THE PIMMERLY PLUM 
own-’lone se’f. — I ’clar’ ter gracious,” exclaimed the old man 
after a pause, “ef hit don’t seem periently lak’t wuz yistiddy!” 
“What, Uncle Remus?” 
“Oh, des ole Brer Tarrypin, honey; des ole Brer Tarrypin en a 
tale w’at I year ’bout ’im, how he done tuck’n do Brer Fox.” 
“Did he scare him, Uncle Remus?” the little boy asked, as the 
old man paused. 
“No, my goodness! Wuss’n dat!” 
“Did he hurt him?” 
“No, my goodness! Wuss’n dat!” 
“Did he kill him?” 
“No, my goodness! Lots wuss’n dat!” 
“Now, Uncle Remus, what did he do to Brother Fox?” 
“Honey!” — here the old man lowered his voice as if about to 
describe a great outrage — “Honey! he tuck’n make a fool out’n 
’im!” 
The child laughed, but it was plain that he failed to appreciate 
the situation, and this fact caused Uncle Remus to brighten up 
and go on with the story. 
“One time w’en de sun shine down mighty hot, ole Brer Tarry¬ 
pin wuz gwine ’long down de road. He ’uz gwine ’long down, en 
he feel mighty tired; he puff, en he blow, en he pant. He breff 
come lak he got de azmy ’way down in he win’-pipe; but, num- 
mine! he de same ole Creep-um-crawl-um Have-some-fun-um. 
He ’uz gwine ’long down de big road, ole Brer Tarrypin wuz, en 
bimeby he come ter de branch. He tuck’n crawl in, he did, en got 
’im a drink er water, en den he crawl out on t’er side en set down 
und’ de shade un a tree. Atter he sorter ketch he win’, he look up 
at de sun fer ter see w’at time er day is it, en, lo en beholes! he 
tuck’n skivver dat he settin’ in de shade er de sycamo’ tree. No 
sooner is he skivver dis dan he sing de ole song: — 
“ ‘ Good luck ter dem w’at come and go , 
W’at set in de shade er de sycamo’ * 
187 
