hways, en de mo' bigger w'at dey is, de wusser does dey
git snatched."

The little boy did n't understand this harangue at all, but he
appreciated it because he recognized it as the prelude to a story.

"Dar wuz Mr. Lion," Uncle Remus went on; "he tuck'n sot hisse'f up fer
ter be de boss er all de yuther creeturs, en he feel so biggity dat he
go ro'in' en rampin' 'roun' de neighborhoods wuss'n dat ar speckle bull
w'at you see down at yo' Unk' Jeems Abercrombie place las' year. He went
ro'in' 'roun', he did, en eve'ywhar he go he year talk er Mr. Man. Right
in de middle er he braggin', some un 'ud up'n tell 'im 'bout w'at Mr.
Man done done. Mr. Lion, he say he done dis, en den he year 'bout how
Mr. Man done dat. Hit went on dis a-way twel bimeby Mr. Lion shake he
mane, he did, en he up'n say dat he gwine ter s'arch 'roun' en 'roun',
en high en low, fer ter see ef he can't fine Mr. Man, en he 'low, Mr.
Lion did, dat w'en he do fine 'im, he gwine ter tu'n in en gin Mr. Man
sech n'er larrupin' w'at nobody aint never had yit. Dem yuther
creeturs, dey tuck'n tell Mr. Lion dat he better let Mr. Man 'lone, but
Mr. Lion say he gwine ter hunt 'im down spite er all dey kin do.

"Sho' nuff, atter he done tuck some res', Mr. Lion, he put out down de
big road. Sun, she rise up en shine hot, but Mr. Lion, he keep on; win',
hit come up en blow, en fill de elements full er dust; rain, hit drif'
up en drizzle down; but Mr. Lion, he keep on. Bimeby, w'iles he gwine on
dis a-way, wid he tongue hangin' out, he come up wid Mr. Steer, grazin'
'long on de side er de road. Mr. Lion, he up'n ax 'im howdy, he did,
monst'us perlite, en Mr. Steer likewise he bow en scrape en show his
manners. Den Mr. Lion, he do lak he wanter have some confab wid 'im, en
he up'n say, sezee:

"'Is dey anybody 'roun' in deze parts name Mr. Man?' sezee.

"'Tooby sho' dey is,' sez Mr. Steer, sezee; 'anybody kin tell you dat. I
knows 'im mighty well,' sezee.

"'Well, den, he de ve'y chap I'm atter,' sezee.

"'W'at mought be yo' bizness wid Mr. Man?' sez Mr. Steer, sezee.

"'I done come dis long ways fer ter gin 'im a larrupin',' sez Mr. Lion,
sezee. 'I'm gwine ter show 'im who de boss er deze neighborhoods,'
sezee, en wid dat Mr. Lion, he shake he mane, en switch he tail, en
strut up en down wuss'n one er deze yer town niggers.

"'Well, den, ef dat w'at you come atter,' sez Mr. Steer, sezee, 'you des
better slew yo'se'f 'roun' en p'int yo' nose todes home, kaze