me tie you ter de Hoss tail, en den, w'en he try ter git
up, you kin hol' 'im down,' sezee. 'Ef I wuz big man like w'at you is,'
sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'you mought tie me ter dat Hoss' tail, en ef I
aint hol' 'im down, den Joe's dead en Sal's a widder. I des knows you
kin hol' 'im down,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'but yit, ef you 'feared, we
des better drap dat idee en study out some yuther plan,' sezee.

"Brer Fox sorter jubus 'bout dis, but he bleedzd ter play biggity 'fo'
Brer Rabbit, en he tuck'n 'gree ter de progrance, en den Brer Rabbit, he
tuck'n tie Brer Fox ter de Hoss' tail, en atter he git 'im tie dar hard
en fas', he sorter step back, he did, en put he han's 'kimbo, en grin,
en den he say, sezee:

"Ef ever dey wuz a Hoss kotch, den we done kotch dis un. Look sorter lak
we done put de bridle on de wrong een',' sezee, 'but I lay Brer Fox is
got de strenk fer ter hol' 'im,' sezee.

"Wid dat, Brer Rabbit cut 'im a long switch en trim it up, en w'en he
get it fix, up he step en hit de Hoss a rap--_pow!_ De Hoss 'uz dat
s'prise at dat kinder doin's dat he make one jump, en lan' on he foots.
W'en he do dat, dar wuz Brer Fox danglin' in de a'r, en Brer Rabbit, he
dart out de way en holler:

"'Hol' 'im down, Brer Fox! Hol' 'im down! I'll stan' out yer en see fa'r
play. Hol' 'im down, Brer Fox! Hol' 'im down!'

"Co'se, w'en de Hoss feel Brer Fox hangin' dar onter he tail, he thunk
sump'n' kuse wuz de marter, en dis make 'im jump en r'ar wusser en
wusser, en he shake up Brer Fox same like he wuz a rag in de win', en
Brer Rabbit, he jump en holler:

"'Hol' 'im down, Brer Fox! Hol' 'im down! You got 'im now, sho'! Hol'
yo' grip, en hol' 'im down,' sezee.

"De Hoss, he jump en he hump, en he rip en he r'ar, en he snort en he
t'ar. But yit Brer Fox hang on, en still Brer Rabbit skip 'roun' en
holler:

"'Hol' 'im down, Brer Fox! You got 'im whar he can't needer back ner
squall. Hol' 'im down, Brer Fox!' sezee.

"Bimeby, w'en Brer Fox git chance, he holler back, he did:

"'How in de name er goodness I gwine ter hol' de Hoss down 'less I git
my claw in de groun'?'

"Den Brer Rabbit, he stan' back little furder en holler little louder:

"'Hol' 'im down, Brer Fox! Hol' 'im down! You got 'im now, sho'! Hol'
'im down!'

"Bimeby de Hoss 'gun ter kick wid he behime legs, en de fus' news you
know, he fetch Brer Fox a lick in de stomach dat fa'rly make 'im squall,
en den he kick 'im ag'in, en dis time he break Brer Fox