you dat Brer Rabbit done gone en tuck mo' dram
dan w'at 'uz good fer he wholesome. Yit he head ain't swim so bad dat he
dunner w'at he doin', en time he lay eyes on Brer Fox, he know he done
got in close quarters. Soon ez he see dis, Brer Rabbit make like he bin
down in de cup mo' deeper dan w'at he is, en he stagger 'roun' like town
gal stannin' in a batteau, en he seem lak he des ez limber ez a wet rag.
He stagger up ter Brer Fox, he did, en he roll he eyeballs 'roun', en
slap 'im on he back en ax 'im how he ma. Den w'en he see de yuther
creeturs," continued Uncle Remus, "he holler out, he did:--

"'Vents yo' uppance, gentermens! Vents yo' uppance![14] Ef you'll des
gimme han'-roomance en come one at a time, de tussle 'll las' longer.
How you all come on, nohow?' sezee.

"Ole Brer Rabbit talk so kuse dat de yuther creeturs have mo' fun dan
w'at you k'n shake a stick at, but bimeby Brer Fox say dey better git
down ter business, en den dey all cloze in on Brer Rabbit, en dar he
wuz.

"In dem days, ole man B'ar wuz a jedge 'mongs' de creeturs, en dey all
ax 'im w'at dey gwine do 'long wid Brer Rabbit, en Jedge B'ar, he put on
his specks, en cle'r up his th'oat, en say dat de bes' way ter do wid a
man w'at kick up sech a racket, en run de neighbors outer der own house,
en go in dar en level[15] on de pantry, is ter take 'im out en drown 'im;
en ole Brer Fox, w'ich he settin' on de jury, he up'n smack he hands
togedder, en cry, en say, sezee, dat atter dis he bleedz ter b'leeve dat
Jedge B'ar done got all-under holt on de lawyer-books, kaze dat 'zackly
w'at dey say w'en a man level on he neighbor pantry.

"Den Brer Rabbit, he make out he skeerd, en he holler en cry, en beg um,
in de name er goodness, don't fling 'im in de spring branch, kaze dey
all know he dunner how ter swim: but ef dey bleedz fer ter pitch 'im in,
den for mussy sake gin' 'im a walkin'-cane, so he kin have sumpin' ter
hol' ter w'iles he drownin'.

"Ole Brer B'ar scratch his head en say, sezee, dat, fur ez his
'membunce go back, he ain't come 'cross nothin' in de lawyer-book ter
de contraries er dat, en den dey all 'gree dat Brer Rabbit kin have a
walkin'-cane.

"Wid dat, dey ketch up Brer Rabbit en put 'im in a wheelborrow en kyar
'im down ter de branch, en fling 'im in."

"Eh-eh!" exclaimed 'Tildy, with well-feigned astonishment.

"Dey fling 'im in," continued Uncle Remus, "en Brer Rabbit light on he
foots, same ez a tomcat, en pick his way out