THE FIRE-TEST 
“Dat’s so,’’ exclaimed Aunt Tempy, “dat’s de Lord’s trufe!” 
“Dat ar pullin’ at de string,” Uncle Remus went on, “en dat ar 
hollerin’ ’bout shucky-cordy ” — 
“Jutta cord-la /” said Daddy Jack, fiercely. 
“’Bout de watsizname,” said Uncle Remus, with a lenient and 
forgiving smile, — “all dish yer hollerin’ en gwine on ’bout de 
watsizname put me in min’ er one time w’en Brer Rabbit wuz 
gwine off fum home fer ter git a mess er green truck. 
“W’en Brer Rabbit git ready fer ter go, he call all he chilluns 
up, en he tell um dat w’en he go out dey mus’ fas’n de do’ on de 
inside, en dey mus’n’ tu’n nobody in, nohow, ’kaze Brer Fox en 
Brer Wolf bin layin’ ’roun’ waitin’ chance fer ter nab um. En he 
tuck’n tole um dat w’en he come back, he’d rap at de do’ en sing: 
***Z’ZZ stay w’en you away , 
’Kaze no goV will pay toll !’ 
“De little Rabs, dey hilt up der han’s en promise dat dey won’t 
open de do’ fer nobody ’ceppin’ dey daddy, en wid dat, Brer Rab¬ 
bit he tuck’n put out, he did, at a han’-gallop, huntin’ sump’n’ 
n’er ter eat. But all dis time, Brer Wolf bin hidin’ out behime de 
house, en he year eve’y wud dat pass, en ole Brer Rabbit wa’n’t 
mo’n out’n sight ’fo’ Brer Wolf went ter de do’, en he knock, he 
did, — blip, blip , blip! 
“Little Rab holler out, ‘Who dat?’ 
“Brer Wolf he sing: — 
“*I'U stay w’en you away , 
’Kaze no gol’ will pay toll l’ 
“De little Rabs dey laugh fit ter kill deyse’f, en dey up’n 
’low: — 
“‘Go ’way, Mr. Wolf, go ’way! You ain’t none er we-all 
daddy!’ 
“Ole Brer Wolf he slunk off, he did, but eve’y time he thunk 
er dem plump little Rabs, he des git mo’ hongry dan befo’, en’t 
wa’n’t long ’fo’ he ’uz back at de do’ — blap, blap, blap l 
£11 
