its atter bad chilluns," continued Uncle
Remus, in a tone so seriously confidential as to be altogether
depressing; "well, den, des 'zactly dat a-way Brer Rabbit look, en ef
you'd er seed 'im you'd er made sho' he de gran'-daddy er all de
booggers. Brer Rabbit pace 'long, he did, en ev'y motion he make, de
leafs dey'd go _swishy-swushy_, _splushy-splishy_, en, fum de fuss he
make en de way he look, you'd er tuck 'im ter be de mos' suvvigus
varment w'at disappear fum de face er de yeth sence ole man Noah let
down de draw-bars er de ark en tu'n de creeturs loose; en I boun' ef
you'd er struck up long wid 'im, you'd er been mighty good en glad ef
you'd er got off wid dat.

"De fus' man w'at Brer Rabbit come up wid wuz ole Sis Cow, en no sooner
is she lay eyes on 'im dan she h'ist up 'er tail in de elements, en put
out like a pack er dogs wuz atter 'er. Dis make Brer Rabbit laff, kaze
he know dat w'en a ole settle' 'oman like Sis Cow run 'stracted in de
broad open day-time, dat dey mus' be sump'n' mighty kuse 'bout dem leafs
en dat honey, en he keep on a-rackin' down de road. De nex' man w'at he
meet wuz a black gal tollin' a whole passel er plantation shotes, en
w'en de gal see Brer Rabbit come prancin' 'long, she fling down 'er
basket er corn en des fa'rly fly, en de shotes, dey tuck thoo de woods,
en sech n'er racket ez dey kick up wid der runnin', en der snortin', en
der squealin' aint never bin year in dat settlement needer befo' ner
since. Hit keep on dis a-way long ez Brer Rabbit meet anybody--dey des
broke en run like de Ole Boy wuz atter um.

[Illustration: BROTHER RABBIT'S ASTONISHING PRANK]

"Co'se, dis make Brer Rabbit feel monst'us biggity, en he 'low ter
hisse'f dat he 'speck he better drap 'roun' en skummish in de
neighborhoods er Brer Fox house. En w'iles he wuz stannin' dar runnin'
dis 'roun' in he min', yer come old Brer B'ar en all er he fambly. Brer
Rabbit, he git crossways de road, he did, en he sorter sidle todes um.
Ole Brer B'ar, he stop en look, but Brer Rabbit, he keep on sidlin'
todes um. Ole Miss B'ar, she stan' it long ez she kin, en den she fling
down 'er parrysol en tuck a tree. Brer B'ar look lak he gwine ter stan'
his groun', but Brer Rabbit he jump straight up in de a'r en gin hisse'f
a shake, en, bless yo' soul, honey! ole Brer B'ar make a break, en dey
tells me he to' down a whole panel er fence gittin' 'way fum dar. En
ez ter Kubs en Klibs, dey tuck der hats in der han's, en dey we