HOW BRER FOX WAS TOO SMART 
them carefully on the floor under his chair, and made a great pre¬ 
tence of arguing the matter with the child. 
“Now, den, honey, w’ich tale is it w’at you ain’t lak de mos’?” 
The little boy reflected a moment and then replied: — 
“About the snake swallowing the little girl. I don’t see any 
fun in that. Papa says they have snakes in Africa as big around 
as his body; and, goodness knows, I hope they won’t get after 
me.” 
“How dey gwine git atter you, honey, w’en you settin’ up yer 
’long side er me en de snakes ’way ’cross dar in Afflky?” 
“Well, Daddy Jack, he came, and the snakes might come too.” 
Uncle Remus laughed, more to reassure the child than to ridi¬ 
cule his argument. 
“Dem ar snakes ain’t no water-moccasin, not ez I knows un. 
Brer Jack bin yer mighty long time, en dey ain’t no snake foller 
atter ’im yit.” 
“Now, Uncle Remus! papa says they have them in shows.” 
“I ’speck dey is, honey, but who’s afear’d er snake stufft wid 
meal-bran? Not none er ole Miss gran’chillun, sho’!” 
“Well, the stories don’t sound funny to me.” 
“Dat mought be, yit deyer funny ter Brer Jack, en dey do 
mighty well fer ter pass de time. Atter w’ile you’ll be a-gwine 
’roun’ runnin’ down ole Brer Rabbit en de t’er creeturs, en some¬ 
how er n’er you’ll take’n git ole Remus mix up wid um twel you 
won’t know w’ich one un um you er runnin’ down, en let ’lone dat, 
you won’t keer needer. Shoo, honey! you ain’t de fus chap w at 
I done tole deze yer tales ter.” 
“Why, Uncle Remus,” exclaimed the little boy, in a horrified 
tone, “I would n't; you know I would n’t!” 
“Don’t tell me!” insisted the old man, “you er outgrowin’ 
me, en you er outgrowin’ de tales. Des lak Miss Sally change de 
lenk er yo’ britches, des dat a-way I got ter do w’ence I whirl in 
en persoo atter de creeturs. Time wuz w’en you ’ud set down yer 
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