sa'nter'n on. But, bless yo' soul, honey, Brer Fox ain't sa'nter
fur, 'fo' Jack Sparrer flipp down on a 'simmon-bush by de side er
de road, en holler out:
"'Brer Fox! Oh, Brer Fox!--Brer Fox!'
"Brer Fox he des sorter canter long, he did, en make like he
don't hear 'im. Den Jack Sparrer up'n sing out agin:
"'Brer Fox! Oh, Brer Fox! Hol' on, Brer Fox! I got some news fer
you. Wait Brer Fox! Hit'll 'stonish you.'
"Brer Fox he make like he don't see Jack Sparrer, ner needer do
he hear 'im, but bimeby he lay down by de road, en sorter stretch
hisse'f like he fixin' fer ter nap. De tattlin' Jack Sparrer he
flew'd 'long, en keep on callin' Brer Fox, but Brer Fox, he ain't
sayin' nuthin'. Den little Jack Sparrer, he hop down on de groun'
en flutter 'roun' 'mongst de trash. Dis sorter 'track Brer Fox
'tenshun, en he look at de tattlin' bird, en de bird he keep on
callin':
"'I got sump'n fer ter tell you, Brer Fox.'
"'Git on my tail, little Jack Sparrer,' sez Brer Fox, sezee,
'kaze I'm de'f in one year, en I can't hear out'n de udder. Git
on my tail,' sezee.
"Den de little bird he up'n hop on Brer Fox's tail.
"'Git on my back, little Jack Sparrer, kaze I'm de'f in one year
en I can't hear out'n de udder.'
"Den de little bird hop on his back.
"'Hop on my head, little Jack Sparrer, kaze I'm de'f in bofe
years.'
"Up hop de little bird.
"'Hop on my toof, little Jack Sparrer, kaze I'm de'f in one year
en I can't hear out'n de udder.'
"De tattlin' little bird hop on Brer Fox's toof, en den--"
Here Uncle Remus paused, opened wide his mouth and closed it
again in a way that told the whole story. *1
"Did the Fox eat the bird all--all up?" asked the little boy.
"Jedge B'ar come long nex' day," replied Uncle Remus, "en he fine
some fedders, en fum dat word went roun' dat ole man Squinch
Owl done kotch nudder watzizname."
*1 An Atlanta friend heard this story in Florida, but an
alligator was substituted for the fox, and a little boy for
the rabbit. There is another version in which the impertinent
gosling goes to tell the fox something her mother has said,
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