BRER RABBIT BREAKS UP A PARTY 
Brer Fox, he know he done got in close quarters. Soon ez he see 
dis, Brer Rabbit make like he bin down in de cup mo’ deeper dan 
w’at he is, en he stagger ’roun’ like town gal stannin’ in a batteau, 
en he seem lak he des ez limber ez a wet rag. He stagger up ter 
Brer Fox, he did, en he roll he eyeballs ’roun’, en slap ’im on he 
back en ax ’im how he ma. Den w’en he see de yuther creeturs,” 
continued Uncle Remus, “he holler out, he did: — 
“‘Vents yo’ uppance, gentermens! Vents yo’ uppance ! 1 Ef 
you ’ll des gimme han’-roomance en come one at a time, de tussle 
’ll las’ longer. How you all come on, nohow?’ sezee. 
“Ole Brer Rabbit talk so kuse dat de yuther creeturs have mo’ 
fun dan w’at you k’n shake a stick at, but bimeby Brer Fox say 
dey better git down ter business, en den dey all cloze in on Brer 
Rabbit, en dar he wuz. 
“In dem days, ole man B’ar wuz a jedge ’mongs’ de creeturs, 
en dey all ax ’im w’at dey gwine do ’long wid Brer Rabbit, en 
Jedge B’ar, he put on his specks, en cle’r up his th’oat, en say dat 
de bes’ way ter do wid a man w’at kick up sech a racket, en run 
de neighbors outer der own house, en go in dar en level 2 on de 
pantry, is ter take ’im out en drown ’im; en ole Brer Fox, w’ich 
he settin’ on de jury, he up’n smack he hands togedder, en cry, en 
say, sezee, dat atter dis he bleedzter b’leeve dat Jedge B’ar done 
got all-under holt on de lawyer-books, kaze dat ’zackly w’at dey 
say w’en a man level on he neighbor pantry. 
“Den Brer Rabbit, he make out he skeerd, en he holler en cry, 
en beg um, in de name er goodness, don’t fling ’im in de spring 
branch, kaze dey all know he dunner how ter swim: but ef dey 
bleedz fer ter pitch ’im in, den for mussy sake gin’ ’im a walkin’- 
cane, so he kin have sumpin’ ter hoi’ ter w’iles he drownin’. 
“Ole Brer B’ar scratch his head en say, sezee, dat, fur ez his 
1 Southern readers will recognize this and “han’-roomance” as terms used by 
negroes in playing marbles, — a favorite game on the plantations Sunday afternoons. 
These terms were curt and expressive enough to gain currency among the whites. 
2 Levy. 
57 
