t. No I ain't--so dar now!'

"Den Brer Rabbit built 'im a fier un cut 'im off a slishe er steak un
br'ilte it good un done, un den he e't little uv it. Fus' he'd tas'e un
den he'd nibble; den he'd nibble un den he'd tas'e. He keep on tel he
e't right smart piece. Den he went'n sot off little ways like he waitin'
fer sump'n'.

"Brer Wolf, he kyarve un he cut, but he keep one eye on Brer Rabbit.
Brer Rabbit sot up dar same ez Judge on de bench. Brer Wolf, he watch
his motions. Terreckly Brer Rabbit fling bofe han's up ter he head un
fetch a groan. Brer Wolf cut un kyarve un watch Brer Rabbit motions.
Brer Rabbit sorter sway backerds un forrerds un fetch 'n'er groan. Den
he sway fum side to side un holler 'O Lordy!' Brer Wolf, he sorter 'gun
ter git skeer'd un he ax Brer Rabbit w'at de matter. Brer Rabbit, he
roll on de groun' un holler:--

"'O Lordy, Lordy! I'm pizen'd, I'm pizen'd! O Lordy! I'm pizen'd! Run
yer, somebody, run yer! De meat done got pizen on it. Oh, do run yer!'

"Brer Wolf git so skeer'd dat he put out fum dar, un he wa'n't out er
sight skacely 'fo' Brer Rabbit jump up fum dar un cut de pidjin-wing, un
't wa'n't so mighty long atter dat 'fo' Brer Rabbit done put all er dat
beef in his smoke-house."

"What became of Brother Wolf?" the little boy inquired.

"Brer Wolf went atter de doctor," continued Aunt Tempy, making little
tucks in her apron, "un w'en he come back Brer Rabbit un de beef done
gone; un, bless goodness, ef it had n't er bin fer de sign whar Brer
Rabbit built de fier, Brer Wolf would er bin mightly pester'd fer ter
fine der place whar de cow bin kilt."

At this juncture, 'Tildy, the house-girl, came in to tell Aunt Tempy
that one of the little negroes had been taken suddenly sick.

"I bin huntin' fer you over de whole blessid place," said 'Tildy.

"No, you ain't--no, you ain't. You ain't bin huntin' nowhar. You know'd
mighty well whar I wuz."

"Law, Mam' Tempy, I can't keep up wid you. How I know you down yer
courtin' wid Unk Remus?"

"Yo' head mighty full er courtin', you nas' stinkin' huzzy!" exclaimed
Aunt Tempy.

Uncle Remus, strange to say, was unmoved. He simply said:--

"W'en you see dat ar 'Tildy gal pirootin' 'roun' I boun' you ole Brer
Affikin Jack ain't fur off. 'T won't be so mighty long 'fo' de ole
creetur'll show up."

"How you know dat, Unk Remus?" exclaimed 'Tildy, showing her white teeth
and stretching her eyes. "Hit's de Lord's trufe; Mass Jeems done writ a