his fingers gently together, apparently keeping time to
his own thoughts. But his impatience exhausted itself, and when Uncle
Remus had concluded, the old African was as quiet as ever. When Brother
Fox was left so unceremoniously to his fate, Daddy Jack straightened
himself temporarily and said:

"Me yent bin-a yerry da tale so. 'E nice, fer true, 'e mek larf come;
oona no bin-a yerry um lak me."

"No," said Uncle Remus, with grave affability, "I 'speck not. One man,
one tale; 'n'er man, 'n'er tale. Folks tell um diffunt. I boun' yo' way
de bes', Brer Jack. Out wid it--en we ull set up yer, en hark at you en
laff wid you plum twel de chick'ns crow."

Daddy Jack needed no other invitation. He clasped his knee in his hands
and began:

"Dey is bin lif one Man wut plan' some pea in 'e geerden. 'E plan' some
pea, but 'e mek no pea; B'er Rabbit, 'e is fine um. 'E fine um un 'e eat
um. Man mek no pea, B'er Rabbit 'e 'stroy um so. 'E plan' dem pea; dey
do grow, un 'e go off. 'E come bahk; pea no dere. B'er Rabbit teer um up
un mek 'e cud wit' dem. So long tam, Man say 'e gwan ketch um, un 'e no
ketch um. Man go, B'er Rabbit come; Man come, B'er Rabbit go. Bumbye,
Man, 'e is git so mad, 'e y-eye bin-a come red; 'e crack 'e toof, 'e do
cuss. 'E oby 'e gwan ketch B'er Rabbit nohow. Dun 'e is bin-a call 'e
lilly gal. 'E talk, 'e tell 'im fer let B'er Rabbit go troo da geerden
gett. Lil gal say yasser. 'E talk, 'e tell 'im wun B'er Rabbit go troo
da gett, dun 'e mus' shed da gett, un no le'm come pas' no mo'. Lil gal
say yasser.

"Ole Man is bin-a gone 'bout 'e wuk; lil gal, 'e do lissun. B'er Rabbit,
'e come tippy-toe, tippy-toe; gone in da geerden; eat dem pea tel 'e
full up; eat tel he mos' git seeck wit' dem pea. Dun 'e start fer go
out; 'e fine da gett shed. 'E shek um, 'e no open; 'e push um, 'e no
open; 'e fair grunt, 'e push so hard, 'e no open. 'E bin-a call da lil
gal; e' say:

"'Lil gal, lil gal! cum y-open da gett. 'T is hu't me feelin' fer fine
da gett shed lak dis.'

"Lil gal no talk nuttin'. B'er Rabbit say:

"''T is-a bin hu't me feelin', lil gal! Come y-open da gett, lil gal,
less I teer um loose from da hinch.'

"Lil gal v'ice come bahk. 'E talk:

"'Daddy say mus'n'.'

"B'er Rabbit open 'e mout'. 'E say:

"'See me long sha'p toof? 'E bite you troo un troo!'

"Lil gal skeer; 'e tu'n loose de gett un fly. B'er Rabbit _gone_! Ole
Man come bahk; 'e ahx 'bout B'er Rabbit. Lil gal say:

"''E done gone