Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit | Page 8

flung um in de barrel whar de
water wuz, an' 'twan't long, mon, 'fo' dat water wuz ready fer ter bile.
Den dey tuck de hogs, one at a time, an' soused um in de water, an' time
dey tuck um out, he ha'r wuz ready fer ter drap out by de roots. Den
dey'd scrape un wid sticks an' chips, an' dey aint leave a ha'r on um.
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"Well, bimeby, dey had all de hogs killt an' cleaned, an' hauled off, an'
when eve'ything wuz still ez a settin' hen, ol' Brer Rabbit stuck his head
out fum behine a bush whar he been settin' at. He stuck his head out, he
did, an' look all 'roun', an' den he went whar de fier wuz an' try fer ter
warm hisse'f. He aint been dar long 'fo' here come Brer Wolf an' Brer
Fox, an den he got busy.
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"He say, 'Hello, frien's! howdy an' welcome! I 'm des fixin' fer ter take
a warm baff like Mr. Man gi' his hogs; wont you j'ine me?' Dey say dey
aint in no hurry, but dey holp Brer Rabbit put de hot rocks in de barrel
an' dey watch de water bubble, an' bimeby, when eve'ything wuz ready,
who should walk up but ol' Mr. Lion?
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"He had a mane fum his head plum ter de een' er his tail, an' in some
places it wuz so long it drug on de groun'--dat what make all de

creeturs 'fear'd un 'im. He growl an' ax um what dey doin', an' when
Brer Rabbit tell 'im, he say dat's what he long been needin'. 'How does
you git in?' 'Des back right in,' sez ol' Brer Rabbit, sezee, an' wid dat,
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"Mr. Lion backed in, an' de water wuz so hot, he try fer ter git out, an'
he slipped in plum ter his shoulder-blades. You kin b'lieve me er not,
but dat creetur wuz scall'd so dat he holler'd an' skeer'd eve'ybody fur
miles aroun'.
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"An when he come out, all de wool drap't out, 'cep' de bunch you see
on his neck, an' de leetle bit you'll fin' on de een' er his tail--an' dat'd 'a'
come off ef de tail hadn't 'a' slipped thoo de bung-hole er de barrel."
With that, Uncle Remus closed his eyes, but not so tightly that he
couldn't watch the little boy. For a moment the child said nothing, and
then, "I must tell that tale to mother before I forget it!" So saying, he
ran out of the cabin as fast as his feet could carry him, leaving Uncle
Remus shaking with laughter.

HOW BRER RABBIT GOT A HOUSE
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Oh, once 'pon a time, all de creeturs, all de creeturs, Tuck a notion dat
dey'd build a house, An' fix it so ez ter keep out de skeeters, An' fix it
up nix cummy rous! Dey all wuz dar fum de B'ar ter de Possum, Brer
Wolf, Brer Fox, Brer Coon, Wid ol' Brer Rabbit fer ter stan' 'roun' an'
boss um, Kaze dey hatter have de' house right soon.
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Brer Rabbit, he wuz busy, oh, yes, mighty busy, Not doin' uv a blessed
thing; Ef he clim' de scaffle, he say he'll git dizzy, So he medjur an'
mark an' sing. Dey buil' de house, an' it sho wuz a fine un, Made er

poplar, oak an' pine; De littlest room wuz a sev'm-by-nine un, Whar de
sick could go an' whine!
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Brer Rabbit, he wait, an' when de time come He choosened a upsta's
room, An' dar he sot (ef I kin make de rhyme come) A-singin' "Hark
fum de Toom"! An' den he got what he aint had oughter, Ez all de
creeturs said, A gun, a cannon, an' a tub er water, An' hid um under his
bed!
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When de creeturs come home, Brer Rabbit wuz ready, An' he tell um
he gwineter set down; "Well, set," sez dey, "an' we'll try ter be ste'dy,"
An' wid dat, Brer Rabbit kinder frown; Bang-bang! went de gun--de
barrels wuz double-- An' de creeturs wuz still ez mice; Brer B'ar he say,
"Dy must be some trouble, But I hope heedon't loosen de j'is!"
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Brer Rabbit, he say, "Wharbouts mus' I spit at?" An' Brer Wolf answer,
wid a grin, "Des wharsomever you kin make it hit at!" Brer Fox, he rub
his chin; Brer Rabbit, he tuck de tub er water, An' empty it all on de
sta'rs, An' it come nigh drownin' Brer Coon's daughter. An' likewise
one er Brer B'ar's!
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Brer Rabbit say, "When I sneeze I'll skeer you, An' I hate fer ter have it
ter do!" Brer Fox say, "We'll lissen an' hear you Des