randmother, long since dead.

"Tell yo' tale, Sis Tempy," he said pleasantly, "en leave de talk er
cunju'n ter de little nigger childun. We er done got too ole fer dat
kinder foolishness."

This was for the ear of the little boy. In his heart Uncle Remus was
convinced that Daddy Jack was capable of changing himself into the
blackest of black cats, with swollen tail, arched back, fiery eyes, and
protruding fangs. But the old man's attitude reassured Aunt Tempy, as
well as the child, and forthwith she proceeded with her story:--

"Hit seem like dat one time w'en Brer Rabbit fine hisse'f way off in de
middle er de woods, de win' strike up un 'gun ter blow. Hit blow down on
de groun' en it blow up in de top er de timber, en it blow so hard twel
terreckerly Brer Rabbit tuck a notion dat he better git out fum dar 'fo'
de timber 'gun ter fall.

"Brer Rabbit, he broke en run, en, Man--Sir![72] w'en dat creetur run'd
he run'd, now you year w'at I tell yer! He broke en run, he did, en he
fa'rly flew 'way fum dar. W'iles he gwine 'long full tilt, he run'd
ag'in' ole Mr. Lion. Mr. Lion, he hail 'im:--

"'Heyo, Brer Rabbit! Wat yo' hurry?'

"'Run, Mr. Lion, run! Dey's a harrycane comin' back dar in de timbers.
You better run!'

"Dis make Mr. Lion sorter skeer'd. He 'low:--

"'I mos' too heavy fer ter run fur, Brer Rabbit. W'at I gwine do?'

"'Lay down, Mr. Lion, lay down! Git close ter de groun'!'

"Mr. Lion shake his head. He 'low:--

"'Ef win' lierbul fer ter pick up little man like you is, Brer Rabbit,
w'at it gwine do wid big man like me?'

"'Hug a tree, Mr. Lion, hug a tree!'

"Mr. Lion lash hisse'f wid his tail. He 'low:--

"'Wat I gwine do ef de win' blow all day en a good part er de night,
Brer Rabbit?'

"'Lemme tie you ter de tree, Mr. Lion! lemme tie you ter de tree!'

"Mr. Lion, he tuk'n 'gree ter dis, en Brer Rabbit, he got 'im a hick'ry
split[73] en tie 'im hard en fast ter de tree. Den he tuck'n sot down,
ole Brer Rabbit did, en wash his face en han's des same ez you see de
cats doin'. Terreckerly Mr. Lion git tired er stan'in' dar huggin' de
tree, en he ax Brer Rabbit w'at de reason he ain't keep on runnin', en
Brer Rabbit, he up'n 'low dat he gwine ter stay der en take keer Mr.
Lion.

"Terreckerly Mr. Lion say he ain't year no harrycane. Brer Rabbit say he
ain't needer. Mr. Lion say he ain't year no win' a-blowin'. Brer Rabbit
say he ain't needer. Mr. Lion say he ain't so much ez year a leaf
a-s