Why the Alligator's Back Is Rough

The night after the violent flirtation between Daddy Jack and 'Tildy,

the latter coaxed and bribed the little boy to wait until she had

finished her work about the house. After she had set things to rights in

the dining-room and elsewhere, she took the child by the hand, and

together they went to Uncle Remus's cabin. The old man was making a

door-mat of shucks and grass and white-oak splits, and Daddy Jack was

dozing in the corner.

"W'at I tell you, Brer Jack?" said Uncle Remus, as 'Tildy came in. "Dat

gal atter you, mon!"

"Fer de Lord sake, Unk' Remus, don't start dat ole nigger. I done

promise Miss Sally dat I won't kill 'im, en I like ter be good ez my

word; but ef he come foolin' longer me I'm des nat'ally gwine ter

onj'int 'im. Now you year me say de word."

But Daddy Jack made no demonstration. He sat with his eyes closed, and

paid no attention to 'Tildy. After awhile the little boy grew restless,

and presently he said:

"Daddy Jack, you know you promised to tell me a story to-night."

"He wukkin' wid it now, honey," said Uncle Remus, soothingly. "Brer

Jack," he continued, "wa'n't dey sump'n' n'er 'bout ole man Yalligater?"

"Hi!" exclaimed Daddy Jack, arousing himself, "'e 'bout B'er 'Gater fer

true. Oona no bin see da' B'er 'Gater?"

The child had seen one, but it was such a very little one he hardly

knew whether to claim an acquaintance with Daddy Jack's 'Gater.

"Dem all sem," continued Daddy Jack. "Big mout', pop-eye, walk on 'e

belly; 'e is bin got bump, bump, bump 'pon 'e bahk, bump, bump, bump

'pon 'e tail. 'E dife 'neat' de water, 'e do lif 'pon de lan'.

"One tam Dog is bin run B'er Rabbit, tel 'e do git tire; da' Dog is bin

run 'im tel him ent mos' hab no bre't' in 'e body; 'e hide 'ese'f by de

crik side. 'E come close 'pon B'er 'Gater, en B'er 'Gater, 'e do say:

"'Ki, B'er Rabbit! wut dis is mek you blow so? Wut mekky you' bre't'

come so?'

"'Eh-eh! B'er 'Gater, I hab bin come 'pon trouble. Dog, 'e do run un-a

run me.'

"'Wey you no fetch 'im 'long, B'er Rabbit? I is bin git fat on all da'

trouble lak dem. I proud fer yeddy Dog bark, ef 'e is bin fetch-a me

trouble lak dem.'

"'Wait, B'er 'Gater! Trouble come bisitin' wey you lif; 'e mekky you'

side puff; 'e mekky you' bre't' come so.'

"'Gater, he do flup 'e tail un 'tretch 'ese'f, un lahff. 'E say:

"'I lak fer see dem trouble. Nuddin' no bodder me. I ketch-a dem swimp,

I ketch-a dem crahb, I mekky my bed wey de sun shiuen hot, un I do 'joy

mese'f. I proud fer see dem trouble.'

"''E come 'pon you, B'er 'Gater, wun you bin hab you' eye shed; 'e come

'pon you fum de turrer side. Ef 'e no come 'pon you in da' crik, dun 'e

come 'pon you in da' broom-grass.'

"'Dun I shekky um by de han', B'er Rabbit; I ahx um howdy.'

"'Eh-eh, B'er 'Gater! you bin-a lahff at me; you no lahff wun dem

trouble come. Dem trouble bin ketch-a you yit.'"

Daddy Jack paused to wipe his face. He had reported the dialogue between

Brother Rabbit and Brother Alligator with considerable animation, and

had illustrated it as he went along with many curious inflections of the

voice, and many queer gestures of head and hands impossible to describe

here, but which added picturesqueness to the story. After awhile he went

on:

"B'er Rabbit, 'e do blow un 'e do ketch urn bre't'. 'E pit one year wey

Dog is bin-a bark; 'e pit one eye 'pon B'er 'Gater. 'E lissen, 'e look;

'e look, 'e lissen. 'E no yeddy Dog, un 'e comforts come back. Bumbye

B'er 'Gater, 'e come drowsy; 'e do nod, nod, un 'e head sway down, tel

ma'sh-grass tickle 'e nose, un 'e do cough sem lak 'e teer up da' crik

by da' root. 'E no lak dis place fer sleep at, un 'e is crawl troo da'

ma'sh 'pon dry lan'; 'e is mek fer da' broom-grass fiel'. 'E mek 'e bed

wid 'e long tail, un 'e is 'tretch 'ese'f out at 'e lenk. 'E is shed 'e

y-eye, un opun 'e mout', un tek 'e nap.

"B'er Rabbit, 'e do hol' 'e y-eye 'pon B'er 'Gater. Him talk no wud; him

wallup 'e cud; him stan' still. B'er 'Gater, 'e do tek 'e nap; B'er

Rabbit 'e do watch. Bum-bye, B'er 'Gater bre't', 'e do come _loud_; 'e

is bin sno' _hard!_ 'E dream lilly dream; 'e wuk 'e fut un shek 'e tail

in 'e dream. B'er Rabbit wink 'e y-eye, un 'e do watch. B'er 'Gater, he

do leaf 'e dream bahine, un 'e sleep soun'. B'er Rabbit watch lil, wait

lil. Bumbye, 'e do go wey fier bu'n in da' stump, un 'e is fetch some.

'E say, 'Dis day I is mek you know dem trouble; I is mek you know dem

well.' 'E hop 'roun' dey-dey, un 'e do light da' broom-grass; 'e bu'n,

bu'n--bu'n, bu'n; 'e do bu'n smaht.

"B'er 'Gater, 'e is dream some mo' lilly dream. 'E do wuk 'e fut, 'e do

shek 'e tail. Broom-grass bu'n, bu'n; B'er 'Gater dream. 'E dream da'

sun is shiuen' hot; 'e wom 'e back, 'e wom 'e belly; 'e wuk 'e fut, 'e

shek 'e tail. Broom-grass bu'n high, 'e bu'n low; 'e bu'n smaht, 'e bu'n

hot. Bumbye, B'er 'Gater is wek fum 'e dream; 'e smell-a da' smoke, 'e

feel-a da' fier. 'E run dis way, 'e run turrer way; no diffran' wey 'e

is run, dey da' smoke, dey da' fier. _Bu'n, bu'n, bu'n!_ B'er 'Gater

lash 'e tail, un grine 'e toof. Bumbye, 'e do roll un holler:

"'Trouble, trouble, trouble! _Trouble, trouble!_'

"B'er Rabbit, 'e is stan' pas' da' fier, un 'e do say:

"'Ki! B'er 'Gater! Wey you fer l'arn-a dis talk 'bout dem trouble?'

"B'er 'Gater, 'e lash 'e tail, 'e fair teer da' ye't,[24] un 'e do

holler:

"'Oh, ma Lord! Trouble! _Trouble, trouble, trouble!_'

"'Shekky um by de han', B'er 'Gater. Ahx um howdy!'

"'Ow, ma Lord! _Trouble, trouble, trouble!_'

"'Lahff wit' dem trouble, B'er 'Gater, lahff wit' dem! Ahx dem is dey

he'lt' bin well! You bin-a cry fer dey 'quaintun',[25] B'er 'Gater; now

you mus' beer wit' dem trouble!'

"B'er 'Gater come so mad, 'e mek dash troo da' broom-grass; 'e fair teer

um down. 'E bin scatter da' fier wide 'part, un 'e do run un dife in da'

crik fer squinch da' fier 'pon 'e bahk. 'E bahk swivel, 'e tail swivel

wit' da' fier, un fum dat dey is bin stan' so. Bump, bump 'pon 'e tail;

bump, bump 'pon 'e bahk, wey da' fier bu'n."

"Hit 's des lak Brer Jack tell you, honey," said Uncle Remus, as Daddy

Jack closed his eyes and relapsed into silence. "I done seed um wid my

own eyes. En deyer mighty kuse creeturs, mon. Dey back is all ruffed up

en down ter dis day en time, en mo'n dat, you aint gwineter ketch Brer

Rabbit rackin' 'roun' whar de Yallergaters is. En de Yallergaters

deyse'f, w'en dey years any crackin' en rattlin' gwine on in de bushes,

dey des makes a break fer de creek en splunges in."

"Enty!" exclaimed Daddy Jack, with momentary enthusiasm. "'E do tu'n go

da' bahnk, un dife 'neat' da' crik. 'E bin so wom wit' da' fier, 'e mek

de crik go si-z-z-z!"

Here Daddy Jack looked around and smiled. His glance fell on 'Tildy, and

he seemed suddenly to remember that he had failed to be as polite as

circumstances demanded.

"Come-a set nex' em, lilly gal. I gwan tell you one tale."

"Come 'long, Pinx," said 'Tildy, tossing her head disdainfully, and

taking the little boy by the hand. "Come 'long, Pinx; we better be

gwine. I done say I won't kill dat ole nigger man. Yit ef he start atter

me dis blessid night, I lay I roust de whole plantation. Come on, honey;

less go."

The little boy was not anxious to go, but Uncle Remus seconded 'Tildy's

suggestion.

"Better let dat gal mosey 'long, honey, 'kaze she mout start in fer ter

cut up some 'er capers in yer, en I hate mighty bad ter bus' up dis yer

axe-helve, w'ich I'm in needs un it eve'y hour er de day."

Whereupon the two old negroes were left sitting by the hearth.

[24] Tear the earth.

[25] Acquaintance.