mo' w'at dey lissen de skeerder dey git,
twel bimeby dey tuck ter der heels en make a break fer de swamp at de
back er de house des lak de patter-rollers wuz atter um.

"W'en ole man Benjermun Ram sorter let up wid he fiddlin', he don't see
no Brer Wolf, en he don't year no ole Miss Wolf. Den he look in de back
room; no Wolf dar. Den he look in de back po'ch; no Wolf dar. Den he
look in de closet en de cubberd; no Wolf ain't dar yit. Den ole Mr.
Benjermun Ram, he tuck'n shot all de do's en lock um, en he s'arch
'roun' en he fine some peas en fodder in de lof', w'ich he et um fer he
supper, en den he lie down front er de fier en sleep soun' ez a log.

"Nex' mawnin' he 'uz up en stirrin' monst'us soon, en he put out fum
dar, en he fine de way ter Miss Meadows' time 'nuff fer ter play at de
frolic. W'en he git dar, Miss Meadows en de gals, dey run ter de gate
fer ter meet 'im, en dis un tuck he hat, en dat un tuck he cane, en
t'er'n tuck he fiddle, en den dey up'n say:--

"'Law, Mr. Ram! whar de name er goodness is you bin? We so glad you
come. Stir 'roun' yer, folks, en git Mr. Ram a cup er hot coffee.'

"Dey make a mighty big ter-do 'bout Mr. Benjermun Ram, Miss Meadows en
Miss Motts en de gals did, but 'twix' you en me en de bedpos', honey,
dey'd er had der frolic wh'er de ole chap 'uz dar er not, kaze de gals
done make 'rangerments wid Brer Rabbit fer ter pat fer um, en in dem
days Brer Rabbit wuz a patter, mon. He mos' sholy wuz."

FOOTNOTES:

[11] That is, from the foundation, or beginning.

[12] To pine or long for anything. This is a good old English word,
which has been retained in the plantation vocabulary.

X

BRER RABBIT'S RIDDLE

"Could Brother Rabbit pat a tune, sure enough, Uncle Remus?" asked the
little boy, his thoughts apparently dwelling upon the new accomplishment
of Brother Rabbit at which the old man had hinted in his story of Mr.
Benjamin Ram. Uncle Remus pretended to be greatly surprised that any one
could be so unfamiliar with the accomplishments of Brother Rabbit as to
venture to ask such a question. His response was in the nature of a
comment:--

"Name er goodness! w'at kinder pass dish yer we comin' ter w'en a great
big grow'd up young un axin' 'bout Brer Rabbit? Bless yo' soul, honey!
dey wa'n't no chune gwine dat Brer Rabbit can't pat. Let 'lone dat, w'en
dey wuz some un else fer ter do de pattin', Brer Rabbit kin jump out
inter de middle er de flo' en des nat'ally shak