been before. It was on
a lil ol' house, a lil ol' tumble-down house. Mistah Buzzard fly right
over an' sit on that chimney-top fo' to warm his toes. Of course he
right smart curious about that lil ol' tumble-down house and who live
there. He hear somebody inside talking to theirself, but he can't hear
what they say, jes' a mumbling sound that come up the chimney to him.

"He listen an' listen. Then he shift 'round to the other side of the
chimney an' listen. No matter where he sit, he can't hear what being
said down inside that lil ol' tumble-down house. Then what do yo'
think Mistah Buzzard do? Why, he jes' stretch his fool haid as far
down that chimney as he can an' listen an' listen. Yes, Sah, that is
jes' what that no 'count Buzzard do. But all he hear is jes' a
mumbling and a mumbling, an' that make him more curious than ever. It
seem to him that he must go clean outen his haid 'less he hear what
going on down inside that lil ol' house.

"Now when he stretch his haid an' neck down the chimney that way, he
get 'em all black with soot. But he don't mind that. No, Sah, he don'
mind that a bit. Fact is, he don' notice it. He so curious he don'
notice anything, an' pretty soon he plumb fo'get where he is an' that
he is listening where he have no business. He plumb fo'get all about
this, an' he holler down that chimney. Yes, Sah, he holler right down
that chimney!

"'Will yo'-alls please speak a lil louder,' he holler down the
chimney, jes' like that.

"Now the lil ol' woman what lived by herself in that lil ol'
tumble-down house hadn't seen that no 'count Buzzard light on the
chimney fo' to warm his toes, an' when she hear that voice coming
right outen the fireplace, she was some flustrated and scared, was
that lil ol' woman. Yes, Sah, she sho'ly was plumb scared. She so
scared she tip over a whole kettleful of soup right in the fire. Of
course that make a terrible mess an' a powerful lot of smoke an' hot
ashes fly up the chimney. They like to choke that no 'count Buzzard to
death. They burn the feathers offen his haid an' neck, an' the soot
make him black, all but his feet an' laigs an' the inside of his
wings, which he keep closed.

"Mistah Buzzard he give a mighty squawk an' fly away. When he get
home, he try an' try to brush that soot off, but it done get into the
skin an' it stay there. An' from that day his haid an' neck stay
black, an' he never speak lessen he spoken to, an' then he only grunt.
His chille