le kit en bilin' un um. Yit all de time Brer Rabbit aint doin'
nothin', en he des well bin layin' off in de shade scratchin' de fleas
off'n 'im. De yuther creeturs, dey buil' de house, en, gentermens! she
'uz a fine un, too, mon. She'd 'a' bin a fine un deze days, let 'lone
dem days. She had er upsta'rs en downsta'rs, en chimbleys all 'roun', en
she had rooms fer all de creeturs w'at went inter cahoots en hope make
it.

"Brer Rabbit, he pick out one er de upsta'rs rooms, en he tuck'n' got
'im a gun, en one er deze yer brass cannons, en he tuck'n' put um in dar
w'en de yuther creeturs aint lookin', en den he tuck'n' got 'im a tub
er nasty slop-water, w'ich likewise he put in dar w'en dey aint
lookin'. So den, w'en dey git de house all fix, en w'iles dey wuz all
a-settin' in de parlor atter supper, Brer Rabbit, he sorter gap en
stretch hisse'f, en make his 'skuses en say he b'leeve he'll go ter he
room. W'en he git dar, en w'iles all de yuther creeturs wuz a-laughin'
en a-chattin' des ez sociable ez you please, Brer Rabbit, he stick he
head out er de do' er he room en sing out:

"'W'en a big man like me wanter set down, wharbouts he gwine ter set?'
sezee.

"Den de yuther creeturs dey laugh, en holler back:

"'Ef big man like you can't set in a cheer, he better set down on de
flo'.'

"'Watch out down dar, den,' sez ole Brer Rabbit, sezee. 'Kaze I'm a
gwine ter set down,' sezee.

"Wid dat, _bang!_ went Brer Rabbit gun. Co'se, dis sorter 'stonish de
creeturs, en dey look 'roun' at one er n'er much ez ter say, W'at in de
name er gracious is dat? Dey lissen en lissen, but dey don't year no mo'
fuss, en 't wa'n't long 'fo' dey got ter chattin' en jabberin' some
mo'. Bimeby, Brer Rabbit stick he head outer he room do', en sing out:

"'W'en a big man like me wanter sneeze, wharbouts he gwine ter sneeze
at?'

"Den de yuther creeturs, dey tuck'n holler back:

"'Ef big man like you aint a-gone gump, he kin sneeze anywhar he
please.'

"'Watch out down dar, den,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee. 'Kaze I'm gwine ter
tu'n loose en sneeze right yer,' sezee.

"Wid dat, Brer Rabbit let off his cannon--_bulderum-m-m!_ De
winder-glass dey shuck en rattle, en de house shuck like she gwine ter
come down, en ole Brer B'ar, he fell out de rockin'-cheer--_kerblump!_
W'en de creeturs git sorter settle, Brer 'Possum en Brer Mink, dey up'n
'low dat Brer Rabbit got sech a monst'us bad cole, dey b'leeve dey'll
step out and git some fresh a'r, bu