Brother Rabbit Takes a Walk

"Eve'y time I run over in my min' 'bout the pranks er Brer Rabbit,"

Uncle Remus continued, without giving the little boy time to ask any

more embarrassing questions about Mr. Man and his wagon full of money,

"hit make me laugh mo' en mo'. He mos' allers come out on top, yit dey

wuz times w'en he hatter be mighty spry."

"When was that, Uncle Remus?" inquired the little boy.

"I min' me er one time w'en de t'er creeturs all git de laugh on 'im,"

responded the old man, "en dey make 'im feel sorter 'shame'. Hit seem

lak dat dey 'uz some kinder bodderment 'mungs' de creeturs en wud went

out dat dey all got ter meet terge'er some'rs en ontangle de

tanglements.

"W'en de time come, dey wuz all un um dar, en dey hilt der confab right

'long. All un um got sump'n' ter say, en dey talk dar, dey did, des lak

dey 'uz paid fer talkin'. Dey all had der plans, en dey jabbered des lak

folks does w'en dey call deyse'f terge'er. Hit come 'bout dat Mr. Dog

git a seat right close by Brer Rabbit, en w'en he open he mouf fer ter

say sump'n', he toofs look so long en so strong, en dey shine so w'ite,

dat it feel mighty kuse.

"Mr. Dog, he'd say sump'n', Brer Rabbit, he'd jump en dodge. Mr. Dog,

he'd laugh, Brer Rabbit, he'd dodge en jump. Hit keep on dis a-way, twel

eve'y time Brer Rabbit'd dodge en jump, de t'er creeturs dey'd slap der

han's terge'er en break out in a laugh. Mr. Dog, he tuck'n tuck a notion

dat dey 'uz laughin' at him, en dis make 'im so mad dat he 'gun ter

growl en snap right smartually, en it come ter dat pass dat w'en Brer

Rabbit'd see Mr. Dog make a motion fer ter say a speech, he'd des drap

down en git und' de cheer.

"Co'se dis make um laugh wuss en wuss, en de mo' dey laugh de madder it

make Mr. Dog, twel bimeby he git so mad he fa'rly howl, en Brer Rabbit

he sot dar, he did, en shuck lak he got er ager.

"Atter w'ile Brer Rabbit git sorter on t'er side, en he make a speech en

say dey oughter be a law fer ter make all de creeturs w'at got tushes

ketch en eat der vittles wid der claws. All un um 'gree ter dis 'cep'

hit 's Mr. Dog, Brer Wolf, en Brer Fox.

"In dem days," continued Uncle Remus, "ef all de creeturs aint 'gree,

dey put it off twel de nex' meetin' en talk it over some mo', en dat 's

de way dey done wid Brer Rabbit projick. Dey put it off twel de nex'

time.

"Brer Rabbit got a kinder sneakin' notion dat de creeturs aint gwine do

lak he want um ter do, en he 'low ter Brer Wolf dat he 'speck de bes'

way fer ter do is ter git all de creeturs ter 'gree fer ter have Mr. Dog

mouf sew'd up, 'kaze he toofs look so venomous; en Brer Wolf say dey ull

all go in fer dat.

"Sho' 'nuff, w'en de day done come, Brer Rabbit he git up en say dat de

bes' way ter do is have Mr. Dog mouf sew'd up so he toofs won't look so

venomous. Dey all 'gree, en den Mr. Lion, settin' up in de arm-cheer, he

ax who gwine do de sewin'.

"Den dey all up'n 'low dat de man w'at want de sewin' done, he de man

fer ter do it, 'kaze den he ull know it done bin done right. Brer

Rabbit, he sorter study, en den he 'low:

"'I aint got no needle.'

"Brer B'ar, he sorter feel in de flap er he coat collar, en he 'low:

"'Yer, Brer Rabbit; yer a great big one!'

"Brer Rabbit, he sorter study 'g'in, en den he 'low:

"'I aint got no th'ead.'

"Brer B'ar, he tuck'n pull a rav'lin' fum de bottom er he wescut, en he

'low:

"'Yer, Brer Rabbit; yer a great long one!'

"Ef it had er bin anybody in de roun' worl' he'd er 'gun ter feel sorter

ticklish," Uncle Remus went on. "But ole Brer Rabbit, he des tuck'n lay

he finger 'cross he nose, en 'low:

"'Des hol' um dar fer me, Brer B'ar, en I'll be much 'blige ter you.

_Hit 's des 'bout my time er day fer ter take a walk!_'"

Uncle Remus laughed as heartily as the child, and added:

"Some folks say de creeturs had de grins on Brer Rabbit 'bout dat time;

but I tell you right pine-blank dey aint grin much w'en dey year Brer

Rabbit say dat."