blunk!"
XIII. THE AWFUL FATE OF MR. WOLF
UNCLE REMUS was half-soling one of his shoes, and his Miss
Sally's little boy had been handling his awls, his hammers, and
his knives to such an extent that the old man was compelled to
assume a threatening attitude; but peace reigned again, and the
little boy perched himself on a chair, watching Uncle Remus
driving in pegs.
"Folks w'at's allers pesterin' people, en bodderin' 'longer dat
w'at ain't der'n, don't never come ter no good een'. Dar wuz Brer
Wolf; stidder mindin' un his own bizness, he hatter take en go in
pardnerships wid Brer Fox, en dey want skacely a minnit in de day
dat he want atter Brer Rabbit, en he kep' on en kep' on twel fus'
news you knowed he got kotch up wid--en he got kotch up wid
monstus bad."
"Goodness, Uncle Remus! I thought the Wolf let the Rabbit alone,
after he tried to fool him about the Fox being dead."
"Better lemme tell dish yer my way. Bimeby hit'll be yo' bed
time, en Miss Sally'll be a hollerin' atter you, en you'll be a
whimplin' roun', en den Mars John'll fetch up de re'r wid dat ar
strop w'at I made fer im."
The child laughed, and playfully shook his fist in the simple,
serious face of the venerable old darkey, but said no more. Uncle
Remus waited awhile to be sure there was to be no other
demonstration, and then proceeded:
"Brer Rabbit ain't see no peace w'atsumever. He can't leave home
'cep' Brer Wolf 'ud make a raid en tote off some er de fambly.
Brer Rabbit b'ilt 'im a straw house, en hit wuz tored down; den
he made a house out'n pine-tops, en dat went de same way; den he
made 'im a bark house, en dat wuz raided on, en eve'y time he
los' a house he los' one er his chilluns. Las' Brer Rabbit got
mad, he did, en cusst, en den he went off, he did, en got some
kyarpinters, en dey b'ilt 'im a plank house wid rock foundashuns.
Atter dat he could have some peace en quietness. He could go out
en pass de time er day 'wid his neighbors, en come back en set by
de fier, en smoke his pipe, en read de newspapers same like enny
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