ht when he found the old man
alone, "I don't like these stories where somebody has to stand at the
door and sing, do you? They don't sound funny to me."

Uncle Remus crossed his legs, took off his spectacles and laid them
carefully on the floor under his chair, and made a great pretence of
arguing the matter with the child.

"Now, den, honey, w'ich tale is it w'at you ain't lak de mos'?"

The little boy reflected a moment and then replied:--

"About the snake swallowing the little girl. I don't see any fun in
that. Papa says they have snakes in Africa as big around as his body;
and, goodness knows, I hope they won't get after me."

"How dey gwine git atter you, honey, w'en you settin' up yer 'long side
er me en de snakes 'way 'cross dar in Affiky?"

"Well, Daddy Jack, he came, and the snakes might come too."

Uncle Remus laughed, more to reassure the child than to ridicule his
argument.

"Dem ar snakes ain't no water-moccasin, not ez I knows un. Brer Jack bin
yer mighty long time, en dey ain't no snake foller atter 'im yit."

"Now, Uncle Remus! papa says they have them in shows."

"I 'speck dey is, honey, but who's afear'd er snake stufft wid
meal-bran? Not none er ole Miss gran'chillun, sho'!"

"Well, the stories don't sound funny to me."

"Dat mought be, yit deyer funny ter Brer Jack, en dey do mighty well fer
ter pass de time. Atter w'ile you'll be a-gwine 'roun' runnin' down
ole-Brer Rabbit en de t'er creeturs, en somehow er n'er you'll take'n
git ole Remus mix up wid um twel you won't know w'ich one un um you er
runnin' down, en let 'lone dat, you won't keer needer. Shoo, honey! you
ain't de fus' chap w'at I done tole deze yer tales ter."

"Why, Uncle Remus," exclaimed the little boy, in a horrified tone, "I
_would n't_; you _know_ I would n't!"

"Don't tell me!" insisted the old man, "you er outgrowin' me, en you er
outgrowin' de tales. Des lak Miss Sally change de lenk er yo' britches,
des dat a-way I got ter do w'ence I whirl in en persoo atter de
creeturs. Time wuz w'en you 'ud set down yer by dish yer h'a'th, en
you'd take'n holler en laugh en clap yo' han's w'en ole Brer Rabbit 'ud
kick outen all er he tanglements; but deze times you sets dar wid yo'
eyes wide open, en you don't crack a smile. I say it!" Uncle Remus
exclaimed, changing his tone and attitude, as if addressing some third
person concealed in the room. "I say it! Stidder j'inin' in wid de fun,
he'll take'n lean back dar en 'spute