t dem yuther creeturs, dey say dey
gwine ter stick it out; en atter w'ile, w'en dey git der h'ar smoove
down, dey 'gun ter jower 'mongs' deyse'f. 'Bout dat time, w'en dey get
in a good way, Brer Rabbit, he sing out:

"'W'en a big man like me take a chaw terbacker, wharbouts he gwine ter
spit?'

"Den de yuther creeturs, dey holler back, dey did, sorter like deyer
mad:

"'Big man er little man, spit whar you please.'

"Den Brer Rabbit, he squall out:

"'Dis de way a big man spit!' en wid dat he tilt over de tub er
slop-water, en w'en de yuther creeturs year it come a-sloshin' down de
sta'r-steps, gentermens! dey des histed deyse'f outer dar. Some un um
went out de back do', en some un um went out de front do', en some un um
fell out de winders; some went one way en some went n'er way; but dey
all went sailin' out."

"But what became of Brother Rabbit?" the little boy asked.

"Brer Rabbit, he des tuck'n shot up de house en fassen de winders, en
den he got ter bed, he did, en pull de coverled up 'roun' he years, en
he sleep like a man w'at aint owe nobody nuthin'; en needer do he owe
um, kaze ef dem yuther creeturs gwine git skeer'd en run off fum der own
house, w'at bizness is dat er Brer Rabbit? Dat w'at I like ter know."

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FOOTNOTES:

[6] Preserves.

[7] In the South, a rain is called a "season," not only by the
negroes, but by many white farmers.

[8] It is a far-away sound that might be identified with one of the
various undertones of silence, but it is palpable enough (if the
word may be used) to have attracted the attention of the humble
philosophers of the old plantation.

[9] Measuring.
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VII

MR. LION HUNTS FOR MR. MAN

Uncle Remus sighed heavily as he lifted the trivet on the head of his
walking-cane, and hung it carefully by the side of the griddle in the
cavernous fireplace.

"Folks kin come 'long wid der watchermaycollums," he said presently,
turning to the little boy, who was supplementing his supper by biting
off a chew of shoemaker's-wax, "en likewise dey kin fetch 'roun' der
watziznames. Dey kin walk biggity, en dey kin talk biggity, en mo'n dat,
dey kin feel biggity, but yit all de same deyer gwine ter git kotch up
wid. Dey go 'long en dey go 'long, en den bimeby yer come trouble en
snatch um slonc