NIGHTS WITH UNCLE REMUS 
by dish yer h’a’th, en you’d take’n holler en laugh en clap yo* 
han’s w’en ole Brer Rabbit ’ud kick outen all er he tanglements; 
but deze times you sets dar wid yo’ eyes wide open, en you don’t 
crack a smile. I say it!” Uncle Remus exclaimed, changing his 
tone and attitude, as if addressing some third person concealed in 
the room. “ I say it! Stidder j ’inin’ in wid de fun, he ’ll take’n lean 
back dar en ’spute ’long wid you des lak grow’d up folks. I ’ll stick 
it out dis season, but w’en Chrismus come, I be bless ef I ain’t 
gwine ter ax Miss Sally fer my remoovance papers, en I’m gwine 
ter hang my bundle on my walkin’-cane, en see w’at kinder dirt 
dey is at de fur een’ er de big road.” 
“Yes!” exclaimed the little boy, triumphantly, “and, if you 
do, the patter-rollers will get you.” 
“Well,” replied the old man, with a curious air of resignation, 
“ef dey does, I ain’t gwine ter do lak Brer Fox did w’en Brer Rab¬ 
bit showed him de tracks in de big road.” 
“How did Brother Fox do, Uncle Remus?” 
“Watch out, now! Dish yer one er de tales w’at ain’t got no fun 
in it.” 
“Uncle Remus, please tell it.” 
“Hoi’ on dar! Dey mought be a snake some’rs in it — one er 
deze yer meal-bran snakes.” 
“ Please , Uncle Remus, tell it.” 
The old man never allowed himself to resist the artful pleadings 
of the little boy. So he recovered his specks from under the chair, 
looked up the chimney for luck, as he explained to his little part¬ 
ner, and proceeded: — 
“One day w’en Brer Fox went callin’ on Miss Meadows en Miss 
Motts en de t’er gals, who should he fine settin’ up dar but ole 
Brer Rabbit? Yasser! Dar he wuz, des ez sociable ez you please. 
He ’uz gwine on wid de gals, en w’en Brer Fox drapt in dey look 
lak dey wuz mighty tickled ’bout sump’n’ n’er Brer Rabbit bin 
sayin . Brer Fox, he look sorter jub’ous, he did, des lak folks does 
220 
