rer Tarrypin keep he eyes shot en stay still. Brer Fox keep on
gittin' nigher en nigher, twel bimeby Brer Tarrypin open he eyes en he
mouf bofe, en he make a grab at Brer Fox en miss 'im.

"But hol' on!" exclaimed Uncle Remus, in response to an expression of
intense disappointment in the child's face. "You des wait a minnit. Nex'
mawnin', Brer Tarrypin take hisse'f off en waller in a mud-hole, en
smear hisse'f wid mud twel he look des 'zackly lak a clod er dirt. Den
he crawl off en lay down un'need a log whar he know Brer Fox come eve'y
mawnin' fer ter freshen[23] hisse'f.

"Brer Tarrypin lay dar, he did, en terreckly yer come Brer Fox. Time he
git dar, Brer Fox 'gun ter lip backerds en forerds 'cross de log, and
Brer Tarrypin he crope nigher en nigher, twel bimeby he make a grab at
Brer Fox en kotch him by de foot. Dey tells me," continued Uncle Remus,
rubbing his hands together in token of great satisfaction,--"dey tells
me dat w'en Brer Tarrypin ketch holt, hit got ter thunder 'fo' he let
go. All I know, Brer Tarrypin git Brer Fox by de foot, en he hilt 'im
dar. Brer Fox he jump en he r'ar, but Brer Tarrypin done got 'im. Brer
Fox, he holler out:

"'Brer Tarrypin, please lemme go!'

"Brer Tarrypin talk way down in his th'oat:

"'Gim' my quills!'

"'Lemme go en fetch um.'

"'Gim'my quills!'

"'Do pray lemme go git um.'

"'Gim'my quills!'

"En, bless gracious! dis all Brer Fox kin git outer Brer Tarrypin. Las',
Brer Fox foot hu't 'im so bad dat he bleedz ter do sump'n', en he sing
out fer his ole 'oman fer ter fetch de quills, but he ole 'oman, she
busy 'bout de house, en she don't year 'im. Den he call he son, w'ich he
name Tobe. He holler en bawl, en Tobe make answer:

"'Tobe! O Tobe! You Tobe!'

"'W'at you want, daddy?'

"'Fetch Brer Tarrypin quills.'

"'W'at you say, daddy? Fetch de big tray ter git de honey in?'

"'No, you crazy-head! Fetch Brer Tarrypin quills!'

"'W'at you say, daddy? Fetch de dipper ter ketch de minners in?'

"'No, you fool! Fetch Brer Tarrypin quills!'

"'W'at you say, daddy? Water done been spill?'

"Hit went on dis a-way twel atter w'ile ole Miss Fox year de racket, en
den she lissen, en she know dat 'er ole man holler'n' fer de quills, en
she fotch um out en gun um ter Brer Tarrypin, en Brer Tarrypin, he let
go he holt. He let go he holt," Uncle Remus went on, "but long time
atter dat, w'en Brer Fox go ter pay he calls, he hatter go
_hoppity-fetchity, hoppity-fetchi