Buzzard, he tuck up his stan" at de hole. Bimeby, w"en all git still, Brer Rabbit sorter scramble down close ter de hole, he did, en holler out:
""Brer Fox! Oh! Brer Fox!"
"Brer Fox done gone, en n.o.body say nuthin". Den Brer Rabbit squall out like he wuz mad; sezee:
""You needn"t talk less you wanter," sezee; "I knows you er dar, en I ain"t keerin"," sezee. "I des wanter tell you dat I wish mighty bad Brer Tukkey Buzzard wuz here," sezee.
"Den Mr. Buzzard try ter talk like Brer Fox:
""W"at you want wid Mr. Buzzard?" sezee.
""Oh, nuthin" in "tickler, "cep" dere"s de fattes" gray squir"l in yer dat ever I see," sezee, "en ef Brer Tukkey Buzzard wuz "roun" he"d be mighty glad fer ter git "im," sezee.
""How Mr. Buzzard gwine ter git "im?" sez de Buzzard, sezee.
""Well, dar"s a little hole roun" on de udder side er de tree,"
sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, "en ef Brer Tukkey Buzzard wuz here so he could take up his stan" dar," sezee, "I"d drive dat squir"l out,"
sezee.
""Drive "im out, den," sez Mr. Buzzard, sezee, "en I"ll see dat Brer Tukkey Buzzard gits "im," sezee.
"Den Brer Rabbit kick up a racket, like he wer" drivin" sumpin"
out, en Mr. Buzzard he rush "roun" fer ter ketch de squir"l, en Brer Rabbit, he dash out, he did, en he des fly fer home."
At this point Uncle Remus took one of the teacakes, held his head back, opened his mouth, dropped the cake in with a sudden motion, looked at the little boy with an expression of astonishment, and then closed his eyes, and begun to chew, mumbling as an accompaniment the plaintive tune of "Don"t you Grieve atter Me."
The seance was over; but, before the little boy went into the "big house," Uncle Remus laid his rough hand tenderly on the child"s shoulder, and remarked, in a confidential tone:
"Honey, you mus" git up soon Chris"mus mawnin" en open de do"; kase I"m gwineter bounce in on Ma.r.s.e John en Miss Sally, en holler "Chris"mus gif"" des like I useter endurin" de farmin"
days fo" de war, w"en ole Miss wuz "live. I bound" dey don"t fergit de ole n.i.g.g.e.r, nudder. W"en you hear me callin" de pigs, honey, you des hop up en onfa.s.sen de do". I lay I"ll give Ma.r.s.e John one er dese yer "sprize parties."
*1 Patrols. In the country districts, order was kept on the plantations at night by the knowledge that they were liable to be visited at any moment by the patrols. Hence a song current among the negroes, the chorus of which was:
"Run, n.i.g.g.e.r, run; patter-roller ketch you-- Run, n.i.g.g.e.r, run; hit"s almos" day."
VIII. MR. FOX IS "OUTDONE" BY MR. BUZZARD
"EF I don"t run inter no mistakes," remarked Uncle Remus, as the little boy came tripping in to see him after supper, "Mr. Tukkey Buzzard wuz gyardin" de holler whar Brer Rabbit went in at, en w"ich he come out un."
The silence of the little boy verified the old man"s recollection.
"Well, Mr. Buzzard, he feel mighty lonesome, he did, but he done prommust Brer Fox dat he"d stay, en he "termin" fer ter sorter hang "roun" en jine in de joke. En he ain"t hatter wait long, nudder, kase bimeby yer come Brer Fox gallopin" thoo de woods wid his axe on his shoulder.
""How you speck Brer Rabbit gittin" on, Brer Buzzard?" sez Brer Fox, sezee.
""Oh, he in dar," sez Brer Buzzard, sezee. "He mighty still, dough. I speck he takin" a nap," sezee.
""Den I"m des in time fer ter wake im up, sez Brer Fox, sezee. En wid dat he fling off his coat, en spit in his han"s, en grab de axe. Den he draw back en come down on de tree--pow! En eve"y time he come down wid de axe--pow!--Mr. Buzzard, he step high, he did, en holler out:
""Oh, he in dar, Brer Fox. He in dar, sho."
"En eve"y time a chip ud fly off, Mr. Buzzard, he"d jump, en dodge, en hol" his head sideways, he would, en holler:
""He in dar, Brer Fox. I done heerd "im. He in dar, sho."
"En Brer Fox, he lammed away at dat holler tree, he did, like a man maulin" rails, twel bimeby, atter he done got de tree mos"
cut thoo, he stop fer ter ketch his bref, en he seed Mr. Buzzard laughin" behime his back, he did, en right den en dar, widout gwine enny fudder, Brer Fox, he smelt a rat. But Mr. Buzzard, he keep on holler"n:
""He in dar, Brer Fox. He in dar, sho. I done seed "im."
"Den Brer Fox, he make like he peepin" up de holler, en he say, sezee:
""Run yer, Brer Buzzard, en look ef dis ain"t Brer Rabbit"s foot hanging down yer."
"En Mr. Buzzard, he come steppin" up, he did, same ez ef he wer treddin" on kurkle-burs, en he stick his head in de hole; en no sooner did he done dat dan Brer Fox grab "im. Mr. Buzzard flap his wings, en scramble "roun" right smartually, he did, but "twant no use. Brer Fox had de "vantage er de grip, he did, en he hilt "im right down ter de groun". Den Mr. Buzzard squall out, sezee:
""Lemme "lone, Brer Fox. Tu"n me loose," sezee; "Brer Rabbit "ll git out. You er gittin" close at "im," sezee, "en leb"m mo"
licks"ll fetch "im," sezee.
""I"m nigher ter you, Brer Buzzard," sez Brer Fox, sezee, "dan I"ll be ter Brer Rabbit dis day," sezee. "W"at you fool me fer?"
sezee.
""Lemme lone, Brer Fox," sez Mr. Buzzard, sezee; my ole "oman waitin" fer me. Brer Rabbit in dar," sezee.
""Dar"s a bunch er his fur on dat black-be"y bush," sez Brer Fox, sezee, "en dat ain"t de way he come," sezee.
"Den Mr. Buzzard up"n tell Brer Fox how "twuz, en he "low"d, Mr.
Buzzard did, dat Brer Rabbit wuz de lowdownest w"atsizname w"at he ever run up wid. Den Brer Fox say, sezee:
""Dat"s needer here ner dar, Brer Buzzard," sezee. "I lef" you yer fer ter watch dish yere hole, en I lef" Brer Rabbit in dar. I comes back en I fines you at de "ole en Brer Rabbit ain"t in dar," sezee. "I"m gwineter make you pay fer"t. I done bin tampered wid twel plum" down ter de sap sucker"ll set on a log en sa.s.sy me. I"m gwineter fling you in a bresh-heap en burn you up,"
sezee.
""Ef you fling me on der fier, Brer Fox, I"ll fly "way," sez Mr.
Buzzard, sezee.
""Well, den, I"ll settle yo" hash right now," sez Brer Fox, sezee, en wid dat he grab Mr. Buzzard by de tail, he did, en make fer ter dash "im "gin de groun", but des "bout dat time de tail fedders come out, en Mr. Buzzard sail off like one er dese yer berloons; en ez he riz, he holler back:
""You gimme good start, Brer Fox," sezee, en Brer Fox sot dar en watch "im fly outer sight."
"But what became of the Rabbit, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy.
"Don"t you pester longer Brer Rabbit, honey, en don"t you fret "bout "im. You"ll year whar he went en how he come out. Dish yer col" snap rastles wid my bones, now," continued the old man, putting on his hat and picking up his walking-stick. "Hit rastles wid me monstus, en I gotter rack "roun" en see if I kin run up agin some Chris"mus leavin"s."
IX. MISS COW FALLS A VICTIM TO MR. RABBIT
"UNCLE REMUS," said the little boy, "what became of the Rabbit after he fooled the Buzzard, and got out of the hollow tree?"