rick um
wid. Brer B'ar, he up'n 'low, he did, dat he boun' Brer Rabbit is a
nat'al bawn witch; Brer Wolf say, sezee, dat he 'speck Brer Rabbit des
in cahoots wid a witch; en Brer Fox, he vow dat Brer Rabbit got mo' luck
dan smartness. Den Jedge B'ar, he drap he head one side, he did, en he
ax how come Brer Rabbit got all de luck on he own side. De mo' dey ax,
de mo' dey git pestered, en de mo' dey git pestered, de wuss dey worry.
Day in en day out dey wuk wid dis puzzlement; let 'lone dat, dey sot up
nights; en bimeby dey 'gree 'mungs deyse'f dat dey better make up wid
Brer Rabbit, en see ef dey can't fine out how come he so lucky.

"Wiles all dis gwine on, ole Brer Rabbit wuz a-gallopin' 'roun' fum
Funtown ter Frolicville, a-kickin' up de devilment en terrifyin' de
neighborhoods. Hit keep on dis a-way, twel one time, endurin' de
odd-come-shorts,[30] ole Jedge B'ar sont wud dat one er his chilluns done
bin tooken wid a sickness, en he ax won't ole Miss Rabbit drap 'roun' en
set up wid 'im. Ole Miss Rabbit, she say, co'se she go, en atter she
fill 'er satchy full er yerbs en truck, off she put.

"I done fergit," said Uncle Remus, scratching his head gravely, "w'ich
one er dem chilluns wuz ailin'. Hit mout er bin Kubs, en hit mout er bin
Klibs; but no marter fer dat. W'en ole Miss Rabbit git dar, ole Miss
B'ar wuz a-settin' up in de chimbly-cornder des a-dosin' en a-nussin' de
young un; en all de wimmin er de neighborhoods wuz dar, a-whispun en
a-talkin', des fer all de worl' lak wimmin does deze days. It 'uz:--

"'Come right in, Sis Rabbit! I mighty proud to see you. I mighty glad
you fotch yo' knittin', 'kaze I'm pow'ful po' comp'ny w'en my chillun
sick. Des fling yo' bonnet on de bed dar. I'm dat flustrated twel I
dunner w'ich een's up, skacely. Sis Wolf, han' Sis Rabbit dat
rickin'-cheer dar, 'kaze 't ain't no one step fum her house ter mine.'

"Dat de way ole Miss B'ar run on," continued Uncle Remus, "en dey set
dar en dey chatter en dey clatter. Ole Brer Wolf, he 'uz settin' out on
de back peazzer smokin' en noddin'. He 'ud take en draw a long whiff, he
would, en den he 'ud drap off ter noddin' en let de smoke oozle out thoo
he nose. Bimeby ole Sis Rabbit drap 'er knittin' in 'er lap, en sing
out, sez she:--

"'Law, Sis B'ar! I smells 'barker smoke,' sez she.

"Ole Sis B'ar, she jolt up de sick baby, en swap it fum one knee ter de
yuther, en 'low:--

"'My ole man bin smokin' 'roun' yer de whole blessid day, b