THE FIRE-TEST 
a back summerset. He jump up, he did, en ’gun ter grabble in de 
quog-mire des ez hard ez he kin. 
“Brer Rabbit, he stan’ by, un drop some co’n in onbeknowns’ 
ter Brer Fox, un dis make ’im grabble wuss un wuss, un he grabble 
so hard un he grabble so long dat’t wa’n’t long ’fo’ he fall down 
dead, un so dat ’uz de las’ er ole Brer Fox in dat day un time.” 
As Aunt Tempy paused, Uncle Remus adjusted his spectacles 
and looked at her admiringly. Then he laughed heartily. 
“I declar’, Sis Tempy,” he said, after a while, “you gives 
tongue same ez a lawyer. You ’ll hatter jine in wid us some mo’.” 
Aunt Tempy closed her eyes and dropped her head on one side. 
“Don’t git me started, Brer Remus,” she said, after a pause; 
“ ’kaze ef you does you ’ll hatter set up yer long pas’ yo’ bedtime.” 
“I b’leeve you, Sis Tempy, dat I does!” exclaimed the old man, 
with the air of one who has made a pleasing discovery. 
XLII 
THE FIRE-TEST 
“We er sorter bin a-waitin’ fer Sis Tempy,” Uncle Remus re¬ 
marked when the little boy made his appearance the next night; 
“but somehow er n’er look lak she fear’d she hatter up en tell 
some mo’ tales. En yit maybe she bin strucken down wid some 
kinder ailment. Dey ain’t no countin’ on deze yer fat folks. Dey 
er up one minnit en down de nex’; en w’at make it dat a-way I be 
bless ef I know, ’kaze w’en folks is big en fat look lak dey oughter 
be weller dan deze yer long hongry kinder folks. 
“Yit all de same, Brer Jack done come,” continued Uncle 
Remus, “en we ull des slam de do’ shet, en ef Sis Tempy come 
she’ll des hatter hoi’ ’er han’s ’fo’ ’er face en holler out: — 
“'Lucky de Linktum, chucky de chin , 
Open de do' en let me ini* 
