NIGHTS WITH UNCLE REMUS 
“ ‘Des walk right up en slap ’im down, Brer Fox — de owdashus 
vilyun! Des hit ’im a surbinder, en ef he dast ter run, I boun’ 
you I’ll ketch ’im.* 
“Brer Fox, he went up little nigher. Cousin Wildcat stop rub- 
bin’ on de tree, en sot up on he behime legs wid he front paws in 
de a’r, en he balance hisse’f by leanin’ ’gin’ de tree, but he ain’t 
sayin’ nothin’. Brer Rabbit, he squall out, he did: — 
“‘Oh, you nee’nter put up yo’ han’s en try ter beg off. Dat de 
way you fool my ole gran’daddy; but you can’t fool we-all. All 
yo’ settin’ up en beggin’ ain’t gwine ter he’p you. Ef youer so 
humble ez all dat, w’at make you come pesterin’ longer we-all? 
Hit ’im a clip, Brer Fox! Ef he run, I’ll ketch ’im!’ 
“Brer Fox see de creetur look so mighty humble, settin’ up dar 
lak he beggin’ off, en he sorter take heart. He sidle up todes ’im, 
he did, en des ez he ’uz makin’ ready fer ter slap ’im ole Cousin 
Wildcat draw’d back en fotch Brer Fox a wipe ’cross de stomach.” 
Uncle Remus paused here a moment, as if to discover some term 
strong enough to do complete justice to the catastrophe. Presently 
he went on: — 
“Dat ar Cousin Wildcat creetur fotch Brer Fox a wipe ’cross 
de stomach, en you mought a yeard ’im squall fum yer ter Har¬ 
mony Grove. Little mo’ en de creetur would er to’ Brer Fox in 
two. W’ence de creetur made a pass at ’im, Brer Rabbit knew 
w’at gwine ter happen, yit all de same he tuck’n holler: — 
“‘Hit ’im ag’in, Brer Fox! Hit ’im ag’in! I’m a-backin’ you. 
Brer Fox! Ef he dast ter run, I ’ll inabout cripple ’im — dat I will. 
Hit ’im ag’in!’ 
“All dis time w’iles Brer Rabbit gwine on dis a-way, Brer Fox, 
he ’uz a-squattin’ down, hol’in’ he stomach wid bofe han’s en des 
a-moanin’: — 
“‘I’m mint, Brer Rabbit! I’m mint! Run fetch de doctor! 
I’m teetotally mint!’ 
“’Bout dat time. Cousin Wildcat, he tuck’n tuck a walk. Brer 
