jump, he did, en he ain't no sooner fix hisse'f dan de bucket
'gun ter go down."
"Wasn't the Rabbit scared, Uncle Remus?" asked the little boy.
"Honey, dey ain't been no wusser skeer'd beas' sence de worl'
begin dan dish yer same Brer Rabbit. He fa'rly had a agur. He
know whar he cum fum, but he dunner whar he gwine. Dreckly he
feel de bucket hit de water, en dar she sot, but Brer Rabbit he
keep mighty still, kaze he dunner w'at minnit gwineter be de
nex'. He des lay dar en shuck en shiver.
"Brer Fox allers got one eye on Brer Rabbit, en w'en he slip off
fum de new groun', Brer Fox he sneak atter 'im. He know Brer
Rabbit wuz atter some projick er nudder, en he tuck'n crope off,
he did, en watch 'im. Brer Fox see Brer Rabbit come to de well en
stop, en den he see 'im jump in de bucket, en den, lo en behol's,
he see 'im go down outer sight. Brer Fox wuz de mos' 'stonish Fox
dat you ever laid eyes on. He sot off dar in de bushes en study
en study, but he don't make no head ner tails ter dis kinder
bizness. Den he say ter hisse'f, sezee:
"'Well, ef dis don't bang my times,' sezee, 'den Joe's dead en
Sal's a widder. Right down dar in dat well Brer Rabbit keep his
money hid, en ef 'tain't dat den he done gone en 'skiver'd a
gole-mine, en ef 'tain't dat, den I'm a gwineter see w'at's in
dar,' sezee.
"Brer Fox crope up little nigher, he did, en lissen, but he don't
year no fuss, en he keep on gittin' nigher, en yit he don't year
nuthin'. Bimeby he git up close en peep down, but he don't see
nuthin' en he don't year nuthin'. All dis time Brer Rabbit mighty
nigh skeer'd outen his skin, en he fear'd fer ter move kaze de
bucket might keel over en spill him out in de water. W'ile he
sayin' his pra'rs over like a train er kyars runnin', ole Brer
Fox holler out:
"'Heyo, Brer Rabbit! Who you wizzitin' down dar?' sezee.
"'Who? Me? Oh, I'm des a fishin', Brer Fox,' sez Brer Rabbit,
sezee. 'I des say ter myse'f dat I'd sorter sprize you all wid a
mess er fishes fer dinner, en so here I is, en dar's de fishes.
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