s spirits?" the little boy asked.

The inquiry was not especially directed at Daddy Jack, but Daddy Jack
was proud of his reputation as a witch, and he undertook to reply.

"None 't all. Witch, 'e no dead ghos'--'e life folks, wey you shekky
han' wit'. Oona witch mebbe; how you is kin tell?"

Here Daddy Jack turned his sharp little eyes upon the child. The latter
moved closer to Uncle Remus, and said he hoped to goodness he was n't a
witch.

"How you is kin tell diffran 'cep' you bin fer try um?" continued Daddy
Jack. "'E good t'ing fer be witch; 'e mek-a dem folks fred. 'E mek-a dem
fred; 'e mek-a dem hol' da' bre't', wun dey is bin-a come by you'
place."

"In de name er de Lord, Daddy Jack, how kin folks tell wh'er dey er
witches er no?" asked Aunt Tempy.

"Oo! 'e easy nuff. Wun da' moon is shiuen low, wet-a you' han' wit' da'
pot-licker grease; rub noung heifer 'pon 'e nose; git 'pon 'e bahck.
Mus' hol' um by 'e year; mus' go gallop, gallop down da' lane, tel 'e do
come 'cross one-a big gully. Mus' holler, '_Double, double, double up!
double, double, double up!_' Heifer jump, oona witch; heifer no jump,
oona no witch."

"Did you ever ride a heifer, Daddy Jack?" asked the little boy.

"Mo' tam es dem," replied the old negro, holding up the crooked fingers
of one withered hand.

"Did--did she jump across the big gully?"

The child's voice had dropped to an awed whisper, and there was a glint
of malicious mischief in Daddy Jack's shrewd eyes, as he looked up at
Uncle Remus. He got his cue. Uncle Remus groaned heavily and shook his
head.

"Hoo!" exclaimed Daddy Jack, "wun I is bin-a tell all, dey no mo' fer
tell. Mus' kip some fer da' Sunday. Lilly b'y no fred dem witch; 'e no
bodder lilly b'y. Witch, 'e no rassel wit' 'e ebry-day 'quaintan'; 'e do
go pars 'e own place."

It was certainly reassuring for the child to be told that witches did
n't trouble little boys, and that they committed their depredations
outside of their own neighborhood.

"I is bin-a yeddy dem talk 'bout ole witch. 'E do leaf 'e skin wey 'e is
sta't fum. Man bin-a come pars by; 'e is fine dem skin. 'E say:--

"'Ki! 'E one green skin; I fix fer dry um.'

"Man hang um by da' fier. Skin, 'e do swink, i' do swivel. Bumbye 'e do
smell-a bahd; man, 'e hol' 'e nose. 'E do wait. Skin swink, skin stink,
skin swivel. 'E do git so bahd, man pitch um in da' ya'd. 'E wait; 'e is
wait, 'e is lissen. Bumbye, 'e yeddy da' witch come. Witch, e' do