OLD BRER TERRAPIN GETS SOME FISH 
“ Wid dat, down dey went, but Brer Tarrypin ain’t mo’n dove 
’fo’ up he come, en w’iles Brer Mink ’uz down dar honin’ fer 
fresh a’r, he tuck’n gobble up de las’ one er de fish, ole Brer Tarry- 
pin did. He gobble up de fish, en he ’uz fixin’ fer ter pick he toof, 
but by dis time Brer Mink bleedz ter come up, en ole Brer Tarry- 
pin, he tuck’n slid down in de water. He slid so slick,” said Uncle 
Remus, with a chuckle, “ dat he ain’t lef’ a bubble. He ain’t stay 
down long, n’er, ’fo’ he come up en he make lak he teetotally out 
er win’. 
“Ole Brer Tarrypin come up, he did, en look ’roun’, en ’fo’ 
Brer Mink kin say a wud, he holler out: — 
“‘Youer nice man, Brer Mink! Youer mighty nice man!’ 
“‘W’at I done now, Brer Tarrypin?’ 
“‘Don’t ax me. Look up dar whar you bin eatin’ dem fish en 
den ax yo’se’f. Youer mighty nice man!’ 
“Brer Mink look ’roun’ en, sho’ ’nuff, de fish done gone. Ole 
Brer Tarrypin keep on talkin’: — 
“‘You tuck’n come up fust, en w’iles I bin down dar in de 
water, nat’ally achin’ fer lack er win’, yer you settin’ up chawin’ 
on de fish w’ich dey oughter bin mine! ’ 
“Brer Mink stan’ ’im down dat he ain’t eat dem fish; he ’ny 
it ter de las’, but ole Brer Tarrypin make out he don’t b’leeve ’im. 
He say, sezee: — 
“‘You’ll keep gwine on dis a-way, twel atter w’ile you’ll be 
wuss’n Brer Rabbit. Don’t tell me you ain’t git dem fish, Brer 
Mink, ’kaze you know you is.’ 
“ Hit sorter make Brer Mink feel proud ’kaze ole Brer Tarrypin 
mix ’im up wid Brer Rabbit, ’kaze Brer Rabbit wuz a mighty man 
in dem days, en he sorter laugh, Brer Mink did, lak he know 
mo’ dan he gwine tell. Ole Brer Tarrypin keep on grumblin’. 
“‘I ain’t gwine ter git mad long wid you. Brer Mink, ’kaze 
hit’s a mighty keen trick, but you oughter be ’shame’ yo’se’f fer 
ter be playin’ tricks on a ole man lak me dat you ought! 
317 
