e to himself in
a lingo which might have been understood on the Guinea coast, but which
sounded out of place in Uncle Remus's Middle Georgia cabin. Presently,
however, his uneasiness took tangible shape. He turned around and
exclaimed impatiently:

"Shuh-shuh! w'en you sta't fer tell-a dem tale, wey you no tell um lak
dey stan'? 'E bery bad fer twis' dem tale 'roun' un 'roun'. Wey you no
talk um stret?"

"Well, Brer Jack," said Uncle Remus, smiling good-humoredly upon the
queer little old man, "ef we done gone en got dat ar tale all twis' up,
de way fer you ter do is ter whirl in en ontwis' it, en we-all folks 'll
set up yer en he'p you out plum twel Mars John comes a-hollerin' en
a-bawlin' atter dish yer baby; en atter he done gone ter bed, den me en
Sis Tempy yer we ull set up wid you plum twel de chickens crow fer day.
Dem's de kinder folk we all is up yer. We aint got many swimps en crabs
up yer in Putmon county, but w'en it come ter settin' up wid comp'ny en
hangin' 'roun' atter dark fer ter make de time pass away, we er mighty
rank. Now den, Brer Jack, I done call de roll wid my eye, en we er all
yer 'ceppin' dat ar 'Tildy gal, en 't won't be long 'fo' she'll be
a-drappin' in. Run over in yo' min', en whar my tale 'uz wrong, des
whirl in en put 'er ter rights."

"Shuh-shuh!" exclaimed the old African, "Oona no git dem tale stret. I
yed dem wey me lif; 'e soun' lak dis: One tam dem bittle bin git bery
skace. Da rice crop mek nuttin'; da fish swim low; da bud fly high.
Hard times bin come dey-dey. 'E so hard, dem creeturs do git honkry fer
true. B'er Rabbit un B'er Wolf dey come pit bote 'e head tergerrer; dey
is mek talk how honkry dey is 'way down in da belly.

"Bumbye, B'er Rabbit, 'e shed 'e y-eye, 'e say dey mus' kill dey
gran'mammy. B'er Wolf say 'e mek 'e y-eye come wat'ry fer yeddy da talk
lak dat. B'er Rabbit say:

"'Ki, B'er Wolf! da water come in you' y-eye wun you is bin honkry. Me
y-eye done bin-a come wat'ry so long tam befo' I bin talky wit' you
'bout we gran'mammy.'

"B'er Wolf, 'e der keep on cryin'; 'e wipe 'e y-eye 'pon 'e coat-sleef.
B'er Rabbit, 'e bin say:

"'Ef you is bin tek it so ha'd lak dis, B'er Wolf, 'e bery good fer
kill-a you' gran'mammy fus', so you is kin come glad ag'in.'

"B'er Wolf, 'e go dry 'e y-eye un kill 'e gran'mammy, un dey is bin tek
'im gran'mammy off un sell um fer bittle. Dun dey is bin eat dis bittle
day un night tell 'e all done gone. Wun-a tam come fer B'er