o mo', en dey push 'im so closte twel 't won't be long
'fo' dey'll git 'im. De ole Witch-Rabbit she sot dar, she did, en suck
in black smoke en puff it out 'g'in, twel you can't see nothin' 't all
but 'er great big eyeballs en 'er great big years. Atter w'ile she
'low:

"'Dar sets a squer'l in dat tree, Son Riley; go fetch dat squer'l
straight ter me, Son Riley Rabbit, Riley.'

"Brer Rabbit sorter study, en den he 'low, he did:

"'I aint got much sense lef', yit ef I can't coax dat chap down from
dar, den hit 's 'kaze I done got some zeeze w'ich it make me fibble in de
min',' sezee.

"Wid dat, Brer Rabbit tuck'n empty de provender out'n he bag en got 'im
two rocks, en put de bag over he head en sot down und' de tree whar he
squer'l is. He wait little w'ile, en den he hit de rocks
tergedder--_blip!_

"Squer'l he holler, 'Hey!'

"Brer Rabbit wait little, en den he tuck'n slap de rocks
tergedder--_blap!_

"Squer'l he run down de tree little bit en holler, 'Heyo!'

"Brer Rabbit aint sayin' nothin'. He des pop de rocks
tergedder--_blop!_

"Squer'l, he come down little furder, he did, en holler, 'Who dat?'

"'Biggidy Dicky Big-Bag!'

"'What you doin' in dar?'

"'Crackin' hick'y nuts.'

"'Kin I crack some?'

"'Tooby sho', Miss Bunny Bushtail; come git in de bag.'

"Miss Bunny Bushtail hang back," continued Uncle Remus, chuckling; "but
de long en de short un it wuz dat she got in de bag, en Brer Rabbit he
tuck'n kyar'd 'er ter ole Mammy-Bammy Big-Money. De ole Witch-Rabbit,
she tuck'n tu'n de squer'l a-loose, en 'low:

"'Dar lies a snake in 'mungs' de grass, Son Riley; go fetch 'im yer, en
be right fas', Son Riley Rabbit, Riley.'

"Brer Rabbit look 'roun', en sho' nuff dar lay de bigges' kinder
rattlesnake, all quile up ready fer business. Brer Rabbit scratch he
year wid he behime leg, en study. Look lak he gwine git in trouble. Yit
atter w'ile he go off in de bushes, he did, en cut 'im a young
grape-vine, en he fix 'im a slip-knot. Den he come back. Snake
'periently look lak he sleep. Brer Rabbit ax 'im how he come on. Snake
aint say nothin', but he quile up a little tighter, en he tongue run
out lak it bin had grease on it. Mouf shot, yit de tongue slick out en
slick back 'fo' a sheep kin shake he tail. Brer Rabbit, he 'low, he
did:

"'Law, Mr. Snake, I mighty glad I come 'cross you,' sezee. 'Me en ole
Jedge B'ar bin havin' a turrible 'spute 'bout how long you is. We bofe
'gree dat you look mighty pu