down, she did, en say dat w'en dey come ter her place dey hatter
hang up a flag er truce at de front gate en 'bide by it.
"Well, den, w'iles dey wuz all a settin' dar en de 'lasses wuz a
bilin' en a blubberin', dey got ter runnin' on talkin' mighty
biggity. Brer Rabbit, he say he de swiffes'; but Brer Tarrypin,
he rock long in de cheer en watch de 'lasses. Brer Fox, he say he
de sharpes', but Brer Tarrypin he rock long. Brer Wolf, he say he
de mos' suvvigus, but Brer Tarrypin, he rock en he rock long.
Brer B'ar, he say he de mos' stronges', but Brer Tarrypin he
rock, en he keep on rockin'. Bimeby he sorter shet one eye, en
say, sezee:
"'Hit look like 'periently dat de ole hardshell ain't nowhars
'longside er dis crowd, yit yer I is, en I'm de same man w'at
show Brer Rabbit dat he ain't de swiffes'; en I'm de same man
w'at kin show Brer B'ar dat he ain't de stronges',' sezee.
"Den dey all laff en holler, kaze it look like Brer B'ar mo'
stronger dan a steer. Bimeby, Miss Meadows, she up'n ax, she did,
how he gwine do it.
"'Gimme a good strong rope,' sez Brer Tarrypin, sezee, 'en lemme
git in er puddle er water, en den let Brer B'ar see ef he kin
pull me out,' sezee.
"Den dey all laff 'gin, en Brer B'ar, he ups en sez, sezee: 'We
ain't got no rope,' sezee.
"'No,' sez Brer Tarrypin, sezee, 'en needer is you got de strenk,'
sezee, en den Brer Tarrypin, he rock en rock long, en watch de
'lasses a bilin' en a blubberin'.
"Atter w'ile Miss Meadows, she up en say, she did, dat she'd
take'n loan de young men her bed-cord, en w'iles de candy wuz a
coolin' in de plates, dey could all go ter de branch en see Brer
Tarrypin kyar out his projick. Brer Tarrypin," continued Uncle
Remus, in a tone at once confidential and argumentative, "weren't
much bigger'n de pa'm er my han', en it look mighty funny fer ter
year 'im braggin' 'bout how he kin out-pull Brer B'ar. But dey
got de bed-cord atter w'ile, en den dey all put out ter de
branch. W'en Brer Tarrypin fine de place he wanter, he tuck one
een er de bed-cord, en gun de yuther een' to Brer B'ar.
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