you?
Well, I'm going to out you."

Br'er Tarrypin he beg and he beg, but it weren't no use. Then he beg
Br'er Fox not to drown him. Br'er Fox ain't making no promise. Then he
beg Br'er Fox to burn him, 'cause now he used to fire. Br'er Fox he say
nothing. By-and-by Br'er Fox drag Br'er Tarrypin off little ways below
the spring, and he souse him under the water.

Then Br'er Tarrypin he began to holler out:

"Turn loose that stump-root and catch hold of me!"

Br'er Fox he holler back:

"I ain't got hold of no stump-root, and I is got hold of you."

"Catch hold of me, I'm a-drowning--I'm a-drowning; turn loose that
stump-root and catch hold of me!"

Sure enough, Br'er Fox turned loose Br'er Tarrypin's tail, and Br'er
Tarrypin he went down to the bottom!

Was Br'er Tarrypin drowned, then? Not a bit of it. Is _you_ drowned when
your mammy tucks you up in bed?

[Illustration: BY-AND-BY BR'ER FOX DRAG BR'ER TARRYPIN OFF]

[Q] From "More Funny Stories About Br'er Rabbit," published by
Stead's Publishing House, London, England, and used with their
permission.

[Illustration: HOW COUSIN WILDCAT SERVED BR'ER FOX]

HOW COUSIN WILDCAT SERVED BR'ER FOX[R]

Br'er Rabbit and Br'er Fox had both been paying calls one evening at the
same house. They sat there, and after a while Br'er Rabbit looked out,
and said:

"Now then, folks and friends, I must say good-by. Cloud coming up
yonder, and before we know it, the rain'll be a-pouring."

Then Br'er Fox he up and says he 'spects _he_ better be getting on,
'cause he doesn't want to get his Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes wet. So
they set out.

While they were going down the big road, talking at one another, Br'er
Fox he took and stopped, and said:

"Look here, Br'er Rabbit, look here! If my eyes don't deceive, here's
the tracks where Mr. Dog's been along, and they're quite fresh!"

Br'er Rabbit he sidle up and look. Then he say:

"That there track ain't never fit Mr. Dog's foot. What's more," says he,
"I been acquainted with him what made that track too long ago to talk
about."

"Br'er Rabbit, please, sir, tell me his name."

Br'er Rabbit he laughs, as if he was making light of something or other.

"If I makes no mistakes, Br'er Fox, the poor creature what made that
track is Cousin Wildcat; no more and no less."

"How big is he, Br'er Rabbit?"

"Just about your heft, Br'er Fox." Then Br'er Rabbit make like talking
to himself. "Tut, tut, tut! To be su