OLE BRER WOLF UND' DAT AR ROCK" 232

"HE SORTER HUNCH BRER POSSUM IN DE SHORT RIBS, EN AX 'IM HOW HE
COME ON" 268

"'I DUNNER W'EN I BIN SO SORRY 'BOUT ANYTHING EZ I IS 'BOUT BRER
FOX NICE LONG TAIL'" 286

"HE GIT DE FINEST MESS ER FISH YOU MOS' EVER LAID YO' EYES ON" 324

[Illustration: MR. FOX AND MISS GOOSE]

NIGHTS WITH UNCLE REMUS

I

MR. FOX AND MISS GOOSE

It had been raining all day so that Uncle Remus found it impossible to
go out. The storm had begun, the old man declared, just as the chickens
were crowing for day, and it had continued almost without intermission.
The dark gray clouds had blotted out the sun, and the leafless limbs of
the tall oaks surrendered themselves drearily to the fantastic gusts
that drove the drizzle fitfully before them. The lady to whom Uncle
Remus belonged had been thoughtful of the old man, and 'Tildy, the
house-girl, had been commissioned to carry him his meals. This
arrangement came to the knowledge of the little boy at supper time, and
he lost no time in obtaining permission to accompany 'Tildy.

Uncle Remus made a great demonstration over the thoughtful kindness of
his "Miss Sally."

"Ef she ain't one blessid w'ite 'oman," he said, in his simple, fervent
way, "den dey ain't none un um 'roun' in deze parts."

With that he addressed himself to the supper, while the little boy sat
by and eyed him with that familiar curiosity common to children. Finally
the youngster disturbed the old man with an inquiry:--

"Uncle Remus, do geese stand on one leg all night, or do they sit down
to sleep?"

"Tooby sho' dey does, honey; dey sets down same ez you does. Co'se, dey
don't cross der legs," he added, cautiously, "kase dey sets down right
flat-footed."

"Well, I saw one the other day, and he was standing on one foot, and I
watched him and watched him, and he kept on standing there."

"Ez ter dat," responded Uncle Remus, "dey mought stan' on one foot en
drap off ter sleep en fergit deyse'f. Deze yer gooses," he continued,
wiping the crumbs from his beard with his coat-tail, "is mighty kuse
fowls; deyer mighty kuse. In ole times dey wuz 'mongs de big-bugs, en in
dem days, w'en ole Miss Goose gun a-dinin', all de quality wuz dere.
Likewise, en needer wuz dey stuck-up, kase wid all der kyar'n's on, Miss
Goose wer'n't t