er know better," said the
old man. "Dat 's des de way Brer B'ar git his tail broke off
smick-smack-smoove, en down ter dis day he de funnies'-lookin' creetur
w'at wobble on top er dry groun'."

Instantly the little boy forgot all about Uncle Remus's sharp knife.

"Hit seem lak dat in dem days Brer Rabbit en Brer Tarrypin done gone in
cohoots fer ter outdo de t'er creeturs. One time Brer Rabbit tuck'n make
a call on Brer Tarrypin, but w'en he git ter Brer Tarrypin house, he
year talk fum Miss Tarrypin dat her ole man done gone fer ter spen' de
day wid Mr. Mud-Turkle, w'ich dey wuz blood kin. Brer Rabbit he put out
atter Brer Tarrypin, en w'en he got ter Mr. Mud-Turkle house, dey all
sot up, dey did, en tole tales, en den w'en twelf er'clock come dey had
crawfish fer dinner, en dey 'joy deyse'f right erlong. Atter dinner dey
went down ter Mr. Mud-Turkle mill-pon', en w'en dey git dar Mr.
Mud-Turkle en Brer Tarrypin dey 'muse deyse'f, dey did, wid slidin' fum
de top uv a big slantin' rock down inter de water.

"I 'speck you moughter seen rocks in de water 'fo' now, whar dey git
green en slipp'y," said Uncle Remus.

The little boy had not only seen them, but had found them to be very
dangerous to walk upon, and the old man continued:

"Well, den, dish yer rock wuz mighty slick en mighty slantin'. Mr.
Mud-Turkle, he'd crawl ter de top, en tu'n loose, en go a-sailin' down
inter de water--_kersplash!_ Ole Brer Tarrypin, he'd foller atter, en
slide down inter de water--_kersplash!_ Ole Brer Rabbit, he sot off, he
did, en praise um up.

"W'iles dey wuz a-gwine on dis a-way, a-havin' der fun, en 'joyin'
deyse'f, yer come ole Brer B'ar. He year um laffin' en holl'in', en he
hail um.

"'Heyo, folks! W'at all dis? Ef my eye aint 'ceive me, dish yer's Brer
Rabbit, en Brer Tarrypin, en ole Unk' Tommy Mud-Turkle,' sez Brer B'ar,
sezee.

"'De same,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'en yer we is 'joyin' de day dat
passes des lak dey wa'n't no hard times.'

"'Well, well, well!' sez ole Brer B'ar, sezee, 'a-slippin' en a-slidin'
en makin' free! En w'at de matter wid Brer Rabbit dat he aint j'inin'
in?' sezee.

"Ole Brer Rabbit he wink at Brer Tarrypin, en Brer Tarrypin he hunch Mr.
Mud-Turkle, en den Brer Rabbit he up'n 'low, he did:

"'My goodness, Brer B'ar! you can't 'speck a man fer ter slip en slide
de whole blessid day, kin you? I done had my fun, en now I'm a-settin'
out yer lettin' my cloze dry. Hit 's tu'n en tu'n about wid