Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit | Page 9

go right ahead wid
yo' sneeze-a-ma-roo!" Boom-a-lam! went de cannon, an' de creeturs,
dey lit out Thoo window-sash an' do' Any way, any way dat dey kin git
oot, An' dey aint come dar no mo'!

BRER RABBIT AND THE PARTRIDGE NEST

[Illustration]
Oh, what's de matter wid de Whipperwill, Dat she sets an' cries on de
furder hill? An' what's de matter wid Miss Bob White, Dat she choke
herse'f wid sayin' Good-night? You know mighty well dat sump'n is
wrong When dey sets an' sings dat kinder song, 'Twix' a call an' a cry,
'twix' a weep an' a wail-- Dey must be tellin' a mighty sad tale.
[Illustration]
Miss Whipperwill's troubles, an' what she say Will do fer ter tell some
yuther day; But Miss Bob White--my! aint she a sight?-- I'll hatter tell
why she hollers Good-night. Dey once wuz a time (needer mo' ner less)
When she ain't try ter hide ner kivver her nes'; She built it in de open,
whar all kin see, An' wuz des ez perlite ez she kin be.
[Illustration]
She'd make her house facin' eas' an' wes', An' den wid eggs she'd fill
her nes'; Fer ter keep um warm she'd brood an' set, An' keep her house
fum gittin' wet. Whiles dis gwine on, Brer Rabbit come by, A-wigglin'
his mouf, an' a-blinkin' his eye: "De top er de mornin', Miss Bob,"
sezee; "De same ter you, Brer Rabbit," se' she.
[Illustration]
Sez ol' Brer Rabbit, "I been missin' you long, I wuz mighty fear'd dat
sump'n wuz wrong, But here you set ez still ez a mouse, Not doin'
nothin' but keepin' house!" "Oh, well," se' she, "I'm too ol' ter gad, I
use' ter do it, but I wish I never had! De only thing I want is ter wash
my dress, But I can't do dat whiles I'm on my nes'."
[Illustration]
Brer Rabbit, he say, "Can't I he'p you out? I ain't doin' nothin' but
walkin' about, An' my ol' 'oman is willin' fer ter bet Dat ef settin 's de
thing, I'm ol' man Set!" "I know mighty well," sez Miss Bob White, "Ef
you set a-tall, it'll be done right." "Thanky-do, Miss Bob! Go wash yo'

dress, An' I'll do what I kin fer ter kivver yo' nes'!"
[Illustration]
So off she put, wid a flutter an' a flirt, An' washed her dress in a pile er
clean dirt; Brer Rabbit see de eggs, an' shuck his head; His mouf 'gun
ter dribble, an' his eye turn red; Sezee, "It'd sholy be hard fer ter match
um, So I'll des take um home an' try fer ter hatch um!" So said, so done!
An' den when he come back, He come in a gait 'twix' a lope an' a rack.
[Illustration]
An' Miss Bob White, atter washin' her dress, Went a-runnin' back ter
house an' nes'; "Much erbleege, Brer Rabbit," an' den she bowed. "Say
nothin', ma'am, fer ter make me proud, Kaze I been a-waitin' here,
frettin' an' sweatin', Fer fear I ain't sech a good han' at settin'; My ol'
'oman say I got a slow fever, An' I 'clar' ter goodness, I'm ready ter
b'lieve her!
[Illustration]
"I felt sump'n move, I hear' sump'n run, An' de eggs done gone--dey
ain't na'er one! I sho is seed sights, I done hear folks talk-- But never
befo' is I seed eggs walk!" "My goodness, me!" sez Miss Bob White,
A-peepin' in de nes', "You sho is right!" An' y'ever sence den, when
darkness falls, She gives de lost chillun her Good-night calls! An'
y'ever sence den, when darkness falls, She gives de lost chillun her
Good-night calls!

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by Joel Chandler Harris
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