you fixin'
fer ter git in sho' 'nuff trouble,' sezee.

"'I'm gwine ter larrup dat same Mr. Man,' sez Mr. Lion, sezee; 'I done
come fer dat, en dat w'at I'm gwine ter do,' sezee.

"Mr. Steer, he draw long breff, he did, en chaw he cud slow, en atter
w'ile he say, sezee:

"'You see me stannin' yer front er yo' eyes, en you see how big I is, en
w'at long, sharp hawns I got. Well, big ez my heft is, en sharp dough my
hawns be, yit Mr. Man, he come out yer en he ketch me, en he put me und'
a yoke, en he hitch me up in a kyart, en he make me haul he wood, en he
drive me anywhar he min' ter. He do dat. Better let Mr. Man 'lone,'
sezee. 'If you fool 'long wid 'im, watch out dat he don't hitch you up
en have you prancin' 'roun' yer pullin' he kyart,' sezee.

"Mr. Lion, he fotch a roar, en put out down de road, en 't wa'n't so
mighty long 'fo' he come up wid Mr. Hoss, w'ich he wuz a-nibblin' en
a-croppin' de grass. Mr. Lion make hisse'f know'd, en den he tuck'n ax
Mr. Hoss do he know Mr. Man.

"'Mighty well,' sez Mr. Hoss, sezee, 'en mo'n dat, I bin a-knowin' 'im a
long time. W'at you want wid Mr. Man?' sezee.

"'I'm a-huntin' 'im up fer ter larrup 'im,' sez Mr. Lion, sezee. 'Dey
tells me he mighty stuck up,' sezee, 'en I gwine take 'im down a peg,'
sezee.

"Mr. Hoss look at Mr. Lion like he sorry, en bimeby he up'n say:

"'I 'speck you better let Mr. Man 'lone,' sezee. 'You see how big I is,
en how much strenk w'at I got, en how tough my foots is,' sezee; 'well
dish yer Mr. Man, he kin take'n take me en hitch me up in he buggy, en
make me haul 'im all 'roun', en den he kin take'n fassen me ter de plow
en make me break up all his new groun',' sezee. 'You better go 'long
back home. Fus' news you know, Mr. Man'll have you breakin' up his new
groun',' sezee.

"Spite er all dis, Mr. Lion, he shake he mane en say he gwine ter larrup
Mr. Man anyhow. He went on down de big road, he did, en bimeby he come
up wid Mr. Jack Sparrer, settin' up in de top er de tree. Mr. Jack
Sparrer, he whirl 'roun' en chirp, en flutter 'bout up dar, en
'pariently make a great 'miration.

"'Heyo yer!' sezee; 'who'd er 'speckted fer ter see Mr. Lion 'way down
yer in dis neighborhoods?' sezee. 'Whar you gwine, Mr. Lion?' sezee.

"Den Mr. Lion ax ef Mr. Jack Sparrer know Mr. Man, en Mr. Jack Sparrer
say he know Mr. Man mighty well. Den Mr. Lion, he ax ef Mr. Jack Sparrer
know whar he stay, w'ich Mr. Jack Sparrer say dat he do. Mr. Lion ax
wharbou