THE FIRE-TEST 
something like a sigh, — “a mighty man, en no sooner is he year 
de state er de condition dan he up’n call all de creeturs tergedder. 
He call um tergedder, he did, en den he up’n tell um ’bout how 
somebody done tuck’n ’stroy all er Brer Rabbit chillun, en he 
’low dat de man w’at do dat bleedz ter be kotch, ’kazeef he ain’t, 
dey ain’t no tellin’ how long it’ll be ’fo’ de same somebody’ll come 
’long en ’stroy all de chillun in de settlement. 
“Brer B’ar, he up’n ax how dey gwine fine ’im, en Brer Tarry- 
pin say dey er allers a way. Den he ’low: — 
“‘Less dig a deep pit.’ 
“‘I’ll dig de pit,’ sez Brer Wolf, sezee. 
“Atter de pit done dug, Brer Tarrypin say: — 
“‘Less fill de pit full er lighter’d knots en bresh.’ 
“ ‘ I ’ll fill de pit,’ sez Brer Wolf, sezee. 
“Atter de pit done fill up, Brer Tarrypin say: — 
‘“Now, den, less set it a-fier.’ 
“‘I’ll kindle de fier,’ sez Brer Wolf, sezee. 
“W’en de fier ’gun ter blaze up, Brer Tarrypin ’low dat de 
creeturs mus’ jump ’cross dat, en de man w’at ’stroy Brer Rab¬ 
bit chilluns will drap in en git bu’nt up. Brer Wolf bin so uppity 
’bout diggin’, en fillin’, en kindlin’, dat dey all ’spected ’im fer ter 
make de fus’ trial; but, bless yo’ soul en body! Brer Wolf look lak 
he got some yuther business fer ter ’ten’ ter. 
“De pit look so deep, en de fier bu’n so high, dat dey mos’ all 
’fear’d fer ter make de trial, but atter w’ile, Brer Mink ’low dat he 
ain’t hunted none er Brer Rabbit chilluns, en wid dat, he tuck 
runnin’ start, en lipt across. Den Brer Coon say he ain t hunted 
um, en over he sailed. Brer B’ar say he feel mo’ heavy dan he 
ever is befo’ in all he born days, but he ain t hurted none er Brer 
Rabbit po’ little chilluns, en wid dat away he went ’cross de fier. 
Dey all jump, twel bimeby hit come Brer Wolf time. Den he 
’gun ter git skeered, en he mighty sorry ’kaze he dig dat pit so 
deep en wide, en kindle dat fier so high. He tuck sech a long run- 
213 
