le Remus, solemnly.

Aunt Tempy laughed, as she straightened herself in her chair, and
said:

"I des knowed dey wuz sump'n' 'n'er gwine 'cross my min' w'en I year
talk 'bout dat ar sheep by de chinkapin tree."

"Out wid it, Sis Tempy," said Uncle Remus, by way of encouragement; "out
wid it; free yo' min', en des make yo'se'f welcome."

"No longer'n Sunday 'fo' las', I 'uz 'cross dar at de Spivey place un I
tuck'n year'd a nigger man tellin' de same tale, un I 'low ter myse'f
dat I'd take'n take it un kyar' it home un gin it out w'en I come ter
pass de time wid Brer Remus un all uv um. I 'low ter myse'f I'll take it
un kyar' it dar, un I'll des tell it my own way."

"Well, den," said Uncle Remus, approvingly, "me en dish yer chap, we er
willin' en a-waitin', en ez fer Brer Jack over dar, we kin say de same
fer him, 'kaze I up en year 'im draw mighty long breff des now lak he
fixin' fer ter snort. But you neenter min' dat ole creetur, Sis Tempy.
Des push right ahead."

"Ah-h-h-e-e!" exclaimed Daddy Jack, snapping his bright little eyes at
Uncle Remus with some display of irritation; "you tek-a me fer be sleep
ebry tam I shed-a me y-eye, you is mek fool-a you'se'f. _Warrah yarrah
garrah tarrah!_"[71]

"Brer Remus!" said Aunt Tempy, in an awed whisper, "maybe he's a-cunju'n
un you."

"No-no!" exclaimed Daddy Jack, snappishly, "me no cuncher no'n' 't all.
Wun me cuncher you all you yeddy bone crack. Enty!"

"Well, in de name er de Lord, don't come a-cunju'n wid me, 'kaze I'm des
as peaceable ez de day's long," said Aunt Tempy.

Uncle Remus smiled and closed his eyes with an air of disdain, caught
from his old Mistress, the little boy's grandmother, long since dead.

"Tell yo' tale, Sis Tempy," he said pleasantly, "en leave de talk er
cunju'n ter de little nigger childun. We er done got too ole fer dat
kinder foolishness."

This was for the ear of the little boy. In his heart Uncle Remus was
convinced that Daddy Jack was capable of changing himself into the
blackest of black cats, with swollen tail, arched back, fiery eyes, and
protruding fangs. But the old man's attitude reassured Aunt Tempy, as
well as the child, and forthwith she proceeded with her story:

"Hit seem like dat one time w'en Brer Rabbit fine hisse'f way off in de
middle er de woods, de win' strike up un 'gun ter blow. Hit blow down on
de groun' un it blow up in de top er de timber, un it blow so hard twel
terreckerly Brer Rabbit tuck a notion