"Den Brer Rabbit went ter de cubberd en git de gimlet, en
commence for ter bo' little holes in de chist-lid.
"'W'at you doin' now, Brer Rabbit?'
"'I'm bo'in' little holes so you kin get bref, Brer Wolf.'
"Den Brer Rabbit went out en git some mo' wood, en fling it on de
fier.
"'W'at you doin' now, Brer Rabbit?'
"'I'm a chunkin' up de fier so you won't git col', Brer Wolf.'
"Den Brer Rabbit went down inter de cellar en fotch out all his
chilluns.
"'W'at you doin' now, Brer Rabbit?'
"'I'm a tellin' my chilluns w'at a nice man you is, Brer Wolf.'
"En de chilluns, dey had ter put der han's on der moufs fer ter
keep fum laffin'. Den Brer Rabbit he got de kittle en commenced
fer to po' de hot water on de chist-lid.
"'W'at dat I hear, Brer Rabbit?'
"'You hear de win' a blowin', Brer Wolf.'
"Den de water begin fer ter sif' thoo.
"'W'at dat I feel, Brer Rabbit?'
"'You feels de fleas a bitin', Brer Wolf.'
"'Dey er bitin' mighty hard, Brer Rabbit.'
"'Tu'n over on de udder side, Brer Wolf.'
"'W'at dat I feel now, Brer Rabbit?'
"'Still you feels de fleas, Brer Wolf.'
"'Dey er eatin' me up, Brer Rabbit,' en dem wuz de las words er
Brer Wolf, kase de scaldin' water done de bizness.
"Den Brer Rabbit call in his neighbors, he did, en dey hilt a
reg'lar juberlee; en ef you go ter Brer Rabbit's house right now,
I dunno but w'at you'll fine Brer Wolfs hide hangin' in de back-
po'ch, en all bekaze he wuz so bizzy wid udder fo'kses doin's."
XIV. MR. FOX AND THE DECEITFUL FROGS
WHEN the little boy ran in to see Uncle Remus the night after he
had told him of the awful fate of Brer Wolf, the only response to
his greeting was:
"I-doom-er-ker-kum-mer-ker!"
No explanation could convey an adequate idea of the intonation
and pronunciation which Uncle Remus brought to bear upon this
wonderful word. Those who can recall to mind the peculiar
gurgling, jerking, liquid sound made by pouring water from a
large jug, or the sound produced by throwing several stones in
rapid succession into a pond of deep water, may be able to form a
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