BRER RABBIT OUTDOES MR. MAN 
to the old man, who received them with the liveliest satisfac- 
tion. 
“Now dish yer sorter look lak sump’n’, honey. W’en ole Brer 
Jack come back, en Sis Tempy git in de habits er hangin’ ’roun’, 
we’ll des light some er dese yer, en folks ’ll come by en see de 
shine, en dey’ll go off en ’low dat hit’s de night des ’fo’ camp- 
meetin’ at ole Remus house. 
I got little piece dar in my chist w’at you brung me long time 
ergo, en I ’low ter myse’f dat ef shove ever git ter be push , 1 I’d 
des draw ’er out en light ’er up.” 
Mamma says Daddy Jack is coming back Sunday,” said the 
little boy. 
“Dat w’at I year talk,” replied the old man. 
“What did he go off for, Uncle Remus?” 
“Bless yo’ soul, honey! Brer Jack bleedz ter go en see yo’ 
Unk Jeems. He b’leeve de worl’ go wrong ef he ain’t do dat. Dat 
ole nigger b’leeve he white mon. He come up yer fum down de 
country whar de Lord done fersook um too long ’go ter talk 
’bout, — he come up yer en he put on mo’ a’rs dan w’at I dast 
ter do. Not dat I’m keerin’, ’kaze goodness knows I ain’t, yit I 
notices dat w’en I has ter go some’rs, dey’s allers a great ter-do 
’bout w’at is I’m a-gwine fer, en how long is I’m a-gwine ter 
stay; en ef I ain’t back at de ve’y minit, dars Mars John a-growl- 
in’, en Miss Sally a-vowin’ dat she gwine ter put me on de 
block.” 2 
Perhaps Uncle Remus’s jealousy was more substantial than he 
was willing to admit; but he was talking merely to see what the 
little boy would say. The child, however, failed to appreciate the 
situation, seeing which the old man quickly changed the subject. 
“Times is mighty diffunt fum w’at dey use ter wuz, ’kaze de 
1 A plantation saying. It means if hard times get harder. A briefer form is “w’en 
shove ’come push” — when the worst comes to the worst. 
2 That is to say, put him on the block, and sell him. 
257 
