BRER RABBIT’S LOVE-CHARM 
’e mout’ un knock-a da toof out. ’E grab um up; ’e gone fum 
dey-dey. ’E fetch-a da ’gater toof wey da Affiky mans lif. Affiky 
mans say: — 
“ ‘ ’Gater is bin-a got sha’p toof fer true. Go fetch-a me one rice- 
bud bill/ 
“B’er Rabbit gone! ’E go ’long, ’e go ’long, tel ’e see rice-bud 
swingin’ on bush. ’E ahx um kin ’e fly. 
“Rice-bud say: ‘See dis!’ 
“’E wissle, ’e sing, ’e shek ’e wing; ’e fly all ’roun’ un ’roun’. 
“B’er Rabbit say rice-bud kin fly wey da win’ is bin blow, but ’e 
no kin fly wey no win’ blow. 
“Rice-bud say, ‘Enty!’ 
“’E wait fer win’ stop blowin’; ’e wait, un ’e fly all ’roun’ un 
’roun’. 
“ B’er Rabbit say rice-bud yent kin fly in house wey dey no win’. 
“Rice-bud say, ‘Enty!’ 
“’E fly in house, ’e fly all ’roun’ un ’roun’. B’er Rabbit pull de 
do’ shed; ’e look at dem rice-bud; ’e say, ‘Enty!’ 
“’E ketch dem rice-bud; ’e do git um bill, ’e fetch um wey da 
AfSky mans lif. Affiky mans says dem rice-bud bill slick fer true. 
’E tekky da el’phan’ tush, ’e tekky da ’gater toof, ’e tekky da 
rice-bud bill, he pit um in lil bag; ’e swing dem bag ’pon B’er 
Rabbit neck. Den B’er Rabbit kin marry dem noung gal. Enty! ” 
Here Daddy Jack paused and flung a glance of feeble tender¬ 
ness upon ’Tildy. Uncle Remus smiled contemptuously, seeing 
which ’Tildy straightened herself, tossed her head, and closed her 
eyes with an air of indescribable scorn. 
“I dunner what Brer Rabbit mout er done,” she exclaimed; 
“but I lay ef dey’s any ole nigger man totin’ a cunjer-bag in dis 
neighborhood, he’ll git mighty tired un it ’fo’ it do ’im any good 
— I lay dat!” 
Daddy Jack chuckled heartily at this, and dropped off to sleep 
so suddenly that the little boy thought he was playing ’possum. 
169 
