How Mr. Rooster Lost His Dinner

It seemed that the rainy season had set in in earnest, but the little

boy went down to Uncle Remus's cabin before dark. In some mysterious

way, it appeared to the child, the gloom of twilight fastened itself

upon the dusky clouds, and the great trees without, and the dismal

perspective beyond, gradually became one with the darkness. Uncle Remus

had thoughtfully placed a tin pan under a leak in the roof, and the

_drip-drip-drip_ of the water, as it fell in the resonant vessel, made a

not unmusical accompaniment to the storm.

The old man fumbled around under his bed, and presently dragged forth a

large bag filled with lightwood knots, which, with an instinctive

economy in this particular direction, he had stored away for an

emergency. A bright but flickering flame was the result of this timely

discovery, and the effect it produced was quite in keeping with all the

surroundings. The rain, and wind, and darkness held sway without, while

within, the unsteady lightwood blaze seemed to rhyme with the

_drip-drip-drip_ in the pan. Sometimes the shadow of Uncle Remus, as he

leaned over the hearth, would tower and fill the cabin, and again it

would fade and disappear among the swaying and swinging cobwebs that

curtained the rafters.

"W'en bed-time come, honey," said Uncle Remus, in a soothing tone, "I'll

des snatch down yo' pa buggy umbrell' fum up dar in de cornder, des lak

I bin a-doin', en I'll take'n take you und' my arm en set you down on

Miss Sally h'a'th des ez dry en ez wom ez a rat'-nes' inside a

fodder-stack."

At this juncture 'Tildy, the house-girl, rushed in out of the rain and

darkness with a water-proof cloak and an umbrella, and announced her

mission to the little boy without taking time to catch her breath.

"Miss Sally say you got ter come right back," she exclaimed. "Kaze she

skeerd lightin' gwine strak 'roun' in yer 'mongs' deze high trees

some'rs."

Uncle Remus rose from his stooping posture in front of the hearth and

assumed a threatening attitude.

"Well, is anybody year de beat er dat!" was his indignant exclamation.

"Look yer, gal! don't you come foolin' 'longer me--now, don't you do it.

Kaze ef yer does, I'll take'n hit you a clip w'at'll put you ter bed

'fo' bed-times come. Dat 's w'at!"

"Lawdy! w'at I done gone en done ter Unk' Remus now?" asked 'Tildy, with

a great affectation of innocent ignorance.

"I'm gwine ter put on my coat en take dat ar umbrell', en I'm gwine

right straight up ter de big house en ax Miss Sally ef she sont dat

kinder wud down yer, w'en she know dat chile sittin' yer 'longer me. I'm

gwine ter ax her," continued Uncle Remus, "en if she aint sont dat wud,

den I'm gwine ter fetch myse'f back. Now, you des watch my motions."

"Well, I year Miss Sally say she 'feard lightnin' gwine ter strak

some'rs on de place," said 'Tildy, in a tone which manifested her

willingness to compromise all differences, "en den I axt 'er kin I come

down yer, en den she say I better bring deze yer cloak en pairsol."

"Now you dun brung um," responded Uncle Remus, "you des better put um in

dat cheer over dar, en take yo'se'f off. Thunder mighty ap' ter hit

close ter whar deze here slick-head niggers is."

But the little boy finally prevailed upon the old man to allow 'Tildy to

remain, and after a while he put matters on a peace footing by inquiring

if roosters crowed at night when it was raining.

"Dat dey duz," responded Uncle Remus. "Wet er dry, dey flops der wings

en wakes up all de neighbors. Law, bless my soul!" he exclaimed

suddenly, "w'at make I done gone en fergit 'bout Mr. Rooster?"

"What about him?" inquired the little boy.

"One time, 'way back yander," said Uncle Remus, knocking the ashes off

his hands and knees, "dey wuz two plan'ations right 'longside one er

'ne'r, en on bofe er deze plan'ations wuz a whole passel of fowls. Dey

wuz mighty sociable in dem days, en it tu'n out dat de fowls on one

plan'ation gun a party, w'ich dey sont out der invites ter de fowls on

de 't'er plan'ation.

"W'en de day come, Mr. Rooster, he blow his hawn, he did, en 'semble um

all tergedder, en atter dey 'semble dey got in line. Mr. Rooster, he

tuck de head, en atter 'im come ole lady Hen en Miss Pullet, en den dar

wuz Mr. Peafowl, en Mr. Tukkey Gobbler, en Miss Guinny Hen, en Miss

Puddle Duck, en all de balance un um. Dey start off sorter raggedy, but

't wa'n't long 'fo' dey all kotch de step, en den dey march down by de

spring, up thoo de hoss-lot en 'cross by de gin-house, en 't wa'n't long

'fo' dey git ter whar de frolic wuz.

"'Dey dance, en dey play, en dey sing. Mo' 'speshually did dey play en

sing dat ar song w'ich it run on lak dis:

"'_Come under, come under,

My honey, my love, my own true love;

My heart bin a-weepin'

Way down in Galilee._'

"Dey wuz gwine on dis a-way, havin' der 'musements, w'en, bimeby, ole

Mr. Peafowl, he got on de comb er de barn en blow de dinner-hawn. Dey

all wash der face en ban's in de back po'ch, en den dey went in ter

dinner. W'en dey git in dar, dey don't see nothin' on de table but a

great big pile er co'n-bread. De pones was pile up on pones, en on de

top wuz a great big ash-cake. Mr. Rooster, he look at dis en he tu'n up

he nose, en bimeby, atter aw'ile, out he strut. Ole Miss Guinny Hen, she

watchin' Mr. Rooster motions, en w'en she see dis, she take'n squall

out, she did:

"_'Pot-rack! Pot-rack!_ Mr. Rooster gone back! _Pot-rack! Pot-rack!_ Mr.

Rooster gone back!'

"Wid dat dey all make a great ter-do. Miss Hen en Miss Pullet, dey

cackle en squall, Mr. Gobbler, he gobble, en Miss Puddle Duck, she shake

'er tail en say, _quickity-quack-quack_. But Mr. Rooster, he ruffle up

he cape, en march on out.

"Dis sorter put a damper on de yuthers, but 'fo' Mr. Rooster git outer

sight en year'n dey went ter wuk on de pile w'at wuz 'pariently

co'n-bread, en, lo en beholes, un'need dem pone er bread wuz a whole

passel er meat en greens, en bake' taters, en bile' turnips. Mr.

Rooster, he year de ladies makin' great 'miration, en he stop en look

thoo de crack, en dar he see all de doin's en fixin's. He feel mighty

bad, Mr. Rooster did, w'en he see all dis, en de yuther fowls dey holler

en ax 'im fer ter come back, en he craw, w'ich it mighty empty,

likewise, it up'n ax 'im, but he mighty biggity en stuck up, en he strut

off, crowin' ez he go; but he 'speunce er dat time done las' him en all

er his fambly down ter dis day. En you neenter take my wud fer't, ne'r,

kaze ef you'll des keep yo' eye open en watch, you'll ketch a glimse er

ole Mr. Rooster folks scratchin' whar dey 'specks ter fine der rations,

en mo' dan dat, dey'll scratch wid der rations in plain sight. Since dat

time, dey aint none er de Mr. Roosters bin fool' by dat w'at dey see on

top. Dey aint res' twel dey see w'at und' dar. Dey'll scratch spite er

all creation."

"Dat 's de Lord's truth!" said 'Tildy, with unction. "I done seed um wid

my own eyes. Dat I is."

This was 'Tildy's method of renewing peaceful relations with Uncle

Remus, but the old man was disposed to resist the attempt.

"You better be up yander washin' up dishes, stidder hoppin' down yer wid

er whole packet er stuff w'at Miss Sally aint dreamp er sayin'."