uk 'e fut, 'e
shek 'e tail. Broom-grass bu'n high, 'e bu'n low; 'e bu'n smaht, 'e bu'n
hot. Bumbye, B'er 'Gater is wek fum 'e dream; 'e smell-a da' smoke, 'e
feel-a da' fier. 'E run dis way, 'e run turrer way; no diffran' wey 'e
is run, dey da' smoke, dey da' fier. _Bu'n, bu'n, bu'n!_ B'er 'Gater
lash 'e tail, un grine 'e toof. Bumbye, 'e do roll un holler:

"'Trouble, trouble, trouble! _Trouble, trouble!_'

[Illustration: WHY THE ALLIGATOR'S BACK IS ROUGH]

"B'er Rabbit, 'e is stan' pas' da' fier, un 'e do say:

"'Ki! B'er 'Gater! Wey you fer l'arn-a dis talk 'bout dem trouble?'

"B'er 'Gater, 'e lash 'e tail, 'e fair teer da' ye't,[24] un 'e do
holler:

"'Oh, ma Lord! Trouble! _Trouble, trouble, trouble!_'

"'Shekky um by de han', B'er 'Gater. Ahx um howdy!'

"'Ow, ma Lord! _Trouble, trouble, trouble!_'

"'Lahff wit' dem trouble, B'er 'Gater, lahff wit' dem! Ahx dem is dey
he'lt' bin well! You bin-a cry fer dey 'quaintun',[25] B'er 'Gater; now
you mus' beer wit' dem trouble!'

"B'er 'Gater come so mad, 'e mek dash troo da' broom-grass; 'e fair teer
um down. 'E bin scatter da' fier wide 'part, un 'e do run un dife in da'
crik fer squinch da' fier 'pon 'e bahk. 'E bahk swivel, 'e tail swivel
wit' da' fier, un fum dat dey is bin stan' so. Bump, bump 'pon 'e tail;
bump, bump 'pon 'e bahk, wey da' fier bu'n."

"Hit 's des lak Brer Jack tell you, honey," said Uncle Remus, as Daddy
Jack closed his eyes and relapsed into silence. "I done seed um wid my
own eyes. En deyer mighty kuse creeturs, mon. Dey back is all ruffed up
en down ter dis day en time, en mo'n dat, you aint gwineter ketch Brer
Rabbit rackin' 'roun' whar de Yallergaters is. En de Yallergaters
deyse'f, w'en dey years any crackin' en rattlin' gwine on in de bushes,
dey des makes a break fer de creek en splunges in."

"Enty!" exclaimed Daddy Jack, with momentary enthusiasm. "'E do tu'n go
da' bahnk, un dife 'neat' da' crik. 'E bin so wom wit' da' fier, 'e mek
de crik go si-z-z-z!"

Here Daddy Jack looked around and smiled. His glance fell on 'Tildy, and
he seemed suddenly to remember that he had failed to be as polite as
circumstances demanded.

"Come-a set nex' em, lilly gal. I gwan tell you one tale."

"Come 'long, Pinx," said 'Tildy, tossing her head disdainfully, and
taking the little boy by the hand. "Come 'long, Pinx; we better be
gwine. I done say I won't kill dat ole nigger man. Yit ef he start atter
me dis blessid night, I lay I rous