NIGHTS WITH UNCLE REMUS 
en lissen, but he ain’t year nothin’. Den he lay down ’g’in en 
drap off ter sleep. Atter w’ile, w’en he ’gun ter sno’ lak he done 
befo\ Brer Rabbit, he jump up en sprinkle some mo’ cole ashes 
on hisse’f, en fling de hot embers on Mr. Lion. Mr. Lion jump 
up, he did, en holler: — 
“‘Dar yo is ’g’in!’ 
“Brer Rabbit, he kick en squall, en ’low: — 
‘“You oughter be ’shame’ yo’se’f, Mr. Lion, fer ter be tryin’ 
ter bu’n me up.’ 
“Mr. Lion hoi’ up he han’s en des vow’t ain’t him. Brer Rab¬ 
bit, he look sorter jubous, but he ain’t say nothin’. Bimeby he 
holler out: — 
“‘Phewee! I smells rags a-bu’nin’!’ 
“Mr. Lion, he sorter flinch, he did, en ’low: — 
“°T ain’t no rags, Brer Rabbit; hit’s my ha’r a-sinjin’.’ 
“Dey look all ’roun’, dey did, but dey ain’t see nothin’ ner no¬ 
body. Brer Rabbit, he say he gwine do some tall watchin’ nex’ 
time, ’kaze he boun’ ter ketch de somebody w’at bin playin’ dem 
kinder pranks on um. Wid dat, Mr. Lion lay down ’g’in, en 
’t wa’n’t long ’fo’ he drap ter sleep. 
“Well, den,” continued Uncle Remus, taking a long breath, 
“de ve’y same kinder doin’s tuck’n happen. De cole ashes fall on 
Brer Rabbit, en de hot embers fall on Mr. Lion. But by de 
time Mr. Lion jump up, Brer Rabbit, he holler out: — 
“ T seed um, Mr. Lion! I seed um! I seed de way dey come fum 
’cross de creek! Dey mos’ sho’ly did! ’ 
“Wid dat Mr. Lion, he fetch’d a beller en he jumped ’cross de 
creek. No sooner is he do dis,” Uncle Remus went on in a tone 
at once impressive and confidential, “no sooner is he do dis dan 
Brer Rabbit cut de string w’at hoi’ de banks togedder, en, lo en 
beholes, dar dey wuz!” 
“What was, Uncle Remus?” the little boy asked, more amazed 
than he had been in many a day. 
282 
