s is dat er Brer Rabbit? Dat w'at I like ter know."

FOOTNOTES:

[6] Preserves.

[7] In the South, a rain is called a "season," not only by the negroes,
but by many white farmers.

[8] It is a far-away sound that might be identified with one of the
various undertones of silence, but it is palpable enough (if the word
may be used) to have attracted the attention of the humble philosophers
of the old plantation.

[9] Measuring.

VII

MR. LION HUNTS FOR MR. MAN

Uncle Remus sighed heavily as he lifted the trivet on the head of his
walking-cane, and hung it carefully by the side of the griddle in the
cavernous fireplace.

"Folks kin come 'long wid der watchermaycollums," he said presently,
turning to the little boy, who was supplementing his supper by biting
off a chew of shoemaker's-wax, "en likewise dey kin fetch 'roun' der
watziznames. Dey kin walk biggity, en dey kin talk biggity, en mo'n dat,
dey kin feel biggity, but yit all de same deyer gwine ter git kotch up
wid. Dey go 'long en dey go 'long, en den bimeby yer come trouble en
snatch um slonchways, en de mo' bigger w'at dey is, de wusser does dey
git snatched."

The little boy did n't understand this harangue at all, but he
appreciated it because he recognized it as the prelude to a story.

"Dar wuz Mr. Lion," Uncle Remus went on; "he tuck'n sot hisse'f up fer
ter be de boss er all de yuther creeturs, en he feel so biggity dat he
go ro'in' en rampin' 'roun' de neighborhoods wuss'n dat ar speckle bull
w'at you see down at yo' Unk' Jeems Abercrombie place las' year. He went
ro'in' 'roun', he did, en eve'ywhar he go he year talk er Mr. Man. Right
in de middle er he braggin', some un 'ud up'n tell 'im 'bout w'at Mr.
Man done done. Mr. Lion, he say he done dis, en den he year 'bout how
Mr. Man done dat. Hit went on dis a-way twel bimeby Mr. Lion shake he
mane, he did, en he up'n say dat he gwine ter s'arch 'roun' en 'roun',
en high en low, fer ter see ef he can't fine Mr. Man, en he 'low, Mr.
Lion did, dat w'en he do fine 'im, he gwine ter tu'n in en gin Mr. Man
sech n'er larrupin' w'at nobody ain't never had yit. Dem yuther
creeturs, dey tuck'n tell Mr. Lion dat he better let Mr. Man 'lone, but
Mr. Lion say he gwine ter hunt 'im down spite er all dey kin do.

"Sho' nuff, atter he done tuck some res', Mr. Lion, he put out down de
big road. Sun, she rise up en shine hot, but Mr. Lion, he keep on; win',
hit come up en blow, en fill de elements ful