NIGHTS WITH UNCLE REMUS 
XXXII 
BRER ’POSSUM GETS IN TROUBLE 
When Uncle Remus began his story of Billy Malone and Miss 
Janey, Daddy Jack sat perfectly quiet. His eyes were shut, and 
he seemed to be dozing; but, as the story proceeded, he grew more 
and more restless. Several times he was upon the point of inter¬ 
rupting Uncle Remus, but he restrained himself. He raised his 
hands to a level with his chin, and beat the ends of his fingers 
gently together, apparently keeping time to his own thoughts. 
But his impatience exhausted itself, and when Uncle Remus had 
concluded, the old African was as quiet as ever. When Brother 
Fox was left so unceremoniously to his fate. Daddy Jack straight¬ 
ened himself temporarily and said: — 
“Me yent bin-a yerry da tale so. ’E nice, fer true, ’e mek larf 
come; oona no bin-a yerry um lak me.” 
“No,” said Uncle Remus, with grave affability, “I ’speck not. 
One man, one tale; ’n’er man, ’n’er tale. Folks tell um diffunt. I 
boun’ yo’ way de bes’. Brer Jack. Out wid it — en we ull set 
up yer, en hark at you en laff wid you plum twel de chick’ns 
crow.” 
Daddy Jack needed no other invitation. He clasped his knee 
in his hands and began: — 
“ Dey is bin lif one Man wut plan’ some pea in ’e geerden. ’E 
plan’ some pea, but ’e mek no pea; B’er Rabbit, ’e is fine um. ’E 
fine um un ’e eat um. Man mek no pea, B’er Rabbit ’e ’stroy um 
so. ’E plan’ dem pea; dey do grow, un ’e go off. ’E come bahk; 
pea no dere. B’er Rabbit teer um up un mek ’e cud wit’ dem. So 
long tam, Man say ’e gwan ketch um, un ’e no ketch um. Man 
go, B’er Rabbit come; Man come, B’er Rabbit go. Bumbye, 
M&n, ’e is git so mad, ’e y-eye bin-a come red; ’e crack ’e toof, ’e 
do cuss. ’E oby ’e gwan ketch B’er Rabbit nohow. Dun ’e is 
156 
