"In dem days,"
continued the old man, "de creeturs kyar'd on marters same ez
fokes. Dey went inter fahmin', en I speck ef de troof wuz ter
come out, dey kep' sto', en had der camp-meetin' times en der
bobbycues w'en de wedder wuz 'greeble."
Uncle Remus evidently thought that the little boy wouldn't like
to hear of any further discomfiture of Brer Rabbit, who had come
to be a sort of hero, and he was not mistaken.
"I thought the Terrapin was the only one that fooled the Rabbit,"
said the little boy, dismally.
"Hit's des like I tell you, honey. Dey ain't no smart man, 'cep'
w'at dey's a smarter. Ef ole Brer Rabbit hadn't er got kotch up
wid, de nabers 'ud er took 'im for a ha'nt, en in dem times dey
bu'nt witches 'fo' you could squinch yo' eyeballs. Dey did dat."
"Who fooled the Rabbit this time?" the little boy asked.
When Uncle Remus had the bristle "sot" in the thread, he
proceeded with the story:
"One time Brer Rabbit en ole Brer Buzzard 'cluded dey'd sorter
go shares, en crap tergedder. Hit wuz a mighty good year, en de
truck tu'n out monstus well, but bimeby, w'en de time come fer
dividjun, hit come ter light dat ole Brer Buzzard ain't got
nuthin'. De crap wuz all gone, en dey want nuthin' dar fer ter
show fer it.
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