"Uncle Remus," said the little boy, after a while, "did Brother Terrapin jump over the fire?"
"W"at Brer Tarrypin gwine jump fer?" responded Uncle Remus, "w"en eve"ybody know Tarrypins aint eat Rabbits."
"Well, you know you said everything was different then," said the child.
"Look yer, Brer Jack," exclaimed Uncle Remus, "ef you got any tale on yo" mine, des let "er come. Dish yer youngster gittin" too long-headed fer me; dat he is."[51]
-- FOOTNOTES:
[49] A species of hickory-nut. The tree sheds its bark every year, hence the name, which is applied to both tree and fruit.
[50] The king-bird.
[51] See _Uncle Remus: His Songs and his Sayings_, p. 79.
XLIII
THE CUNNING SNAKE
Daddy Jack, thus appealed to, turned half round in his seat, winked his bright little eyes very rapidly, and said, with great animation:
"Hoo! me bin yeddy one sing-tale; me yeddy um so long tam "go. One tam dere bin one ole Affiky ooman, "e call "im name Coomba. "E go walky troo da woots, "e walky troo da fiel. b.u.mbye "e is bin come "pon one snake-nes" fill wit" aig. Snake big snake, aig big aig. Affiky oomans is bin want-a dem aig so bahd; "e "fraid fer tek um. "E gone home; "e is see dem aig in "e dream, "e want um so bahd. Wun da nex" day mornin"
come, da Affiky oomans say "e bleeze fer hab dem aig. "E go "way, "e bin-a see da snake-nes", "e is git-a da aig; "e fetch um at "e own house; "e cook um fer "e brekwuss.
"b.u.mbye da snake bin-a come by "e nes". Aig done gone. "E pit "e nose "pon da groun", "e is track da Affiky oomans by "e own house. Snake come by da Affiky oomans house; "e ahx "bout "e aig. Affiky oomans say "e no hab bin see no aig. Snake see da skin wut bin "pon "e aig; "e ahx wut is dis. Affiky oomans no say nuttin" "t all. Snake "e say:
""Wey fer you come brek up me nes" un tekky me aig?"
"Affiky oomans "e no say nuttin" "t all. "E toss "e head, "e mek lak "e no yeddy da snake v"ice, "e go "bout "e wuk. Snake, "e say:
""Ooman! you is bin yed me v"ice wun me cry out. You bin tekky me aig; you is bin "stroy me chillun. Tek keer you" own; tek keer you" own."
"Snake gone "way; "e slick out "e tongue, "e slide "way. b.u.mbye de Affiky oomans, "e hab one putty lil pickaninny; "e lub um ha"d all over.
"E is mine wut da snake say; "e tote da pickaninny "roun" "pon "e bahck.
"E call um Noncy, "e tote um fur, "e lub um ha"d.
"Snake, "e bin-a stay in da bush-side; "e watch all day, "e wait all night; "e git honkry fer da pickaninny, "e want um so bahd. "E bin slick out "e tongue, "e bin slide troo da gra.s.s, "e bin hanker fer da pickaninny.
"b.u.mbye da Affiky oomans tote-a da Noncy til "e git tire; "e puff, "e blow, "e wuk "e gill sem lak cat-fish."
Aunt Tempy burst into loud laughter at this remarkable statement.
"Whoever is year de beat er dat!" she exclaimed. "Daddy Jack, you goes on owdashus "bout de wimmen, dat you does!"
""E puff, "e blow, "e pant; "e say:
""Da pickaninny, "e der git-a big lak one bag rice. "E der git-a so heffy, me yent mos" know wut fer do. Me yent kin tote um no mo"."
"Da Affiky oomans is bin-a pit da pickaninny down "pon da groun". "E mek up one sing[52] in "e head, un "e l"arn da lilly gal fer answer da sing.
"E do show um how fer pull out da peg in da do". Snake, "e is bin lay quile up in da bush; "e say nuttin" "t all.
"Affiky oomans is l"arn-a da pickaninny fer answer da sing, un wun he sta"t fer go off, "e say:
"Pit da peg in da do" un you no y-open um fer n.o.body "cep" you is yeddy me sing."
"Lil gal, "e say ya.s.sum, un da Affiky oomans gone off. Snake stay still.
"E quile up in "e quile; "e yent moof[53] "e tail. b.u.mbye, toze night-time, da Affiky oomans come bahck wey "e lif. "E stan" by da do"; "e talk dis sing:
""_Walla walla witto, me Noncy, Walla walla witto, me Noncy, Walla walla witto, me Noncy!_"
""E v"ice "come finer toze da las" tel "e do git loud fer true. Da lilly gal, "e do mek answer lak dis:
""_Andolee! Andoli! Andolo!_"
""E know "e mammy v"ice, en "e bin pull out da peg queek. "E run to "e mammy; "e mammy der hung um up. Nex" day, "e da sem t"ing; two, t"ree, sev"m day, "e da sem t"ing. Affiky oomans holler da sing; da lilly gal mek answer "pon turrer side da do". Snake, "e lay quile up in da bush.
"E watch da night, "e lissun da day; "e try fer l"arn-a da sing; "e no say nuttin" "t all. b.u.mbye, one tam wun Affiky oomans bin gone "way, snake, "e wait "til "e mos" tam fer oomans fer come bahck. "E gone by da do"; "e y-open "e mout"; "e say:
""_Wullo wullo widdo, me Noncy, Wullo wullo widdo, me Noncy, Wullo wullo widdo, me Noncy!_"
""E try fer mekky "e v"ice come fine lak da lil gal mammy; "e der hab one rough place in "e t"roat, un "e v"ice come big. Lilly gal no mek answer. "E no y-open da do". "E say:
""Go "way fum dey-dey! Me mammy no holler da sing lak dat!"
"Snake, "e try one, two, t"ree time; "e yent no use. Lilly gal no y-open da do", "e no mek answer. Snake "e slick out "e tongue un slide "way; "e say "e mus" l"arn-a da sing sho" "nuff.
"b.u.mbye, da Affiky oomans come bahck. "E holler da sing:
""_Walla walla witto, me Noncy, Walla walla witto, me Noncy, Walla walla witto, me Noncy!_"
"Lilly gal say: "Da" me mammy!" "E answer da sing:
""_Andolee! Andoli! Andolo!_"
"Snake, "e quile up in da chimmerly-corner; "e hol" "e bre"t" fer lissun; "e der l"arn-a da sing. Nex" day mornin" da Affiky oomans bin-a gone "way un lef" da lilly gal all by "ese"f. All de day long da snake "e t"ink about da song; "e say um in "e min", "e say um forwud, "e say um backwud. b.u.mbye, mos" toze sundown, "e come at da do"; "e come, "e holler da sing:
""_Walla walla witto, me Noncy, Walla walla witto, me Noncy, Walla walla witto, me Noncy!_"
"Da lil gal, "e t"ink-a da snake bin "e mammy; "e is answer da sing:
""Adolee! Andoli! Andolo!"
""E mek answer lak dat, un "e y-open da do" queek. "E run "pon da snake "fo" "e is _shum_.[54] Snake, "e bin-a hug da lilly gal mo" sem dun "e mammy; "e is twis" "e tail "roun" um; "e is ketch um in "e quile. Lilly gal "e holler, "e squall; "e squall, "e holler. n.o.body bin-a come by fer yeddy um. Snake "e "quees"[55] um tight, "e no l"em go; "e "quees" um tight, "e swaller um whole; "e bre"k-a no bone; "e tekky da lilly gal lak "e stan".