siness, en den dey all cloze in on Brer Rabbit, en dar he
wuz.

"In dem days, ole man B'ar wuz a jedge 'mongs' de creeturs, en dey all
ax 'im w'at dey gwine do 'long wid Brer Rabbit, en Jedge B'ar, he put on
his specks, en cle'r up his th'oat, en say dat de bes' way ter do wid a
man w'at kick up sech a racket, en run de neighbors outer der own house,
en go in dar en level[15] on de pantry, is ter take 'im out en drown 'im;
en ole Brer Fox, w'ich he settin' on de jury, he up'n smack he hands
togedder, en cry, en say, sezee, dat atter dis he bleedz ter b'leeve dat
Jedge B'ar done got all-under holt on de lawyer-books, kaze dat 'zackly
w'at dey say w'en a man level on he neighbor pantry.

"Den Brer Rabbit, he make out he skeerd, en he holler en cry, en beg um,
in de name er goodness, don't fling 'im in de spring branch, kaze dey
all know he dunner how ter swim: but ef dey bleedz fer ter pitch 'im in,
den for mussy sake gin' 'im a walkin'-cane, so he kin have sumpin' ter
hol' ter w'iles he drownin'.

"Ole Brer B'ar scratch his head en say, sezee, dat, fur ez his
'membunce go back, he aint come 'cross nothin' in de lawyer-book ter
de contraries er dat, en den dey all 'gree dat Brer Rabbit kin have a
walkin'-cane.

"Wid dat, dey ketch up Brer Rabbit en put 'im in a wheelborrow en kyar
'im down ter de branch, en fling 'im in."

"Eh-eh!" exclaimed 'Tildy, with well-feigned astonishment.

"Dey fling 'im in," continued Uncle Remus, "en Brer Rabbit light on he
foots, same ez a tomcat, en pick his way out by de helps er de
walkin'-cane. De water wuz dat shaller dat it don't mo'n come over Brer
Rabbit slipper, en w'en he git out on t'er side, he holler back,
sezee:

"'So long, Brer Fox!'"

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FOOTNOTES:

[13] A corruption of "aye, aye." It is used as an expression of
triumph and its employment in this connection is both droll
and picturesque.

[14] Southern readers will recognize this and "han'-roomance" as
terms used by negroes in playing marbles,--a favorite game on
the plantations Sunday afternoons. These terms were curt and
expressive enough to gain currency among the whites.

[15] Levy.
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XIII

BROTHER FOX, BROTHER RABBIT, AND KING DEER'S DAUGHTER

Notwithstanding Brother Rabbit's success with the drum, the little boy