l be a-po'in' en de grass
'll be a-growin'.'"

"Why, that's poetry, Uncle Remus!" interrupted the little boy.

"Tooby sho' 't is, honey! tooby sho' 't is. I des let you know Brer
Rabbit 'uz a mighty man in dem days. Brer Fox, he see de cloud comin'
up, en he up'n 'low he 'speck he better be gittin' 'long hisse'f, 'kaze
he ain't wanter git he Sunday-go-ter-meetin' cloze wet. Miss Meadows en
Miss Motts, en de gals, dey want um ter stay, but bofe er dem ar
creeturs 'uz mighty fear'd er gittin' der foots wet, en atter w'ile dey
put out.

"W'iles dey 'uz gwine down de big road, jawin' at one er 'n'er, Brer
Fox, he tuck'n stop right quick, en 'low:--

"'Run yer, Brer Rabbit! run yer! Ef my eye ain't 'ceive me yer de signs
whar Mr. Dog bin 'long, en mo'n dat dey er right fresh.'

"Brer Rabbit, he sidle up en look. Den he 'low:--

"'Dat ar track ain't never fit Mr. Dog foot in de roun' worl'. W'at
make it mo' bindin',' sezee, 'I done gone en bin 'quainted wid de man
w'at make dat track, too long 'go ter talk 'bout,' sezee.

"'Brer Rabbit, please, sir, tell me he name.'

"Brer Rabbit, he laugh lak he makin' light er sump'n' 'n'er.

"'Ef I ain't make no mistakes, Brer Fox, de po' creetur w'at make dat
track is Cousin Wildcat; no mo' en no less.'

"'How big is he, Brer Rabbit?'

"'He des 'bout yo' heft, Brer Fox.' Den Brer Rabbit make lak he talkin'
wid hisse'f. 'Tut, tut, tut! Hit mighty funny dat I should run up on
Cousin Wildcat in dis part er de worl'. Tooby sho', tooby sho'! Many en
manys de time I see my ole Grandaddy kick en cuff Cousin Wildcat, twel I
git sorry 'bout 'im. Ef you want any fun, Brer Fox, right now de time
ter git it.'

"Brer Fox up'n ax, he did, how he gwine have any fun. Brer Rabbit, he
'low:--

"'Easy 'nuff; des go en tackle ole Cousin Wildcat, en lam 'im 'roun'.'

"Brer Fox, he sorter scratch he year, en 'low:--

"'Eh-eh, Brer Rabbit, I fear'd. He track too much lak Mr. Dog.'

"Brer Rabbit des set right flat down in de road, en holler en laugh. He
'low, sezee:--

"'Shoo, Brer Fox! Who'd 'a' thunk you 'uz so skeery? Des come look at
dish yer track right close. Is dey any sign er claw anywhar's?'

"Brer Fox bleedz ter 'gree dat dey wa'n't no sign er no claw. Brer
Rabbit say:--

"'Well, den, ef he ain't got no claw, how he gwine ter hu't you, Brer
Fox?'

"'W'at gone wid he toofs, Brer Rabbit?'

"'Shoo, Brer Fox! Creeturs w'at barks[57] de trees ain't gwine bite.'

"Brer Fox tuck'