nuff, he did, en he look mighty dumpy, but w'en he riz fer ter go
he up en say, sezee:
"'Ladies, I ain't 'sputin' w'at you say, but I'll make Brer
Rabbit chaw up his words en spit um out right yer whar you kin
see 'im,' sezee, en wid dat off Brer Fox put.
"En w'en he got in de big road, he shuck de dew off'n his tail,
en made a straight shoot fer Brer Rabbit's house. W'en he got
dar, Brer Rabbit wuz spectin' un 'im, en de do' wuz shet fas'.
Brer Fox knock. Nobody ain't ans'er. Brer Fox knock. Nobody
ans'er. Den he knock agin--blam! blam! Den Brer Rabbit holler out
mighty weak: 'Is dat you, Brer Fox? I want you ter run en fetch
de doctor. Dat bait er pusly w'at I e't dis mawnin' is gittin'
'way wid me. Do, please, Brer Fox, run quick,' sez Brer Rabbit,
sezee.
"'I come atter you, Brer Rabbit,' sez Brer Fox, sezee. 'Dar's
gwineter be a party up at Miss Meadows's,' sezee. 'All de gals
'll be dere, en I prommus' dat I'd fetch you. De gals, dey 'lowed
dat hit wouldn't be no party 'ceppin' I fotch you,' sez Brer Fox,
sezee.
"Den Brer Rabbit say he wuz too sick, en Brer Fox say he wuzzent,
en dar dey had it up and down, 'sputin' en contendin'. Brer
Rabbit say he can't walk. Brer Fox say he tote 'im. Brer Rabbit
say how? Brer Fox say in his arms. Brer Rabbit say he drap 'im.
Brer Fox 'low he won't. Bimeby Brer Rabbit say he go ef Brer Fox
tote 'im on his back. Brer Fox say he would. Brer Rabbit say he
can't ride widout a saddle. Brer Fox say he git de saddle. Brer
Rabbit say he can't set in saddle less he have bridle fer ter
hol' by. Brer Fox say he git de bridle. Brer Rabbit say he can't
ride widout bline bridle, kaze Brer Fox be shyin' at stumps long
de road, en fling 'im off. Brer Fox say he git bline bridle. Den
Brer Rabbit say he go. Den Brer Fox say he ride Brer Rabbit mos'
up ter Miss Meadows's, en den he could git down en walk de
balance er de way. Brer Rabbit 'greed, en den Brer Fox lipt out
atter de saddle en de bridle.
"Co'se Brer Rabbit know de game dat Brer Fox wuz fixin' fer ter
play, en he 'termin' fer ter outdo 'im, en by de time he koam his
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