crazy-head! Fetch Brer Tarrypin quills!'

"'Wat you say, daddy? Fetch de dipper ter ketch de minners in?'

"'No, you fool! Fetch Brer Tarrypin quills!'

"'Wat you say, daddy? Water done been spill?'

"Hit went on dis a-way twel atter w'ile ole Miss Fox year de racket, en
den she lissen, en she know dat 'er ole man holler'n' fer de quills, en
she fotch um out en gun um ter Brer Tarrypin, en Brer Tarrypin, he let
go he holt. He let go he holt," Uncle Remus went on, "but long time
atter dat, w'en Brer Fox go ter pay he calls, he hatter go
_hoppity-fetchity, hoppity-fetchity_."

The old man folded his hands in his lap, and sat quietly gazing into the
lightwood fire. Presently he said:--

"I 'speck Miss Sally blessin' us all right now, en fus' news you know
she'll h'ist up en have Mars John a-trapesin' down yer; en ef she do
dat, den ter-morrer mawnin' my brekkuss'll be col', en lakwise my
dinner, en ef dey's sump'n' w'at I 'spizes hit's col' vittels."

Thereupon Uncle Remus arose, shook himself, peered out into the night to
discover that the rain had nearly ceased, and then made ready to carry
the little boy to his mother. Long before the chickens had crowed for
midnight, the child, as well as the old man, had been transported to the
land where myths and fables cease to be wonderful,--the land of pleasant
dreams.

FOOTNOTES:

[20] An allusion to the primitive mode of cleaning hogs by heating
rocks, and placing them in a barrel or tank of water.

[21] This word "lonesome," as used by the negroes, is the equivalent of
"thrilling," "romantic," etc., and in that sense is very expressive.

[22] An inquiry after his health. Another form is: "How does yo'
corporosity seem ter segashuate?"

[23] Exercise himself.

XVI

HOW BRER FOX FAILED TO GET HIS GRAPES

One night the little boy failed to make his appearance at the accustomed
hour, and the next morning the intelligence that the child was sick went
forth from the "big house." Uncle Remus was told that it had been
necessary during the night to call in two physicians. When this
information was imparted to the old man, there was an expression upon
his countenance of awe not unmixed with indignation. He gave vent to the
latter:--

"Dar now! Two un um! W'en dat chile rize up, ef rize up he do, he'll des
nat'ally be a shadder. Yer I is, gwine on eighty year, en I ain't tuck
none er dat ar docter truck yit, ceppin' it's dish yer flas' er
poke-root w'at ole