bit, yit I don't
keer ef I does.'

"Wid dat, Brer Rabbit let down de plough-line, en Brer Wolf kotch holt,
en dey 'gun ter haul 'im up. Dey haul en dey haul, en w'en Brer Wolf git
mos' ter de top he year Brer Rabbit holler out:--

"'Stir 'roun', ole 'oman, en set de table; but 'fo' you do dat, fetch de
kittle fer ter make de coffee.'

"Dey haul en dey haul on de plough-line, en Brer Wolf year Brer Rabbit
squall out:--

"'Watch out dar, ole 'oman! You'll spill dat b'ilin' water on Brer
Wolf!'

"En, bless yo' soul!" continued Uncle Remus, turning half around in his
chair to face his enthusiastic audience of one, "dat 'uz 'bout all Brer
Wolf did year, 'kaze de nex' minit down come de scaldin' water, en Brer
Wolf des fetch one squall en turn't hisse'f aloose, en w'en he strak de
groun' he bounce des same ez one er deze yer injun-rubber balls w'at you
use ter play wid 'long in dem times 'fo' you tuck'n broke yo' mammy
lookin'-glass. Ole Brer Rabbit, he lean fum out de steeple en 'pollygize
de bes' he kin, but no 'pollygy ain't gwine ter make ha'r come back
whar de b'ilin' water hit."

"Did they spill the hot water on purpose, Uncle Remus?" the little boy
inquired.

"Now, den, honey, youer crowdin' me. Dem ar creeturs wuz mighty
kuse--mo' speshually Brer Rabbit. W'en it come down ter dat," said Uncle
Remus, lowering his voice and looking very grave, "I 'speck ef youder
s'arch de country fum hen-roost to river-bank,[61] you won't fine a no
mo' kuser man dan Brer Rabbit. All I knows is dat Brer Rabbit en Brer
Tarrypin had a mighty laughin' spell des 'bout de time Brer Wolf hit de
groun'."

FOOTNOTES:

[59] Distribute.

[60] Allowance; ration.

[61] Based on a characteristic negro saying. For instance: "Where's
Jim?" "You can't keep up wid dat nigger. Des let night come, en he's
runnin' fum hen-roost to river-bank." In other words, stealing chickens
and robbing fish baskets.

XLVI

BRER WOLF STILL IN TROUBLE

"En still we er by ourse'fs," exclaimed Uncle Remus, as the little boy
ran into his cabin, the night after he had heard the story of how
Brother Rabbit scalded Brother Wolf. "We er by ourse'fs en time's
a-passin'. Dem ar folks dunner w'at dey er missin'. We er des gittin'
ter dat p'int whar we kin keep de run er creeturs, en it keeps us dat
busy we ain't got time fer ter bolt our vittles skacely.

"I done tell you 'bout Brer Rabbit makin' 'im a steeple; but I ain't
tell you 'bout how Brer Ra