n rack off； en Brer Possum； he lay dar like he wuz dead； twel bimeby he raise up sorter keerful like； en w'en he fine de coas' cle'r he scramble up en scamper off like sumpin was atter 'im。〃
Here Uncle Remus paused long enough to pick up a live coal of fire in his fingers； transfer it to the palm of his hand； and thence to his clay pipe； which he had been filling…a proceeding that was viewed by the little boy with undisguised admiration。 The old man then proceeded：
〃Nex' time Brer Possum met Brer Coon； Brer Coon 'fuse ter 'spon' ter his howdy； en dis make Brer Possum feel mighty bad； seein' ez how dey useter make so many 'scurshuns tergedder。
'W'at make you hor yo' head so high； Brer Coon？' sez Brer Possum； sezee。
〃'I ain't runnin' wid cowerds deze days；' sez Brer Coon。 'W'en I wants you I'll sen' fer you；' sezee。
〃Den Brer Possum git mighty mad。
〃'Who's enny cowerd？' sezee。
〃'You is；' sez Brer Coon； 'dat's who。 I ain't so…shatin' wid dem w'at lays down on de groun' en plays dead w'en dar's a free fight gwine on；' sezee。
〃Den Brer Possum grin en laugh fit to kill hisse'f。 〃'Lor'； Brer Coon； you don't speck I done dat kaze I wuz 'feared； duz you？' sezee。 'W'y I want no mo 'feared dan you is dis minnit。 W'at wuz dey fer ter be skeered un？' sezee。 'I know'd you'd git away wid Mr。 Dog ef I didn't； en I des lay dar watchin' you shake him； waitin' fer ter put in w'en de time come；' sezee。
〃Brer Coon tu'n up his nose。
〃'Dat's a mighty likely tale；' sezee； 'w'en Mr。 Dog ain't mo'n tech you 'fo' you keel over； en lay dar stiff；' sezee。
〃'Dat's des w'at I wuz gwineter tell you 'bout； sez Brer Possum； sezee。 'I want no mo' skeer'd dan you is right now； en' I wuz fixin' fer ter give Mr。 Dog a sample er my jaw；' sezee； 'but I'm de most ticklish chap w'at you ever laid eyes on； en no sooner did Mr。 Dog put his nose down yer 'mong my ribs dan I got ter laughin'； en I laughed twel I ain't had no use er my lim's；' sezee； 'en it's a mussy unto Mr。 Dog dat I wuz ticklish； kaze a little mo' en I'd e't 'im up；' sezee。 'I don't mine fightin'； Brer Coon； no mo' dan you duz；' sezee； 'but I declar' ter grashus ef I kin stan' ficklin'。 Git me in a row whar dey ain't no ticklin' 'lowed； en I'm your man； sezee。
〃En down ter dis day〃…continued Uncle Remus； watching the smoke from his pipe curl upward over the little boy's head…〃down ter dis day； Brer Possum's bound ter s'render w'en you tech him in de short ribs； en he'll laugh ef he knows he's gwineter be smashed fer it。〃
IV HOW MR。 RABRIT WAS TOO SHARP FOR MR。 FOX
〃UNCLE REMUS；〃 said the little boy one evening； when he had found the old man with little or nothing to do； 〃did the fox kill and eat the rabbit when he caught him with the Tar…Baby？〃
〃Law； honey； ain't I tell you 'bout dat？〃 replied the old darkey； chuckling slyly。 〃I 'clar ter grashus I ought er tole you dat； but old man Nod wuz ridin' on my eyeleds 'twel a leetle mo'n I'd a dis'member'd my own name； en den on to dat here come yo mammy hollerin' atter you。
〃W'at I tell you w'en I fus' begin？ I tole you Brer Rabbit wuz a monstus soon creetur； leas'ways dat's w'at I laid out fer ter tell you。 Well； den； honey； don't you go en make no udder calkalashuns； kaze in dem days Brer Rabbit en his fambly wuz at de head er de gang w'en enny racket wuz on han'； en dar dey stayed。 'Fo' you begins fer ter wipe yo' eyes 'bout Brer Rabbit； you wait en see whar'bouts Brer Rabbit gwineter fetch up at。 But dat's needer yer ner dar。
〃W'en Brer Fox fine Brer Rabbit mixt up wid de Tar…Baby； he feel mighty good； en he roll on de groun' en laff。 Bimeby he up'n say； sezee：
〃'Well； I speck I got you dis time； Brer Rabbit； sezee； 'maybe I ain't； but I speck I is。 You been run…nin' roun' here sassin' atter me a mighty long time； but I speck you done come ter de een' er de row。 You bin cuttin' up yo' capers en bouncin''roun' in dis neighberhood ontwel you come ter b'leeve yo'se'f de boss er de whole gang。 En den youer allers some rs whar you got no bizuess；' sez Brer Fox； sezee。 'Who ax you fer ter come en strike up a 'quaintance wid dish yer Tar…Baby？ En who stuck you up dar whar you iz？ Nobody in de roun' worril。 You des tuck en jam yo'se'f on dat Tar…Baby widout waitin' fer enny invite；' sez Brer Fox； sezee； en dar you is； en dar youll stay twel I fixes up a bresh…pile and fires her up； kaze rm gwineter bobby…cue you dis day； sho；' sez Brer Fox； sezee。
〃Den Brer Rabbit talk mighty 'umble。
〃'I don't keer w'at you do wid me； Brer Fox；' sezee； 'so you don't fling me in dat brier…patch。 Roas' me； Brer Fox' sezee； but don't fling me in dat brierpatch；' sezee。
〃'Hit's so much trouble fer ter kindle a fier；' sez Brer Fox； sezee； 'dat I speck I'll hatter hang you；' sezee。
〃'Hang me des ez high as you please； Brer Fox；' sez Brer Rabbit； sezee； but do fer de Lord's sake don't fling me in dat brier…patch；' sezee。
〃'I ain't got no string；' sez Brer Fox； sezee； en now I speck I'll hatter drown you；' sezee。
〃'Drown me des ez deep ez you please； Brer Fox；' sez Brer Rabbit； sezee； 'but do don't fling me in dat brier…patch；' sezee。
〃'Dey ain't no water nigh；' sez Brer Fox； sezee； 'en now I speck I'll hatter skin you；' sezee。
〃'Skin me； Brer Fox；' sez Brer Rabbit； sezee； 'snatch out my eyeballs； t'ar out my years by de roots； en cut off my legs；' sezee； but do please； Brer Fox； don't ffing me in dat brier…patch；' sezee。
〃Co'se Brer Fox wanter hurt Brer Rabbit bad ez he kin； so he cotch 'im by de behime legs en slung 'im right in de middle er de brier…patch。 Dar wuz a considerbul flutter whar Brer Rabbit struck de bushes； en Brer Fox sorter hang 'roun' fer ter see w'at wuz gwineter happen。 Bimeby he hear somebody call 'im； en way up de hill he see Brer Rabbit settin' crosslegged on a chinkapin log koamin' de pitch outen his har wid a chip。 Den Brer Fox know dat he bin swop off mighty bad。 Brer Rabbit wnz bleedzed fer ter fling back some er his sass； en he holler out：
〃'Bred en bawn in a brier…patch； Brer Fox…bred en bawn in a brier…patch！' en wid dat he skip out des ez lively ez a cricket in de embers。〃
V THE STORY OF THE DELUGE AND HOW IT CAME ABOUT
〃ONE time；〃 said Uncle Remus…adjusting his spectacles so as to be able to see how to thread a large darning…needle with which he was patching his coat…〃one time； way back yander； 'fo' you wuz bomed； honey； en 'fo' Mars John er Miss Sally wuz bomed…way back yander 'fo' enny un us wuz bomed； de anemils en de creeturs sorter 'lecshuneer roun' 'mong deyselves； twel at las' dcy 'greed fer ter have a 'sem…bly。 In dem days；〃 continued the old man； observing a look of incredulity on the little boy's face； 〃in dem days creeturs had lots mo' sense dan dey got now； let 'lone dat； dey had sense same like folks。 Hit was tech en go wid um； too； mon； en w'en dey make up der mines w'at hatter be done； 'twant mo'n menshun'd 'fo； hit wuz done。 Well； dey 'lected dat dey hatter hole er 'sembly fer ter sorter straighten out marters en hear de complaints； en w'en de day come dey wuz on han'。 De Lion； he wuz dar； kase he wnz de king； en he hatter be der。 De Bhynossyhoss； he wuz dar； en de Elephent； he wuz dar； en de Cammils； en de Cows； en plum down ter de Crawnshes； dey wnz dar。 Dey wuz all dar。 En w'en de Lion shuck his mane； en tuck his seat in de big cheer； den de sesshun begun fer ter commence。
〃What did they do； Uncle Remus？〃 asked the little boy。
〃I can't skacely call to mine 'zackly w'at dey did do； but dey spoke speeches； en hollered； en cusst； en flung der langwidge 'roun' des like w'en yo' daddy wnz gwineter run fer de legislater en got lef'。 Howsomever； dey 'ranged der 'fairs； en splained der bizness。 Bimeby； w'ile dey wuz 'sputin' 'longer one er nudder； de Elephent trompled on one er de Craw…fishes。 Co'se w'en dat creetur put his foot down； w'atsumever's under dar wuz bonn' fer ter be squshed； en dey wa'n't nuff er dat Crawfish lef' fer ter tell dat he'd bin dar。
〃Dis make de udder Crawnshes mighty mad； en dey sorter swarmed tergedder en draw'd up a kinder peramble wid some wharfo'es in it； en read her out in de 'sembly。 But； bless grashus！ sech a racket wnz a gwine on dat nobody ain't hear it； 'ceppin may be de Mud Turkle en de Spring Lizzud； en dere enfloons wuz pow'ful lackin'。
〃Bimeby； w'iles de Nunicorn wuz 'sputin' wid de Lion； en w'ile de Hyener wnz a laughin' ter hisse'f； de Elephent squshed anudder one er de Crawfishes； en a little mo'n he'd er ruint de Mud Turkle。 Den de Crawfishes； w'at dey wuz lef' un urn； swarmed tergedder en draw'd up anudder peramble wid sum mo' wharfo'es； but dey might ez well er sung Ole Dan Tucker ter a harrycane。 De udder creeturs wuz too busy wid der fussin' fer ter 'spon' unto de Crawfishes。 So dar dey wuz； de Crawnshes； en dey didn't know w'at minnit wuz gwineter be de nex'； en dey kep' on gittin madder en madder en skeerder en skeerder； twel bimeby dey gun de wink ter de Mud Turkie en de Spring Lizzud； en den dey bo'd little holes in de groun' en went down outer sight。〃
〃Who did； Uncle Remus？〃 asked the little boy。
〃De Crawfishes； honey。 Dey bo'd inter de groun' en kep' on bo'in twel dey onloost de fountains er de earf； en de waters squirt out； en riz higher en higher twel de hills wuz kivvered； en de creeturs wuz all drowuded； en all bekaze dey let on 'mong deyselves dat dey wuz bigger dan de Crawfishes。〃
Then the old man blew the ashes from a smoking yam； and proceeded to remove the peeling。
〃Where was the ark； Uncle Remus？〃 the little boy inquired； presently。
〃W'ich ark's dat？〃 asked the old man； in a tone of well…feigued curiosity。
〃Noah's ark；〃 replied the child。
〃Don't you pester wid ole man Noah； honey。 I bonn' he tuck keer er dat ark。 Dat's w'at he wuz dar fer； en dat's w'at he done。 Leas'ways； dat's w'at dey tells me。 But don't you bodder longer dat ark； 'ceppin' your mammy fetches it up。 Dey mout er bin two deloojes； en den agin dey moutent。 Ef dey wuz euny ark in dish yer w'at de Crawfishes brung on； I ain't heern tell un it； en w'en dey ain't no arks 'roun'； I ain't got no time fer ter make urn en put urn in dar。 Hit's gittin' yo' bedtime； honey。〃
VI MR。 RABBIT CROSSLY DECEIVES MR。 FOX
ONE evening when the little boy； whose nights with Uncle Remus were as entertaining as those Arabian on