me en deze
gents w'en dey's any fun gwine on,' sezee.

"'Maybe Brer B'ar might jine in wid us,' sez Brer Tarrypin, sezee.

[Illustration: WHY BROTHER BEAR HAS NO TAIL]

"Brer Rabbit he des holler en laff.

"'Shoo!' sezee, 'Brer B'ar foot too big en he tail too long fer ter
slide down dat rock,' sezee.

"Dis kinder put Brer B'ar on he mettle, en he up'n 'spon', he did:

"'Maybe dey is, en maybe dey aint, yit I aint a-feared ter try.'

"Wid dat de yuthers tuck'n made way fer 'im, en ole Brer B'ar he git up
on de rock, he did, en squot down on he hunkers, en quile he tail und'
'im, en start down. Fus' he go sorter slow, en he grin lak he feel good;
den he go sorter peart, en he grin lak he feel bad; den he go mo'
pearter, en he grin lak he skeerd; den he strack de slick part, en,
gentermens! he swaller de grin en fetch a howl dat moughter bin yeard a
mile, en he hit de water lak a chimbly a-fallin'.

"You kin gimme denial," Uncle Remus continued after a little pause, "but
des ez sho' ez you er settin' dar, w'en Brer B'ar slick'd up en flew
down dat rock, he break off he tail right smick-smack-smoove, en mo'n
dat, w'en he make his disappear'nce up de big road, Brer Rabbit holler
out:

"'Brer B'ar!--O Brer B'ar! I year tell dat flaxseed poultices is mighty
good fer so' places!'

"Yit Brer B'ar aint look back."

XXII

HOW BROTHER RABBIT FRIGHTENED HIS NEIGHBORS

When Uncle Remus was in a good humor he turned the most trifling
incidents into excuses for amusing the little boy with his stories. One
night while he was hunting for a piece of candle on the shelf that took
the place of a mantel over the fireplace, he knocked down a tin plate.
It fell upon the hearth with a tremendous clatter.

"Dar now!" exclaimed Uncle Remus. "Hit 's a blessin' dat dat ar platter
is got mo' backbone dan de common run er crockery, 'kaze 't would er bin
bust all ter flinderations long time ago. Dat ar platter is got dents on
it w'at Miss Sally put dar w'en she 'uz a little bit er gal. Yet dar 't
is, en right dis minnit hit'll hol' mo' vittles dan w'at I got ter put
in it.

"I lay," the old man continued, leaning his hand against the chimney and
gazing at the little boy reflectively,--"I lay ef de creeturs had a bin
yer w'iles all dat clatterment gwine on dey'd a lef' bidout tellin'
anybody good-bye. All 'ceppin' Brer Rabbit. Bless yo' soul, he'd er
stayed fer ter see de fun, des lak he did dat t'er time w'en he skeer u