Chapter 1
Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Jacqueline Jeremy and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
NIGHTS WITH UNCLE REMUS
BY
JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY MILO WINTER
BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY The Riverside Press Cambridge 1917
COPYRIGHT, 1851, 1853, 1909, AND 1911, BY THE CENTURY CO. COPYRIGHT, 1885, BY JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS COPYRIGHT, 1911, BY ESTHER LA ROSE HARRIS COPYRIGHT, 1917, BY HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
_Published October 1917_
PUBLISHERS' NOTE
Nights With Uncle Remus is a story-book dearly loved by children. Besides that, it is an important contribution to the study of Afro-American folk-lore, and through many years of popularity it has carried a long and learned Introduction, of great interest to students but rather forbidding in aspect to youthful readers. In this new edition, which has been prepared especially for children, and illustrated in colors by an artist who knows how to please them as well as their elders, the Introduction has been omitted, but the stories and their charming setting have been left intact.
_June, 1917_
CONTENTS
I. MR. FOX AND MISS GOOSE 3
II. FOX CATCHES MR. HORSE 7
III. BRER RABBIT AND THE LITTLE GIRL 11
IV. BRER FOX COPIES BRER RABBIT 14
V. BRER RABBIT'S ASTONISHING PRANK 18
VI. BRER RABBIT SECURES A MANSION 22
VII. MR. LION HUNTS FOR MR. MAN 27
VIII. THE STORY OF THE PIGS 31
IX. MR. BENJAMIN RAM AND HIS WONDERFUL FIDDLE 35
X. BRER RABBIT'S RIDDLE 41
XI. HOW MR. ROOSTER LOST HIS DINNER 49
XII. BRER RABBIT BREAKS UP A PARTY 53
XIII. BRER FOX, BRER RABBIT, AND KING DEER'S DAUGHTER 58
XIV. BRER TERRAPIN DECEIVES BRER BUZZARD 62
XV. BRER FOX COVETS THE QUILLS 66
XVI. HOW BRER FOX FAILED TO GET HIS GRAPES 70
XVII. BRER FOX FIGURES AS AN INCENDIARY 75
XVIII. A DREAM AND A STORY 79
XIX. THE MOON IN THE MILL-POND 83
XX. BRER RABBIT TAKES SOME EXERCISE 89
XXI. WHY BRER BEAR HAS NO TAIL 97
XXII. HOW BRER RABBIT FRIGHTENED HIS NEIGHBORS 100
XXIII. MR. MAN HAS SOME MEAT 105
XXIV. HOW BRER RABBIT GOT THE MEAT 108
XXV. AFRICAN JACK 112
XXVI. WHY THE ALLIGATOR'S BACK IS ROUGH 119
XXVII. BRER WOLF SAYS GRACE 123
XXVIII. SPIRITS, SEEN AND UNSEEN 129
XXIX. A GHOST STORY 134
XXX. BRER RABBIT AND HIS FAMOUS FOOT 141
XXXI. "IN SOME LADY'S GARDEN" 149
XXXII. BRER 'POSSUM GETS IN TROUBLE 156
XXXIII. WHY THE GUINEA-FOWLS ARE SPECKLED 162
XXXIV. BRER RABBIT'S LOVE-CHARM 166
XXXV. BRER RABBIT SUBMITS TO A TEST 170
XXXVI. BRER WOLF FALLS A VICTIM 174
XXXVII. BRER RABBIT AND THE MOSQUITOES 179
XXXVIII. THE PIMMERLY PLUM 185
XXXIX. BRER RABBIT GETS THE PROVISIONS 195
XL. "CUTTA CORD-LA!" 200
XLI. AUNT TEMPY'S STORY 204
XLII. THE FIRE-TEST 209
XLIII. THE CUNNING SNAKE 214
XLIV. HOW BRER FOX WAS TOO SMART 218
XLV. BRER WOLF GETS IN A WARM PLACE 225
XLVI. BRER WOLF STILL IN TROUBLE 229
XLVII. BRER RABBIT LAYS IN HIS BEEF SUPPLY 234
XLVIII. BRER RABBIT AND MR. WILDCAT 238
XLIX. MR. BENJAMIN RAM DEFENDS HIMSELF 245
L. BRER RABBIT PRETENDS TO BE POISONED 249
LI. MORE TROUBLE FOR BRER WOLF 253
LII. BRER RABBIT OUTDOES MR. MAN 256
LIII. BRER RABBIT TAKES A WALK 260
LIV. OLD GRINNY-GRANNY WOLF 263
LV. HOW WATTLE WEASEL WAS CAUGHT 267
LVI. BRER RABBIT TIES MR. LION 272
LVII. MR. LION'S SAD PREDICAMENT 276
LVIII. THE ORIGIN OF THE OCEAN 279
LIX. BRER RABBIT GETS BRER FOX'S DINNER 283
LX. HOW THE BEAR NURSED THE LITTLE ALLIGATORS 291
LXI. WHY MR. DOG RUNS BRER RABBIT 295
LXII. BRER WOLF AND THE HORNED CATTLE 298
LXIII. BRER FOX AND THE WHITE MUSCADINES 302
LXIV. MR. HAWK AND BRER BUZZARD 306
LXV. MR. HAWK AND BRER RABBIT 309
LXVI. THE WISE BIRD AND THE FOOLISH BIRD 312
LXVII. OLD BRER TERRAPIN GETS SOME FISH 315
LXVIII. BRER FOX MAKES A NARROW ESCAPE 318
LXIX. BRER FOX'S FISH TRAP 321
LXX. BRER RABBIT RESCUES BRER TERRAPIN 325
LXXI. THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS 333
ILLUSTRATIONS
UNCLE REMUS AND THE LITTLE BOY _Frontispiece_
"HE TO' DOWN A WHOLE PANEL ER FENCE GITTIN' 'WAY FUM DAR" 20
"BRER RABBIT TURNT 'ER ALOOSE, EN DOWN SHE COME--_KER-SWOSH!_" 44
"'BRER TARRYPIN, PLEASE LEMME GO!'" 68
"'_AH-YI!_ YOU OUGHTER AX ME DAT FUS', BRER COON'" 92
"BRER RABBIT FOTCH A WIGGLE, HE DID, EN LIT ON HE FOOTS" 128
"'EF YOU GIT ANY MO' SENSE, SON RILEY, YOU'LL BE DE RUINATION EV DE WHOLE SETTLEMENT'" 174
"DE LITTLE RABS, DEY PROMISE DAT DEY WON'T OPEN DE DO' FER NOBODY" 212
"EN, BLESS GRACIOUS! DEM AR CREETURS RACKED OFF FUM DAR EN LEF' OLE BRER WOLF UND' DAT AR ROCK" 232
"HE SORTER HUNCH BRER POSSUM IN DE SHORT RIBS, EN AX 'IM HOW HE COME ON" 268
"'I DUNNER W'EN I BIN SO SORRY 'BOUT ANYTHING EZ I IS 'BOUT BRER FOX NICE LONG TAIL'" 286
"HE GIT DE FINEST MESS ER FISH YOU MOS' EVER LAID YO' EYES ON" 324
NIGHTS WITH UNCLE REMUS
I
MR. FOX AND MISS GOOSE
It had been raining all day so that Uncle Remus found it impossible to go out. The storm had begun, the old man declared, just as the chickens were crowing for day, and it had continued almost without intermission. The dark gray clouds had blotted out the sun, and the leafless limbs of the tall oaks surrendered themselves drearily to the fantastic gusts that drove the drizzle fitfully before them. The lady to whom Uncle Remus belonged had been thoughtful of the old man, and 'Tildy, the house-girl, had been commissioned to carry him his meals. This arrangement came to the knowledge of the little boy at supper time, and he lost no time in obtaining permission to accompany 'Tildy.
Uncle Remus made a great demonstration over the thoughtful kindness of his "Miss Sally."
"Ef she ain't one blessid w'ite 'oman," he said, in his simple, fervent way, "den dey ain't none un um 'roun' in deze parts."
With that he addressed himself to the supper, while the little boy sat by and eyed him with that familiar curiosity common to children. Finally the youngster disturbed the old man with an inquiry:--
"Uncle Remus, do geese stand on one leg all night, or do they sit down to sleep?"
"Tooby sho' dey does, honey; dey sets down same ez you does. Co'se, dey don't cross der legs," he added, cautiously, "kase dey sets down right flat-footed."
"Well, I saw one the other day, and he was standing on one foot, and I watched him and watched him, and he kept on standing there."
"Ez ter dat," responded Uncle Remus, "dey mought stan' on one foot en drap off ter sleep en fergit deyse'f. Deze yer gooses," he continued, wiping the crumbs from his beard with his coat-tail, "is mighty kuse fowls; deyer mighty kuse. In ole times dey wuz 'mongs de big-bugs, en in dem days, w'en ole Miss Goose gun a-dinin', all de quality wuz dere. Likewise, en needer wuz dey stuck-up, kase wid all der kyar'n's on, Miss Goose wer'n't too proud fer ter take in washin' fer de neighborhoods, en she make money, en get slick en fat lak Sis Tempy.
"Dis de way marters stan' w'en one day Brer Fox en Brer Rabbit, dey wuz settin' up at de cotton-patch, one on one side de fence, en t'er one on t'er side, gwine on wid one er n'er, w'en fus' news dey know, dey year sump'n--_blim_, _blim_, _blim_!
"Brer Fox, he ax w'at dat fuss is, en Brer Rabbit, he up'n 'spon' dat it's ole Miss Goose down at de spring. Den Brer Fox, he up'n ax w'at she doin', en Brer Rabbit, he say, sezee, dat she battlin' cloze."
"Battling clothes, Uncle Remus?" said the little boy.
"Dat w'at dey call it dem days, honey. Deze times, dey rubs cloze on deze yer bodes w'at got furrers in um, but dem days dey des tuck'n tuck de cloze en lay um out on a bench, en ketch holt er de battlin'-stick en natally paddle de fillin' outen um.
"W'en Brer Fox year dat ole Miss Goose wuz down dar dabblin' in soapsuds en washin' cloze, he sorter lick he chops, en 'low dat some er dese odd-come-shorts he gwine ter call en pay he 'specks. De minnit he say dat, Brer Rabbit, he know sump'n' 'uz up, en he 'low ter hisse'f dat he 'speck he better whirl in en have some fun w'iles it gwine on. Bimeby Brer Fox up'n say ter Brer Rabbit dat he bleedzd ter be movin' 'long todes home, en wid dat dey bofe say good-bye.
"Brer Fox, he put out ter whar his fambly wuz, but Brer Rabbit, he slip 'roun', he did, en call on ole Miss Goose. Ole Miss Goose she wuz down at de spring, washin', en b'ilin', en battlin' cloze; but Brer Rabbit he march up en ax her howdy, en den she tuck'n ax Brer Rabbit howdy.
"'I'd shake han's 'long wid you, Brer Rabbit,' sez she, 'but dey er all full er suds,' sez she.
"'No marter 'bout dat, Miss Goose,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'so long ez yo' will's good,' sezee."
"A goose with hands, Uncle Remus!" the little boy exclaimed.
"How you know goose ain't got han's?" Uncle Remus inquired, with a frown. "Is you been sleepin' longer ole man Know-All? Little mo' en you'll up'n stan' me down dat snakes ain't got no foots, and yit you take en lay a snake down yer 'fo' de fier, en his foots 'll come out right 'fo' yo' eyes."
Uncle Remus paused here, but presently continued:--
"Atter ole Miss Goose en Brer Rabbit done pass de time er day wid one er n'er, Brer Rabbit, he ax 'er, he did, how she come on deze days, en Miss Goose say, mighty po'ly.
"'I'm gittin' stiff en I'm gittin' clumpsy,' sez she, 'en mo'n dat I'm gittin' bline,' sez she. 'Des 'fo' you happen 'long, Brer Rabbit, I drap my specks in de tub yer, en ef you'd 'a' come 'long 'bout dat time,' sez ole Miss Goose, sez she, 'I lay I'd er tuck you for dat nasty, owdashus Brer Fox, en it ud er bin a born blessin' ef I had n't er scald you wid er pan er b'ilin' suds,' sez she. 'I'm dat glad I foun' my specks I dunner w'at ter do,' sez ole Miss Goose, sez she.
"Den Brer Rabbit, he up'n say dat bein's how Sis Goose done fotch up Brer Fox name, he got sump'n' fer ter tell 'er, en den he let out 'bout Brer Fox gwine ter call on 'er.
"He comin' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee; 'he comin' sho', en w'en he come hit 'll be des 'fo' day,' sezee.
"Wid dat, ole Miss Goose wipe 'er han's on 'er apun, en put 'er specks up on 'er forrerd, en look lak she done got trouble in 'er mine.
"'Laws-a-massy!' sez she, 'spozen he come, Brer Rabbit! W'at I gwine do? En dey ain't a man 'bout de house, n'er,' sez she.
"Den Brer Rabbit, he shot one eye, en he say, sezee:--
"'Sis Goose, de time done come w'en you bleedzd ter roos' high. You look lak you got de dropsy,' sezee, 'but don't mine dat, kase ef you don't roos' high, youer goner,' sezee.
"Den ole Miss Goose ax Brer Rabbit w'at she gwine do, en Brer Rabbit he up en tell Miss Goose dat she mus' go home en tie up a bundle er de w'ite folks' cloze, en put um on de bed, en den she mus' fly up on a rafter, en let Brer Fox grab de cloze en run off wid um.
"Ole Miss Goose say she much 'blige, en she tuck'n tuck her things en waddle off home, en dat night she do lak Brer Rabbit say wid de bundle er cloze, en den she sont wud ter Mr. Dog, en Mr. Dog he come down, en say he'd sorter set up wid 'er.
"Des 'fo' day, yer come Brer Fox creepin' up, en he went en push on de do' easy, en de do' open, en he see sump'n' w'ite on de bed w'ich he took fer Miss Goose, en he grab it en run. 'Bout dat time Mr. Dog sail out fum und' de house, he did, en ef Brer Fox had n't er drapt de cloze, he'd er got kotch. Fum dat, wud went 'roun' dat Brer Fox bin tryin' ter steal Miss Goose cloze, en he come mighty nigh losin' his stannin' at Miss Meadows. Down ter dis day," Uncle Remus continued, preparing to fill his pipe, "Brer Fox b'leeve dat Brer Rabbit wuz de 'casion er Mr. Dog bein' in de neighborhoods at dat time er night, en Brer Rabbit ain't 'spute it. De bad feelin' 'twix' Brer Fox en Mr. Dog start right dar, en hits bin agwine on twel now dey ain't git in smellin' distuns er one er n'er widout dey's a row."
II
BRER FOX CATCHES MR. HORSE
There was a pause after the story of old Miss Goose. The culmination was hardly sensational enough to win the hearty applause of the little boy, and this fact appeared to have a depressing influence upon Uncle Remus. As he leaned slightly forward, gazing into the depths of the great fireplace, his attitude was one of pensiveness.
"I 'speck I done wo' out my welcome up at de big house," he said, after a while. "I mos' knows I is," he continued, setting himself resignedly in his deep-bottomed chair. "Kase de las' time I uz up dar, I had my eye on Miss Sally mighty nigh de whole blessid time, en w'en you see Miss Sally rustlin' 'roun' makin' lak she fixin' things up dar on de mantle-shelf, en bouncin' de cheers 'roun', en breshin' dus' whar dey ain't no dus', en flyin' 'roun' singin' sorter louder dan common, den I des knows sump'n' done gone en rile 'er."
"Why, Uncle Remus!" exclaimed the little boy; "Mamma was just glad because I was feeling so good."
"Mought er bin," the old man remarked, in a tone that was far from implying conviction. "Ef 't wa'n't dat, den she wuz gittin' tired er seem' me lounjun' 'roun' up dar night atter night, en ef 't wa'n't dat, den she wuz watchin' a chance fer ter preach ter yo' pa. Oh, I done bin know Miss Sally long fo' yo' pa is!" exclaimed Uncle Remus, in response to the astonishment depicted upon the child's face. "I bin knowin' 'er sence she wuz so high, en endurin' er all dat time I ain't seed no mo' up'n spoken' w'ite 'oman dan w'at Miss Sally is.
"But dat ain't needer yer ner dar. You done got so youk'n rush down yer des like you useter, en we kin set yer en smoke, en tell tales, en study up 'musements same like we wuz gwine on 'fo' you got dat splinter in yo' foot.
"I mines me er one time"--with an infectious laugh--"w'en ole Brer Rabbit got Brer Fox in de wuss trubble w'at a man wuz mos' ever got in yit, en dat 'uz w'en he fool 'im 'bout de hoss. Ain't I never tell you 'bout dat? But no marter ef I is. Hoe-cake ain't cook done good twel hit's turnt over a couple er times.
"Well, atter Brer Fox done git rested fum keepin' out er de way er Mr. Dog, en sorter ketch up wid his rations, he say ter hisse'f dat he be dog his cats ef he don't slorate ole Brer Rabbit ef it take 'im a mont'; en dat, too, on top er all de 'spe'unce w'at he done bin had wid um. Brer Rabbit he sorter git win' er dis, en one day, w'iles he gwine 'long de road studyin' how he gwineter hol' he hand wid Brer Fox, he see a great big Hoss layin' stretch out flat on he side in de pastur'; en he tuck'n crope up, he did, fer ter see ef dish yer Hoss done gone en die. He crope up en he crope 'roun', en bimeby he see de Hoss switch he tail, en den Brer Rabbit know he ain't dead. Wid dat, Brer Rabbit lope back ter de big road, en mos' de fus' man w'at he see gwine on by wuz Brer Fox, en Brer Rabbit he tuck atter 'im, en holler:--
"'Brer Fox! O Brer Fox! Come back! I got some good news fer you. Come back, Brer Fox,' sezee.
"Brer Fox, he tu'n 'roun', he did, en w'en he see who callin' 'im, he come gallopin' back, kaze it seem like dat des ez gooder time ez any fer ter nab Brer Rabbit; but 'fo' he git in nabbin' distance, Brer Rabbit he up'n say, sezee:--
"'Come on, Brer Fox! I done fine de place whar you kin lay in fresh meat 'nuff fer ter las' you plum twel de middle er nex' year,' sezee.
"Brer Fox, he ax wharbouts, en Brer Rabbit, he say, right over dar in de pastur', en Brer Fox ax w'at is it, en Brer Rabbit, he say w'ich 'twuz a whole Hoss layin' down on de groun' whar dey kin ketch 'im en tie 'im. Wid dat, Brer Fox, he say come on, en off dey put.
"W'en dey got dar, sho' nuff, dar lay de Hoss all stretch out in de sun, fas' 'sleep, en den Brer Fox en Brer Rabbit, dey had a 'spute 'bout how dey gwine ter fix de Hoss so he can't git loose. One say one way en de yuther say n'er way, en dar dey had it, twel atter w'ile Brer Rabbit, he say, sezee:--
"'De onliest plan w'at I knows un, Brer Fox,' sezee, 'is fer you ter git down dar en lemme tie you ter de Hoss tail, en den, w'en he try ter git up, you kin hol' 'im down,' sezee. 'Ef I wuz big man like w'at you is,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'you mought tie me ter dat Hoss' tail, en ef I ain't hol' 'im down, den Joe's dead en Sal's a widder. I des knows you kin hol' 'im down,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'but yit, ef you 'feared, we des better drap dat idee en study out some yuther plan,' sezee.
"Brer Fox sorter jubus 'bout dis, but he bleedzd ter play biggity 'fo' Brer Rabbit, en he tuck'n 'gree ter de progrance, en den Brer Rabbit, he tuck'n tie Brer Fox ter de Hoss' tail, en atter he git 'im tie dar hard en fas', he sorter step back, he did, en put he han's 'kimbo, en grin, en den he say, sezee:--
"Ef ever dey wuz a Hoss kotch, den we done kotch dis un. Look sorter lak we done put de bridle on de wrong een',' sezee, 'but I lay Brer Fox is got de strenk fer ter hol' 'im,' sezee.
"Wid dat, Brer Rabbit cut 'im a long switch en trim it up, en w'en he get it fix, up he step en hit de Hoss a rap--_pow!_ De Hoss 'uz dat s'prise at dat kinder doin's dat he make one jump, en lan' on he foots. W'en he do dat, dar wuz Brer Fox danglin' in de a'r, en Brer Rabbit, he dart out de way en holler:--
"'Hol' 'im down, Brer Fox! Hol' 'im down! I'll stan' out yer en see fa'r play. Hol' 'im down, Brer Fox! Hol' 'im down!'
"Co'se, w'en de Hoss feel Brer Fox hangin' dar onter he tail, he thunk sump'n' kuse wuz de marter, en dis make 'im jump en r'ar wusser en wusser, en he shake up Brer Fox same like he wuz a rag in de win', en Brer Rabbit, he jump en holler:--
"'Hol' 'im down, Brer Fox! Hol' 'im down! You got 'im now, sho'! Hol' yo' grip, en hol' 'im down,' sezee.
"De Hoss, he jump en he hump, en he rip en he r'ar, en he snort en he t'ar. But yit Brer Fox hang on, en still Brer Rabbit skip 'roun' en holler:--
"'Hol' 'im down, Brer Fox! You got 'im whar he can't needer back ner squall. Hol' 'im down, Brer Fox!' sezee.
"Bimeby, w'en Brer Fox git chance, he holler back, he did:--
"'How in de name er goodness I gwine ter hol' de Hoss down 'less I git my claw in de groun'?'
"Den Brer Rabbit, he stan' back little furder en holler little louder:--
"'Hol' 'im down, Brer Fox! Hol' 'im down! You got 'im now, sho'! Hol' 'im down!'
"Bimeby de Hoss 'gun ter kick wid he behime legs, en de fus' news you know, he fetch Brer Fox a lick in de stomach dat fa'rly make 'im squall, en den he kick 'im ag'in, en dis time he break Brer Fox loose, en sont 'im a-whirlin'; en Brer Rabbit, he keep on a-jumpin' 'roun' en hollerin':--
"'Hol' 'im down, Brer Fox!'"
"Did the fox get killed, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy.
"He wa'n't 'zackly kilt, honey," replied the old man, "but he wuz de nex' do' ter't. He 'uz all broke up, en w'iles he 'uz gittin' well, hit sorter come 'cross he min' dat Brer Rabbit done play n'er game on 'im."
III
BRER RABBIT AND THE LITTLE GIRL
"What did Brother Rabbit do after that?" the little boy asked presently.
"Now, den, you don't wanter push ole Brer Rabbit too close," replied Uncle Remus significantly. "He mighty tender-footed creetur, en de mo' w'at you push 'im, de furder he lef' you."
There was prolonged silence in the old man's cabin, until, seeing that the little boy was growing restless enough to cast several curious glances in the direction of the tool chest in the corner, Uncle Remus lifted one leg over the other, scratched his head reflectively, and began:--
"One time, atter Brer Rabbit done bin trompin' 'roun' huntin' up some sallid fer ter make out he dinner wid, he fine hisse'f in de neighborhoods er Mr. Man house, en he pass 'long twel he come ter de gyardin-gate, en nigh de gyardin-gate he see Little Gal playin' 'roun' in de san'. Wen Brer Rabbit look 'twix' de gyardin-palin's en see de colluds, en de sparrer-grass, en de yuther gyardin truck growin' dar, hit make he mouf water. Den he take en walk up ter de Little Gal, Brer Rabbit did, en pull he roach,[1] en bow, en scrape he foot, en talk mighty nice en slick.
"'Howdy, Little Gal,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee; 'how you come on?' sezee.
"Den de Little Gal, she 'spon' howdy, she did, en she ax Brer Rabbit how he come on, en Brer Rabbit, he 'low he mighty po'ly, en den he ax ef dis de Little Gal w'at 'er pa live up dar in de big w'ite house, w'ich de Little Gal, she up'n say 'twer'. Brer Rabbit, he say he mighty glad, kaze he des bin up dar fer to see 'er pa, en he say dat 'er pa, he sont 'im out dar fer ter tell de Little Gal dat she mus' open de gyardin-gate so Brer Rabbit kin go in en git some truck. Den de Little Gal, she jump 'roun', she did, en she open de gate, en wid dat, Brer Rabbit, he hop in, he did, en got 'im a mess er greens, en hop out ag'in, en w'en he gwine off he make a bow, he did, en tell de Little Gal dat he much 'blije', en den atter dat he put out fer home.
"Nex' day, Brer Rabbit, he hide out, he did, twel he see de Little Gal come out ter play, en den he put up de same tale, en walk off wid a n'er mess er truck, en hit keep on dis a-way, twel bimeby Mr. Man, he 'gun ter miss his greens, en he keep on a-missin' un um, twel he got ter excusin' eve'ybody on de place er 'stroyin' un um, en w'en dat come ter pass, de Little Gal, she up'n say:--
"'My goodness, pa!' sez she, 'you done tole Mr. Rabbit fer ter come and make me let 'im in de gyardin atter some greens, en ain't he done come en ax me, en ain't I done gone en let 'im in?' sez she.
"Mr. Man ain't hatter study long 'fo' he see how de lan' lay, en den he laff, en tell de Little Gal dat he done gone en disremember all 'bout Mr. Rabbit, en den he up'n say, sezee:--
"'Nex' time Mr. Rabbit come, you tak'n tu'n 'im in, en den you run des ez fas' ez you kin en come en tell me, kase I got some bizness wid dat young chap dat's bleedze ter be 'ten' ter,' sezee.
"Sho' nuff, nex' mawnin' dar wuz de Little Gal playin' 'roun', en yer come Brer Rabbit atter he 'lowance er greens. He wuz ready wid de same tale, en den de Little Gal, she tu'n 'im in, she did, en den she run up ter de house en holler:--
"'O pa! pa! O pa! Yer Brer Rabbit in de gyardin now! Yer he is, pa!'