"'Hush, B'er 'Possum! How is I kin yeddy dem sing wun you is mek-a da
fuss dey-dey?'

"B'er 'Possum, 'e hoi' 'e mout' still, 'cep' 'e do grin. B'er Rabbit
say:

"'I yed dem now! I yed dem now! B'er 'Possum, I wish you is yeddy dem
sing!'

"B'er 'Possum say 'e mout' water fer yeddy dem sing in da cloud. B'er
Rabbit, 'e say 'e is bin-a hab so long tarn 'quaintun wit' B'er 'Possum,
'e le'm yeddy dem sing. 'E say:

"'I git fum da bag. I tu'n-a you in tel you is yeddy dem sing. Dun you
is git fum da bag, tel I do come bahk un 'joy mese'f.'

"B'er 'Possum, 'e do clam up da tree; 'e git dem bag, 'e bring um down.
'E tak off da string; 'e tu'n B'er Rabbit go. 'E crawl in un 'e quile
up. 'E say:

"'I no yeddy dem sing, B'er Rabbit!'

"'Hi! wait tel da bag it tie, B'er 'Possum. You yed dem soon nuff!' 'E
wait.

"'I no yeddy dem sing, B'er Rabbit!'

"'Hi! wait tel I clam da tree, B'er 'Possum. You yed dem soon nuff!' 'E
wait.

"'I no yeddy dem sing, B'er Rabbit!'

"'Wait tel I fix um 'pun da lim', B'er 'Possum. You yed dem soon nuff!'
'E wait.

"B'er Rabbit clam down; 'e run 'way fum dey-dey; 'e hide in da bush
side. Man come bahk. 'E see da bag moof. B'er 'Possum say:

"'I no yeddy dem sing. I wait fer yed um sing!'

"Man t'ink 'e B'er Rabbit in da bag. 'E say:

"'Ah-yi-ee! I mekky you yed dem sing!'

"Man teka da bag fum da tree-lim'; 'e do slam da bag 'gin' da face da
ye't'. 'E tek-a 'e walkin'-cane, un 'e beat B'er 'Possum wut is do um no
ha'm tel 'e mos' kill um. Man t'ink B'er Rabbit mus' bin dead by dis. 'E
look in da bag; 'e 'tretch 'e y-eye big; 'e 'stonish'. B'er Rabbit, 'e
do come fum da bush side; 'e do holler, 'e do laff. 'E say:

"'You no is ketch-a me! I t'ief you' green pea,--I t'ief um some mo',--I
t'ief um tel I dead!'

"Man, 'e 'come so mad, 'e is fling hatchet at B'er Rabbit un chop off 'e
tail."

At this moment Daddy Jack subsided. His head drooped forward, and he was
soon in the land of Nod. Uncle Remus sat gazing into the fireplace, as
though lost in reflection. Presently, he laughed softly to himself, and
said:

"Dat 's des 'bout de long en de short un it. Mr. Man clip off Brer Rabbit
tail wid de hatchet, en it bleed so free dat Brer Rabbit rush off ter
de cotton-patch en put some lint on it, en down ter dis day dat lint
mos' de fus' t'ing you see w'en Brer Rabbit jump out'n he bed en tell
you good-bye."

"But, Uncle Remus, what became of Brother 'Possum?"

Uncle Remus sma