Mr. Man Has Some Meat

The little boy sat watching Uncle Remus sharpen his shoe-knife. The old

man's head moved in sympathy with his hands, and he mumbled fragments of

a song. Occasionally he would feel of the edge of the blade with his

thumb, and then begin to sharpen it again. The comical appearance of the

venerable darkey finally had its effect upon the child, for suddenly he

broke into a hearty peal of laughter; whereupon Uncle Remus stopped

shaking his head and singing his mumbly-song, and assumed a very

dignified attitude. Then he drew a long, deep breath, and said:

"'W'en folks git ole en stricken wid de palsy, dey mus' 'speck ter be

laff'd at. Goodness knows, I bin use ter dat sence de day my whiskers

'gun to bleach."

"Why, I was n't laughing at you, Uncle Remus; I declare I was n't,"

cried the little boy. "I thought maybe you might be doing your head like

Brother Rabbit did when he was fixing to cut his meat."

Uncle Remus's seriousness was immediately driven away by a broad and

appreciative grin.

"Now, dat de way ter talk, honey, en I boun' you wa'n't fur wrong, n'er,

'kaze fer all dey'll tell you dat Brer Rabbit make he livin' 'long er

nibblin' at grass en greens, hit 't wa'n't dat a-way in dem days, 'kaze

I got in my 'membunce right now de 'casion whar Brer Rabbit is tuck'n

e't meat."

The little boy had learned that it was not best to make any display of

impatience, and so he waited quietly while Uncle Remus busied himself

with arranging the tools on his shoe-bench. Presently the old man

began:

"Hit so happen dat one day Brer Rabbit meet up wid Brer Fox, en w'en dey

'quire atter der corporosity, dey fine out dat bofe un um mighty po'ly.

Brer Fox, he 'low, he do, dat he monst'us hongry, en Brer Rabbit he

'spon' dat he got a mighty hankerin' atter vittles hisse'f. Bimeby dey

look up de big road, en dey see Mr. Man comin' 'long wid a great big

hunk er beef und' he arm. Brer Fox he up 'n 'low, he did, dat he lak

mighty well fer ter git a tas'e er dat, en Brer Rabbit he 'low dat de

sight er dat nice meat all lineded wid taller is nuff fer ter run a body

'stracted.

"Mr. Man he come en he come 'long. Brer Rabbit en Brer Fox dey look en

dey look at 'im. Dey wink der eye en der mouf water. Brer Rabbit he 'low

he bleedz ter git some er dat meat. Brer Fox he 'spon', he did, dat it

look mighty fur off ter him. Den Brer Rabbit tell Brer Fox fer ter

foller 'long atter 'im in hailin' distuns, en wid dat he put out, he

did, en 't wa'nt long 'fo' he kotch up wid Mr. Man.

"Dey pass de time er day, en den dey went joggin' 'long de road same lak

dey 'uz gwine 'pun a journey. Brer Rabbit he keep on snuffin' de a'r.

Mr. Man up'n ax 'im is he got a bad cole, en Brer Rabbit 'spon' dat he

smell sump'n' w'ich it don't smell like ripe peaches. Bimeby, Brer

Rabbit 'gun to hoi' he nose, he did, en atter w'ile he sing out:

"'Gracious en de goodness, Mr. Man! hit 's dat meat er yone. _Phew!_

Whar'bouts is you pick up dat meat at?'

"Dis make Mr. Man feel sorter 'shame' hisse'f, en ter make marters wuss,

yer come a great big green fly a-zoonin' 'roun'. Brer Rabbit he git way

off on t'er side er de road, en he keep on hol'in' he nose. Mr. Man, he

look sorter sheepish, he did, en dey aint gone fur 'fo' he put de meat

down on de side er de road, en he tuck'n ax Brer Rabbit w'at dey gwine

do 'bout it. Brer Rabbit he 'low, he did:

"'I year tell in my time dat ef you take'n drag a piece er meat thoo' de

dus' hit'll fetch back hits freshness. I aint no superspicious man

myse'f,' sezee, 'en I aint got no 'speunce wid no sech doin's, but dem

w'at tell me say dey done try it. Yit I knows dis,' says Brer Rabbit,

sezee,--'I knows dat 't aint gwine do no harm, 'kaze de grit w'at gits

on de meat kin be wash off,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.

"'I aint got no string,' sez Mr. Man, sezee.

"Brer Rabbit laff hearty, but still he hol' he nose.

"'Time you bin in de bushes long ez I is, you won't miss strings,' sez

Brer Rabbit, sezee.

"Wid dat Brer Rabbit lipt out, en he aint gone long 'fo' he come

hoppin' back wid a whole passel er bamboo vines all tied tergedder. Mr.

Man, he 'low:

"'Dat line mighty long.'

"Brer Rabbit he 'low:

"'Tooby sho', you want de win' fer ter git 'twix' you en dat meat.'

"Den Mr. Man tuck'n tied de bamboo line ter de meat. Brer Rabbit he

broke off a 'simmon bush, he did, en 'low dat he'd stay behime en keep

de flies off. Mr. Man he go on befo' en drag de meat, en Brer Rabbit he

stay behime, he did, en take keer un it."

Here Uncle Remus was compelled to pause and laugh before he could

proceed with the story.

"En he is take keer un it, mon--dat he is. He tuck'n git 'im a rock, en

w'iles Mr. Man gwine 'long bidout lookin' back, he ondo de meat en tie

de rock ter de bamboo line, en w'en Brer Fox foller on, sho' nuff, dar

lay de meat. Mr. Man, he drug de rock, he did, en Brer Rabbit he keep de

flies off, twel atter dey gone on right smart piece, en den w'en Mr.

Man look 'roun', whar wuz ole man Rabbit?

"Bless yo' soul, Brer Rabbit done gone back en jine Brer Fox, en he wuz

des in time, at dat, 'kaze little mo' en Brer Fox would 'a' done bin

outer sight en yearin'. En so dat de way Brer Rabbit git Mr. Man meat."

The little boy reflected a little, and then said:

"Uncle Remus, was n't that stealing?"

"Well, I tell you 'bout dat, honey," responded the old man, with the air

of one who is willing to compromise. "In dem days de creeturs bleedz ter

look out fer deyse'f, mo' speshually dem w'at aint got hawn en huff.

Brer Rabbit aint got no hawn en huff, en he bleedz ter be he own

lawyer."

Just then the little boy heard his father's buggy rattling down the

avenue, and he ran out into the darkness to meet it. After he was gone,

Uncle Remus sat a long time rubbing his hands and looking serious.

Finally he leaned back in his chair, and exclaimed:

"Dat little chap gittin' too much fer ole Remus--dat he is!"