SWUNG MR. BLACK SNAKE TUCK ’N LASH ’IM -WID HE TAIL.”] - -“Den, atter so long a time, Mr. Black Snake tuck ’n tie Brer Wolf up ter -a lim’, en dar dat creetur swung ’twixt de hevin en de yeth. He swung en -swayed, en eve’y time he swung Mr. Black Snake tuck ’n lash ’im wid he -tail, en eve’y time he lash ’im Brer Rabbit holler out, he did: - -“‘Sarve ’im right! sarve ’im right!’ - -“En I let you know,” said the old man, refilling his pipe, “dat w’en Mr. -Black Snake git thoo wid dat creetur, he ain’t want no mo’ goodies.” - - - - - WHY THE GUINEAS STAY AWAKE - - -One night when the little boy was waiting patiently for Uncle Remus to -tell him a story, the guineas began to scream at a great rate, and they -kept it up for some time. - -“Ah, Lord!” exclaimed Uncle Remus, blowing the ashes from a sweet potato -that had been roasting in the embers. “Ah, Lord! dem ar creeturs is -mighty kuse creeturs. I boun’ you ef you go up dar whar dey is right -now, you’ll fin’ some kind er varmint slippin’ ’roun’ und’ de bushes. -Hit mout be ole Brer Fox. I won’t say p’intedly dat it’s Brer Fox,” the -old man continued, with the air of one who is willing to assert only -what he can prove, “yit it mout be. But ne’er min’ ’bout dat; Brer Fox -er no Brer Fox, dem guinea hens ain’t gwine ter be kotch. De varments -kin creep up en slip up ez de case may be, but dey ain’t gwine to slip -up en ketch dem creeturs asleep.” - -“Don’t the guineas ever sleep, Uncle Remus?” the little boy inquired. -His curiosity was whetted. - -“Oh, I ’speck dey does sleep,” replied the old man. “Yasser, dey er -bleege ter sleep, but dey ain’t bin kotch at it—leastways, dey aint bin -kotch at it not sence Brer Fox crope up on um long time ago. He kotch um -a-snorin’ den, but he ain’t kotch um sence, en he ain’t gwine kotch um -no mo’. - -“You may go ter bed now,” Uncle Remus went on, in a tone calculated to -carry conviction with it, “you may go ter bed en go ter sleep right now, -but wake up w’enst you will en you’ll year dem guineas a-cacklin’ en a -confabbin’ out dar des same ez ef’t wuz broad daylight. Seem like dey -ain’t gwine ter fergit de time w’en Brer Fox crope up on um, en kotch um -’sleep.” - -“When was that, Uncle Remus?” the little boy asked, as he settled -himself in the split-bottom chair in anticipation of a story. - -“Well,” said the old man, noticing the movement, “you nee’n ter primp -yo’se’f fer no great long tale, honey, kaze dish yer tale ain’t skacely -long nuff fer ter tie a snapper on. Yit sech es ’t is you er mo’ dan -welcome. - -“One time ’way long back yander dem guineas wuz des ez drowsy w’en night -come ez any er de yuther folks. Dey ’d go ter roos’, dey would, en dey -’d drap off ter sleep time der head totch de piller.” - -“The pillow, Uncle Remus!” exclaimed the little boy. - -“Well,” said the old man, rubbing his hand over his weatherbeaten face -to hide a smile, “hit’s all de same. In dem days dey could ’a’ had -pillers ef dey ’d a-wanted um, en bolsters, too, fer dat matter, en -likewise fedder-beds, kaze dey wouldn’t ’a’ had ter go no fur ways fer -de fedders. - -“But ne’er mind ’bout dat; no sooner did dey git up on de roos’ dan dey -drap off ter sleep, en dey kep’ on dat away twel bimeby one time Brer -Fox made up he min’ dat he better be kinder sociable en pay um a call -atter dey done gone ter bed. - -“Dar wuz times,” continued Uncle Remus, as if endeavoring to be -perfectly fair and square to all the parties concerned, “w’en Brer Fox -tuck a notion fer ter walk ’bout in de daytime, but mos’ allers -inginer’lly he done he pomernadin’ ’twix’ sundown en sun-up. I dunner -w’at time er night hit wuz w’en Brer Fox call on de guineas, but I -speck’t wuz long todes de shank er de evenin’, ez you may say. - -“Yit, soon er late, w’en he got ter whar de guineas live at, he foun’ um -all soun’ asleep. Now, some folks w’en dey go anywhars fer ter make -deyse’f sociable, en fin’ eve’ybody fas’ asleep, would ’a’ tu’n ’roun’ -en made der way back home; but Brer Fox ain’t dat kind er man. Dem -guineas roos’ so low en dey look so fine en fat dat it make Brer Fox -feel like dey wuz his fus’ cousin. - -“He sot down on his hunkers, Brer Fox did, en he look at um en grin. Den -he ’low ter hisse’f: - -“‘I’ll des shake han’s wid one un um en den I’ll go.’ - -“Well,” continued Uncle Remus, “Brer Fox went up en shuck han’s wid one -un um, en he must ’a’ squoze mighty hard, kaze de guinea make a mighty -flutterment; en he mus’ ’a’ helt on wid a mighty tight grip, kaze w’en -he tuck off his hat en bowed good-by de guinea went ’long wid ’im. - -“Well, suh,” said the old man solemnly, “you never is year tell er sech -a racket ez dem guineas kicked up w’en dey ’skiver dat Brer Fox done -make off wid one un um. Dey squall en dey squall twel dey rousted up de -whole neighborhoods. De dogs got ter barkin’, de owls got ter hootin’, -de hosses got ter kickin’, de cows got ter lowin’, en de chickens got -ter crowin’. - -“En mo’ dan dat,” Uncle Remus continued, “de guineas wuz dat skeered dat -dey tu’n right pale on de neck en on de gills, en ef you don’t b’lieve -me you kin go up dar in de gyarden en look at um fer yo’se’f.” - -But the little boy had no idea of going. He saw by Uncle Remus’s air of -preoccupation that the story was not yet concluded. - -“En mo’ dan dat,” said the old man, after a short pause, “dey got skeerd -so bad dat from dat day ter dis dey don’t sleep soun’ at night. Dey may -squat ’roun’ in de shade en nod in de daytime, dough I ain’t kotch um at -it, en dey may sort er nod atter dey go ter roos’ at night; but ef a -betsey bug flies by um, er yit ef a sparrer flutters in de bushes, dey -er wide awake; dey mos’ sholy is. - -“Hit seem like ter me,” Uncle Remus continued, “dat dey mus’ be ha’nted -in der dreams by ole Brer Fox, kaze all times er night you kin year um -gwine on: - -“‘_L-o-o-o-o-k, look, look! Dar he is, dar he is! Go ’way, go ’way!_’ - -“Some folks say dat dey holler, ‘_Pot-rack! pot-rack!_’ but dem w’at -talk dat away is mostly w’ite folks, en dey ain’t know nuthin’ ’t all -’bout dem ole times. Mars John en Miss Sally mout know, but ef dey does -I ain’t year um sesso.” - - - - - HOW THE TERRAPIN WAS TAUGHT TO FLY - - -Uncle Remus had the weakness of the genuine story-teller. When he was -in the humor, the slightest hint would serve to remind him of a story, -and one story would recall another. Thus, when the little boy chanced -to manifest some curiosity in regard to the whippoorwill, which, -according to an old song, had performed the remarkable feat of -carrying the sheep’s corn to mill, the old man took great pains to -describe the bird, explaining, in his crude way, how it differed from -the chuck-will’s-widow, which is frequently mistaken for the -whippoorwill, especially in the South. Among other things, he told the -child how the bird could fly through the darkness and flap its wings -without making the slightest noise. - -The little boy had a number of questions to ask about this, and the talk -about flying reminded Uncle Remus of a story. He stopped short in his -explanations and began to chuckle. The little boy asked him what the -matter was. - -“Shoo, honey!” said the old man, “w’en you git ole ez I is, en yo’ -’membunce cropes up en tickles you, you ’ll laugh too, dat you will. -Talkin’ all ’bout dish yer flyin’ business fotch up in my min’ de time -w’en ole Brer Tarrypin boned ole Brer Buzzard fer ter l’arn him how ter -fly. He got atter ’im, en he kep’ atter ’im; he begged en ’swaded, en -’swaded en he begged. Brer Buzzard tole ’im dat dey wuz mos’ too much un -’im in one place, but Brer Tarrypin, he des kep on atter ’im, en bimeby -Brer Buzzard ’low dat ef nothin’ else ain’t gwine do ’im, he’ll des -whirl in en gin ’im some lessons in flying fer ole ’quaintance sakes. - -“Dis make ole Brer Tarrypin feel mighty good, en he say he ready fer ter -begin right now, but Brer Buzzard say he ain’t got time des den, but -he’ll be sho’ en come ’roun’ de nex’ day en gin ole Brer Tarrypin de -fus’ lesson. - -“Ole Brer Tarrypin, he sot dar en wait, he did, en dough he nodded yer -en dar thro’ de night, hit look like ter ’im dat day ain’t never gwine -ter come. He wait en he wait, he did, but bimeby de sun riz, en’t want -so mighty long atter dat ’fo’ yer come Brer Buzzard sailin’ ’long. He -sailed ’roun’ en ’roun’, en eve’y time he sail ’roun’ he come lower, en -atter w’ile he lit. - -“He lit, he did, en pass de time er day wid Brer Tarrypin en ax ’im is -he ready. Brer Tarrypin ’low he been ready too long ter talk ’bout, en -w’en Brer Buzzard year dis, he tuck ’n squot in de grass en ax Brer -Tarrypin fer ter crawl upon he back. But Brer Buzzard back mighty slick, -en de mo’ Brer Tarrypin try fer ter crawl up, de mo’ wa’l he slip back. -But he tuck ’n crawl up atter w’ile, en w’en he git sorter settled down, -he ’low, he did: - -“‘You kin start now, Brer Buzzard, but you’ll hatter be mighty keerful -not ter run over no rocks en stumps, kaze ef dish yer waggin gits ter -joltin’, I ’m a goner,’ sezee. - -“Brer Buzzard, he tuck ’n start off easy, en he move so slick en smoove -en swif’ dat Brer Tarrypin laugh en ’low dat he ain’t had no sech sweet -ridin’ sence he crossed de river in a flat. He sail ’roun’ en ’roun’, he -did, en gun Brer Tarrypin a good ride, en den bimeby he sail down ter de -groun’ en let Brer Tarryin slip off’n he back. - -“Nex’ day he come ’roun’ agin, ole Brer Buzzard did, en gun Brer -Tarrypin ’n’er good ride, en de nex’ day he done de same, en he keep on -doin’ dis away, twel atter w’ile Brer Tarrypin got de consate dat he kin -do some fly’n’ on he own hook. So he up en ax Brer Buzzard for call -’roun’ one mo’ time, en gin ’im a good start.” - -Here Uncle Remus paused to chuckle a moment, and then went on— - -“Gentermens! It tickles me eve’y time it come in my min’, dat it do! -Well, sir, ole Brer Buzzard wuz dat full er rascality dat he ain’t got -no better sense dan ter come, en de nex’ day he sail up, he did, bright -en yearly. He lit on de grass, en ole Brer Tarrypin, he crope up on he -back, en den Brer Buzzard riz. He riz up in de elements, now, en w’en he -git up dar he sorter fetched a flirt en a swoop en slid out from under -Brer Tarrypin. - -“Ole Brer Tarrypin, he flapped he foots en wagged he head en shuck he -tail, but all dis ain’t done no good. He start off right-side up, but he -ain’t drap fur, ’fo’ he ’gun ter turn somersets up dar, en down he come -on he back—_kerblam—m—m—_! En ef it hadn’t but er bin fer de strenk er -he shell, he’d er got bust wide open. He lay dar, ole Brer Tarrypin did, -en try ter ketch he breff, en he groan en he pant like eve’y minnit -gwine ter be nex’. - -[Illustration: “BRER TARRYPIN, HOW YOU FEEL?”] - -“Ole Brer Buzzard, he sail ’roun’, he did, en look at Brer Tarrypin, en -bimeby he lit fer ter make inquirements. - -“‘Brer Tarrypin, how you feel?’ sezee. - -“‘Brer Buzzard, I’m teetotally ruint,’ sezee. - -“‘Well, Brer Tarrypin, I tole you not ter try ter fly,’ sezee. - -“‘Hush up, Brer Buzzard!’ sezee; ‘I flew’d good ez anybody, but you -fergot ter l’arn me how ter light. Flyin’ is easy as fallin’, but I -don’t speck I kin l’arn how ter light, en dat’s whar de trouble come -in,’ sezee.” - -Uncle Remus laughed as heartily at the result of Brother Terrapin’s -attempts to fly as if he had heard of them for the first time; but -before the little boy could ask him any questions, he remarked: - -“Well, de goodness en de gracious! dat put me in min’ er de time w’en -ole Brer Rabbit make a bet wid Brer Fox.” - -“How was that, Uncle Remus?” the child inquired. - -“Ef I ain’t make no mistakes,” responded Uncle Remus, with the air of -one who was willing to sacrifice everything to accuracy, “ole Brer -Rabbit bet Brer Fox dat he kin go de highest up in de elements, en not -clam no holler tree nudder. Brer Fox, he tuck ’im up, en dey ’pinted de -day fer de trial ter come off. - -“W’iles dey wuz makin’ all der ’rangerments, Brer Fox year talk dat Brer -Rabbit have done gone en hire Brer Buzzard fer ter tote ’im ’way ’bove -de tops er de trees. Soon’s he year dis, Brer Fox went ter Brer Buzzard, -he did, en tole ’im dat he gin ’im a pot er gol’ ef he’d whirl in en -kyar Brer Rabbit clean out ’n de county. Brer Buzzard ’low dat he wuz de -ve’y man fer ter do dat kind er bizness. - -“So den w’en de time come fer de trial, Brer Fox, he wuz dar, en Brer -Rabbit, he wuz dar, en Brer Buzzard, he wuz dar, en lots er de yuther -creeturs. Dey flung cross en piles fer ter see w’ich gwine ter start -fus’, en it fell ter Brer Fox. He look ’roun’, old Brer Fox did, en wink -at Brer Buzzard, an Brer Buzzard, he wink back good ez he kin. Wid dat, -Brer Fox tuck a runnin’ start en clam a leanin’ tree. Brer Rabbit say -dat better dan he ’spected Brer Fox kin do, but he ’low he gwine ter -beat dat. Den he tuck ’n jump on Brer Buzzard back, en Brer Buzzard riz -en sail off wid ’im. Brer Fox laugh w’en he see dis, en ’low, sezee: - -“‘Folks, ef you all got any intruss in ole Brer Rabbit, you des better -tell ’im good-by, kaze you won’t see ’im no mo’ in dese diggin’s.’ - -“Dis make all de yuther creeturs feel mighty good, kaze in dem days ole -Brer Rabbit wuz a tarrifier, dat he wuz. But dey all sot dar, dey did, -en keep der eye on Brer Buzzard, w’ich he keep on gittin’ higher en -higher, en littler en littler. Dey look en dey look, en bimeby dey -sorter see Brer Buzzard flop fus’ one wing, en den de yuther. He keep on -floppin’ dis away, en eve’y time he flop, he git nigher en nigher de -groun’. He flop en fall, en flop en fall, en circle ’roun’, en bimeby he -come close ter de place whar he start fum, en him en Brer Rabbit come -down _ker-flip_! En Brer Rabbit ain’t no sooner hit de groun’ dan he -rush off in de bushes, en sot dar fer ter see w’at gwine ter happen -nex’.” - -“But, Uncle Remus,” said the little boy, “why didn’t Brother Buzzard -carry Brother Rabbit off, and get the pot of gold?” - -“Bless yo’ soul, honey, dey wuz some mighty good reasons in de way! W’en -ole Brer Buzzard got ’way up in de elements, he ’low, he did: - -“‘We er gwine on a mighty long journey, Brer Rabbit.’ - -“Brer Rabbit he laugh like a man w’at’s a-drivin’ a plow-hoss wid a -badoon bit. - -“‘You may be a-gwine on a long journey, Brer Buzzard; I don’t ’spute -dat,’ sezee, ‘but it’ll be atter you done kyar’d me back whar we start -fum.’ - -“Den Brer Buzzard he up en tell Brer Rabbit ’bout de bargain he done -make wid Brer Fox. Dis make Brer Rabbit laugh wuss ’n befo’. - -“‘Law, Brer Buzzard’, sezee, ‘w’en it come ter makin’ dat kinder -bargain, you oughter make it wid me, kaze I’m a long ways a better -trader dan w’at Brer Fox is.’ - -“Brer Buzzard he don’t ’spon’ ter dat, but he keep on flyin’ higher en -higher, en furder en furder away. Bimeby Brer Rabbit ’gun ter git kinder -oneasy, en he ’low: - -“‘Look like ter me we done got fur ’nuff, Brer Buzzard,’ sezee, ’en I’ll -be mighty much erbleege ef you kyar me back.’ - -“Brer Buzzard keep on flyin’ furder. Bimeby Brer Rabbit ax ’im ag’in, -but Brer Buzzard keep on flyin’ furder. Den ole Brer Rabbit he ’low, -sezee: - -“‘Ef I got ter des nat’ally _make_ you go back, I speck I better start -in right now,’ sezee. - -“Wid dat Brer Rabbit retch down, he did, en bit Brer Buzzard under de -wing.” - -The little boy clapped his hands and laughed at this, and Uncle Remus -laughed in sympathy. - -“Yesser,” the old man went on, “ole Brer Rabbit retch down en bit Brer -Buzzard under de wing, right spang in he most ticklish en tender-some -spot. Co’se dis make Brer Buzzard shet he wing quick, en w’en he shet he -wing, he bleedge ter fall some. Den w’en he open de wing out en ketch -hisse’f, Brer Rabbit holler out: - -“‘Is you gwine back, Brer Buzzard?’ - -“Brer Buzzard ain’t say nuthin’, en den Brer Rabbit retch down en bit -’im under de yuther wing. It keep on dis away twel it got so dat Brer -Rabbit kin guide Brer Buzzard along des same ez ef he done bin broke ter -harness, en dat’s de way he made ’im kyar ’im back.” - -The little boy enjoyed these stories very much, and was very sorry to -see that Uncle Remus was not in the humor for telling any more. Perhaps -his store was exhausted. At any rate, the old man flatly refused to -cudgel his memory for another legend. - - - - - THE CREATURE WITH NO CLAWS - - -“W’en you git a leetle bit older dan w’at you is, honey,” said Uncle -Remus to the little boy, “you’ll know lots mo’ dan you does now.” - -The old man had a pile of white oak splits by his side, and these he was -weaving into a chair-bottom. He was an expert in the art of “bottoming -chairs,” and he earned many a silver quarter in this way. The little boy -seemed to be much interested in the process. - -“Hit’s des like I tell you,” the old man went on; “I done had de speunce -un it. I done got so now dat I don’t b’lieve w’at I see, much less w’at -I year. It got ter be whar I kin put my han’ on it en fumble wid it. -Folks kin fool deyse’f lots wuss dan yuther folks kin fool um, en ef you -don’t b’lieve w’at I’m a-tellin’ un you, you kin des ax Brer Wolf de -nex’ time you meet ’im in de big road.” - -“What about Brother Wolf, Uncle Remus?” the little boy asked, as the old -man paused to refill his pipe. - -“Well, honey, ’t ain’t no great long rigamarole; hit’s des one er deze -yer tales w’at goes in a gallop twel hit gits ter de jumpin’-off place. - -“One time Brer Wolf wuz gwine ’long de big road feelin’ mighty proud en -high-strung. He wuz a mighty high-up man in dem days, Brer Wolf wuz, en -mos’ all de yuther creeturs wuz feard tin ’im. Well, he wuz gwine ’long -lickin’ his chops en walkin’ sorter stiff-kneed, w’en he happen ter look -down ’pon de groun’ en dar he seed a track in de san’. Brer Wolf stop, -he did, en look at it, en den he ’low: - -“‘Heyo! w’at kind er creetur dish yer? Brer Dog ain’t make dat track, en -needer is Brer Fox. Hit’s one er deze yer kind er creeturs w’at ain’t -got no claws. I’ll des ’bout foller ’im up, en ef I ketch ’im he’ll -sholy be my meat.’ - -“Dat de way Brer Wolf talk. He followed ’long atter de track, he did, en -he look at it close, but he ain’t see no print er no claw’. Bimeby de -track tuck ’n tu’n out de road en go up a dreen whar de rain done wash -out. De track wuz plain dar in de wet san’, but Brer Wolf ain’t see no -sign er no claws. - -“He foller en foller, Brer Wolf did, en de track git fresher en fresher, -but still he ain’t see no print er no claw. Bimeby he come in sight er -de creetur, en Brer Wolf stop, he did, en look at ’im. He stop -stock-still en look. De creetur wuz mighty quare lookin’, en he wuz -cuttin’ up some mighty quare capers. He had big head, sharp nose, en bob -tail, en he wuz walkin’ ’roun’ en ’roun’ a big dog-wood tree, rubbin’ -his sides ag’in it. Brer Wolf watch ’im a right smart while, en den he -’low: - -“‘Shoo! dat creetur done bin in a fight en los’ de bes’ part er he tail, -en mo’ ’n dat, he got de eatch, kaze ef he ain’t got de eatch w’at make -he scratch hisse’f dat away? I lay I ’ll let ’im know who he foolin’ -’long wid.’ - -“Atter while, Brer Wolf went up a leetle nigher de creetur, en holler -out: - -“‘Heyo, dar! w’at you doin’ scratchin’ yo’ scaly hide on my tree, en -tryin’ fer ter break hit down?’ - -“De creetur ain’t make no answer. He des walk ’roun’ en ’roun’ de tree -scratchin’ he sides en back. Brer Wolf holler out: - -“‘I lay I ’ll make you year me ef I hatter come dar whar you is.’ - -“De creetur des walk ’roun’ en ’roun’ de tree, en ain’t make no answer. -Den Brer Wolf hail ’im ag’in, en talk like he mighty mad: - -“‘Ain’t you gwine ter min’ me, you imperdent scoundul? Ain’t you gwine -ter mozey outer my woods en let my tree ’lone?’ - -“Wid dat, Brer Wolf march todes des creetur des like he gwine ter squ’sh -’im in de groun’. De creetur rub hisse’f ag’in de tree en look like he -feel mighty good. Brer Wolf keep on gwine todes ’im, en bimeby w’en he -git sorter close de creetur tuck ’n sot up on his behime legs des like -you see squir’ls do. Den Brer Wolf, he ’low, he did: - -“‘Ah-yi! you beggin’, is you? But ’t ain’t gwine ter do you no good. I -mout er let you off ef you’d a-minded me w’en I fus’ holler atter you, -but I ain’t gwine ter let you off now. I’m a-gwine ter l’arn you a -lesson dat’ll stick by you.’ - -“Den de creetur sorter wrinkle up his face en mouf, en Brer Wolf ’low: - -“‘Oh, you neenter swell up en cry, you ’ceitful vilyun. I’m a-gwine ter -gi’ you a frailin’ dat I boun’ yer won’t forgit.’ - -“Brer Wolf make like he gwine ter hit de creetur, en den——” - -Here Uncle Remus paused and looked all around the room and up at the -rafters. When he began again his voice was very solemn. - -——“Well, suh, dat creetur des fotch one swipe dis away, en ’n’er swipe -dat away, en mos’ ’fo’ you kin wink yo’ eye-balls, Brer Wolf hide wuz -mighty nigh teetotally tor’d off’n ’im. Atter dat de creetur sa’ntered -off in de woods, en ’gun ter rub hisse’f on ’n’er tree.” - -“What kind of a creature was it, Uncle Remus?” asked the little boy. - -“Well, honey,” replied the old man in a confidential whisper, “hit -wa’n’t nobody on de top-side er de yeth but ole Brer Wildcat.” - - - - - UNCLE REMUS’S WONDER STORY - - -There was one story that the little boy whom Uncle Remus delighted to -entertain asked for with great regularity, perhaps because it has in it -an element of witchcraft, and was as marvelous as it was absurd. -Sometimes Uncle Remus pretended to resent this continued demand for the -story, although he himself, like all the negroes, was very -superstitious, and believed more or less in witches and witchcraft. - -“Dat same ole tale,” he would say. “Well! well! well! W’en is we gwine -ter year de las’ un it? I done tole you dat tale so much dat it make my -flesh crawl, kaze I des know dat some er deze yer lonesome nights I’ll -be a-settin’ up yer by de fier atter you done gone. I’ll be a-settin’ up -yer dreamin’ ’bout gwine ter bed, en sumpin’ ’n’er ’ll come a-clawin’ at -de do’, en I’ll up en ax, ‘Who dat?’ En dey’ll up en ’spon’, ‘Lemme in.’ -En I’ll ondo de do’, en dat ole creetur’ll walk in, en dat’ll be de las’ -er po’ ole Remus’ En den w’en dat come ter pass, who gwine take time fer -ter tell you tales? Dat w’at I like ter know.” - -The little boy, although he well knew that there were no witches, would -treat this statement with gravity, as the story to him was as -fascinating as one of the “Thousand and One Nights.” - -“Well, Uncle Remus,” he would say, “just tell it this time!” Whereupon -the old negro, with the usual preliminary flourishes, began: - -“One time, ’way back yander, w’en de moon wuz lots bigger dan w’at she -is now, dar wuz er ole Witch-Wolf livin’ ’way off in de swamp, en dish -yer ole Witch-Wolf wuz up to ter all sorts er contrariness. Look like -she wuz cross-ways wid de whole er creation. W’en she wa’n’t doin’ -devilment, she wuz studyin’ up devilment. She had a mighty way, de ole -Witch-Wolf did, dat w’en she git hungry she’d change ’erse’f ter be a -’oman. She could des shet ’er eye en smack ’er mouf, en stiddier bein’ a -big black wolf, wid long claws en green eye-balls, she’d come ter be the -likelies’ lookin’ gal dat you mos’ ever seed. - -“It seem like she love ter eat folks, but’fo’ she kin eat urn she hatter -marry um; en w’en she take a notion, she des change ’erse’f ter be a -likely lookin’ gal, en sails in en git married. Den w’en she do dat, she -des take en change ’erse’f back ter be a wolf, en eat um up raw. Go whar -you kin, en whar you mout, en yit I don’t ’speck you kin fin’ any wuss -creetur dan w’at dis ole Witch-Wolf wuz. - -“Well, sir, at de same time w’en dis ole Witch-Wolf gwine on dis away, -dey wuz a man livin’ in de neighborhood w’at she took a mighty notion -fer ter marry. De man had lan’, but she ain’t want de lan’; de man had -hosses, but she ain’t want de hosses; de man had cows, but she ain’t -want de cows. She des nat’ally want de man hisse’f, kaze he mighty fat -en nice.” - -“Did she want to marry him, Uncle Remus?” the little boy asked, as -though the tale were true, as indeed it seemed to be while Uncle Remus -was telling it and acting it. - -“Tooby sho’, honey! Dat ’zactly w’at she want. She want ter marry ’im, -en eat ’im up. Well, den, w’en she git eve’ything good en ready, she des -tuck ’n back ’er years, en bat ’er eyes, en smack ’er mouf, and dar she -wuz—a likely young gal! She up en got ter de lookin’-glass, she did, en -swinge ’er ha’r wid de curlin’-tongs, en tie ribbons on ’er cloze, en -fix up ’er beau-ketchers. She look nice, fit ter kill, now. Den she tuck -’n pass by de man house, en look back en snicker, en hol’ ’er head on -one side, en sorter shake out ’er cloze, en put ’er han’ up fer ter see -ef de ha’rpins in der place. She pass by dis away lots er times, en -bimeby de man kotch a glimp’ un ’er; en no sooner is he do dis dan she -wave her hankcher. De man he watch ’er en watch er, en bimeby, atter she -kep’ on whippin’ by, he come out en hail ’er. En den she tuck ’n stop, -en nibble at ’er fan en fumble wid ’er hankcher, en dey tuck ’n stan’ -dar, dey did, en pass de time er day. Atter dat de sun never riz en set -widout she hol’ some confab wid de man; en ’t want long ’fo’ de man took -a notion dat she de very gal fer a wife, w’at he bin a-huntin’ fer. Wid -dat dey des got right down ter ole-fashion courtin’. Dey’d laugh, dey’d -giggle, dey ’d’spute, dey’d pout. You ain’t never seen folks a-courtin’, -is you, honey?” - -The little boy never had, and he said so. - -“Well, den,” Uncle Remus would continue, “you ain’t none de wuss off fer -dat, kaze dey ain’t nuthin’ in de roun’ worl’ dat’ll turn yo’ stomach -quicker. But dar dey wuz, en de ole Witch-Wolf make sho’ she wuz gwine -ter git de man; let lone dat, de man he make sho’ he wuz gwine ter git -de gal. Yit de man he belt back, en ef de Witch-Wolf hadn’t er bin -afeard she’d drap de fat in de fier, she’d er des come right out en pop -de question den en dar. But de man he helt back en helt back, en bimeby -he say ter hisse’f, he did, dat he ’speck he better make some -inquirements ’bout dis yer gal. Yit who sh’ll he go ter? - -“He study en study, en atter w’ile hit come ’cross he min’ dat he better -go en ax ole Jedge Rabbit ’bout ’er, bein’ ez he bin livin’ ’roun’ dar a -mighty long time. - -“Ole Jedge Rabbit,” Uncle Remus would explain, “done got ole in age en -gray in de min’. He done sober up en settle down, en I let you know dey -want many folks in dem diggin’s but w’at went ter ole Jedge Rabbit w’en -dey git in trouble. So de man he went ter Jedge Rabbit house en rap at -de do’. Jedge Rabbit, he ’low, he did, ‘Who dat?’ - -“Man he up en ’spon’, ‘Hit’s me.’ - -“Den Jedge Rabbit ’gin ter talk like one er deze yer town lawyers. He -’low, he did, ‘Mighty short name fer grown man. Gimme de full -entitlements.’ - -“Man he gun um ter ’im, en den ole Jedge Rabbit open de do’ en let ’im -in. Dey sot dar by de fier, dey did, twel bimeby’t want long ’fo’ de man -’gun ter tell ’im ’bout dish yer great gal w’at he bin courtin’ ’long -wid. Bimeby Jedge Rabbit ax ’im, sezee, ‘W’at dish yer great gal name?’ - -“Man he ’low, ‘Mizzle-Mazzle,’ - -“Jedge Rabbit look at de man sort er like he takin’ pity on ’im, en den -he tuk he cane en make a mark in de ashes. Den he ax de man how ole is -dish yer great gal. Man tol’ ’im. Jedge Rabbit make ’n’er mark in de -ashes. Den he ax de man is she got cat eyes. Man sort er study ’bout -dis, but he say he ’speck she is. Jedge Rabbit make ’n’er mark. Den he -ax is ’er years peaked at de top. Man ’low he disremember, but he speck -dey is. Jedge Rabbit make ’n’er mark in de ashes. Den he ax is she got -yaller ha’r. Man say she is. Jedge Rabbit make ’n’er mark. Den he ax is -’er toofs sharp. Man say dey is. Jedge Rabbit make ’n’er mark. Atter he -done ax all dis, Jedge Rabbit got up, he did, en went ’cross de room ter -de lookin’-glass. W’en he see hisse’f in dar, he tuck ’n shet one eye, -_s-l-o-w_. Den he sot down en leant back in de cheer, en ’low, sezee: - -“‘I done had de idee in my head dat ole Mizzle-Mazzle done moof out ’n -de country, en yit yer she is gallopin’ ’roun’ des ez natchul ez a dead -pig in de sunshine!’ - -“Man look ’stonish, but he ain’t say nuthin’. Jedge Rabbit keep on -talkin’. - -“‘You ain’t never bin trouble’ wid no trouble yit, but ef you wan’ ter -be trouble’ wid trouble dat’s double en thribble trouble, you des go en -marry ole Mizzle-Mazzle,’ sezee. ‘You nee’nter b’lieve me less ’n you -wan’ ter,’ sezee. ‘Des go ’long en marry ’er,’ sezee. - -“Man he look skeerd. He up en ’low, he did, ‘W’at de name er goodness I -gwine do?’ - -“Ole Jedge Rabbit look sollumcolly. ‘You got any cows?’ sezee. - -“Man say he got plenty un um. - -“‘Well, den,’ sez ole Jedge Rabbit, sezee, ‘ax ’er ef she kin keep -house. She’ll say yasser. Ax ’er ef she kin cook. She’ll say yasser. Ax -er ef she kin scour. She’ll say yasser. Ax ’er ef she kin wash cloze. -She’ll say yasser. Ax ’er ef she kin milk de red cow. Den see w’at she -say.’ - -“Man, he ’low, he did, dat he mighty much erbleege ter ole Jedge Rabbit, -en wid dat he make he bow en tuck he leaf. He went home, he did, en w’en -he git dar, sho’ ’nuff dar wuz dish yer nice-lookin’ gal a pommynadin’ -up en down de road, en shakin’ ’er hankcher. Man, he hail ’er, he did, -en ax ’er how she come on. She ’low she purty well, en how do he do. Man -say he feelin’ sort er po’ly. Den she up en ax ’im w’at de matter. Man -say he ’speck he feel po’ly kaze he so powerful lonesome. Den dish yer -nice-lookin’ gal, she ax ’im w’at make he so powerful lonesome. Man he -say he ’speck he so powerful lonesome kase he want ter marry. - -“Time de man come out so flat-footed ’bout marryin’, de gal, she ’gun -ter work wid ’er fan, en chaw at ’er hankcher. Den, atter w’ile, she up -en ax ’im who he wan’ ter marry. Man ’low he ain’t no ways ’tickler, -kase he des want somebody fer ter take keer er de house w’en he gone, en -fer ter set down by de fier, en keep ’im comp’ny w’en he at home. Den he -up en ax de gal kin she keep house. De gal she ’low, ‘Yasser!’ Den he ax -’er ef she kin cook. She ’low, ‘Yasser!’ Den he ax ’er ef she kin scour. -She ’low, ‘Yasser!’ Den he ax ’er ef she kin wash cloze. She ’low, -‘Yasser!’ Den he ax ’er ef she kin milk de red cow. Wid dat she flung up -’er han’s, en fetched a squall dat make de man jump. - -“‘Law!’ sez she, ‘does you speck I’m a-gwine ter let dat cow hook me?’ - -“Man, he say de cow des ez gentle ez a dog. - -“‘Does you speck I’m a-gwine ter let dat cow kick me crank-sided?’ sez -she. - -“Man, he ’low, he did, dat de cow won’t kick, but dat ar gal she tuck ’n -make mo’ skuses dan dey is frogs in de spring branch, but bimeby she say -she kin try. But she ’low dat fus’ ’fo’ she try dat she’ll show ’im how -she kin keep house. So the nex’ mornin’ yer she come, en I let you know -she sailed in dar, en sot dat house ter rights ’fo’ some wimmen folks -kin tun ’roun’. Man, he say, he did, dat she do dat mighty nice. - -“Nex’ day, de gal sot in en got dinner. Man say, he did, dat dey ain’t -nobody w’at kin beat dat dinner. Nex’ day, she sot in en scoured, en she -make that flo’ shine same ez a lookin’-glass. Man, he say dey ain’t -nobody in dat neighborhoods kin beat dat scourin’. Nex’ day, she come -fer ter milk de red cow, en de man, he ’low ter hisse’f, he did, dat he -gwine ter see w’at make she don’t like ter milk dat cow. - -“De gal come, she did, en git de milk-piggin’, en scald it out, en den -she start fer de cow-lot. Man, he crope ’long atter de gal fer ter watch -’er. Gal went on, en w’en she come ter de lot dar wuz de red cow -stan’in’ in de fence-cornder wallopin’ ’er cud. Gal, she sorter shuck de -gate, she did, en holler, ‘Sook, cow! Sook, cow!’ Cow, she pearten up at -dat, kaze she know w’en folks call ’er dat away, she gwine ter come in -fer a bucket er slops. - -“She pearten up, de red cow did, en start todes de gate, but, -gentermens! time she smell dat gal, she ’gun a blate like she smell -blood, en paw’d de groun’ en shuck ’er head des like she fixin’ fer ter -make fight. Man, he ’low ter hisse’f dat dish yer kinder business mighty -kuse, en he keep on watchin’. Gal, she open de gate, but stiddier de cow -makin’ fight, she ’gun ter buck. Gal, she say, ‘So, cow! so, cow, so!’ -but de cow she hist her tail in de elements, en run ’roun’ dat lot like -de dogs wuz atter ’er. Gal, she foller on, en hit sorter look like she -gwine ter git de cow hemmed up in a cornder, but de cow ain’t got no -notion er dis, en bimeby she whirl en make a splunge at de gal, en ef de -gal hadn’t er lipt de fence quick es she did de cow would er got ’er. Ez -she lipt de fence, de man seed ’er foots, en, lo en beholes, dey wuz -wolf foots! Man, he holler out: - -“‘You oughter w’ar shoes w’en you come a-milkin’ de red cow!’ en wid -dat, de ole Witch-Wolf gun a twist, en fetched a yell, en made ’er -disappearance in de elements.” - -Here Uncle Remus paused awhile. Then he shook his head, and exclaimed: - -“’T ain’t no use! Dey may fool folks, but cows knows wil’ creeturs by -der smell.” - - - - - THE RATTLESNAKE AND THE POLECAT - - -“I lay ’t won’t be long,” said Uncle Remus, as the little boy drew his -chair closer to the broad fireplace, “’fo’ I’ll hatter put on a backlog -en pile’ up de chunks. Dem w’at gits up ’bout de crack er day like I -does is mighty ap’ fer ter fin’ de a’r sorter fresh deze mornin’s. Fus’ -news you know old Jack Frost ’ll be a-blowin’ his horn out dar in de -woods, en he ’ll blow it so hard dat he ’ll jar down de hick’ry-nuts, de -scalybarks, de chinkapins, en de bullaces, en den ole Brer ’Possum will -begin fer ter take his promenades, en ef I don’t ketch ’im hit ’ll be -kaze I’m too stiff in my j’ints fer ter toiler ’long atter de dogs. - -“Dish yer kinder freshness in de a’r w’at make yo’ breff smoke w’en you -blow it outen yo’ mouf,” continued Uncle Remus, “puts me in de min’ er -de time w’en Brer Polecat wuz a-huntin’ fer a new house. De wedder wuz -gittin’ kinder shivery, en Brer Polecat he sot out ter fin’ a good warm -place whar he kin stay w’en de freeze come on. - -“He mozey ’long, Brer Polecat did, twel he come ter Brer Rattlesnake -house, w’ich it wuz in a holler tree. Brer Polecat knock at de do’. Brer -Rattlesnake ’low, ‘Who dat?’ - -“Brer Polecat ’spon’, ‘Hit’s me; open de do’.’ - -“Brer Rattlesnake say, ‘W’at you want?’ - -“Brer Polecat say, ‘Hit mighty cool out yer.’ - -“Brer Rattlesnake ’low, ‘Dat w’at I year folks say.’ - -“Brer Polecat up en ’spon’, sezee, ‘Hit too col’ fer ter stan’ out yer.’ - -“‘Dat w’at I year tell,’ says Brer Rattlesnake, sezee. - -“‘I wanter come in dar whar hit’s warm,’ says Brer Polecat, sezee. - -“Brer Rattlesnake ’low dat two in dat house would be a big crowd. - -“Brer Polecat say he got de name er bein’ a mighty good housekeeper. - -“Brer Rattlesnake say hit mighty easy fer anybody fer ter keep tother -folks’ house. - -“Brer Polecat say he gwine come in anyhow. - -“Brer Rattlesnake ’low, ‘Dey ain’t no room in yer fer you.’ - -“Brer Polecat laugh en say: ‘Shoo, Brer Rattlesnake! eve’ybody gives me -room. I go ’long de road, I does, en meet Mr. Man. I walks right todes -’im, en he bleege ter gi’ me room. I meet all de critturs, en dey bleege -ter gi’ me room.’ - -“Brer Rattlesnake say, ‘Dat w’at I year tell.’ - -“Brer Polecat ’low, ‘Don’t you pester yo’se’f ’bout room. You des lemme -git in dar whar you is, en _I’ll make room_!’ - -“Wid dat Brer Rattlesnake shot de do’ er his house en sprung de latch, -en atter so long a time Brer Polecat went pacin’ off some’rs else.” - - - - - HOW THE BIRDS TALK - - -Uncle Remus was not a “field hand”; that is to say, he was not required -to plow and hoe and engage in the rough work on the plantation. - -It was his business to keep matters and things straight about the house, -and to drive the carriage when necessary. He was the confidential family -servant, his attitude and his actions showing that he considered himself -a partner in the various interests of the plantation. He did no great -amount of work, but he was never wholly idle. He tanned leather, he made -shoes, he manufactured horse-collars, fish-baskets, foot-mats, -scouring-mops, and ax-handles for sale; he had his own watermelon- and -cotton-patches; he fed the hogs, looked after the cows and sheep, and, -in short, was the busiest person on the plantation. - -He was reasonably vain of his importance, and the other negroes treated -him with great consideration. They found it to their advantage to do so, -for Uncle Remus was not without influence with his master and mistress. -It would be difficult to describe, to the satisfaction of those not -familiar with some of the developments of slavery in the South, the -peculiar relations existing between Uncle Remus and his mistress, whom -he called “Miss Sally.” He had taken care of her when she was a child, -and he still regarded her as a child. - -He was dictatorial, overbearing and quarrelsome. These words do not -describe Uncle Remus’s attitude, but no other words will do. Though he -was dictatorial, overbearing and quarrelsome, he was not even grim. -Beneath everything he said there was a current of respect and affection -that was thoroughly understood and appreciated. All his quarrels with -his mistress were about trifles, and his dictatorial bearing was -inconsequential. The old man’s disputes with his “Miss Sally” were -thoroughly amusing to his master, and the latter, when appealed to, -generally gave a decision favorable to Uncle Remus. - -Perhaps an illustration of one of Uncle Remus’s quarrels will give a -better idea than any attempt at description. Sometimes, after tea, Uncle -Remus’s master would send the house-girl for him, under pretense of -giving him orders for the next day, but really for the purpose of -hearing him quarrel. The old man would usually enter the house by way of -the dining-room, leaving his hat and his cane outside. He would then go -to the sitting-room and announce his arrival, whereupon his master would -tell him what particular work he wanted done, and then Uncle Remus would -say, very humbly: - -“Miss Sally, you ain’t got no cold vittles, nor no piece er pie, nor -nuthin’, layin’ ’roun’ yer, is you? Dat ar Tildy gal say you all have a -mighty nice dinner ter-day.” - -“No, there’s nothing left. I gave the last to Rachel.” - -“Well, I dunner w’at business dat ar nigger got comin’ up yer eatin’ -Mars John out er house en home. I year tell she l’arnin’ how to cook, en -goodness knows, ef eatin’ gwine ter make anybody cook good, she de bes’ -cook on dis hill.” - -“Well, she earns what she eats, and that’s more than I can say for some -of the others.” - -“I lay ef ole miss’ wuz ’live, she ’d sen’ dat ar nigger ter de -cotton-patch. She would, mon; she’d sen’ er dar a-whirlin’. Nigger w’at -wrop up ’er ha’r wid a string ain’t never seed de day w’en dey kin go on -de inside er ole miss’ kitchen, let ’lone mommuck up de vittles. Now, I -boun’ you dat!” - -“Well, there’s nothing here for you, and if there was you wouldn’t get -it.” - -“No, ’m, dat’s so. I done know dat long time ago. All day long, en half -de night, hit ’s ‘Remus, come yer,’ en ‘Remus, go dar,’ ’ceppin’ w’en it -’s eatin’-time, en w’en dat time come, dey ain’t nobody dast ter name de -name er Remus. Dat Rachel nigger new ter de business, yet she mighty -quick fer ter l’arn how ter tote off de vittles, en how ter make all de -chillun on de place do ’er er’ns.” - -“John,” to her husband, “I put some cold potatoes for the children on -the sideboard in the dining-room. Please see if they are still there.” - -“Nummine ’bout gittin’ up, Mars John. All de taters is dar. Old Remus -ain’t never ’grudge w’at dem po’ little chillun gits. Let ’lone dat; dey -comes down ter my house, en dey looks so puny en lonesome dat I ’vides -my own vittles wid um. Goodness knows, I don’t ’grudge de po’ creeturs -de little dey gits. Good-night, Mars John! Good-night, Miss Sally!” - -“Take the potatoes, Remus,” said Mars John. - -“I’m mighty much erbleege ter you,” said Uncle Remus, putting the -potatoes in his pocket, “en thanky too; but I ain’t gwine ter have folks -sayin’ dat ole Remus tuck ’n sneaked up yer en tuck de vittles out er -deze yer chillun’s mouf, dat I ain’t.” - -The tone in which Uncle Remus would carry on his quarrels was -inimitable, and he generally succeeded in having his way. He would -sometimes quarrel with the little boy to whom he told the stories, but -either by dint of coaxing, or by means of complete silence, the -youngster usually managed to restore the old man’s equanimity. - -“Uncle Remus,” said the boy, “it ’s mighty funny that the birds and the -animals don’t talk like they used to.” - -“Who say dey don’t?” the old man cried, with some show of indignation. -“Who say dey don’t? Now, dat ’s des w’at I’d like ter know.” - -Uncle Remus’s manner implied that he was only waiting for the name of -the malicious person to go out and brain him on the spot. - -“Well,” replied the child, “I often listened at them, but I never hear -them say a word.” - -“Ah-yi!” exclaimed Uncle Remus, in a tone of exultation; “dat’s diffunt. -Now, dat’s diffunt. De creeturs talk des ’bout like dey allus did, but -folks ain’t smart ez dey used ter wuz. You kin year de creeturs talkin’, -but you dunner w’at dey say. Yit I boun’ you ef I wuz ter pick you up, -en set you down in de middle er de Two-Mile Swamp, you’d year talkin’ -all night long.” - -The little boy shivered at the suggestion. - -“Uncle Remus, who talks out there in the swamp?” - -“All de creeturs, honey, all de creeturs. Mo’ speshually ole man Owl, en -all he famberly connexion.” - -“Have you ever heard them, Uncle Remus?” - -“Many’s en many’s de time, honey. W’en I gits lonesome wid folks, I des -up en takes down my walkin’ cane, I does, en I goes off dar whar I kin -year um, en I sets dar en feels dez es familious ez w’en I’m a-settin’ -yer jawin’ ’long er you.” - -“What do they say, Uncle Remus?” - -“It seems like ter me,” said the old man, frowning, as if attempting to -recall familiar names, “dat one er um name Billy Big-Eye, en t’er one -name Tommy Long-Wing. One er um sets in a poplar-tree on one side er de -swamp, en t’er one sets in a pine on t’er side,” Uncle Remus went on, as -the child went a little closer to him. “W’en night come, good en dark, -Billy Big-Eye sorter cle’r up he th’oat en ’low: - -“‘_Tom!_ Tommy _Long_-Wing! _Tom!_ Tommy _Long_-Wing!’” - -Uncle Remus allowed his voice to rise and fall, giving it a far-away but -portentous sound, the intonation being a weirdly-exact imitation of the -hooting of a large swamp-owl. The italicized words will give a faint -idea of this intonation. - -“Den,” Uncle Remus went on, “ole Tommy Long-Wing he’d wake up en holler -back: - -“‘_Who_—who dat a-_call_in’? _Who_—who dat a-_call_in’?’ - -“‘_Bill_—Billy _Big_-Eye! _Bill_—Billy _Big_-Eye!’ - -“‘_Whyn’t_ you come _down_—come _down_ ter _my_ house?’ - -“‘I _coodn’t_—I _coodn’t_ come down to _yo’_ house!’ - -“‘_Tom_—Tommy _Long_-Wing! Why _coodn’t_ you?’ - -“‘Had _coom_penny, _Bill_—Billy _Big_-Eye! Had _coom_penny!’ - -“‘_Who_—who wuz de _coom_penny?’ - -“‘_Heel_ Tap ’n _his_ wife, _Deel_ Tap ’n _his_ wife, en I don’t know -_who_-all, _who_-all, _who_-all!’ - -“Ez ter Heel Tap en Deel Tap,” Uncle Remus continued, noticing a puzzled -expression on the child’s face, “I dunno ez I ever bin know anybody -edzackly wid dat name. Some say dat’s de name er de Peckerwoods en de -Yallerhammers, but I speck w’en we git at de straight un it, dey er all -in de Owl famberly.” - -“Who heard them talking that way, Uncle Remus?” asked the little boy. - -[Illustration: BILLY BIG-EYE AND TOMMY LONG-WING.] - -“Goodness en de gracious, honey!” exclaimed Uncle Remus, “you don’t -’speckt er ole nigger like I is fer ter note all deze yer folks’ name in -he head, does you? S’pose’n de folks w’at year um done gone and move -off, w’at good it gwine do you fer ter git der name? S’pose’n dey wuz -settin’ right yer ’long side er you, w’at good dat gwine do? De trufe’s -de trufe, en folks’ name ain’t gwine make it no trufer. Yit w’en it come -ter dat, I kin go ter de do’ dar, en fetch a whoop, en fin’ you lots er -niggars w’at done bin year dat Owl famberly gwine on in de swamp dar. En -you ne’en ter go no fudder dan Becky’s Bill, nudder. W’en dat niggar wuz -growin’ up, he went frolickin’ ’roun’, en one night he come froo de -Two-Mile Swamp. - -“He come froo dar,” Uncle Remus went on, emphasizing the seriousness of -the situation by a severe frown, “des ez soople in de min’ ez w’at you -is dis blessid minnit. He come ’long, he did, en de fus’ news you know a -great big ole owl flew’d up in a tree en snap he bill des like somebody -crackin’ a whip. Becky’s Bill make like he ain’t take no notice, but he -sorter men’ he gait. Present’y, ole Mr. Owl flew’d up in ’n’er tree -little ways ahead, en smack he mouf. Den he holler out: - -“‘_Who_ cooks—_who_ cooks—_who_ cooks fer _you_-all?’ - -“Becky’s Bill move on—he make like he ain’t year nothing. Ole Mr. Owl -holler out: - -“‘_Who_ cooks—_who_ cooks—who _cooks_ fer _you_-all?’ - -“By dat time Becky’s Bill done git sorter skeerd, en he stop en say: - -“‘Well, sir, endurin’ er de week, mammy, she cooks, but on Sundays, en -mo’ speshually ef dey got comp’ny, den ole Aunt Dicey, she cooks.’ - -“Ole Mr. Owl, he ruffle up he fedders, he did, en smack he mouf, en look -down at Becky’s Bill, en ’low: - -“‘_Who_ cooks—_who_ cooks—_who_ cooks fer _you_-all?’ - -“Becky’s Bill, he take off he hat, he did, en ’low, sezee: - -“‘Well, sir, hit’s des like I tell you. Mo’ inginer’lly endurin’ er de -week, mammy, she cooks, but on Sundays, mo’ speshually w’en dey got -comp’ny, ole Aunt Dicey, she cooks.’ - -“Ole Mr. Owl, he keep axin’, en Becky’s Bill keep on tellin’ twel, -bimeby, Becky’s Bill, he got skeerd, en tired, en mad, en den he le’pt -out fum dar en he run home like a quarter-hoss; en now ef you git ’im in -dat swamp you got ter go ’long wid ’im.” - -The little boy sat and gazed in the fire after Uncle Remus had paused. -He evidently had no more questions to ask. After a while the old man -resumed: - -“But ’t ain’t des de owls dat kin talk. I des want you ter git up in de -mornin’ en lissen at de chickens. I kin set right yer en tell you des -zackly w’at you ’ll year um say.” - -The little boy laughed, and Uncle Remus looked up into the rafters to -hide a responsive smile. - -“De old Dominicker Hen, she ’ll fly off’n ’er nes’ in de hoss-trough, en -squall out: - -“‘_Aigs_ I _lay_ eve’y _day_ en yer dey _come_ en _take_ um _’way_! I -_lay_, I _lay_, I _lay_, en yit I hatter go _bare_-footed, -_bare_-footed, _bare_-footed! Ef I _lay_, en lay twel _dooms_day, I know -I’ll hatter go _bare_-footed, _bare_-footed, _bare-_footed!’” - -Uncle Remus managed to emphasize certain words so as to give a laughably -accurate imitation of a cackling hen. He went on: - -“Now, den, w’en de rooster year de Dominicker Hen a-cacklin’, I boun’ -you he gwine ter jine in. He’ll up en say, sezee: - -“‘Yo’ foot so _big_, yo’ foot so _wide_, yo’ foot so _long_. I can’t git -a shoe _ter_-fit-it, _ter_-fit-it, _ter_-fit-it!’ - -“En den dar dey ’ll have it, up en down, qua’llin’ des like sho’-nuff -folks.” - -The little boy waited for Uncle Remus to go on, but the old man was -done. He leaned back in his chair and began to hum a tune. - -After a while the youngster said: - -“Uncle Remus, you know you told me that you’d sing me a song every time -I brought you a piece of cake.” - -“I ’speckt I did, honey—I ’speckt I did. Ole ez I is, I got a mighty -sweet toofe. Yit I ain’t see no cake dis night.” - -“Here it is,” said the child, taking a package from his pocket. - -“Yasser!” exclaimed the old man, with a chuckle, “dar she is! En all -wrop up, in de bargain. I ’m mighty glad you helt ’er back, honey, kaze -now I can take dat cake en chune up wid ’er en sing you one er dem -ole-time songs, en folks gwine by ’ll say we er kyar’n on a -camp-meetin’.” - - - - - THE FOOLISH WOMAN - - -“W’en you see dese yer niggers w’at wrop de ha’r wid a string,” said -Uncle Remus to the little boy one day, apropos of nothing in particular -except his own prejudices, “you des keep yo’ eye on um. You des watch -um, kaze ef you don’t dey’ll take en trip you up—dey will dat, dez ez -sho’ ez de worl’. En ef you don’t b’lieve me, you kin des’ ax yo’ mammy. -Many’s en many’s de time is Miss Sally driv niggers out ’n de big house -yard kaze dey got der ha’r wrop up wid a string. I bin lookin’ en -peepin’, en lis’nin’ en eavesdrappin’ in dese low groun’s a mighty long -time, en I ain’t ne’er sot eyes on no nigger w’at wrop der ha’r wid a -string but w’at dey wuz de meanes’ kind er nigger. En if you ax anybody -w’at know ’bout niggers dey’ll tell you de same.” - -“But, Uncle Remus,” said the little boy protestingly, “doesn’t Aunt -Tempy wrap her hair with a string?” - -“Who? Sis Tempy? Shoo!” exclaimed the old man scornfully. “Why, whar yo’ -eyes, honey? Nex’ time you see Sis Tempy, you take en look at ’er right -close, en ef ’er ha’r ain’t platted den I’m a Chinee. Now, dat’s what!” - -“Well, they don’t bother me,” said the little boy. - -“Dat dey don’t!” exclaimed Uncle Remus enthusiastically. “Dey don’t dast -ter, kaze dey know ef dey do, dey’ll have old Remus atter um, en mean ez -dey is, dey know hit ain’t gwine ter do ter git de ole nigger atter um. - -“Hit seem like ter me dat one time I year a mighty funny tale ’bout one -er deze yer niggers w’at wrop der ha’r wid a string, but I speck it mos’ -too late fer ter start in fer ter tell a tale—kaze present’y you’ll be -a-settin’ up dar in dat cheer dar fas’ ’sleep, en I’m a-gittin’ too ole -en stiff fer ter be totin’ you roun’ yer like you wuz a sack er bran.” - -“Oh, I’m not sleepy, Uncle Remus,” the little boy exclaimed. “Please -tell me the story.” - -The old man stirred the embers with the end of his cane, and seemed to -be in a very solemn mood. Presently he said: - -“’T ain’t so mighty much of a tale, yit it ’ll do fer ter go ter bed on. -One time dey wuz a nigger man w’at tuck ’n married a nigger ’oman, en -dish yer nigger ’oman kep’ ’er h’ar wrop up wid a string night en day. -Dey married, en dey went home ter housekeepin’. Dey got um some pots, en -dey got um some kittles, en dey got um some pans, en dey got um some -dishes, en dey start in, dey did, des like folks does w’en dey gwine ter -stay at home. - -“Dey rocked on, dey did,” said Uncle Remus, scratching his head with -some earnestness, “en it seem like dey wuz havin’ a mighty good time; -but one day w’en dish yer nigger man wuz gone ter town atter some -vittles, the nigger ’oman she ’gun ter git fretted. Co’se, honey, you -dunner how de wimmen folks goes on, but I boun’ you’ll know ’fo’ you -gits ez ole en ez crippled up in de j’ints ez w’at I is. Well, dish yer -nigger ’oman, she ’gun ter fret en ter worry, en bimeby she got right -down mad.” - -“But what did she get mad about, Uncle Remus?” the little boy asked. - -“Well, sir,” said the old man condescendingly, “I’ll up en tell you. She -wuz des like yuther wimmen folks, en she got fretted kase de days wuz -long en de wedder hot. She got mad en she stayed mad. Eve’y time she -walked ’cross de flo’ de dishes ud rattle in de cubberd, en de mo’ she’d -fix um de wuss dey’d rattle. Co’se, dis make ’er lots madder dan w’at -she wuz at fust, en bimeby she tuck ’n holler out: - -“‘W’at make you rattle?’ - -“Dishes dey keep on a-rattlin’. - -“‘What make you rattle so? I ain’t gwine ter have no rattlin’ ’roun’ -yer!’ - -“Dishes dey keep on a-rattlin’ en a-rattlin’. De ’oman she holler out: - -“‘Who you rattlin’ at? I ’m de mistiss er dis house. I ain’t gwine ter -have none er yo’ rattlin’ ’roun’ yer!’ - -“Dishes dey rattle en rattle. De ’oman, she holler out: - -“‘Stop dat rattlin’. I ain’t gwine ter have you sassin’ back at me dat -way. I ’m de mistiss er dis house!’ - -“Den she walked up en down, en eve’y time she do dat de dishes dey -rattle wuss en wuss. Den she holler out: - -“‘Stop dat sassin’ at me, I tell you! I’m de mistiss in dis house!’ - -“Yit de dishes keep on rattlin’ en shakin’, en bimeby de ’oman run ter -de cubberd, she did, en grab de dishes en fling um out in de yard, en no -sooner’s she do dis dan dey wuz busted all ter flinders. - -“I tell you w’at, mon,” said Uncle Remus, after pausing a moment to see -how this proceeding had affected the little boy. “I tell you w’at, mon, -wimmen folks is mighty kuse. Dey is dat, des ez sho’ ez de worl’. Bimeby -de nigger man come home, en w’en he see all de dishes broke up he wuz -’stonish’, but he ain’t say nuthin’. He des look up at de sun fer ter -see w’at time it is, en feel er hisse’f fer ter see ef he well. Den he -up ’n holler: - -“‘Ole ’oman, yer some fish w’at I bring you. I speck you better clean um -fer dinner.’ De ’oman, she ’low: - -“‘Lay um down dar.’ De man, he tuck en lay um down en draw’d a bucket er -water out er de well. - -“Den, bimeby, de ’oman, she come out en start ter clean de fish. She -pick um up, she did, en start ter scrape de scales off, but she sees der -eyes wide open, en she ’low: - -“‘Shet dem eyes! Don’t you be a-lookin’ at me!’ - -“Fish, dey keep on a-lookin’. ’Oman, she holler out: - -“‘Shet up dem eyes, I tell you! I ’m de mistiss er dish yer house!’ - -“Fish, dey keep der eyes wide open. ’Oman, she squall out: - -“‘Shet dem eyes, you impident villyuns! I’m de mistiss in dish yer -house!’ - -“Fish, dey helt der eyes wide open, en den de ’oman tuck en flung um in -de well.” - -“And then what?” asked the little boy, as Uncle Remus paused. - -“Ah, Lord, honey! You too hard fer me now. De ’oman tuck ’n ’stroy de -dishes, en den she flung de fishes in de well, en dey des nat’ally ruint -de well. I dunner w’at de man say, but ef he wuz like de balance un um, -he des sot down en lit his pipe, en tuck a smoke en den lit out fer bed. -Dat’s de way men folks does, en ef you don’t b’lieve me yo kin ax yo’ -pa, but fer de Lord’s sake don’t ax ’im whar Miss Sally kin year you, -kaze den she’ll light on me, en mo’ ’n dat, she won’t save me no mo’ -col’ vittles.” - - - - - THE ADVENTURES OF SIMON AND SUSANNA[1] - - -Footnote 1: - - It may be of interest to those who approach Folk-Lore stories from the - scientific side, to know that this story was told to one of my little - boys three years ago by a negro named John Holder. I have since found - a variant (or perhaps the original) in Theal’s “Kaffir Folk-Lore.” - -“I got one tale on my min’,” said Uncle Remus to the little boy one -night. “I got one tale on my min’ dat I ain’t ne’er tell you; I dunner -how come; I speck it des kaze I git mixt up in my idees. Deze is busy -times, mon, en de mo’ you does de mo’ you hatter do, en w’en dat de -case, it ain’t ter be ’spected dat one ole broke-down nigger kin ’member -’bout eve’ything.” - -“What is the story, Uncle Remus?” the little boy asked. - -“Well, honey,” said the old man, wiping his spectacles, “hit sorter run -dis away: One time dey wuz a man w’at had a mighty likely daughter.” - -“Was he a white man or a black man?” the little boy asked. - -“I ’clar’ ter gracious, honey!” exclaimed the old man, “you er pushin’ -me mos’ too close. Fer all I kin tell you, de man mout er bin ez w’ite -ez de driven snow, er he mout er bin de blackes’ Affi’kin er de whole -kit en bilin’. I’m des tellin’ you de tale, en you kin take en take de -man en w’itewash ’im, er you kin black ’im up des ez you please. Dat’s -de way I looks at it. - -“Well, one time dey wuz a man, en dish yer man he had a mighty likely -daughter. She wuz so purty dat she had mo’ beaus dan w’at you got -fingers en toes. But de gal daddy, he got his spishuns ’bout all un um, -en he won’t let um come ’roun’ de house. But dey kep’ on pesterin’ ’im -so, dat bimeby he give word out dat de man w’at kin clear up six acres -er lan’ en roll up de logs, en pile up de bresh in one day, dat man kin -marry his daughter. - -“In co’se, dis look like it unpossible, en all de beaus drap off -’ceppin’ one, en he wuz a great big strappin’ chap w’at look like he kin -knock a steer down. Dis chap he wuz name Simon, en de gal, she wuz name -Susanna. Simon, he love Susanna, en Susanna, she love Simon, en dar it -went. - -“Well, sir, Simon, he went ter de gal daddy, he did, en he say dat ef -anybody kin clear up dat lan’, he de one kin do it, least’ways he say he -gwine try mighty hard. De ole man, he grin en rub his han’s terge’er, he -did, en tole Simon ter start in in de mornin’. Susanna, she makes out -she wuz fixin’ sumpin in de cubberd, but she tuck ’n kiss ’er han’ at -Simon, en nod ’er head. Dis all Simon want, en he went out er dar des ez -happy ez a jay-bird atter he done robbed a sparrer-nes’. - -“Now, den,” Uncle Remus continued, settling himself more comfortably in -his chair, “dish yer man wuz a witch.” - -“Why, I thought a witch was a woman,” said the little boy. - -The old man frowned and looked into the fire. - -“Well, sir,” he remarked with some emphasis, “ef you er gwine ter tu’n -de man inter a ’oman, den dey won’t be no tale, kaze dey’s bleege ter be -a man right dar whar I put dis un. Hit ’s des like I tole you ’bout de -color er de man. Black ’im er whitewash ’im des ez you please, en ef you -want ter put a frock on ’im ter boot, hit ain’t none er my business; but -I’m gwine ter’low he wuz a man ef it’s de las’ ac’.” - -The little boy remained silent, and Uncle Remus went on: - -“Now, den, dish yer man was a witch. He could cunjer folks, mo’ -’speshually dem folks w’at ain’t got no rabbit foot. He bin at his -cunjerments so long, dat Susanna done learn mos’ all his tricks. So de -nex’ mornin’ w’en Simon come by de house fer ter borry de ax, Susanna -she run en got it fer ’im. She got it, she did, en den she sprinkles -some black san’ on it, en say, ‘Ax, cut; cut, ax.’ Den she rub ’er ha’r -’cross it, en give it ter Simon. He tuck de ax, he did, en den Susanna -say: - -“‘Go down by de branch, git sev’n w’ite pebbles, put um in dis little -cloth bag, en whenever you want the ax ter cut, shake um up.’ - -“Simon, he went off in de woods, en started in ter clearin’ up de six -acres. Well, sir, dem pebbles en dat ax, dey done de work—dey did dat. -Simon could ’a’ bin done by de time de dinner-horn blowed, but he hung -back kaze he ain’t want de man fer ter know dat he doin’ it by -cunjerments. - -“W’en he shuck de pebbles de ax ’ud cut, en de trees ’ud fall, en de -lim’s ’ud drap off, en de logs ’ud roll up terge’er, en de bresh ’ud -pile itself up. Hit went on dis away twel by de time it wuz two hours b’ -sun, de whole six acres wuz done cleaned up. - -“’Bout dat time de man come ’roun’, he did, fer ter see how de work -gittin’ on, en, mon! he wuz ’stonish’. He ain’t know w’at ter do er say. -He ain’t want ter give up his daughter, en yit he ain’t know how ter git -out ’n it. He walk ’roun’ en ’roun’, en study, en study, en study how he -gwine rue de bargain. At las’ he walk up ter Simon, he did, en he say: - -[Illustration: SIMON SHAKES THE PEBBLES.] - -“‘Look like you sort er forehanded wid your work.’ - -“Simon, he ’low: ‘Yasser, w’en I starts in on a job I’m mighty restless -twel I gits it done. Some er dis timber is rough en tough, but I bin had -wuss jobs dan dis in my time.’ - -“De man say ter hisse’f: ‘W’at kind er folks is dis chap?’ Den he say -out loud: ‘Well, sence you er so spry, dey’s two mo’ acres ’cross de -branch dar. Ef you’ll clear dem up ’fo’ supper you kin come up ter de -house en git de gal.’ - -“Simon sorter scratch his head, kaze he dunner whedder de pebbles gwine -ter hol’ out, yit he put on a bol’ front en he tell de man dat he’ll go -’cross dar en clean up de two acres soon ez he res’ a little. - -“De man he went off home, en soon ’s he git out er sight, Simon went -’cross de branch en shook de pebbles at de two acres er woods, en ’t -want no time skacely ’fo’ de trees wuz all cut down en pile up. - -“De man, he went home, he did, en call up Susanna, en say: - -“‘Daughter, dat man look like he gwine git you, sho’.’ - -“Susanna, she hang ’er head, en look like she fretted, en den she say -she don’t keer nuthin’ fer Simon, nohow.” - -“Why, I thought she wanted to marry him,” said the little boy. - -“Well, honey, w’en you git growed up, en git whiskers on yo’ chin, en -den atter de whiskers git gray like mine, you’ll fin’ out sump’n ’n’er -’bout de wimmin folks. Dey ain’t ne’er say ’zackly w’at dey mean, none -er um, mo’ ’speshually w’en dey er gwine on ’bout gittin’ married. - -“Now, dar wuz dat gal Susanna what I ’m a-tellin’ you ’bout. She mighty -nigh ’stracted ’bout Simon, en yit she make ’er daddy b’lieve dat she -’spize ’im. I ain’t blamin’ Susanna,” Uncle Remus went on with a -judicial air, “kase she know dat ’er daddy wuz a witch en a mighty mean -one in de bargain. - -“Well, atter Susanna done make ’er daddy b’lieve dat she ain’t keerin’ -nothin’ ’t all ’bout Simon, he ’gun ter set his traps en fix his tricks. -He up ’n tell Susanna dat atter ’er en Simon git married dey mus’ go -upsta’rs in de front room, en den he tell ’er dat she mus’ make Simon go -ter bed fus’. Den de man went upsta’rs en tuck ’n tuck all de slats -out’n de bedstid ceppin one at de head en one at de foot. Atter dat he -tuck ’n put some foot-valances ’roun’ de bottom er de bed—des like dem -w’at you bin see on yo’ gran’ma bed. Den he tuck ’n sawed out de floor -und’ de bed, en dar wuz de trap all ready. - -“Well, sir, Simon come up ter de house, en de man make like he mighty -glad fer ter see ’im, but Susanna, she look like she mighty shy. No -matter ’bout dat; atter supper Simon en Susanna got married. Hit ain’t -in de tale wedder dey sont fer a preacher er wedder dey wuz a squire -browsin’ ’roun’ in de neighborhoods, but dey had cake wid reezins in it, -en some er dish yer silly-bug w’at got mo’ foam in it dan dey is dram, -en dey had a mighty happy time. - -“W’en bedtime come, Simon en Susanna went upsta’rs, en w’en dey got in -de room, Susanna kotch ’im by de han’, en helt up her finger. Den she -whisper en tell ’im dat ef dey don’t run away fum dar dey bofe gwine ter -be kilt. Simon ax ’er how come, en she say dat ’er daddy want ter kill -’im kase he sech a nice man. Dis make Simon grin; yit he wuz sorter -restless ’bout gittin’ ’way fum dar. But Susanna, she say wait. She say: - -“‘Pick up yo’ hat en button up yo’ coat. Now, den, take dat stick er -wood dar en hol’ it ’bove yo’ head.’ - -“W’iles he stan’in’ dar, Susanna got a hen egg out ’n a basket, den she -got a meal-bag, en a skillet. She ’low: - -“‘Now, den, drap de wood on de bed.’ - -“Simon done des like she say, en time de wood struck de bed de tick en -de mattruss went a-tumblin’ thoo de floor. Den Susanna tuck Simon by de -han’ en dey run out de back way ez hard ez dey kin go. - -“De man, he wuz down dar waitin’ fer de bed ter drap. He had a big long -knife in he han’, en time de bed drapped, he lit on it, he did, en -stobbed it scan’lous. He des natchully ripped de tick up, en w’en he -look, bless gracious, dey ain’t no Simon dar. I lay dat man wuz mad den. -He snorted ’roun’ dar twel blue smoke come out’n his nose, en his eye -look red like varmint eye in de dark. Den he run upsta’rs en dey ain’t -no Simon dar, en nudder wuz dey any Susanna. - -“Gentermens! den he git madder. He rush out, he did, en look ’roun’, en -’way off yander he see Simon en Susanna des a-runnin’, en a-holdin’ one -nudder’s han’.” - -“Why, Uncle Remus,” said the little boy, “I thought you said it was -night?” - -“Dat w’at I said, honey, en I ’ll stan’ by it. Yit, how many times dis -blessed night is I got ter tell you dat de man wuz a witch? En bein’ a -witch, co’se he kin see in de dark. - -“Well, dish yer witch-man, he look off en he see Simon en Susanna -runnin’ ez hard ez dey kin. He put out atter um, he did, wid his knife -in his han’, an’ he kep’ on a gainin’ on um. Bimeby, he got so close dat -Susanna say ter Simon: - -“‘Fling down yo’ coat.’ - -“Time de coat tech de groun’, a big thick woods sprung up whar it fell. -But de man, he cut his way thoo it wid de knife, en kep’ on a-pursuin’ -atter um. - -“Bimeby, he got so close dat Susanna drap de egg on de groun’, en time -it fell a big fog riz up fum de groun’, en a little mo’ en de man would -a got los’. But atter so long a time fog got blowed away by de win’, en -de man kep’ on a-pursuin’ atter um. - -“Bimeby, he got so close dat Susanna drap de meal-sack, en a great big -pon’ er water kivered de groun’ whar it fell. De man wuz in sech a big -hurry dat he tried ter drink it dry, but he ain’t kin do dis, so he sot -on de bank en blow’d on de water wid he hot breff, en atter so long a -time de water made hits disappearance, en den he kep’ on atter um. - -“Simon en Susanna wuz des a-runnin’, but run ez dey would, de man kep’ -a-gainin’ on um, en he got so close dat Susanna drapped de skillet. Den -a big bank er darkness fell down, en de man ain’t know which away ter -go. But atter so long a time de darkness lif’ up, en de man kep’ on -a-pursuin’ atter um. Mon, he made up fer los’ time, en he got so close -dat Susanna say ter Simon: - -“‘Drap a pebble.’ - -“Time Simon do dis a high hill riz up, but de man clum it en kep’ on -atter um. Den Susanna say ter Simon: - -“‘Drap nudder pebble.’ - -“Time Simon drap de pebble, a high mountain growed up, but de man -crawled up it en kep’ on atter um. Den Susanna say: - -“‘Drap de bigges’ pebble.’ - -“No sooner is he drap it dan a big rock wall riz up, en hit wuz so high -dat de witch-man can’t git over. He run up en down, but he can’t find no -end, en den, atter so long a time, he turn ’roun’ en go home. - -“On de yuther side er dis high wall, Susanna tuck Simon by de han’, en -say: - -“‘Now we kin res’.’ - -“En I reckon,” said the old man slyly, “dat we all better res’.” - - - - - BROTHER RABBIT AND THE GINGERCAKES. - - -“Now, I des tell you w’at, honey,” said Uncle Remus to the little boy, -“if you wan’ ter year dish yer tale right straight thro’, widout any -balkin’ er stallin’, you’ll des hatter quit makin’ any fuss. Kaze w’en -der’s any fuss gwine on hit mos’ allers inginner’lly gits me mixt up, en -w’en I gits mixt up I ain’t wuth nuthin’ ’t all skacely fer tellin’ a -tale, en ef you don’t b’lieve me, you may des ax some er my blood kin. -Now, den, you des set right whar you is en stop you behavishness. Kaze -de fus’ time you wink loud, you got ter git right up on de bed-pos’ dar -en ride straddle. - -“So, den! Well, one time Brer Mink en Brer Coon en Brer Polecat all live -terge’er in de same settlement. Let ’lone dat, dey live in de same -house, en de house w’at dey live in wuz made in de resemble uv a great -big holler log. In dem days, Brer Polecat wuz de king er de creeturs -w’at run ’bout atter dark, en you better make up yo’ min’ dat he made um -stan’ ’roun’ might’ly.” - -“Why, Uncle Remus,” said the little boy, “I thought Brother Rabbit—” - -“Well, de goodness en de gracious! ain’t I ax you fer ter please ma’am -don’t make no fuss? Kaze I know mighty well Brer Rabbit use ter be de -slickes’ en de suples’, but dey ’bleege ter be a change, kase ’t ain’t -in natur’ fer de ’t’er creeturs not ter kotch on ter his ins en his -outs, en I speck dat de time w’en dey fin’ ’im out is de time w’en ole -Brer Polecat got ter be de king er de creeturs—dat’s what I speck. - -“But no matter ’bout dat—by hook er by crook, Brer Polecat come ter be -de king er de creeturs, en w’en he come ter be dat dey’d all er um go a -long ways out er de way fer ter take off der hats en bow der howdies, -dey would, en some un um would tag atter ’im, en laugh eve’y time Brer -Polecat laughed, en grin eve’y time he grinned. - -“W’iles dish yer wuz gwine on Brer Rabbit wuz in de crowd, en he wuz des -ez big a man ez any er um, en I dunner ef he want de bigges’. Well, Brer -Rabbit he move en secondary[2] dat bein’ ez how Brer Polecat wuz sech a -nice king dey oughter pass a law dat eve’y time de yuther creeturs meet -um in de road dey mus’ shet der eyes en hol’ der nose. Some er um say -dey don’t min’ holdin’ der nose, but dey don’t like dish yer way er -shettin’ der eyes, kaze dey mout run up agin a tree, er stick a brier in -der foot; but Brer Rabbit, he up en ’low, he did, dat ’t wuz des ’bout -ez little ez dey kin do ter shet der eye en hol’ der nose w’en dey git -war sech a nice king is, en so dey all hatter come ’roun’. - -Footnote 2: - - Moved and seconded. - -“De nex’ day atter all dis happen, Brer Rabbit he come by de house whar -ole King Polecat live ’long wid Brer Coon en Brer Mink. Brer Coon he wuz -a great han’ fer ter bake gingercake. Fur en wide de folks knowd ’bout -Brer Coon gingercakes, en dey couldn’t be no camp-meetin’ ’roun’ in dem -diggin’s, but w’at he wuz hangin’ on de aidges sellin’ his gingercakes -en his ’simmon beer; en it seem like eve’y time Brer Rabbit see Brer -Coon dat he whirl right in en git hongry fer gingercakes. - -“So de nex’ day after dey done fix it all up ’bout ole King Polecat, -Brer Rabbit he come sailin’ by Brer Coon’s house, en he ax ’im ef he got -any gingercakes fer ter sell. Brer Coon ’low, he did, dat he got um des -ez fine ez fine kin be, en Brer Rabbit say he b’lieve he’ll buy some, en -wid dat he run his han’ in his pocket, he did, en pull out de change en -bought ’im a great big stack er gingercakes. - -“Den he tuck ’n ax Brer Coon ef he won’t keep his eye on de gingercakes -wiles he go git some gyarlic fer to eat wid um. Brer Coon ’low he’ll -take keer un um de bes’ w’at he kin. Brer Rabbit rush off, en des ’bout -dat time ole King Polecat come in sight. In de accordance er de rules, -soon ez Brer Coon see ole King Polecat he mus’ shet he eye en hol’ he -nose; and w’iles Brer Coon doin’ dis, ole King Polecat walk up, he did, -en grab de gingercakes en make off wid um. Co’se, w’en Brer Rabbit come -lippitin’ back, he hunt fer he gingercakes, but he can’t fine um nowhar. -Den he holler out: - -“‘My goodness, Brer Coon! Whar my gingercakes?’ - -“All Brer Coon kin say is dat he ain’t see nobody take de gingercakes. -Brer Rabbit ’low, he did, dat dis a mighty quare way fer ter do a man -w’at done bought de gingercakes en pay fer um. Yit he say he ’bleege ter -have some, en so he tuck ’n pitch in en buy ’ner stack un um. Den he -’low: - -“‘Now, den, I done got de gyarlic fer ter go wid um, en I’ll des ’bout -squat right down yer en watch deze yer gingercakes my own se’f.’ - -“So he squat down en fix hisse’f, en des ’bout de time w’en he wuz ready -fer ter ’stroy de gingercakes, yer come old King Polecat. Brer Rabbit, -he got up, he did, en made a bow, en den he helt he nose en make like he -wuz a-shettin’ he eyes. Ole King Polecat, he come ’long, he did, en -start fer ter pick up de gingercakes, but Brer Rabbit holler out: - -“‘Drap dem gingercakes!’ - -“Ole King Polecat jump back en look like his feelin’s bin hurted, en he -squall out: - -“‘My goodness! How come yo’ eye open? How come you break up de rules dat -away?’ - -“Brer Rabbit pick up de gingercakes, en ’low: - -“‘I kin hol’ my nose ez good ez de nex’ man, but I can’t shet my eyes -ter save my life, kaze dey er so mighty big!’ - -“Dis make ole King Polecat mad enough fer ter eat all de gingercakes -w’at Brer Coon got in de chist, but he can’t help hisse’f, kaze he know -dat ef Brer Rabbit tu’n agin ’im, he won’t be much uv a king in dat ar -country. Atter dat it got so dat Brer Rabbit kin put down his -gingercakes anywheres he want ter; en folks ’low dat he wuz mighty nigh -ez big a man ez ole King Polecat.” - - - - - BROTHER RABBIT’S COURTSHIP. - - -One night, as the little boy went tripping down the path to Uncle -Remus’s cabin, he thought he heard voices on the inside. With a gesture -of vexation he paused at the door and listened. If the old man had -company, the youngster knew, by experience, that he would get no story -that night. He could hear Uncle Remus talking as if carrying on an -animated conversation. Presently he crept up to the door, which was -ajar, and peeped in. There was nobody in sight but the old darkey, and -the little boy went in. Uncle Remus made a great pretense of being -astonished. - -“Were you just talking to yourself, Uncle Remus?” asked the little boy. - -“Yasser,” said the old man with a serious air, “dat des w’at I wuz -a-doin’. I done clean fergit myse’f. I year tell dat dem w’at take en -talk ’long wid deyse’f dat dey owe de Ole Boy a day’s work. Ef dat de -state er de case den he done got my name down on de books, en hit’s all -on account er deze yer uppity-biggity niggers w’at come ’long yer little -w’ile ago en ax me ter go ’way off yan ter de Spivey place whar Nancy’s -Jim gwine ter git married. - -“I wuz settin’ yer runnin’ on in my min’,” Uncle Remus continued, “’bout -de time w’en Brer Rabbit went a-courtin’. I boun’ you dey ain’t bin no -sech courtin’ sence dat day, en dey ain’t gwine ter be no mo’ sech.” - -Here Uncle Remus paused and leaned back in his chair, gazing -thoughtfully at the rafters. He paused so long that the little boy -finally asked him if he couldn’t tell about Brother Rabbit’s wonderful -courtship. - -“Well, honey,” said the old man, “you haf ter gi’ me time fer to shet my -eye-balls en sorter feel ’roun’ ’mongst my reckermembunce atter de -wharfo’es en de whatsisnames. Kaze I’m like a broke-down plow-mule: I’ll -go ’long ef you lemme take my time, but ef you push me, I’ll stop right -in de middle er de row.” - -“I can wait until bedtime,” the little boy remarked, “and then I’ll have -to go.” - -“Dat’s so,” Uncle Remus assented cheerfully, “en bein’ ez dat’s de case, -we haf ter be sorter keerful. Lemme go ’roun’ de stumps en over de -roots, en git in meller groun’, en den we kin des back right ’long. - -“Now den! You done year talk er Miss Meadows en de gals, en ’bout how -Brer Rabbit bin gwine dar so much. Well, hit done happen so dat Brer -Rabbit wuz tuck wid a-likin’ er one er de gals. Dis make ’im sorter glad -at de offstart, but bimeby he ’gun ter git droopy. He laid ’roun’ en sot -’bout, he did, en look like he studyin’ ’bout sump’n ’n’er way off -yander. - -“Hit went on dis away twel bimeby Miss Meadows, she up en ax Brer Rabbit -w’at de name er sense is de matter ’long wid ’im, en Brer Rabbit, he -feel so bad dat he up en ’spon’, he did, dat he dead in love wid one er -de gals. Den Miss Meadows, she ax ’im w’at de reason he ain’t tell de -gal dat he want ter be ’er b’ide-g’oom. Brer Rabbit say he ’shame’. Miss -Meadows, she toss ’er head, she did, en ’low: - -“‘Ya-a-a-s! You look like you ’shame’, now don’t you? You mout er bin -’shame’ ’fo’ hens had der toofies pulled out, but you ain’t bin ’shame’ -sence. I done see you cut up too many capers; I know dey ain’t no gal on -de top side er de yeth w’at kin faze you,’ sez Miss Meadows, sez she. - -“Den Brer Rabbit ’low dat he skeerd de gal won’t have ’im, but Miss -Meadows ’fuse ter hol’ any mo’ confab wid ’im; she des broke out singin’ -en washin’ de dishes, en w’at wid de chune en de clatter er de dishes -Brer Rabbit can’t year his own years. Bimeby, he tuck ’n sneak out, he -did, en went en sot in de shade by de spring. - -“He ain’t set dar long ’fo’ yer come de gal w’at he bin studyin’ ’bout. -She had a pail in ’er han’ en she wuz comin’ atter water. She come ’long -down de paff swingin’ de pail in her han’ en singin’.” - -“What did she sing, Uncle Remus?” the little boy asked, becoming more -and more interested. - -The old darkey looked slyly at the youngster, and chuckled softly to -himself. Presently he said: - -“Hit wuz sorter like dis, ef I ain’t make no mistakes in de chune: - - “‘_Oh, says de woodpecker, peckin’ on de tree, - Once I courted Miss Kitty Killdee, - But she proved fickle en fum me fled, - En sence dat time my head bin red._’ - -“Brer Rabbit bin feelin’ mighty droopy en low-spereted all de mornin’, -but time he year de gal singin’, he hist up his years en look sassy, en -wen she stop singin’ he broke out en ’gun ter sing hisse’f. He sung dish -yer kinder chune: - - “‘_Katy, Katy! won’t you marry? - Katy, Katy! choose me den! - Mammy say ef you will marry - She will kill de turkey hen; - Den we’ll have a new convention, - Den we’ll know de rights er men._’” - -“Why, I ’ve heard grandma sing that song,” exclaimed the little boy. - -“Tooby sho’ you is—tooby sho’ you is, honey,” said Uncle Remus, assuming -an argumentative air that was irresistibly comic. “Ef Brer Rabbit kin -sing dat chune, w’at gwine hender w’ite folks fum singin’ it? Bless yo’ -soul, w’ite folks smart, mon, en I lay der ain’t no chune w’at Brer -Rabbit kin sing dat dey can’t reel off. - -“Well, suh, de gal year Brer Rabbit singin’, en she sorter toss ’er head -en giggle. Brer Rabbit he look at ’er sideways en sorter grin. Den Brer -Rabbit ’low: - -“‘Mornin’, ma’m; how you come on dis fine mornin’?’ - -“De gal say: ‘I’m des toler’ble; how you do yo’se’f?’ - -“Brer Rabbit ’low, he did: ‘I thank you, ma’m, I’m right po’ly. I ain’t -bin feelin’ ter say reely peart in mighty nigh a mont’.’ - -“De gal laugh en say: ‘Dat w’at I year tell. I speck you in love, Brer -Rabbit. You ought ter go off some’rs en git you a wife.’ - -“Dis make Brer Rabbit feel sorter ’shame’, en he hung his head en make -marks in de san’ wid his foots. Bimeby he say: ‘How come, ma’m, dat you -don’t git married?’ - -“De gal laugh wuss ’n wuss, en atter she kin ketch ’er breff she ’low: -‘Lordy, Brer Rabbit! I got too much sense—_mysef_—fer ter be gittin’ -married widout no sign er no dream.’ - -“Den Brer Rabbit say: ‘W’at kinder sign does you want, ma’m?’ - -“De gal ’low: ‘Des any kinder sign; don’t make no diffunce w’at. I done -try all de spells, en I ain’t see no sign yit.’ - -“Brer Rabbit say: ‘W’at kinder spells is you done tried, ma’m?’ - -“De gal ’low: ‘Dey ain’t no tellin’, Brer Rabbit, dat dey ain’t. I done -try all dat I year talk ’bout. I tuck ’n fling a ball er yarn outen de -window at midnight, en dey ain’t nobody come en wind it. I tuck a -lookin’-glass en look down in de well en I ain’t see nothin’ ’t all. I -tuck a hard-b’iled egg en scoop de yaller out, en fill it up wid salt en -eat it widout drinkin’ any water. Den I went ter bed, but I ain’t dream -’bout a blessed soul. I went out ’twix’ sunset and dark en fling -hempseed over my lef’ shoulder, but I ain’t see no beau yit.’ - -“Brer Rabbit, he ’low, he did: ‘Ef you’d a-tole me w’en you wuz a-gwine, -ma’am, I lay you’d ’a’ seed a beau.’ - -“De gal, she giggle, en say: ‘Oh, hush, Brer Rabbit! Ef you don’t g’ way -fum yer I gwine hit you! You too funny fer anything. W’at beau you speck -I’d ’a’ seed?’ - -“Brer Rabbit, he up en ’low, he did: ‘You’d ’a’ seed me, ma’am, dat’s -who you’d a seed.’ - -“De gal, she look at Brer Rabbit des like ’er feelin’s is bin hurted, en -say: ‘Ain’t you ’shame’ er yo’se’f ter be talkin’ dat away en makin’ -fun? I’m a-gwine away fum dis spring, kaze’t ain’t no place fer me.’ Wid -dat de gal fotch ’er frock a flirt, en went up de paff like de -patter-roller wuz atter her. - -“She went so quick en so fas’ dat she lef’ ’er pail, en Brer Rabbit, he -tuck ’n fill it full er water, en kyar it on up ter de house whar Miss -Meadows en de gals live at. Atter so long a time, he came on back ter de -spring, en he sot dar, he did, en study en study. He pull his mustaches -en scratch his head, en bimeby, atter he bin settin’ dar a mighty long -time, he jump up en crack his heels terge’er, en den he laugh fit ter -kill hisse’f. - -“He ’low: ‘You want a sign, does you? Well, I’m a gwine ter gi’ you one, -ma’m, en ef dat don’t do you, I’ll gi’ you mo’ dan one.’ - -“De gal done gone, but Brer Rabbit, he hang ’roun’ dar, he did, en lay -his plans. He laid um so good dat wen dark come he had um all fixt. De -fus’ thing w’at he done, he went down ter de cane-brake en dar he cut -’im a long reed like dem w’at you see me bring Mars John fer -fishin’-pole.” - -“How did he cut it?” the little boy asked. - -“He gnyaw it, honey; he des natchully gnyaw it. Den w’en he do dat, he -tuck ’n make a hole in it fum eend to eend, right thoo de j’ints. W’en -dark come, Brer Rabbit tuck his cane en made his way ter de house whar -Miss Meadows en de gals stay at. He crope up, he did, en lissen, en he -year um talkin’ en laughin’ on de inside. Seem like dey wuz done eatin’ -supper en settin’ ’roun’ de fireplace. - -“Bimeby de gal say: ‘W’at you reckon? I seed Brer Rabbit down at de -spring.’ - -“T’er gal say: ‘W’at he doin’ down dar?’ - -“De gal say: ‘I speck he wuz gwine a-gallantin’; he mos’ sholy did look -mighty slick.’ - -“T’er gal say: ‘I’m mighty glad ter year dat, kase de las’ time I seed -’im hit look like his britches wuz needin’ patchin’.’ - -“Dis kinder talk make Brer Rabbit look kinder sollumcolly. But de gal, -she up en ’low: ‘Well, he ain’t look dat away ter-day, bless you! He -look like he des come outen a ban’box.’ - -“Miss Meadows, she hove a sigh, she did, en say: ‘Fine er no fine, I -wish ’im er some yuther man er ’oman would come en wash up dese yer -dishes, kaze my back is dat stiff twel I can’t skacely stan’ up -straight.’ - -“Den dey all giggle, but de gal say: ‘You all shan’t talk ’bout Brer -Rabbit behin’ his back. He done say he gwine ter be my beau.’ - -“Miss Meadows, she ’low: ‘Well, you better take ’im en make sump’n er -somebody outer ’im.’ - -“De gal laugh en say: ‘Oh, no! I done tole ’im dat ’fo’ I git married, I -got ter have some sign, so I ’ll know p’intedly w’en de time done come.’ - -“W’en Brer Rabbit yer dis, he got in a big hurry. He tuck one eend er de -reed en stuck it in de crack er de chimbley, en den he run ter de yuther -eend, w’ich it wuz layin’ out in de weeds en bushes. W’en he git dar, he -held it up ter his head en lissen, en he kin year um des ez plain ez ef -dey wuz right at ’im. - -“Miss Meadows ax de gal w’at kinder sign she want, en de gal she say she -don’t keer w’at kinder one ’t is, des so hit’s a sign. ’Bout dat time -Brer Rabbit put his mouf ter de reed, en talk like he got a bad col’. He -sing out, he did: - - “‘_Some likes cake, en some likes pie, - Some loves ter laugh, en some loves ter cry, - But de gal dat stays single will die, will die!_’ - -“Miss Meadows ’low: ‘Who dat out dar?’ Den dey got a light en hunted all -’roun’ de place en und’ de house, but dey ain’t see nuthin’ ner nobody. -Dey went back en sot down, dey did, but ’t want long ’fo’ Brer Rabbit -sing out: - - “‘_De drouth ain’t wet en de rain ain’t dry, - Whar you sow yo’ wheat you can’t cut rye, - But de gal dat stays single will die, will die._’ - -“Miss Meadows, en de gals wuz dat ’stonished dat dey ain’t know w’at ter -do, en bimeby Brer Rabbit, he sing out ag’in: - - “‘_I wants de gal dat’s atter a sign, - I wants de gal en she mus’ be mine— - She’ll see ’er beau down by de big pine._’ - -“En sho’ nuff,” Uncle Remus continued, “de nex’ mornin’ w’en de gal went -down by de big pine, dar sot Brer Rabbit dez ez natchul ez life. De gal, -she make out, she did, dat she des come down dar atter a chaw er rozzum. -Dey jawered ’roun’ a right smart, en ’spute ’long wid one ’n’er. But -Brer Rabbit, he got de gal.” - - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - -Transcriber’s note: - - 1. Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling. - - 2. Anachronistic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as - printed. - - 3. 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