come zoonin' 'roun', en claimin' kin wid 'im."

The little boy laughed; but Uncle Remus was very serious.

"Co'se dey claim kin wid 'im. Dey claims kin wid folks yit, let 'lone
Brer Rabbit. Manys en manys de time w'en I year um sailin' 'roun' en
singin' out '_Cousin! Cousin!'_ en I let you know, honey, de skeeters is
mighty close kin w'en dey gits ter be yo' cousin.

"Brer Rabbit, he year um zoonin'," the old man continued, "en he know he
got ter do some mighty nice talkin', so he up'n ax fer drink er water.
De gal, she tuck'n fotch it.

"'Mighty nice water, Brer Wolf.' (_De skeeters dey zoon._)[42]

"'Some say it too full er wiggletails,[43] Brer Rabbit.' (_De skeeters,
dey zoon en dey zoon._)

"'Mighty nice place you got, Brer Wolf.' (_Skeeters dey zoon._)

"'Some say it too low in de swamp, Brer Rabbit.' (_Skeeters dey zoon en
dey zoon._)

"Dey zoon so bad," said Uncle Remus, drawing a long breath, "dat Brer
Rabbit 'gun ter git skeer'd, en w'en dat creetur git skeer'd, he min'
wuk lak one er deze yer flutter-mills. Bimeby, he 'low:--

"'Went ter town t'er day, en dar I seed a sight w'at I never 'speckted
ter see.'

"'W'at dat, Brer Rabbit?'

"'Spotted hoss, Brer Wolf.'

"'_No_, Brer Rabbit!'

"'I mos' sho'ly seed 'im, Brer Wolf.'

"Brer Wolf, he scratch he head, en de gal she hilt up 'er han's en make
great 'miration 'bout de spotted hoss. (_De skeeters dey zoon, en dey
keep on zoonin'._) Brer Rabbit, he talk on, he did:--

"''T wa'n't des one spotted hoss, Brer Wolf, 't wuz a whole team er
spotted hosses, en dey went gallin'-up[44] des lak de yuther hosses,'
sezee. 'Let 'lone dat, Brer Wolf, my grandaddy wuz spotted,' sez Brer
Rabbit, sezee.

"Gal, she squeal en holler out:--

"'W'y, Brer Rabbit! ain't you 'shame' yo'se'f fer ter be talkin' dat
a-way, en 'bout yo' own-'lone blood kin too?'

"'Hit's de naked trufe I'm a-ginin'[45] un you,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.
(_Skeeter zoon en come closeter._)

"Brer Wolf 'low 'Well--well--well!' Ole Sis Wolf, she 'low 'Tooby
sho'ly, tooby sho'ly!' (_Skeeter zoon en come nigher en nigher._) Brer
Rabbit 'low:--

"'Yasser! Des ez sho' ez youer settin' dar, my grandaddy wuz spotted.
Spotted all over. (_Skeeter come zoonin' up en light on Brer Rabbit
jaw._) He wuz dat. He had er great big spot right yer!'"

Here Uncle Remus raised his hand and struck himself a resounding slap on
the side of the face where the mosquito was supposed to be, and
continued:--