to be visited at any moment by the patrols. Hence a song
current among the negroes, the chorus of which was:
"Run, nigger, run; patter-roller ketch you--
Run, nigger, run; hit's almos' day."
VIII. MR. FOX IS "OUTDONE" BY MR. BUZZARD
"EF I don't run inter no mistakes," remarked Uncle Remus, as the
little boy came tripping in to see him after supper, "Mr. Tukkey
Buzzard wuz gyardin' de holler whar Brer Rabbit went in at, en
w'ich he come out un."
The silence of the little boy verified the old man's
recollection.
"Well, Mr. Buzzard, he feel mighty lonesome, he did, but he done
prommust Brer Fox dat he'd stay, en he 'termin' fer ter sorter
hang 'roun' en jine in de joke. En he ain't hatter wait long,
nudder, kase bimeby yer come Brer Fox gallopin' thoo de woods wid
his axe on his shoulder.
"'How you speck Brer Rabbit gittin' on, Brer Buzzard?' sez Brer
Fox, sezee.
"'Oh, he in dar,' sez Brer Buzzard, sezee. 'He mighty still,
dough. I speck he takin' a nap,' sezee.
"'Den I'm des in time fer ter wake im up, sez Brer Fox, sezee. En
wid dat he fling off his coat, en spit in his han's, en grab de
axe. Den he draw back en come down on de tree--pow! En eve'y time
he come down wid de axe--pow!--Mr. Buzzard, he step high, he did,
en holler out:
"'Oh, he in dar, Brer Fox. He in dar, sho.'
"En eve'y time a chip ud fly off, Mr. Buzzard, he'd jump, en
dodge, en hol' his head sideways, he would, en holler:
"'He in dar, Brer Fox. I done heerd 'im. He in dar, sho.'
"En Brer Fox, he lammed away at dat holler tree, he did, like a
man maulin' rails, twel bimeby, atter he done got de tree mos'
cut thoo, he stop fer ter ketch his bref, en he seed Mr. Buzzard
laughin' behime his back, he did, en right den en dar, widout
gwine enny fudder, Brer Fox, he smelt a rat. But Mr. Buzzard, he
keep on holler'n:
"'He in dar, Brer Fox. He in dar, sho. I done seed 'im.'
"Den Brer Fox, he make like he peepin' up de holler, en he say,
sezee:
"'Run yer, Brer Buzzard, en look ef dis ain't Brer Rabbit's foot
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