BRER RABBIT SUBMITS TO A TEST 
git in trouble. Yit atter w’ile he go off in de bushes, he did, en cut 
’im a young grape-vine, en he fix ’im a slip-knot. Den he come 
back. Snake ’periently look lak he sleep. Brer Rabbit ax ’im how 
he come on. Snake ain’t say nothin’, but he quile up a little tighter, 
en he tongue run out lak it bin had grease on it. Mouf shot, yit 
de tongue slick out en slick back ’fo’ a sheep kin shake he tail. 
Brer Rabbit, he ’low, he did: — 
“ ‘Law, Mr. Snake, I mighty glad I come ’cross you,’ sezee. ‘Me 
en ole Jedge B’ar bin havin’ a tumble ’spute ’bout how long you 
is. We bofe ’gree dat you look mighty purty w’en youer layin’ 
stretch out full lenk in de sun; but Jedge B’ar, he ’low you ain’t 
but th’ee foot long, en I stood ’im down dat you ’uz four foot long 
ef not mo’,’ sezee. ‘En de talk got so hot dat I come mighty nigh 
hittin’ ’im a clip wid my walkin’-cane, en ef I had I boun’ dey’d 
er bin some bellerin’ done ’roun’ dar,’ sezee. 
“Snake ain’t say nothin’, but he look mo’ complassy 1 dan w’at 
he bin lookin’. 
“‘I up’n tole ole Jedge B’ar,’ sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, ‘dat de 
nex’ time I run ’cross you I gwine take’n medjer you; en goodness 
knows I mighty glad I struck up wid you, ’kaze now dey won’t 
be no mo’ ’casion fer any ’sputin’ ’twix’ me en Jedge B’ar,’ sezee. 
“Den Brer Rabbit ax Mr. Snake ef he won’t be so good ez ter 
onquile hisse’f. Snake he feel mighty proud, he did, en he stretch 
out fer all he wuff. Brer Rabbit he medjer, he did, en ’low: — 
‘“Dar one foot fer Jedge B’ar; dar th’ee foot fer Jedge B’ar; 
en, bless goodness, dar four foot fer Jedge B’ar, des lak I say!’ 
“By dat time Brer Rabbit done got ter snake head, en des ez 
de las’ wud drop out’n he mouf, he slip de loop ’roun’ snake neck, 
en den he had ’im good en fas’. He tuck’n drag ’im, he did, up 
ter whar de ole Witch-Rabbit settin’ at; but w’en he git dar, 
Mammy-Bammy Big-Money done make ’er disappearance, but 
he year sump’n’ way off yander, en seem lak it say: — 
1 A mixture of “complacent” and “placid.” Accent on the second syllable. 
17S 
