de
short ribs, en ax 'im how he come on. Brer Possum mighty ticklish, en
time Wattle Weasel totch 'im in de short ribs, he 'gun ter laugh. Wattle
Weasel totch 'im ag'in en laugh wusser, en he keep on hunchin' 'im dat
a-way twel bimeby Brer Possum laugh hisse'f plum outer win', en Wattle
Weasel lef 'im dar en nibble up de butter.

"De creeturs, dey tuck'n mark Brer Possum down, en 'p'int Brer Coon.
Brer Coon, he tuck'n start in all so mighty fine; but w'iles he settin'
dar, little Wattle Weasel banter 'im fer a race up de branch. No sooner
say dan yer dey went! Brer Coon, he foller de tu'ns er de branch, en
little Wattle Weasel he take'n take nigh cuts, en 't wa'n't no time 'fo'
he done run Brer Coon plum down. Den dey run down de branch, and 'fo'
Brer Coon kin ketch up wid 'im, dat little Wattle Weasel done got back
ter de noggin er butter, en nibble it up.

"Den de creeturs tuck'n mark Brer Coon down, dey did, en 'p'int Brer Fox
fer ter watch de butter. Wattle Weasel sorter 'fear'd 'er Brer Fox. He
study long time, en den he wait twel night. Den he tuck'n went 'roun' in
de ole fiel' en woke up de Killdees[70] en druv 'roun' todes de
spring-house. Brer Fox year um holler, en it make he mouf water. Bimeby,
he 'low ter hisse'f dat 't ain't no harm ef he go out en slip up on
one."

"Dar now!" said Aunt Tempy.

"Brer Fox tuck'n slip out, en Wattle Weasel he slicked in, en bless yo'
soul! dar goes de butter!"

"Enty!" exclaimed Daddy Jack.

"Brer Fox he git marked down," continued Uncle Remus, "en den de
creeturs tuck'n 'p'int Brer Wolf fer ter be dey watcher. Brer Wolf, he
sot up dar, he did, en sorter nod, but bimeby he year some un talkin'
outside de spring-house. He h'ist up he years en lissen. Look lak some
er de creeturs wuz gwine by, en talkin' 'mungs' deysef'; but all Brer
Wolf kin year is dish yer:--

"'I wonder who put dat ar young sheep down dar by de chinkapin tree, en
I like ter know wharbouts Brer Wolf is.'

"Den it seem lak dey pass on, en ole Brer Wolf, he fergotted w'at he in
dar fer, en he dash down ter de chinkapin tree, fer ter git de young
sheep. But no sheep dar, en w'en he git back, he see signs whar Wattle
Weasel done bin in dar en nibble de butter.

"Den de creeturs tuck'n mark Brer Wolf down, en 'p'int Brer B'ar fer ter
keep he eye 'pun de noggin er butter. Brer B'ar he tuck'n sot up dar, he
did, en lick he paw, en feel good. Bimeby Wattle Weasel come dancin' in.
He 'low:--

"'Heyo, B