'Skitty
would take some pains
To love 'is neighbor an' show good will,
But
he's p'izenin' an' back-bitin' still.
An' he ain't by 'isself in dat, in dat--
No, he ain't by 'isself in dat.
[Illustration]
CONFESSION
Dat whale wha' gulped Br'er Jonah down
Was bleeged to swim
close-t to de groun'
Ontel he riz up an' confessed
He'd swallered
mo' 'n he could digest.
But you ain't by yo'self, Br'er Whale, in dat--
No, you ain't by yo'self
in dat.
[Illustration]
THE GAME-COCK
Dey's some things square an' some things round,
An' little game
cocks ain't sol' by de pound;
Dey's weighed by sand an' pluck an' grit
An' de number o' dead dey leave in de pit.
An' dey ain't by deyselves in rank like dat--
No, dey ain't by
deyselves in dat.
[Illustration]
THE EPICURE
Ef you keep yo' eyes on Br'er Carrion Crow,
You'll wonder huccome
he kin carry on so!
He flies in high circles an' chooses meat
Dat no
honest workin'-man would eat.
An' he ain't no new high-flyer in dat--
No, he ain't by 'isself in dat.
[Illustration]
THE MULE
Ef you quiz Br'er Mule, you'll find dat he
Gits mixed on de subjec' of
'is fam'ly tree;
He'll brag about 'is mammy with a noble neigh,
An'
deny 'is own daddy wid a ginuine bray.
But he ain't by 'isself in dat, in dat--
But he ain't by 'isself in dat.
[Illustration]
THE GRUBWORM
Br'er Grubworm wrops 'isself in twine
An' swings in 'is shroud on a
evergreen vine,
Becaze it's mortal death dat brings
His on'iest
chance to git 'is wings.
But you ain't by yo'self, Br'er Worm, in dat--
Oh, you ain't by yo'self
in dat.
[Illustration]
RAIN OR SHINE?
Ol' Mingo, on 'is knees, he say:
"Lord, teach dis nigger how to pray,
Else riconcile two kinds o' weather
For craps an' rheumatiz
together!"
But you ain't by yo'self, ol' man, in dat--
Oh, you ain't by yo'self in
dat.
[Illustration]
LITTLE GREEN TREE-TOAD
Little green tree-toad on banana leaf,
Plenty po' relations all aroun'
'im in de bog;
But he'd ruther be blind an' dumb an' deef
Dan to
hold a conversation wid a "low-life" frog!
But he ain't no lonesome toady in dat--
No, he ain't by 'isself in dat.
[Illustration]
SPARROWS
Dey say dem Sparrers come crost de seas
To eat our surplus grubs an'
fleas;
But dey's whupped our birds off'n dis plantation,
Tell we
craves to constric' dey immigration.
An' dey ain't by deyselves in dat, in dat--
An' dey ain't by deyselves in
dat.
[Illustration]
THE FLY
Wid dem suctious foots, seem lak Br'er Fly
Mought draw down
health ef he trod de sky;
But he's so onpartic'lar whar he roams
Dat
he's got 'isself screened out o' quality homes.
An' he ain't by 'isself outcas' like dat--
No, he ain't by 'isself in dat.
[Illustration]
THE LITTLE CHICKEN
Little yaller fluff-ball, one day out,
Steps mighty high while he picks
all about;
Never sees de egg-shell layin' in 'is track,
Much less the
little piece stickin' on 'is back.
But he ain't by 'isself in dat, in dat--
But he ain't by 'isself in dat.
[Illustration]
THE SCARE-CROW
Br'er Scare-crow's built to suit 'is job
Wid flappin' legs an' arms dat
bob;
He ain't got brains for discontent
So he works widout no
argument.
An' he ain't by 'isself in dat, in dat--
No, he ain't by 'isself in dat.
[Illustration]
THE YELLOW ROSE
Dey's a sweet plantation, yaller-buff rose
Dat in my ricollection
grows;
In my ol' dreams she seems to wait
Whar she stood an'
bloomed by de love-vine gate
An' I ain't by myself in dreams like dat--
No, I ain't by myself in dat.
[Illustration]
THE AMBITIOUS COW
Sis' Twis'-horn Brindle is a bothersome cow,
She's boun' to raise a
ruction an' she don't keer how;
She craves to be de bell-cow an' lead
off wid a clang,
So it's all a man kin do to make 'er gallup wid de
gang.
An' she ain't by 'erself in dat, in dat--
An' she ain't by 'erself in dat.
[Illustration]
TRIED BY FIRE
De sugar-cane stands so proud an' smart,
You'd nuver suspicion it
sweet at de heart,
But to prove its sweets it yields its will
To be
tried by fire an' ground in de mill.
An' it ain't by itself in dat, in dat--
No, it ain't by itself in dat.
[Illustration]
JACK-O'LANTERN
Sence he los' 'is brains to git 'is smile,
Brer Jack-o-lantern grins lak a
wilderin' chile
Widout no secrets out or in;
An' de lighter in de head
de broader 'is grin
An' he ain't by 'isself in dat, in dat--
An' he ain't by 'isself in dat.
[Illustration]
THE FLEA
Look out for Mr. Po'-trash Flea!
Ef you let 'im come in, he'll make
too free;
He'll chase yo' dog till he makes 'im pant,
An' he'll take yo'
skin for a restaurant.
An' he ain't by 'isself in dat, in dat--
An' he ain't by 'isself in dat.
[Illustration]
WILL O' THE WISP
Ef de Wul o' de Wust would cuss an' swear
An' take some shape, an'
rip an' tear,
It wouldn't sen' col' chills
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