NIGHTS WITH UNCLE REMUS 
up, all ’ceppin’ de big een er his wing-fedders, en dem ole Brer 
Tarrypin tuck en make inter some quills, w’ich he go ’roun’ a- 
playin’ un um, en de chune w’at he play was dish yer: — 
“‘I foolee, I foolee, Ifoolee po* Buzzud; 
Po* Buzzud 1 foolee, Ifoolee, I foolee*** 
XV 
BRER FOX COVETS THE QUILLS 
“That must have been a mighty funny song,” said the little 
boy. 
“Fun one time ain’t fun ’n’er time; some folks fines fun whar 
yuther folks fines trouble. Pig may laugh w’en he see de rock 
a-heatin’, but dey ain’t no fun dar fer de pig. 1 
“ Yit, fun er no fun, dat de song w’at Brer Tarrypin play on 
de quills: — 
“‘Ifoolee, Ifoolee, Ifoolee po* Buzzud; 
Po ’ Buzzud I foolee, I foolee, I foolee* 
“Nobody dunner whar de quills cum fum, kaze Brer Tarrypin, 
he ain’t makin’ no brags how he git um; yit ev’ybody wants um on 
account er der playin’ sech a lonesome 2 chune, en ole Brer Fox, 
he want um wuss ’n all. He beg en he beg Brer Tarrypin fer ter 
sell ’im dem quills; but Brer Tarrypin, he hoi’ on t’ um tight, en 
say eh-eh! Den he ax Brer Tarrypin fer ter loan um t’ um des a 
week, so he kin play fer he chilluns, but Brer Tarrypin, he shake 
he head en put he foot down, en keep on playin’: — 
“ * I foolee, I foolee, I foolee po* Buzzud; 
Po* Buzzud I foolee, I foolee, I foolee 
1 An allusion to the primitive mode of cleaning hogs by heating rocks, and placing 
them in a barrel or tank of water. 
2 This word “lonesome,” as used by the negroes, is the equivalent of “ thrilling,” 
“romantic,” etc., and in that sense is very expressive. 
66 
