"'Spit in yo' han's en tug it en toll it,
En git behime it, en push it, en pole it;
Spit in yo' han's en r'ar back en roll it.'

"En des 'bout de time dey got de wood on de fier, der daddy, he
come skippin' in, en de little bird, he flew'd away. Brer Fox, he
seed his game wuz up, en 'twan't long 'fo' he make his skuse en
start fer ter go.

"'You better Stay en take a snack wid me, Brer Fox,' sez Brer
Rabbit, sezee. 'Sence Brer Wolf done quite comin' en settin' up
wid me, I gittin' so I feels right lonesome dese long nights,'
sezee.

"But Brer Fox, he button up his coat-collar tight en des put out
fer home. En dat w'at you better do, honey, kaze I see Miss
Sally's shadder sailin' backerds en forerds 'fo' de winder, en de
fus' news you know she'll be spectin' un you."


XXIII. MR. RABBIT AND MR. BEAR

"DAR wuz one season" said Uncle Remus, pulling thoughtfully at
his whiskers, "w'en Brer Fox say to hisse'f dat he speck he
better whirl in en plant a goober-patch, en in dem days, mon, hit
wuz tech en go. De wud wern't mo'n out'n his mouf 'fo' de groun'
'uz brok'd up en de goobers 'uz planted. Ole Brer Rabbit, he sot
off en watch de motions, he did, en he sorter shet one eye en
sing to his chilluns: