B'ar, sezee, 'a-slippin' en a-slidin'
en makin' free! En w'at de matter wid Brer Rabbit dat he ain't j'inin'
in?' sezee.

"Ole Brer Rabbit he wink at Brer Tarrypin, en Brer Tarrypin he hunch Mr.
Mud-Turkle, en den Brer Rabbit he up'n 'low, he did:--

"'My goodness, Brer B'ar! you can't 'speck a man fer ter slip en slide
de whole blessid day, kin you? I done had my fun, en now I'm a-settin'
out yer lettin' my cloze dry. Hit's tu'n en tu'n about wid me en deze
gents w'en dey's any fun gwine on,' sezee.

"'Maybe Brer B'ar might jine in wid us,' sez Brer Tarrypin, sezee.

"Brer Rabbit he des holler en laff.

"'Shoo!' sezee, 'Brer B'ar foot too big en he tail too long fer ter
slide down dat rock,' sezee.

"Dis kinder put Brer B'ar on he mettle, en he up'n 'spon', he did:--

"'Maybe dey is, en maybe dey ain't, yit I ain't a-feared ter try.'

"Wid dat de yuthers tuck'n made way fer 'im, en ole Brer B'ar he git up
on de rock, he did, en squot down on he hunkers, en quile he tail und'
'im, en start down. Fus' he go sorter slow, en he grin lak he feel good;
den he go sorter peart, en he grin lak he feel bad; den he go mo'
pearter, en he grin lak he skeerd; den he strack de slick part, en,
gentermens! he swaller de grin en fetch a howl dat moughter bin yeard a
mile, en he hit de water lak a chimbly a-fallin'.

"You kin gimme denial," Uncle Remus continued after a little pause, "but
des ez sho' ez you er settin' dar, w'en Brer B'ar slick'd up en flew
down dat rock, he break off he tail right smick-smack-smoove, en mo'n
dat, w'en he make his disappear'nce up de big road, Brer Rabbit holler
out:--

"'Brer B'ar!--O Brer B'ar! I year tell dat flaxseed poultices is mighty
good fer so' places!'

"Yit Brer B'ar ain't look back."

XXII

HOW BRER RABBIT FRIGHTENED HIS NEIGHBORS

When Uncle Remus was in a good humor he turned the most trifling
incidents into excuses for amusing the little boy with his stories. One
night while he was hunting for a piece of candle on the shelf that took
the place of a mantel over the fireplace, he knocked down a tin plate.
It fell upon the hearth with a tremendous clatter.

"Dar now!" exclaimed Uncle Remus. "Hit's a blessin' dat dat ar platter
is got mo' backbone dan de common run er crockery, 'kaze 't would er bin
bust all ter flinderations long time ago. Dat ar platter is got dents on
it w'at Miss Sally put dar w'en she 'uz a little bit er gal. Yet dar 't
is, en right dis minnit h