WHY THE ALLIGATOR’S BACK IS ROUGH 
morrer night I’ll git Brer Jack all primed up, en he’ll whirl in en 
tell you a tale.” 
Daddy Jack nodded assent, and the little boy ran laughing to 
the “big house.” 
XXVI 
WHY THE ALLIGATOR’S BACK IS ROUGH 
The night after the violent flirtation between Daddy Jack and 
’Tildy, the latter coaxed and bribed the little boy to wait until 
she had finished her work about the house. After she had set 
things to rights in the dining-room and elsewhere, she took the 
child by the hand, and together they went to Uncle Remus’s 
cabin. The old man was making a door-mat of shucks and grass 
and white-oak splits, and Daddy Jack was dozing in the corner. 
“W’at I tell you, Brer Jack?” said Uncle Remus, as ’Tildy 
came in. “ Dat gal atter you, mon! ” 
“Fer de Lord sake, Unk’ Remus, don’t start dat ole nigger. I 
done promise Miss Sally dat I won’t kill ’im, en I like ter be good 
ez my word; but ef he come foolin’ longer me I’m des nat’ally 
gwine ter onj’int ’im. Now you year me say de word.” 
But Daddy Jack made no demonstration. He sat with his 
eyes closed, and paid no attention to ’Tildy. After awhile the 
little boy grew restless, and presently he said: — 
“Daddy Jack, you know you promised to tell me a story to¬ 
night.” 
“He wukkin’ wid it now, honey,” said Uncle Remus, soothingly. 
“Brer Jack,” he continued, “wa’n’t dey sump’n’ n’er ’bout ole 
man Yalligater?” 
“Hi!” exclaimed Daddy Jack, arousing himself, “’e ’bout 
B’er ’Gater fer true. Oona no bin see da’ B’er ’Gater?” 
The child had seen one, but it was such a very little one he 
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