Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit | Page 6

Joel Chandler Harris
ain't fergit 'bout dat gol' mine, kaze, fum dat time on, go whar you
mought, you'd ketch some er de creeturs diggin' an' grabblin' in de
groun', some in de fields, some in de woods, an' some in de big road;
an' dey wuz so weak an' hongry dat dey kin skacely grabble fer fallin'
down.
[Illustration]
"Well, dis went on fer de longest, but bimeby, one day, dey all 'gree dat
sump'n bleeze ter be done, an' dey say dey'll all take one big hunt fer de
gol' mine, an' den quit. Dey hunted in gangs, wid de gangs not fur fum
one an'er, an' it so happen dat Brer Rabbit wuz in de gang wid Brer
Wolf, an' he know'd dat he hatter keep his eyes wide open. All de
creeturs hatter dig in diffunt places, an' whiles Brer Rabbit want much
uv a grabbler, he had a way er makin' de yuthers b'lieve dat he wuz de
best er de lot. So he made a heap er motion like he wuz t'arin' up de
yeth. Dey ain't been gwine on dis away long fo' Brer Wolf holler out,
[Illustration]
"'Run here, Brer Rabbit! I done foun' it!' Brer B'ar an' Brer Fox wuz
bofe diggin' close by, an' Brer Rabbit kinder wunk one eye at de
elements; he say, sezee, 'Glad I is fer yo' sake, Brer Wolf; git yo' gol'
an' 'joy yo'se'f!' Brer Wolf say, 'Come git some, Brer Rabbit! Come git
some!' Ol' Brer Rabbit 'spon', 'I'll take de leavin's, Brer Wolf; you take

what you want, an' den when you done got 'nough I'll get de leetle bit I
want.' Brer Wolf say, 'I wanter show you sump'n.' Brer Rabbit 'low,
'My eyes ain't big fer nothin'.' Brer Wolf say, 'I got a secret I wanter tell
you.' Brer Rabbit 'low, 'My y'ears ain't long fer nothin'. Des stan' dar an'
do yo' whisperin', Brer Wolf, an' I'll hear eve'y word you say.'
[Illustration]
"Brer Wolf ain't say nothin', but make out he's grabblin', an' den, all of
a sudden, he made a dash at Brer Rabbit, but when he git whar Brer
Rabbit wuz at, Brer Rabbit ain't dar no mo'; he done gone. Weak an'
hongry ez he is, Brer Wolf know dat he can't ketch Brer Rabbit, an' so
he holler out, 'What's yo' hurry, Brer Rabbit? Whar you gwine?' Brer
Rabbit holler back, 'I'm gwine home atter a bag fer ter tote de gol' you
gwine leave me! So long, Brer Wolf; I wish you mighty well!' an' wid
dat he put out fer home."

BRER RABBIT GETS BRER FOX A HOSS
[Illustration]
Not many er de creeturs wuz fon' er water, Onless it mought 'a' been
Brer Coon's daughter; Brer B'ar, Brer Fox, an' ol' Brer Rabbit, Dey
vow'd dey can't never git in de habit Er wadin' de creek, er swimmin' de
river-- When it come ter dat, dey'd run ter kivver! When folks come
'long fer ter git across, De creeturs tuck notice dat dey rid a hoss.
[Illustration]
Brer Fox, he say he wish he had one, An' 'mongst all de yuthers he'd be
de glad un; He'd git a bridle an' a bran' new saddle, An' git on de hoss
an' ride 'im straddle; He say, sezee, "He'd do some trottin', Kaze when I
git started, I'm a mighty hot un!" Brer Rabbit, he smole a great big
smile, Wid, "I can't ride myse'f, kaze I got a b'ile!
[Illustration]

"But it seem like ter me dat I knows whar a hoss is: He's away back
yan' whar two roads crosses, An' I'll meet you dar termorrer mornin',
Des 'bout de time when day's a-dawnin'." Brer Fox, he say, "I hear yo'
sesso, An' ef I ain't sick I'll be dar desso!" Brer Rabbit tip his hat, wid,
"So-long, frien'; We'll git de hoss, you may depen'."
[Illustration]
Long 'fo' de time, Brer Rabbit wuz a-stirrin', An' he chuckle ter hisse'f
like a cat a-purrin'; De hoss wuz stretched out asleep in de pastur'; Brer
Rabbit went up des ez close ez he dast ter, Fer ter see ef he 'live: hoss
switched his tail, suh! "Dis time we'll git you widout fail, suh!" So Brer
Rabbit say; den he seed Brer Fox-- "An' an'er fine gent fer ter git in a
box!"
[Illustration]
Den he say out loud, "Good luck done sont 'im, An' laid 'im down right
whar you want 'im! Ef youer tied ter his tail, you kin sholy hol' 'im, An'
mo' dan dat, you kin trip 'im an' roll 'im!" So said, so done! an' dar Brer
Fox wuz, Right close ter de place whar a heap er knocks wuz! Brer
Rabbit, he holla, "Hol' 'im down! hol' 'im down!
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