Gater, en B'er 'Gater, 'e do say:--

"'Ki, B'er Rabbit! wut dis is mek you blow so? Wut mekky you' bre't'
come so?'

"'Eh-eh! B'er 'Gater, I hab bin come 'pon trouble. Dog, 'e do run un-a
run me.'

"'Wey you no fetch 'im 'long, B'er Rabbit? I is bin git fat on all da'
trouble lak dem. I proud fer yeddy Dog bark, ef 'e is bin fetch-a me
trouble lak dem.'

"'Wait, B'er 'Gater! Trouble come bisitin' wey you lif; 'e mekky you'
side puff; 'e mekky you' bre't' come so.'

"'Gater, he do flup 'e tail un 'tretch 'ese'f, un lahff. 'E say:--

"'I lak fer see dem trouble. Nuddin' no bodder me. I ketch-a dem swimp,
I ketch-a dem crahb, I mekky my bed wey de sun shiuen hot, un I do 'joy
mese'f. I proud fer see dem trouble.'

"''E come 'pon you, B'er 'Gater, wun you bin hab you' eye shed; 'e come
'pon you fum de turrer side. Ef 'e no come 'pon you in da' crik, dun 'e
come 'pon you in da' broom-grass.'

"'Dun I shekky um by de han', B'er Rabbit; I ahx um howdy.'

"'Eh-eh, B'er 'Gater! you bin-a lahff at me; you no lahff wun dem
trouble come. Dem trouble bin ketch-a you yit.'"

Daddy Jack paused to wipe his face. He had reported the dialogue between
Brother Rabbit and Brother Alligator with considerable animation, and
had illustrated it as he went along with many curious inflections of the
voice, and many queer gestures of head and hands impossible to describe
here, but which added picturesqueness to the story. After awhile he went
on:--

"B'er Rabbit, 'e do blow un 'e do ketch urn bre't'. 'E pit one year wey
Dog is bin-a bark; 'e pit one eye 'pon B'er 'Gater. 'E lissen, 'e look;
'e look, 'e lissen. 'E no yeddy Dog, un 'e comforts come back. Bumbye
B'er 'Gater, 'e come drowsy; 'e do nod, nod, un 'e head sway down, tel
ma'sh-grass tickle 'e nose, un 'e do cough sem lak 'e teer up da' crik
by da' root. 'E no lak dis place fer sleep at, un 'e is crawl troo da'
ma'sh 'pon dry lan'; 'e is mek fer da' broom-grass fiel'. 'E mek 'e bed
wid 'e long tail, un 'e is 'tretch 'ese'f out at 'e lenk. 'E is shed 'e
y-eye, un opun 'e mout', un tek 'e nap.

"B'er Rabbit, 'e do hol' 'e y-eye 'pon B'er 'Gater. Him talk no wud; him
wallup 'e cud; him stan' still. B'er 'Gater, 'e do tek 'e nap; B'er
Rabbit 'e do watch. Bum-bye, B'er 'Gater bre't', 'e do come _loud_; 'e
is bin sno' _hard!_ 'E dream lilly dream; 'e wuk 'e fut un shek 'e tail
in 'e dream. B'er Rabbit wink 'e y-eye, un 'e do watch. B'er 'Gater, he
do leaf 'e dream bahine, un 'e sle