dey tied 'im han' an' foot wid er rope,
an' tuck 'im right erlong tell dey come ter de lions' den; an' wen dey
wuz yit er fur ways fum dar dey hyeard de lions er ro'in an' er sayin',
'Ar-ooorrrrar! aroooorrrrrar!' an' all dey hearts 'gun ter quake sept'n
Brer Dan'l's; he nuber note's 'em; he jes pray 'long. By'mby dey git
ter de den, an' dey tie er long rope roun' Brer Dan'l's was'e, an' tho
'im right in! an' den dey drawed up de rope, an' went back whar dey come
fum.

"Well, yearly nex' mornin hyear dey come agin, an' dis time de king he
come wid 'em; an' dey hyeard de lions er ro'in, 'Ar-ooorrrrar!
arooorrrrar!' an' dey come ter de den, an' dey open de do', an' dar wuz
de lions wid dey mouf open an' dey eyes er shinin', jes er trompin'
backerds an' forerds; an' dar in de corner sot an angel smoovin' uv 'is
wings; an' right in de middle uv de den was Dan'l, jes er sot'n back
dar! Gemmun, _he wuzn totch!_ he nuber so much as had de smell uv de
lions bout'n 'im! he wuz jes as whole, mun, as he wuz de day he wuz
born! Eben de boots on 'im, sar, wuz ez shiny ez dey wuz wen dey put 'im
in dar.

"An' he jes clum up de side uv de den, he did; an' soon's uber his feet
tech de yeath, he sez ter de king, sezee, 'King, hit ain't no usen fur
yer ter fool erlong o' me,' sezee; 'I'm er prayin' man mysef, an I 'low
ter live an' die on my knees er prayin' an' er sarvin' de Lord.' Sezee,
'De Lord ain't gwine let de lions meddle long o' me,' sezee; 'I ain't
fyeard o' nufn,' sezee. 'De Lord is my strengt an' my rocks, an' I ain't
er fyeard o' NO man.' An' wid dat he helt er preachin', sar, right whar
he wuz; an' he tol' 'em uv dey sins, an' de goodness uv de Lord. He
preach de word, he did, right erlong, an' atter dat he 'gun ter sing dis
hymn:

"'Dan'l wuz er prayin' man;
He pray tree times er day;
De Lord he hist de winder,
Fur ter hyear po' Dan'l pray.'

"Den he 'gun ter call up de mo'ners, an' dey come too! Mun, de whole
yeath wuz erlive wid 'em: de white folks dey went up; an' de niggers
_dey_ went up; an' de pater-rollers _dey_ went up; an' de king _he_ went
up; an' dey all come thu an' got 'ligion; an' fum dat day dem folks is
er sarvin' de Lord.

"An' now, chil'en, efn yer be like Brer Dan'l, an' say yer prars, an'
put yer pen'ence in de Lord, yer needn be er fyeard uv no lions; de
Lord, he'll take cyar uv yer, an' he'll be mighty proud ter do it.

"Now," continued the old man, "we'll close dis meet'n by singin' uv e