n ax 'im is he got a bad cole, en Brer Rabbit 'spon' dat he
smell sump'n' w'ich it don't smell like ripe peaches. Bimeby, Brer
Rabbit 'gun to hoi' he nose, he did, en atter w'ile he sing out:

"'Gracious en de goodness, Mr. Man! hit 's dat meat er yone. _Phew!_
Whar'bouts is you pick up dat meat at?'

"Dis make Mr. Man feel sorter 'shame' hisse'f, en ter make marters wuss,
yer come a great big green fly a-zoonin' 'roun'. Brer Rabbit he git way
off on t'er side er de road, en he keep on hol'in' he nose. Mr. Man, he
look sorter sheepish, he did, en dey aint gone fur 'fo' he put de meat
down on de side er de road, en he tuck'n ax Brer Rabbit w'at dey gwine
do 'bout it. Brer Rabbit he 'low, he did:

"'I year tell in my time dat ef you take'n drag a piece er meat thoo' de
dus' hit'll fetch back hits freshness. I aint no superspicious man
myse'f,' sezee, 'en I aint got no 'speunce wid no sech doin's, but dem
w'at tell me say dey done try it. Yit I knows dis,' says Brer Rabbit,
sezee,--'I knows dat 't aint gwine do no harm, 'kaze de grit w'at gits
on de meat kin be wash off,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.

"'I aint got no string,' sez Mr. Man, sezee.

"Brer Rabbit laff hearty, but still he hol' he nose.

"'Time you bin in de bushes long ez I is, you won't miss strings,' sez
Brer Rabbit, sezee.

"Wid dat Brer Rabbit lipt out, en he aint gone long 'fo' he come
hoppin' back wid a whole passel er bamboo vines all tied tergedder. Mr.
Man, he 'low:

"'Dat line mighty long.'

"Brer Rabbit he 'low:

"'Tooby sho', you want de win' fer ter git 'twix' you en dat meat.'

"Den Mr. Man tuck'n tied de bamboo line ter de meat. Brer Rabbit he
broke off a 'simmon bush, he did, en 'low dat he'd stay behime en keep
de flies off. Mr. Man he go on befo' en drag de meat, en Brer Rabbit he
stay behime, he did, en take keer un it."

Here Uncle Remus was compelled to pause and laugh before he could
proceed with the story.

"En he is take keer un it, mon--dat he is. He tuck'n git 'im a rock, en
w'iles Mr. Man gwine 'long bidout lookin' back, he ondo de meat en tie
de rock ter de bamboo line, en w'en Brer Fox foller on, sho' nuff, dar
lay de meat. Mr. Man, he drug de rock, he did, en Brer Rabbit he keep de
flies off, twel atter dey gone on right smart piece, en den w'en Mr.
Man look 'roun', whar wuz ole man Rabbit?

"Bless yo' soul, Brer Rabbit done gone back en jine Brer Fox, en he wuz
des in time, at dat, 'kaze little mo' en Brer Fox would '