was still inclined to refer to Mr. Benjamin Ram and his fiddle; but
Uncle Remus was not, by any means, willing that such an ancient vagabond
as Mr. Ram should figure as a hero, and he said that, while it was
possible that Brother Rabbit was no great hand with the fiddle, he was a
drummer, and a capital singer to boot. Furthermore, Uncle Remus declared
that Brother Rabbit could perform upon the quills,[16] an accomplishment
to which none of the other animals could lay claim. There was a time,
too, the old man pointedly suggested, when the romantic rascal used his
musical abilities to win the smiles of a nice young lady of quality--no
less a personage, indeed, than King Deer's daughter. As a matter of
course, the little boy was anxious to hear the particulars, and Uncle
Remus was in nowise loath to give them.

"W'en you come ter ax me 'bout de year en day er de mont'," said the
old man, cunningly arranging a defence against criticism, "den I'm done,
kaze de almanick w'at dey got in dem times won't pass muster deze days,
but, let 'lone dat, I 'speck dey aint had none yit; en if dey is, dey
aint none bin handed down ter Remus.

"Well, den, some time 'long in dar, ole Brer Fox en Brer Rabbit got ter
flyin' 'roun' King Deer daughter. Dey tells me she 'uz a monst'us likely
gal, en I 'speck may be she wuz; leas'ways, Brer Fox, he hanker atter
'er, en likewise Brer Rabbit, he hanker atter 'er. Ole King Deer look
lak he sorter lean todes Brer Fox, kaze ter a settle man like him, hit
seem lak dat Brer Fox kin stir 'roun' en keep de pot a-b'ilin', mo'
speshually bein's he de bigges'. Hit go on dis a-way twel hardly a day
pass dat one er de yuther er dem creeturs don't go sparklin' 'roun' King
Deer daughter, en it got so atter w'ile dat all day long Brer Rabbit en
Brer Fox keep de front gate a-skreakin', en King Deer daughter aint
ska'cely had time fer ter eat a meal vittels in no peace er min'.

"In dem days," pursued Uncle Remus, in a tone of unmistakable historical
fervor, "w'en a creetur go a-courtin' dey wa'n't none er dish yer bokay
doin's mix' up 'longer der co'tship, en dey aint cut up no capers like
folks does now. Stidder scollopin' 'roun' en bowin' en scrapin', dey des
go right straight atter de gal. Ole Brer Rabbit, he mouter had some
bubby-blossoms[17] wrop up in his hankcher, but mostly him en Brer Fox
'ud des drap in on King Deer daughter en 'gin ter cas' sheep-eyes at 'er
time dey sot down en cross der legs."

"En