skeer'd, en den dey 'gun ter take heart. Fus'
news you know, one un um sorter drap he wings en fuzzle up de fedders en
run out 'twix' Sis Cow en de Lion. W'en he get dar, he sorter dip down,
he did, en fling up dirt des lak you see um do in de ash-pile. Den he
tuck'n run back, he did, en time he git back, 'n'er one run out en raise
de dus' 'twix' Sis Cow en de Lion. Den 'n'er one, he run out en dip down
en shoo up de dus'; den 'n'er one run out en dip down, en 'n'er one en
yit 'n'er one, twel, bless gracious! time dey all run out en dip down
en raise de dus', de Lion wuz dat blin' twel he aint kin see he han'
befo' 'im. Dis make 'im so mad dat he make a splunge at Sis Cow, en de
old lady, she kotch 'im on her hawns en got 'im down, en des nat'ally
to' intruls out."

"Did she kill the Lion, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy,
incredulously.

[Illustration: WHY THE GUINEA FOWLS ARE SPECKLED]

"Dat she did--dat she did! Yit 't aint make 'er proud, 'kaze atter de
Lion done good en dead, she tuck en call up de Guinnies, she did, en she
'low, dey bin so quick fer ter he'p 'er out, dat she wanter pay um back.
De Guinnies, dey say, sezee:

"'Don't bodder 'long er we all, Sis Cow,' sezee. 'You had yo' fun en we
all had ourn, en 'ceppin' dat ar blood en ha'r on yo' hawn,' sezee, 'dey
aint none un us any de wuss off,' sezee.

"But ole Sis Cow, she stan' um down, she did, dat she got ter pay um
back, en den atter w'ile she ax um w'at dey lak bes'.

"One un um up en make answer dat w'at dey lak bes', Sis Cow, she can't
gi' um. Sis Cow, she up en 'low dat she dunno 'bout dat, en she ax um
w'at is it.

"Den de Guinnies, dey tuck'n huddle up, dey did, en hol' er confab wid
one er 'n'er, en w'iles dey er doin' dis, ole Sis Cow, she tuck'n fetch
a long breff, en den she call up 'er cud, en stood dar chawin' on it des
lak she aint had no tribalation dat day.

"Bimeby one er de Guinnies step out fum de huddlement en make a bow en
'low dat dey all 'ud be mighty proud ef Sis Cow kin fix it some way so
dey can't be seed so fur thoo de woods, 'kaze dey look blue in de sun,
en dey look blue in de shade, en dey can't hide deyse'f nohow. Sis Cow,
she chaw on 'er cud, en shet 'er eyes, en study. She chaw en chaw, en
study en study. Bimeby she 'low:

"'Go fetch me a pail!' Guinny-hin laff!

"'Law, Sis Cow! w'at de name er goodness you gwine do wid a pail?'

"'Go fetch me a pail!'

"Guinny-hin, she run'd off, she did, en atter w'i