NIGHTS WITH UNCLE REMUS 
plank! Den ole Miss Wolf, she tuck’n hunch Brer Wolf wid ’er 
elbow, en she say, sez she: — 
“‘Hey, ole man! w’at dat?” 
“Den bofe un um cock up der years en lissen, en des ’bout dat 
time ole Mr. Benjermun Ram he sling de butt er de fiddle up 
und’ he chin, en struck up one er dem ole-time chunes.” 
“Well, what tune was it, Uncle Remus?” the little boy asked, 
with some display of impatience. 
“Ef I ain’t done gone en fergit dat chune off’n my min’,” con¬ 
tinued Uncle Remus; “hit sorter went like dat ar song ’bout 
‘Sheep shell co’n wid de rattle er his ho’n,’ en yit hit mout er been 
dat ar yuther one ’bout ‘Roll de key, ladies, roll dem keys.’ Brer 
Wolf en ole Miss Wolf, dey lissen en lissen, en de mo’ w’at dey 
lissen de skeerder dey git, twel bimeby dey tuck ter der heels en 
make a break fer de swamp at de back er de house des lak de 
patter-rollers wuz atter um. 
“ W’en ole man Benjermun Ram sorter let up wid he fiddlin’, 
he don’t see no Brer Wolf, en he don’t year no ole Miss Wolf. Den 
he look in de back room; no Wolf dar. Den he look in de back 
po’ch; no Wolf dar. Den he look in de closet en de cubberd; no 
Wolf ain’t dar yit. Den ole Mr. Benjermun Ram, he tuck’n shot 
all de do’s en lock um, en he s’arch ’roun’ en he fine some peas en 
fodder in de lof’, w’ich he et um fer he supper, en den he lie down 
front er de fier en sleep soun’ ez a log. 
“Nex’ mawnin’ he ’uz up en stirrin’ monst’us soon, en he put 
out fum dar, en he fine de way ter Miss Meadows’ time ’nuff fer 
ter play at de frolic. W’en he git dar, Miss Meadows en de gals, 
dey run ter de gate fer ter meet ’im, en dis un tuck he hat, en dat 
un tuck he cane, en t’er’n tuck he fiddle, en den dey up’n say: — 
“‘Law, Mr. Ram! whar de name er goodness is you bin? We 
so glad you come. Stir ’roun’ yer, folks, en git Mr. Ram a cup er 
hot coffee.’ 
“Dey make a mighty big ter-do ’bout Mr. Benjermun Ram, 
40 
