hin' but a ol' dead thief.
An' he ain't by 'isself in dat, in dat--
No, he ain't by 'isself in dat.

[Illustration]

THE MOCKING-BIRD

Br'er mockin'-bird sings in de live-oak shade,
A secon'-hand chant or a serenade;
He'll take off a pa'tridge, a robin, or a jay,
But he'd nuver make a name no other way.
But he ain't by 'isself in dat, in dat--
But he ain't by 'isself in dat.

[Illustration]

THE MUSHROOM

Dey's many a musharoon good to de tas'e
An' rich for de table, dat goes to was'e
'Ca'ze folks don't dast to gether it in
For de way it favors its dung-hill kin.
An' it ain't by itself condemned like dat--
No, it ain't by itself in dat

[Illustration]

THE MEASURING WORM

When Br'er Measurin'-worm strikes out so brave,
Makin' tend he kin measure you for yo grave,
Wid all 'is stride an' all 'is stren'th
He can't measure mo'n 'is own little len'th.
An' he ain't by 'isself made cheap like dat--
No, he ain't by 'isself like dat.

[Illustration]

THE TOP-KNOT HEN

Hit's a proper pride in Sis' Top-knot's breast
Dat makes 'er step to march 'er crest;
Yit jalousy follers 'er 'roun' de shed
On de count o' dat innercent tufted head.
An' she ain't by 'erself pursued lak dat--
No, she ain't by 'erself in dat.

[Illustration]

TOO FAMILIAR

De cantelope gits mighty bilious
F'om runnin' wid punkins too familias,
So it's banished out for its sociable sin
Along wid its yaller kitchen kin.
An' it ain't by itself in dat, in dat--
An' it ain't by itself in dat.

[Illustration]

THE 'POSSUM

Br'er 'Possum makes pertend he's dead
Whilst shots goes whizzin' over 'is head.
But time de hounds is out o' sight,
He's up an' "hongry for a fight!"
An' he ain't by 'isself in a bluff like dat--
No, he ain't by 'isself in dat.

[Illustration]

THE OWL

When de big owl calls out "_Who--ooo--ooo--!!!!!_"
In de dark o' de moon, like night-owls do,
De chillen, a-beggin' to play out late,
Come tumblin' back into Daddy's gate.
An' dey ain't by deyselves in dat, in dat--
No, dey ain't by deyselves in dat.

[Illustration]

THE CHAMELEON

De camelia-lizard is a turn-coat man,
An' he borries his colors where dey's "room to stan'";
He mought keep solid as a county