NIGHTS WITH UNCLE REMUS 
he eyes en he mouf bofe, en he make a grab at Brer Fox en miss 
’im. 
“But hoi’ on!” exclaimed Uncle Remus, in response to an 
expression of intense disappointment in the child’s face. “You 
des wait a minnit. Nex’ mawnin’, Brer Tarrypin take hisse’f off 
en waller in a mud-hole, en smear hisse’f wid mud twel he look 
des ’zackly lak a clod er dirt. Den he crawl off en lay down 
un’need a log whar he know Brer Fox come eve’y mawnin’ fer ter 
freshen 1 hisse’f. 
“Brer Tarrypin lay dar, he did, en terreckly yer come Brer 
Fox. Time he git dar, Brer Fox ’gun ter lip backerds en forerds 
’cross de log, and Brer Tarrypin he crope nigher en nigher, twel 
bimeby he make a grab at Brer Fox en kotch him by de foot. 
Dey tells me,” continued Uncle Remus, rubbing his hands to¬ 
gether in token of great satisfaction, — “dey tells me dat w’en 
Brer Tarrypin ketch holt, hit got ter thunder ’fo’ he let go. All I 
know, Brer Tarrypin git Brer Fox by de foot, en he hilt ’im dar. 
Brer Fox he jump en he r’ar, but Brer Tarrypin done got ’im. 
Brer Fox, he holler out: — 
“‘Brer Tarrypin, please lemme go!’ 
“Brer Tarrypin talk way down in his th’oat: — 
“‘Gim’ my quills!’ 
“‘Lemme go en fetch um.’ 
“‘Gim’ my quills!’ 
“‘Do pray lemme go git um.’ 
“‘Gim’ my quills!’ 
“En, bless gracious! dis all Brer Fox kin git outer Brer Tarry¬ 
pin. Las’, Brer Fox foot hu’t ’im so bad dat he bleedz ter do 
sump’n’, en he sing out fer his ole ’oman fer ter fetch de quills, 
but he ole ’oman, she busy ’bout de house, en she don’t year ’im. 
Den he call he son, w’ich he name Tobe. He holler en bawl, en 
Tobe make answer: — 
1 Exercise himself. 
68 
