NIGHTS WITH UNCLE REMUS 
sot dar en laugh en talk, twel, bimeby, Brer Fox, he fotch out a 
bottle er dram en lay ’er out on de side-bode, en den he sorter step 
back en say, sezee: — 
“ ‘Des step up, gentermens, en he’pyo’se’f,’en you better b’lieve 
dey he’p derse’f. 
“W’iles dey wuz drinkin’ en drammin’ en gwine on, w’at you 
’speck Brer Rabbit doin’? You des well make up yo’ min’ dat 
Brer Rabbit monst’us busy, kaze he ’uz sailin’ ’roun’ fixin’ up his 
tricks. Long time ’fo’ dat, Brer Rabbit had been at a bobbycue 
whar dey was a muster, en w’iles all de folks ’uz down at de spring 
eatin’ dinner, Brer Rabbit he crope up en run off wid one er de 
drums. Dey wuz a big drum en a little drum, en Brer Rabbit he 
snatch up de littles’ one en run home. 
“Now, den, w’en he year ’bout de yuther creeturs gwine ter 
Brer Fox house, w’at do Brer Rabbit do but git out dis rattlin’ 
drum en make de way down de road todes whar dey is. He tuk 
dat drum,” continued Uncle Remus, with great elation of voice 
and manner, “en he went down de road todes Brer Fox house, en 
he make ’er talk like thunner mix up wid hail. Hit talk lak dis: — 
“‘ Diddybum, diddybum, diddybum-bum-bum — diddybum!’ 
“De creeturs, dey ’uz a-drinkin’, en a-drammin’, en a-gwine on 
at a terrible rate, en dey ain’t year de racket, but all de same, 
yer come Brer Rabbit: — 
“‘ Diddybum , diddybum, diddybum-bum-bum — diddybum /’ 
“Bimeby Brer ’Coon, w’ich he allers got one year hung out fer 
de news, he up’n ax Brer Fox w’at dat, en by dat time all de 
creeturs stop en lissen; but all de same, yer come Brer Rabbit: — 
“‘Diddybum, diddybum, diddybum-bum-bum — diddybum /’ 
“De creeturs dey keep on lis’nin’, en Brer Rabbit keep on 
gittin’ nigher, twel bimeby Brer ’Coon retch und’ de cheer fer he 
hat, en say, sezee: — 
Well, gents, I ’speck I better be gwine. I tole my ole ’oman 
dat I won’t be gone a minnit, en yer’t is ’way ’long in de day.’ 
54 
