did, en atter w'ile yer she come
trottin' back wid a pail. She sot dat pail down," continued Uncle Remus,
in the tone of an eye-witness to the occurrence, "en Sis Cow, she tuck
'er stan' over it, en she let down 'er milk in dar twel she mighty nigh
fill de pail full. Den she tuck'n make dem Guinny-hins git in a row, en
she dip 'er tail in dat ar pail, en she switch it at de fust un en
sprinkle 'er all over wid de milk; en eve'y time she switch 'er tail at
um she 'low:--
"'I loves dis un!' Den she 'ud sing:--
"'_Oh, Blue, go 'way! you shill not stay!
Oh, Guinny, be Gray, be Gray!_'
"She tuck'n sprinkle de las' one un um, en de Guinnies, dey sot in de
sun twel dey git dry, en fum dat time out dey got dem little speckles un
um."
XXXIV
BRER RABBIT'S LOVE-CHARM
"Dey wuz one time," said Uncle Remus one night, as they all sat around
the wide hearth,--Daddy Jack, Aunt Tempy, and the little boy in their
accustomed places,--"dey wuz one time w'en de t'er creeturs push Brer
Rabbit so close dat he tuck up a kinder idee dat may be he wa'n't ez
smart ez he mout be, en he study 'bout dis plum twel he git humble ez de
nex' man. 'Las' he low ter hisse'f dat he better make inquirements--"
"Ki!" exclaimed Daddy Jack, raising both hands and grinning excitedly,
"wut tale dis? I bin yerry da tale wun I is bin wean't fum me mammy."
"Well, den, Brer Jack," said Uncle Remus, with instinctive deference to
the rules of hospitality, "I 'speck you des better whirl in yer en spin
'er out. Ef you git 'er mix up anywhars I ull des slip in front er you
en ketch holt whar you lef' off."
With that, Daddy Jack proceeded:--
"One tam, B'er Rabbit is bin lub one noung leddy."
"Miss Meadows, I 'speck," suggested Uncle Remus, as the old African
paused to rub his chin.
"'E no lub Miss Meadow nuttin' 't all!" exclaimed Daddy Jack,
emphatically. "'E bin lub turrer noung leddy fum dat. 'E is bin lub
werry nice noung leddy. 'E lub 'um hard, 'e lub 'um long, un 'e is gwan
try fer mek dem noung leddy marry wit' 'im. Noung leddy seem lak 'e no
look 'pon B'er Rabbit, un dis is bin-a mek B'er Rabbit feel werry bad
all da day long. 'E moof 'way off by 'ese'f; 'e lose 'e fat, un 'e heer
is bin-a come out. Bumbye, 'e see one ole Affiky mans wut is bin-a hunt
in da fiel' fer root en yerrub fer mek 'e met'cine truck. 'E see um, un
he go toze um. Affiky mans open 'e y-eye big; 'e 'stonish'. 'E say:--
"'Ki, B'er Rabbit! you' he'lt
|