"Brer Rabbit, he lit out, he did, en come ter nex' pos', en dar
wuz de Tarrypin. Den he come ter nex', en dar wuz de Tarrypin.
Den he had one mo' mile fer ter run, en he feel like he gittin'
bellust. Bimeby, ole Brer Tarrypin look way off down de road en
he see Jedge Buzzard sailin' long en he know hit's time fer 'im
fer ter be up. So he scramble outen de woods, en roll 'cross de
ditch, en shuffle thoo de crowd er folks en git ter de mile-pos'
en crawl behime it. Bimeby, fus' news you know, yer come Brer
Rabbit. He look 'roun' en he don't see Brer Tarrypin, en den he
squall out:
"'Gimme de money, Brer Buzzard, Gimme de money!'
"Den Miss Meadows en de gals, dey holler and laff fit ter kill
deyse'f, en ole Brer Tarrypin, he raise up fum behime de
pos' en sez, sezee:
"'Ef you'll gimme time fer ter ketch my breff, gents en ladies,
one en all, I speck I'll finger dat money myse'f,' sezee, en sho
nuff, Brer Tarrypin tie de pu's 'roun' his neck en skaddle*1 off
home."
"But, Uncle Remus," said the little boy, dolefully, "that was
cheating."
"Co'se, honey. De creeturs 'gun ter cheat, en den fokes tuck it
up, en hit keep on spreadin'. Hit mighty ketchin', en you mine
yo' eye, honey, dat somebody don't cheat you 'fo' yo' ha'r git
gray ez de ole nigger's."
*1 It may he interesting to note here that in all probability the
word "skedaddle," about which there was some controversy during
the war, came from the Virginia negro's use of "skaddle," which
is a corruption of "scatter." The matter, however, is hardly
worth referring to.
XIX. THE FATE OF MR. JACK SPARROW
"You'll tromple on dat bark twel hit won't be fitten fer ter
fling 'way, let 'lone make hoss-collars out'n," said Uncle Remus,
as the little boy came running into his cabin out of the rain.
All over the floor long strips of "wahoo" bark were spread, and
these the old man was weaving into horse-collars.
"I'll sit down, Uncle Remus," said the little boy.
"Well, den, you better, honey," responded the old man, "kaze I
'spizes fer ter have my wahoo trompled on. Ef 'twuz shucks, now,
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