out. But dem wuz ha'nts. Witches is deze yer kinder fokes w'at
kin drap der body en change inter a cat en a wolf en all kinder
creeturs."
"Papa says there ain't any witches," the little boy interrupted.
"Mars John ain't live long ez I is," said Uncle Remus, by way of
comment. "He ain't bin broozin' roun' all hours er de night en
day. I know'd a nigger w'ich his brer wuz a witch, kaze he up'n
tole me how he tuck'n kyo'd 'im; en he kyo'd 'im good, mon."
"How was that?" inquired the little boy.
"Hit seem like," continued Uncle Remus, "dat witch fokes is got a
slit in de back er de neck, en w'en dey wanter change derse'f,
dey des pull de hide over der head same ez if 'twuz a shut, en
dar dey is."
"Do they get out of their skins?" asked the little boy, in an
awed tone.
"Tooby sho, honey. You see yo' pa pull his shut off? Well, dat
des 'zackly de way dey duz. But dish yere nigger w'at I'm tellin'
you 'bout, he kyo'd his brer de ve'y fus pass he made at him. Hit
got so dat fokes in de settlement didn't have no peace. De
chilluns 'ud wake up in de mawnins wid der ha'r tangle up, en wid
scratches on um like dey bin thoo a brier-patch, twel bimeby one
day de nigger he 'low dat he'd set up dat night en keep one eye
on his brer; en sho' nuff dat night, des ez de chickens wuz
crowin' fer twelve, up jump de brer and pull off his skin en sail
out'n de house in de shape un a bat, en w'at duz de nigger do but
grab up de hide, and turn it wrong-sudout'ards en sprinkle it wid
salt. Den he lay down en watch fer ter see w'at de news wuz
gwineter be. Des 'fo' day yer come a big black cat in de do', en
de nigger git up, he did, en druv her away. Bimeby, yer come a
big black dog snuffin' roun', en de nigger up wid a chunk en
lammed 'im side er de head. Den a squinch-owl lit on de koam er
de house, en de nigger jam de shovel in de fier en make 'im flew
away. Las', yer come a great big black wolf wid his eyes shinin'
like fier coals, en he grab de hide and rush out. 'Twa'n't long
'fo' de nigger year his brer holler'n en squallin', en he tuck a
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