e, en he up'n tell Brer Tarrypin dat ef he'll
step up dar in de middle er dat ole broom-sage fiel', en squot dar a
spell, 't won't be no time 'fo' he'll ketch a glimpse er de Ole Boy.

"Brer Tarrypin know'd ders sump'n' wrong some'rs, yit he mos' too
flat-flooted fer ter have enny scuffle wid Brer Fox, en he say ter
hisse'f dat he'll go 'long en des trus' ter luck; en den he 'low dat ef
Brer Fox he'p 'im 'cross de fence, he b'lieve he'll go up en resk one
eye on de Ole Boy. Co'se Brer Fox hope 'im 'cross, en no sooner is he
good en gone, dan Brer Fox, he fix up fer ter make 'im see trouble. He
lipt out ter Miss Meadows house, Brer Fox did, en make like he wanter
borry a chunk er fier fer ter light he pipe, en he tuck dat chunk, en he
run 'roun' de fiel', en he sot de grass a fier, en't wa'n't long 'fo' it
look lak de whole face er de yeth waz a-blazin' up."

"Did it burn the Terrapin up?" interrupted the little boy.

"Don't push me, honey; don't make me git de kyart 'fo' de hoss. W'en ole
Brer Tarrypin 'gun ter wade thoo de straw, de ve'y fus' man w'at he
strak up wid wuz ole man Rabbit layin' dar sleepin' on de shady side uv
a tussock. Brer Rabbit, he one er deze yer kinder mens w'at sleep wid
der eye wide open, en he wuz 'wake d'reckly he year Brer Tarrypin
scufflin' en scramblin' 'long thoo de grass. Atter dey shuck han's en ax
'bout one er n'er fambly, hit aint take long fer Brer Tarrypin fer ter
tell Brer Rabbit w'at fotch 'im dar, en Brer Rabbit, he up'n say,
sezee:

"'Hit 's des na'tally a born blessin' dat you struck up wid me w'en you
did,' sezee, 'kaze little mo' en bofe un us would 'a' bin bobbycu'd,'
sezee.

"Dis kinder tarrify Brer Tarrypin, en he say he wanter git out fum dar;
but Brer Rabbit he 'low he'd take keer un 'im, en he tuck'n tuck Brer
Tarrypin in de middle er de fiel' whar dey wuz a big holler stump. Onter
dis stump Brer Rabbit lif' Brer Tarrypin, en den he lip up hisse'f en
crope in de holler, en, bless yo' soul, honey, w'en de fier come
a-snippin' en a-snappin', dar dey sot des ez safe en ez snug ez you iz
in yo' bed dis minnit.

"W'en de blaze blow over, Brer Tarrypin look 'roun', en he see Brer Fox
runnin' up'n down de fence lak he huntin' sump'n'. Den Brer Rabbit, he
stick he head up outen de hole, en likewise he seed 'im, and den he
holler like Brer Tarrypin" (Here Uncle Remus puckered his voice, so to
say, in a most amusing squeak):

"'Brer Fox! Brer Fox! O Brer Fox! Run yer--we d