nt
skaddlin' thoo de bushes des same ez a drove er hosses."

"And then what?" the little boy asked.

"Brer Rabbit p'raded on down de road," continued Uncle Remus, "en bimeby
yer come Brer Fox en Brer Wolf, fixin' up a plan fer ter nab Brer
Rabbit, en dey wuz so intents on der confab dat dey got right on Brer
Rabbit 'fo' dey seed 'im; but, gentermens! w'en dey is ketch a glimpse
un 'im, dey gun 'im all de room he want. Brer Wolf, he try ter show off,
he did, kase he wanter play big 'fo' Brer Fox, en he stop en ax Brer
Rabbit who is he. Brer Rabbit, he jump up en down in de middle er de
road, en holler out:

"'I'm de Wull-er-de-Wust.[5] I'm de Wull-er-de-Wust, en youer de man I'm
atter!'

"Den Brer Rabbit jump up en down en make lak he gwine atter Brer Fox en
Brer Wolf, en de way dem creeturs lit out fum dar wuz a caution.

"Long time atter dat," continued Uncle Remus, folding his hands placidly
in his lap, with the air of one who has performed a pleasant
duty,--"long time atter dat, Brer Rabbit come up wid Brer Fox en Brer
Wolf, en he git behime a stump, Brer Rabbit did, en holler out:

"'I'm de Wull-er-de-Wust, en youer de mens I'm atter!'

"Brer Fox en Brer Wolf, dey broke, but 'fo' dey got outer sight en outer
yar'n', Brer Rabbit show hisse'f, he did, en laugh fit ter kill hisse'f.
Atterwuds, Miss Meadows she year 'bout it, en de nex' time Brer Fox
call, de gals dey up en giggle, en ax 'im ef he aint feard de
Wull-er-de-Wust mought drap in."

----------------------------------------------------------------------
FOOTNOTE:

[5] Or Wull-er-de-Wuts. Probably a fantastic corruption of
"will-o'-the-wisp," though this is not by any means certain.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

VI

BROTHER RABBIT SECURES A MANSION

The rain continued to fall the next day, but the little boy made
arrangements to go with 'Tildy when she carried Uncle Remus his supper.
This happened to be a waiter full of things left over from dinner. There
was so much that the old man was moved to remark:

"I cl'ar ter gracious, hit look lak Miss Sally done got my name in de
pot dis time, sho'. I des wish you look at dat pone er co'n-bread,
honey, en dem ar greens, en see ef dey aint got Remus writ some'rs on
um. Dat ar chick'n fixin's, dey look lak deyer good, yet 'taint
familious wid me lak dat ar bile ham. Dem ar sweet-taters, dey stan's
fa'r fer dividjun, but dem ar puzzuv,[6