MR. MAN HAS SOME MEAT 
know w’en dem creeturs got dey lim’s tergedder dey split de win’, 
dey did dat. Ole Brer B’ar, he struck a stump w’at stan’ in de 
way, en I ain’t gwine tell you how he to’ it up ’kaze you won’t 
b’leeve me, but de nex’ mawnin’ Brer Rabbit en his chilluns went 
back dar, dey did, en dey got nuff splinters fer ter make um kin’- 
lin’ wood all de winter. Yasser! Des ez sho’ ez I’m a-settin’ by 
dish yer h’ath.” 
XXIII 
MR. MAN HAS SOME MEAT 
The little boy sat watching Uncle Remus sharpen his shoe- 
knife. The old man’s head moved in sympathy with his hands, 
and he mumbled fragments of a song. Occasionally he would feel 
of the edge of the blade with his thumb, and then begin to sharpen 
it again. The comical appearance of the venerable darkey finally 
had its effect upon the child, for suddenly he broke into a hearty- 
peal of laughter; whereupon Uncle Remus stopped shaking hi3 
head and singing his mumbly-song, and assumed a very dignified 
attitude. Then he drew a long, deep breath, and said: — , 
“’Wen folks git ole en stricken wid de palsy, dey mus’ ’speck 
ter be laff’d at. Goodness knows, I bin use ter dat sence de day 
my whiskers ’gun to bleach.” 
“Why, I was n’t laughing at you, Uncle Remus; I declare I 
was n’t,” cried the little boy. “I thought maybe you might be 
doing your head like Brother Rabbit did when he was fixing to 
cut his meat.” 
Uncle Remus’s seriousness was immediately driven away by a 
broad and appreciative grin. ? ? 
“Now, dat de way ter talk, honey, en I boun’ you wa n t fur 
wrong, n’er, ’kaze fer all dey’ll tell you dat Brer Rabbit make he 
livin’ ’long er nibblin’ at grass en greens, hit’t wa’n’t dat a-way 
105 
