OLD BRER TERRAPIN GETS SOME FISH 
LXVII 
OLD BRER TERRAPIN GETS SOME FISH 
“Dat tale,” said Uncle Remus, “puts me in min’ er de time w’en 
ole Brer Tarrypin had a tussel wid Brer Mink. Hit seem lak,” 
he went on, in response to inquiries from the little boy, “dat dey 
bofe live ’roun’ de water so much en so long dat dey git kinder 
stuck up long wid it. Leasways dat ’uz de trouble wid Brer Mink. 
He jump in de water en swim en dive twel he ’gun ter b’leeve 
dey wa’n’t nobody kin hoi’ der han’ long wid ’im. 
“One day Brer Mink ’uz gwine long down de creek wid a nice 
string er fish swingin’ on he walkin’-cane, w’en who should he 
meet up wid but ole Brer Tarrypin. De creeturs ’uz all hail feller 
wid ole Brer Tarrypin, en no sooner is he seed Brer Mink dan he 
bow ’im howdy. Ole Brer Tarrypin talk ’way down in he th’oat 
lak he got bad col’. He ’low: — 
“‘Heyo, Brer Mink! Whar you git all dem nice string er fish?’ 
“Brer Mink ’uz mighty up-en-spoken in dem days. He ’low, 
he did: — 
“‘Down dar in de creek, Brer Tarrypin.’ 
“Brer Tarrypin look ’stonish’. He say, sezee: — 
“‘Well, well, well! In de creek! Who’d er b’leev’d it?’ 
“Brer Mink, sezee: ‘Whar I gwine ketch urn, Brer Tarrypin, 
ef I ain’t ketch um in de creek?’ 
“Ole Brer Tarrypin, sezee: ‘Dat’s so, Brer Mink; but a 
highlan’ man lak you gwine in de creek atter fish! Hit looks 
tumble, Brer IMink — dat w at it do; hit des looks turrible! 
“Brer Mink, sezee: ‘Looks er no looks, dar whar I got um.’ 
“Brer Tarrypin sorter sway he head fum side ter side, en 
’low: — 
“‘Ef dat de case, Brer Mink, den sho’ly you mus’ be one er 
dem ar kinder creeturs w’at usen ter de water. 
315 
