BRER FOX COVETS THE QUILLS 
“‘Tobe! O Tobe! You Tobe!’ 
“‘ W’at you want, daddy?’ 
“‘Fetch Brer Tarrypin quills.’ 
“‘W’at you say, daddy? Fetch de big tray ter git de honey 
in?’ 
“‘No, you crazy-head! Fetch Brer Tarrypin quills!’ 
“‘W’at you say, daddy? Fetch de dipper ter ketch de minners 
in?’ 
“ ‘ No, you fool! Fetch Brer Tarrypin quills! ’ 
“‘W’at you say, daddy? Water done been spill?’ 
“Hit went on dis a-way twel atter w’ile ole Miss Fox year de 
racket, en den she lissen, en she know dat ’er ole man holler’n’ fer 
de quills, en she fotch um out en gun um ter Brer Tarrypin, en 
Brer Tarrypin, he let go he holt. He let go he holt,” Uncle 
Remus went on, “but long time atter dat, w’en Brer Fox go ter 
pay he calls, he hatter go hoppity-fetchity, hoppity-fetchity .” 
The old man folded his hands in his lap, and sat quietly gazing 
into the lightwood fire. Presently he said: — 
“I ’speck Miss Sally blessin’ us all right now, en fus’ news you 
know she’ll h’ist up en have Mars John a-trapesin’ down yer; en 
ef she do dat, den ter-morrer mawnin’ my brekkuss’ll be col’, en 
lakwise my dinner, en ef dey’s sump’n’ w’at I ’spizes hit’s col’ 
vittels.” 
Thereupon Uncle Remus arose, shook himself, peered out into 
the night to discover that the rain had nearly ceased, and then 
made ready to carry the little boy to his mother. Long before the 
chickens had crowed for midnight, the child, as well as the old 
man, had been transported to the land where myths and fables 
cease to be wonderful, — the land of pleasant dreams. 
69 
