Brother Rabbit Ties Mr. Lion

There was some comment and some questions were asked by the little boy

in regard to Wattle Weasel and the other animals; to all of which Uncle

Remus made characteristic response. Aunt Tempy sat with one elbow on her

knee, her head resting in the palm of her fat hand. She gazed intently

into the fire, and seemed to be lost in thought. Presently she

exclaimed:

"Well, de Lord he'p my soul!"

"Dat 's de promise, Sis Tempy," said Uncle Remus, solemnly.

Aunt Tempy laughed, as she straightened herself in her chair, and

said:

"I des knowed dey wuz sump'n' 'n'er gwine 'cross my min' w'en I year

talk 'bout dat ar sheep by de chinkapin tree."

"Out wid it, Sis Tempy," said Uncle Remus, by way of encouragement; "out

wid it; free yo' min', en des make yo'se'f welcome."

"No longer'n Sunday 'fo' las', I 'uz 'cross dar at de Spivey place un I

tuck'n year'd a nigger man tellin' de same tale, un I 'low ter myse'f

dat I'd take'n take it un kyar' it home un gin it out w'en I come ter

pass de time wid Brer Remus un all uv um. I 'low ter myse'f I'll take it

un kyar' it dar, un I'll des tell it my own way."

"Well, den," said Uncle Remus, approvingly, "me en dish yer chap, we er

willin' en a-waitin', en ez fer Brer Jack over dar, we kin say de same

fer him, 'kaze I up en year 'im draw mighty long breff des now lak he

fixin' fer ter snort. But you neenter min' dat ole creetur, Sis Tempy.

Des push right ahead."

"Ah-h-h-e-e!" exclaimed Daddy Jack, snapping his bright little eyes at

Uncle Remus with some display of irritation; "you tek-a me fer be sleep

ebry tam I shed-a me y-eye, you is mek fool-a you'se'f. _Warrah yarrah

garrah tarrah!_"[71]

"Brer Remus!" said Aunt Tempy, in an awed whisper, "maybe he's a-cunju'n

un you."

"No-no!" exclaimed Daddy Jack, snappishly, "me no cuncher no'n' 't all.

Wun me cuncher you all you yeddy bone crack. Enty!"

"Well, in de name er de Lord, don't come a-cunju'n wid me, 'kaze I'm des

as peaceable ez de day's long," said Aunt Tempy.

Uncle Remus smiled and closed his eyes with an air of disdain, caught

from his old Mistress, the little boy's grandmother, long since dead.

"Tell yo' tale, Sis Tempy," he said pleasantly, "en leave de talk er

cunju'n ter de little nigger childun. We er done got too ole fer dat

kinder foolishness."

This was for the ear of the little boy. In his heart Uncle Remus was

convinced that Daddy Jack was capable of changing himself into the

blackest of black cats, with swollen tail, arched back, fiery eyes, and

protruding fangs. But the old man's attitude reassured Aunt Tempy, as

well as the child, and forthwith she proceeded with her story:

"Hit seem like dat one time w'en Brer Rabbit fine hisse'f way off in de

middle er de woods, de win' strike up un 'gun ter blow. Hit blow down on

de groun' un it blow up in de top er de timber, un it blow so hard twel

terreckerly Brer Rabbit tuck a notion dat he better git out fum dar 'fo'

de timber 'gun ter fall.

"Brer Rabbit, he broke en run, un, Man--Sir![72] w'en dat creetur run'd

he run'd, now you year w'at I tell yer! He broke un run, he did, un he

fa'rly flew 'way fum dar. W'iles he gwine 'long full tilt, he run'd

ag'in' ole Mr. Lion. Mr. Lion, he hail 'im:

"'Heyo, Brer Rabbit! W'at yo' hurry?'

"'Run, Mr. Lion, run! Dey's a harrycane comin' back dar in de timbers.

You better run!'

"Dis make Mr. Lion sorter skeer'd. He 'low:

"'I mos' too heavy fer ter run fur, Brer Rabbit. W'at I gwine do?'

"'Lay down, Mr. Lion, lay down! Git close ter de groun'!'

"Mr. Lion shake his head. He 'low:

"'Ef win' lierbul fer ter pick up little man like you is, Brer Rabbit,

w'at it gwine do wid big man like me?'

"'Hug a tree, Mr. Lion, hug a tree!'

"Mr. Lion lash hisse'f wid his tail. He 'low:

"'W'at I gwine do ef de win' blow all day un a good part er de night,

Brer Rabbit?'

"'Lemme tie you ter de tree, Mr. Lion! lemme tie you ter de tree!'

"Mr. Lion, he tuk'n 'gree ter dis, un Brer Rabbit, he got 'im a hick'ry

split[73] un tie 'im hard un fast ter de tree. Den he tuck'n sot down,

ole Brer Rabbit did, un wash his face un han's des same ez you see de

cats doin'. Terreckerly Mr. Lion git tired er stan'in' dar huggin' de

tree, un he ax Brer Rabbit w'at de reason he aint keep on runnin', un

Brer Rabbit, he up'n 'low dat he gwine ter stay der un take keer Mr.

Lion.

"Terreckerly Mr. Lion say he aint year no harrycane. Brer Rabbit say he

aint needer. Mr. Lion say he aint year no win' a-blowin'. Brer Rabbit

say he aint needer. Mr. Lion say he aint so much ez year a leaf

a-stirrin'. Brer Rabbit say he aint needer. Mr. Lion sorter study, un

Brer Rabbit sot dar, he did, un wash his face un lick his paws.

"Terreckerly Mr. Lion ax Brer Rabbit fer ter onloose 'im. Brer Rabbit

say he fear'd. Den Mr. Lion git mighty mad, un he 'gun ter beller wuss'n

one er deze yer bull-yearlin's. He beller so long un he beller so loud

twel present'y de t'er creeturs dey 'gun ter come up fer ter see w'at de

matter.

"Des soon ez dey come up, Brer Rabbit, he tuck'n 'gun ter talk biggity

un strut 'roun', un, Man--Sir! w'en dem yuthers see dat Brer Rabbit done

got Mr. Lion tied up, I let you know dey tuck'n walked way 'roun' 'im,

un 't wuz many a long day 'fo' dey tuck'n pestered ole Brer Rabbit."

Here Aunt Tempy paused. The little boy asked what Brother Rabbit tied

Mr. Lion for; but she did n't know; Uncle Remus, however, came to the

rescue.

"One time long 'fo' dat, honey, Brer Rabbit went ter de branch fer ter

git a drink er water, en ole Mr. Lion tuck'n druv 'im off, en fum dat

time out Brer Rabbit bin huntin' a chance fer ter ketch up wid 'im."

"Dat 's so," said Aunt Tempy, and then she added:

"I 'clare I aint gwine tell you all not na'er n'er tale, dat I aint.

'Kaze you des set dar en you aint crack a smile fum de time I begin. Ef

dat'd 'a' bin Brer Remus, now, dey'd 'a' bin mo' gigglin' gwine on dan

you kin shake a stick at. I'm right down mad, dat I is."

"Well, I tell you dis, Sis Tempy," said Uncle Remus, with unusual

emphasis, "ef deze yer tales wuz des fun, fun, fun, en giggle, giggle,

giggle, I let you know I'd a-done drapt um long ago. Yasser, w'en it

come down ter gigglin' you kin des count ole Remus out."

[71] This is simply "gullah" negro talk intended to be unintelligible, and therefore impressive. It means "One or the other is as good as t'other."

[72] An expression used to give emphasis and to attract attention; used in the sense that Uncle Remus uses "Gentermens!"

[73] Hickory withe.