n' fixin' up his tricks. Long time 'fo'
dat, Brer Rabbit had been at a bobbycue whar dey was a muster, en w'iles
all de folks 'uz down at de spring eatin' dinner, Brer Rabbit he crope
up en run off wid one er de drums. Dey wuz a big drum en a little drum,
en Brer Rabbit he snatch up de littles' one en run home.

"Now, den, w'en he year 'bout de yuther creeturs gwine ter Brer Fox
house, w'at do Brer Rabbit do but git out dis rattlin' drum en make de
way down de road todes whar dey is. He tuk dat drum," continued Uncle
Remus, with great elation of voice and manner, "en he went down de road
todes Brer Fox house, en he make 'er talk like thunner mix up wid hail.
Hit talk lak dis:--

"'_Diddybum, diddybum, diddybum-bum-bum--diddybum!_'

"De creeturs, dey 'uz a-drinkin', en a-drammin', en a-gwine on at a
terrible rate, en dey ain't year de racket, but all de same, yer come
Brer Rabbit:--

"'_Diddybum, diddybum, diddybum-bum-bum--diddybum!_'

"Bimeby Brer 'Coon, w'ich he allers got one year hung out fer de news,
he up'n ax Brer Fox w'at dat, en by dat time all de creeturs stop en
lissen; but all de same, yer come Brer Rabbit:--

"'_Diddybum, diddybum, diddybum-bum-bum--diddybum!_'

"De creeturs dey keep on lis'nin', en Brer Rabbit keep on gittin'
nigher, twel bimeby Brer 'Coon retch und' de cheer fer he hat, en say,
sezee:--

"'Well, gents, I 'speck I better be gwine. I tole my ole 'oman dat I
won't be gone a minnit, en yer 't is 'way 'long in de day.'

"Wid dat Brer 'Coon, he skip out, but he ain't git much furder dan de
back gate, 'fo' yer come all de yuther creeturs like dey 'uz runnin' a
foot-race, en ole Brer Fox wuz wukkin' in de lead."

"Dar, now!" exclaimed 'Tildy, with great fervor.

"Yasser! dar dey wuz, en dar dey went," continued Uncle Remus. "Dey tuck
nigh cuts, en dey scramble over one er 'n'er, en dey ain't res' twel dey
git in de bushes.

"Ole Brer Rabbit, he came on down de road--_diddybum, diddybum,
diddybum-bum-bum_--en bless gracious! w'en he git ter Brer Fox house dey
ain't nobody dar. Brer Rabbit is dat ow-dacious, dat he hunt all 'roun'
twel he fine de a'r-hole en de drum, en he put his mouf ter dat en sing
out, sezee:--

"'Is dey anybody home?' en den he answer hisse'f, sezee, 'Law, no,
honey--folks all gone.'

"Wid dat, ole Brer Rabbit break loose en laugh, he did, fit ter kill
hisse'f, en den he slam Brer Fox front gate wide open, en march up ter
de house. W'en he git dar, he kick de