134 CITIZEN BIRD 



he 'spicioned a Mocker tole tales on him. Massa Brans- 

 come — he Avere a mighty fine man and your gran' dad, 

 Miss Olive — he say he wouldn't have no puss'n to rob 

 de nests o' Mockers, not anywheres on his 'states. Dey 

 did eat a pile o' fruit, but dat was nuffin'. Fus' place 

 he jes' loved ter hear 'em sing, an' den he 'lowed dat 

 dey was powerful fond o' cottin worms, what was mighty 

 bad some years. 



" Now lots o' coon darkies dey uster steal de youn' 

 Mockers jes' afore dey lef de nest and sell 'em to white 

 trash dat ud tote 'em down the ribber an' sell 'em agin 

 in N'Orleans, to be fotched off in ships. And I'se hear 

 tell dat dere ain't any sech birds in oder countries, and 

 dat de kings and queens jes' gib dere gold crowns offen 

 dere heads t' have a cage o' Mockers. 



" Dem coons nebber got no gold crowns, howsumever. 

 What dey got was mos'ly a quarter fob free he-birds. 

 Now Sambo he was a-courtin' an' wanted a banjo power- 

 ful bad, an' he didn't want no common truck, so he 

 'lowed to get one up from N'Orleans. So he 'greed to 

 pay for it in Mockers, an' he to'ht he know'd where he'd 

 get 'em foh sure. Mockers don' nes' in de woods and 

 wild places, dey alius keeps roun' de plantations near 

 where folks libs. 



'-'- He know'd he war doin' wrong and he felt mighty 

 uncomfoh'ble ; but he done took de youn' Mockers on 

 our plantation right under massa's nose. He war 

 crafty like and on'y took one outen each nes' and at 

 night de ole birds never miss 'em. When he got de 

 banjo 'bout paid foh, dat time he took a whole nes'ful 

 to onc't an' de birds what it b'longed to saw what he 

 war a-doin' an' gib him a piece o' dere mind, an' foiled 



