yer.'

"Brer Wolf say he ain't so mighty sho' 'bout dat. Brer Rabbit say he
willin' fer ter lef' de whole case wid Brer Tarrypin, en Brer Wolf say
he 'gree'ble.

"Wid dat, dey put out, dey did, en make der way ter whar ole Brer
Tarrypin stay; en w'en dey git dar, Brer Wolf he tuck'n tell he side, en
den Brer Rabbit he tuck'n tell he side. Ole Brer Tarrypin put on he
specks en cle'r up he th'oat, en den he 'low:--

"'Dey's a mighty heap er mixness in dish yer 'spute, en 'fo' I kin take
any sides you'll des hatter kyar me fer ter see de place whar'bouts Brer
Wolf wuz w'en Brer Rabbit foun' 'im,' sezee.

[Illustration: "EN, BLESS GRACIOUS! DEM AR CREETURS RACKED OFF
FUM DAR EN LEF' OLE BRER WOLF UND' DAT AR ROCK"]

"Sho' 'nuff, dey tuck'n kyar'd ole Brer Tarrypin down de big road twel
dey come ter de big gully, en den dey tuck 'im ter whar Brer Wolf got
kotch und' de big rock. Ole Brer Tarrypin, he walk 'roun', he did, en
poke at de place wid de een' er he cane. Bimeby he shuck he head, he
did, en 'low:

"'I hates might'ly fer ter put you all gents ter so much trouble; yit,
dey ain't no two ways, I'll hatter see des how Brer Wolf was kotch, en
des how de rock wuz layin' 'pun top un 'im,' sezee. 'De older folks
gits, de mo' trouble dey is,' sezee, 'en I ain't 'nyin' but w'at I'm
a-ripenin' mo' samer dan a 'simmon w'at's bin strucken wid de fros','
sezee.

"Den Brer Wolf, he tuck'n lay down whar he wuz w'en Brer Rabbit foun'
'im, en de yuthers dey up'n roll de rock 'pun top un 'im. Dey roll de
rock 'pun 'im," continued Uncle Remus, looking over his spectacles to
see what effect the statement had on the little boy, "en dar he wuz.
Brer Tarrypin, he walk all 'roun' en 'roun', en look at 'im. Den he sot
down, he did, en make marks in de san' wid he cane lak he studyin' 'bout
sump'n' n'er. Bimeby, Brer Wolf, he open up:--

"'Ow, Brer Tarrypin! Dish yer rock gittin' mighty heavy!'

"Brer Tarrypin, he mark in de san', en study, en study. Brer Wolf
holler:--

"'Ow, Brer Tarrypin! Dish yer rock mashin' de breff out'n me.'

"Brer Tarrypin, he r'ar back, he did, en he 'low, sezee:--

"'Brer Rabbit, you wuz in de wrong. You ain't had no business fer ter
come bodderin' 'longer Brer Wolf w'en he ain't bodderin' 'longer you. He
'uz 'ten'in' ter he own business en you oughter bin 'ten'in' ter yone.'

"Dis make Brer Rabbit look 'shame' er hisse'f, but Brer Tarrypin talk
right erlong:--

"'W'en you 'uz gwine down d