t, 'e do beat-a da bush down wit' 'e
cane. 'E hit lef', 'e hit right; 'e hit up, 'e hit down; 'e hit all
'roun'. 'E hit un 'e hit, tel bumbye 'e hit 'gater in 'e mout' un
knock-a da toof out. 'E grab um up; 'e gone fum dey-dey. 'E fetch-a da
'gater toof wey da Affiky mans lif. Affiky mans say:

"''Gater is bin-a got sha'p toof fer true. Go fetch-a me one rice-bud
bill.'

"B'er Rabbit gone! 'E go 'long, 'e go 'long, tel 'e see rice-bud
swingin' on bush. 'E ahx um kin 'e fly.

"Rice-bud say: 'See dis!'

"'E wissle, 'e sing, 'e shek 'e wing; 'e fly all 'roun' un 'roun'.

"B'er Rabbit say rice-bud kin fly wey da win' is bin blow, but 'e no kin
fly wey no win' blow.

"Rice-bud say, 'Enty!'

"'E wait fer win' stop blowin'; 'e wait, un 'e fly all 'roun' un 'roun'.

"B'er Rabbit say rice-bud yent kin fly in house wey dey no win'.

"Rice-bud say, 'Enty!'

"'E fly in house, 'e fly all 'roun' un 'roun'. B'er Rabbit pull de do'
shed; 'e look at dem rice-bud; 'e say, 'Enty!'

"'E ketch dem rice-bud; 'e do git um bill, 'e fetch um wey da Affiky
mans lif. Affiky mans says dem rice-bud bill slick fer true. 'E tekky da
el'phan' tush, 'e tekky da 'gater toof, 'e tekky da rice-bud bill, he
pit um in lil bag; 'e swing dem bag 'pon B'er Rabbit neck. Den B'er
Rabbit kin marry dem noung gal. Enty!"

Here Daddy Jack paused and flung a glance of feeble tenderness upon
'Tildy. Uncle Remus smiled contemptuously, seeing which 'Tildy
straightened herself, tossed her head, and closed her eyes with an air
of indescribable scorn.

"I dunner what Brer Rabbit mout er done," she exclaimed; "but I lay ef
dey's any ole nigger man totin' a cunjer-bag in dis neighborhood, he'll
git mighty tired un it 'fo' it do 'im any good--I lay dat!"

Daddy Jack chuckled heartily at this, and dropped off to sleep so
suddenly that the little boy thought he was playing 'possum.

XXXV

BROTHER RABBIT SUBMITS TO A TEST

"Uncle Remus," said the child, "do you reckon Brother Rabbit really
married the young lady?"

"Bless yo' soul, honey," responded the old man, with a sigh, "hit b'long
ter Brer Jack fer ter tell you dat. 'T aint none er my tale."

"Was n't that the tale you started to tell?"

"Who? Me? _Shoo!_ I aint 'sputin' but w'at Brer Jack tale des ez purty
ez dey er any needs fer, yit 't aint none er my tale."

At this, the little boy laid his head upon Uncle Remus's knee and
waited.

"Now, den," said the old man, with an air of consid