Old Grinny-granny Wolf

At last Daddy Jack returned, and the fact that the little boy had missed

him and inquired about him, seemed to give the old African particular

pleasure. It was probably a new experience to Daddy Jack, and it vaguely

stirred some dim instinct in his bosom that impelled him to greet the

child with more genuine heartiness than he had ever displayed in all his

life. He drew the little boy up to him, patted him gently on the cheek,

and exclaimed:

"Ki! I bin want fer see you bery bahd. I bin-a tell you' nunk Jeem' how

fine noung man you is. 'E ahx wey you no come fer shum. Fine b'y--fine

b'y!"

"Well, ef dat 's de way youer gwine on, Brer Jack, you'll spile dat chap

sho'. A whole sack er salt won't save 'im."

"I dunno 'bout dat, Brer Remus," said Aunt Tempy, who had come in.

"Don't seem like he bad like some yuther childun w'at I seen. Bless you,

I know childun w'at'd keep dish yer whole place tarryfied--dat dey

would!"

"Well, sir," said Uncle Remus, shaking his head and groaning, "you all

aint wid dat young un dar much ez I is. Some days w'en dey aint nobody

lookin', en dey aint nobody nowhar fer ter take keer un me, dat ar

little chap dar 'll come down yer en chunk me wid rocks, en 'buze me en

holler at me scan'lous."

The little boy looked so shocked that Uncle Remus broke into a laugh

that shook the cobwebs in the corners; then, suddenly relapsing into

seriousness, he drew himself up with dignity and remarked:

"Good er bad, you can't git 'long wid 'im less'n you sets in ter tellin'

tales, en, Brer Jack, I hope you got some 'long wid you."

Daddy Jack rubbed his hands together, and said:

"Me bin yeddy one tale; 'e mekky me lahff tel I is 'come tire'."

"Fer de Lord sake less have it den!" exclaimed Aunt Tempy, with

unction. Whereupon, the small but appreciative audience disposed itself

comfortably, and Daddy Jack, peering at each one in turn, his eyes

shining between his half-closed lids as brightly as those of some wild

animal, began:

"One tam B'er Rabbit is bin traffel 'roun' fer see 'e neighbor folks. 'E

bin mahd wit' B'er Wolf fer so long tam; 'e mek no diffran, 'e come pas'

'e house 'e no see nuttin', 'e no yeddy nuttin'. 'E holler:

"'Hi, B'er Wolf! wey you no fer mek answer wun me ahx you howdy? Wey fer

you is do dis 'fo' me werry face? Wut mekky you do dis?'

"'E wait, 'e lissun; nuttin' no mek answer. B'er Rabbit, 'e holler:

"'Come-a show you'se'f, B'er Wolf! Come-a show you'se'f. Be 'shame' fer

not show you'se'f wun you' 'quaintun' come bisitin' wey you lif!'

"Nuttin' 't all no mek answer, un B'er Rabbit 'come berry mahd. 'E 'come

so mahd 'e stomp 'e fut un bump 'e head 'pon da fence-side. Bumbye 'e

tek heart, 'e y-opun da do', 'e is look inside da house. Fier bu'n in da

chimbly, pot set 'pon da fier, ole ooman sed by da pot. Fier bu'n, pot,

'e bile, ole ooman, 'e tek 'e nap.

"Da ole ooman, 'e ole Granny Wolf; 'e cripple in 'e leg, 'e bline in 'e

y-eye, 'e mos' deaf in 'e year. 'E deaf, but 'e bin yeddy B'er Rabbit

mek fuss at da do', un 'e is cry out:

"'Come-a see you' ole Granny, me gran'son--come-a see you' Granny! Da

fier is bin bu'n, da pot is bin b'ile; come-a fix you' Granny some

bittle,[68] me gran'son.'"

Daddy Jack's representation of the speech and action of an old woman was

worth seeing and hearing. The little boy laughed, and Uncle Remus smiled

good-humoredly; but Aunt Tempy looked at the old African with

open-mouthed astonishment. Daddy Jack, however, cared nothing for any

effect he might produce. He told the story for the story's sake, and he

made no pause for the purpose of gauging the appreciation of his

audience.

"B'er Rabbit, 'e is bin mek 'ese'f comfuts by da fier. Bumbye, 'e

holler:

"'Hi, Granny! I bin cripple mese'f; me y-eye bin-a come bline. You mus'

bile-a me in da water, Granny, so me leg is kin come well, un so me

y-eye kin come see.'

"B'er Rabbit, 'e mighty ha'd fer fool. 'E bin tek 'im one chunk woot, 'e

drap da woot in da pot. 'E bin say:

"'I is bin feelin' well, me Granny. Me leg, 'e comin' strong, me y-eye

'e fix fer see.'

"Granny Wolf, 'e shek 'e head; 'e cry:

"'Me one leg cripple, me turrer leg cripple; me one eye bline, me turrer

y-eye bline. Wey you no fer pit me in da pot fer mek me well?'

"B'er Rabbit laff in 'e belly; 'e say:

"'Hol' you'se'f still, me Granny; I fix you one place in da pot wey you

is kin fetch-a back da strenk in you' leg un da sight in you' eye. Hol'

still, me Granny!'

"B'er Rabbit, 'e is bin tekky da chunk y-out da pot; 'e tekky da chunk,

un 'e is bin pit Granny Wolf in dey place. 'E tetch da water, 'e

holler:

"'Ow! tekky me way fum dis!'

"B'er Rabbit say 'tiss not da soon 'nuff tam. Granny Wolf, 'e holler:

"'Ow! tekky me way fum dis! 'E bin too hot!'

"B'er Rabbit, 'e no tekky da Mammy Wolf fum da pot, un bumbye 'e die in

dey. B'er Rabbit 'e tek 'e bone un t'row um 'way; 'e leaf da meat. 'E

tek Granny Wolf frock, 'e tu'n um 'roun', 'e pit um on; 'e tek Granny

Wolf cap, 'e tu'n 'roun', 'e pit um on. 'E sed deer by da fier, 'e hol'

'e'se'f in 'e cheer sem lak Granny Wolf.

"Bumbye B'er Wolf is bin-a come back. 'E walk in 'e house, 'e say:

"'Me honkry, Grinny-Granny! Me honkry, fer true!'

"'You' dinner ready, Grin'son-Gran'son!'

"B'er Wolf, 'e look in da pot, 'e smell in da pot, 'e stir in da pot. 'E

eat 'e dinner, 'e smack 'e mout'."

The little boy shuddered, and Aunt Tempy exclaimed, "In de name er de

Lord!" The old African paid no attention to either.

"B'er Wolf eat 'e dinner; 'e call 'e chilluns, 'e ahx um is dey no want

nuttin' 't all fer eat. 'E holler back:

"'We no kin eat we Grinny-Granny!'

"B'er Rabbit, 'e run 'way fum dey-dey; 'e holler back:

"'B'er Wolf, you is bin eat you' Grinny-Granny.'

"B'er Wolf bin-a git so mad 'e yent mos' kin see. 'E yeddy B'er Rabbit

holler, un 'e try fer ketch um. 'E feer teer up da grass wey 'e run

'long. Bumbye 'e come 'pon B'er Rabbit. 'E is bin push um ha'd. B'er

Rabbit run un-a run tel 'e yent kin run no mo'; 'e hide 'neat' leanin'

tree. B'er Wolf, 'e fine um; B'er Rabbit 'e holler:

"'Hi! B'er Wolf! mek 'as'e come hol' up da tree, 'fo' 'e is fall

dey-dey; come-a hol' um, B'er Wolf, so I is kin prop um up.'

"B'er Wolf, 'e hol' up da tree fer B'er Rabbit; 'e hol' um till 'e do

come tire'. B'er Rabbit gone!"

Daddy Jack paused. His story was ended. The little boy drew a long

breath and said:

"I did n't think Brother Rabbit would burn anybody to death in a pot of

boiling water."

"Dat," said Uncle Remus, reassuringly, "wuz endurin' er de dog days. Dey

er mighty wom times, mon, dem ar dog days is."

This was intended to satisfy such scruples as the child might have, and

it was no doubt successful, for the youngster said no more, but watched

Uncle Remus as the latter leisurely proceeded to fill his pipe.

[68] Victuals.