druv off. Man come 'long:--

"'Whar you gwine?'

"'_Gwine 'long down ter town,
Wid a bag er co'n fer ter sell;
We ain't got time fer ter stop en talk,
Yit we wish you mighty well!_'"

"Did they talk poetry that way, Uncle Remus?" the little boy inquired.

"Shoo! lot's wuss dan dat, honey. Dey wuz constant a-gwine on dat a-way,
en ef I wa'n't gittin' so mighty weak-kneed in de membunce I'd bust
aloose yer en I'd fair wake you up wid de gwines on er dem ar creeturs.

"Now, den, dey tuck'n kyar Brer Wolf mammy ter town en sell 'er, en dey
start back wid a waggin-load er vittles. De day wuz a-wanin' den de sun
wuz a-settin'. De win' tuck'n blow up sorter stiff, en de sun look red
when she settin'. Dey druv on, en druv on. De win' blow, en de sun shine
red. Bimeby, Brer Wolf scrooch up en shiver, en 'low:--

"'Brer Rabbit, I'm a-gittin' mighty cole.'

"Brer Rabbit, he laugh en 'low:--

"'I'm gittin' sorter creepy myself, Brer Wolf.'

"Dey druv on en druv on. Win' blow keen, sun shine red. Brer Wolf
scrooch up in little knot. Bimeby he sing out:--

"'Brer Rabbit, I'm freezin'! I'm dat cole I dunner w'at ter do!'

"Brer Rabbit, he p'int ter de settin' sun en say:--

"'You see dat great big fier 'cross dar in de woods, Brer Wolf? Well,
dey ain't nothin' ter hender you fum gwine dar en wommin' yo'se'f en
I'll wait yer fer you. Gimme de lines, Brer Wolf, en you go wom yo'se'f
all over.'

"Wid dat Brer Wolf, he put out des ez hard ez he kin, fer ter see ef he
can't fin' de fier; en w'iles he wuz gone, bless goodness, w'at should
Brer Rabbit do but cut off de hosses' tails en stick um down deep in de
mud--"

"Le' 'im 'lone, now! Des le' 'im 'lone!" exclaimed Aunt Tempy in an
ecstasy of admiration.

"He stick de hosses' tails down in de mud," continued Uncle Remus, "en
den he tuck'n druv de waggin 'way off in de swamp en hide it. Den he
tuck'n come back, ole Brer Rabbit did, fer ter wait fer Brer Wolf.

"Atter so long a time, sho' 'nuff, yer come Brer Wolf des a-gallin'-up
back. Brer Rabbit he hail 'im.

"'Is you wom yo'se'f, Brer Wolf?'

"'Brer Rabbit, don't talk! Dat de mos' 'seetful fier w'at I had any
speunce un. I run, en I run, en I run, en de mo' w'at I run de furder
de fier git. De nigher you come ter dat fier de furder hit's off.'

"Brer Rabbit, he sorter scratch hisse'f behime de shoulder-blade, en
'low:--

"'Nummine 'bout de fier, Brer Wolf. I got sump'n' yer dat'll wom you up.