Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit Part 2

An' made a big fuss accordin' ter der natur'; Ez fer ol' Brer Rabbit, de pleasure wuz all his, suh De ridin' wuz easy ez eatin' tater When it's b'iled an' made inter pie!

Kaze under bofe wings he had a paw, suh, An', when Brer Buzzard try fer ter drap 'im.

He'd scratch an' tickle 'im wid his claw, suh; An' when Brer Buzzard try fer ter flap 'im, He'd scratch an' wink his eye!

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An' wid his claws he tuck an' steered 'im Fum post ter pillar in de deep blue, suh; He'd holla an' laugh--all de creeturs heer'd 'im-- You know how you'd feel ef it hab been you, suh, A-waitin' fer some un ter fall!

When ol' Brer Rabbit got tired er ridin', He steered Brer Buzzard right straight ter de groun', suh, An' den an' dar went right inter hidin'.

When de creeturs come up he couldn't be foun', suh, An' I speck an' I reckon dat's all!

BRER RABBIT AND THE GOLD MINE

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There had been silence in the cabin for a long ten minutes, and Uncle Remus, looking up, saw a threat of sleep in the little boy's eyes.

Whereupon he plunged headlong into a story without a word of explanation.

"Well, suh, one year it fell out dat de c.r.a.ps wuz burnt up. A dry drouth had done de work, an' ef you'd 'a' struck a match anywhar in dat settlement, de whole county would 'a' blazed up. Ol' man Hongriness des natchally tuck of his cloze an' went paradin' 'bout eve'ywhar, an' de creeturs got bony an' skinny. Ol' Brer B'ar done better dan any un um, kaze all he hatter do wuz go ter sleep an' live off'n his own fat; an'

Brer Rabbit an' his ol' 'oman had put some calamus root by, an' saved up some sugar-cane dat dey fin' lyin' 'roun' loose, an' _dey_ got 'long purty well. But de balance er de creeturs wuz dat ga'nt dat dey ain't got over it down ter dis day.

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"De creeturs had der meetin'-place, whar dey could all set 'roun' an'

talk de kind er politics dey had, des like folks does at de cross-roads grocery. One day, whiles dey wuz all settin' an' squottin' 'roun', jowerin' an' confabbin', Brer Rabbit, he up 'n' say, sezee, dat ol'

Mammy-Bammy-Big-Money tol' his great gran'daddy dat dar wuz a mighty big an' fat gol' mine in deze parts, an' he say dat he wouldn't be 'tall 'stonished ef 'twant some'rs close ter Brer B'ar's house. Brer B'ar, he growled, he did, an' say dat de gol' mine better not let him fin' it, kaze atter he got done wid it, dey won't be no gol' mine dar.

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"Some laughed, some grinned an' some gapped, an', atter jowerin' some mo', dey all put out ter whar der famblies wuz livin' at; but I boun'

you dey ain't fergit 'bout dat gol' mine, kaze, fum dat time on, go whar you mought, you'd ketch some er de creeturs diggin' an' grabblin' in de groun', some in de fields, some in de woods, an' some in de big road; an' dey wuz so weak an' hongry dat dey kin skacely grabble fer fallin'

down.

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"Well, dis went on fer de longest, but bimeby, one day, dey all 'gree dat sump'n bleeze ter be done, an' dey say dey'll all take one big hunt fer de gol' mine, an' den quit. Dey hunted in gangs, wid de gangs not fur fum one an'er, an' it so happen dat Brer Rabbit wuz in de gang wid Brer Wolf, an' he know'd dat he hatter keep his eyes wide open. All de creeturs hatter dig in diffunt places, an' whiles Brer Rabbit want much uv a grabbler, he had a way er makin' de yuthers b'lieve dat he wuz de best er de lot. So he made a heap er motion like he wuz t'arin' up de yeth. Dey ain't been gwine on dis away long fo' Brer Wolf holler out,

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"'Run here, Brer Rabbit! I done foun' it!' Brer B'ar an' Brer Fox wuz bofe diggin' close by, an' Brer Rabbit kinder wunk one eye at de elements; he say, sezee, 'Glad I is fer yo' sake, Brer Wolf; git yo'

gol' an' 'joy yo'se'f!' Brer Wolf say, 'Come git some, Brer Rabbit! Come git some!' Ol' Brer Rabbit 'spon', 'I'll take de leavin's, Brer Wolf; you take what you want, an' den when you done got 'nough I'll get de leetle bit I want.' Brer Wolf say, 'I wanter show you sump'n.' Brer Rabbit 'low, 'My eyes ain't big fer nothin'.' Brer Wolf say, 'I got a secret I wanter tell you.' Brer Rabbit 'low, 'My y'ears ain't long fer nothin'. Des stan' dar an' do yo' whisperin', Brer Wolf, an' I'll hear eve'y word you say.'

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"Brer Wolf ain't say nothin', but make out he's grabblin', an' den, all of a sudden, he made a dash at Brer Rabbit, but when he git whar Brer Rabbit wuz at, Brer Rabbit ain't dar no mo'; he done gone. Weak an'

hongry ez he is, Brer Wolf know dat he can't ketch Brer Rabbit, an' so he holler out, 'What's yo' hurry, Brer Rabbit? Whar you gwine?' Brer Rabbit holler back, 'I'm gwine home atter a bag fer ter tote de gol' you gwine leave me! So long, Brer Wolf; I wish you mighty well!' an' wid dat he put out fer home."

BRER RABBIT GETS BRER FOX A HOSS

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Not many er de creeturs wuz fon' er water, Onless it mought 'a' been Brer c.o.o.n's daughter; Brer B'ar, Brer Fox, an' ol' Brer Rabbit, Dey vow'd dey can't never git in de habit Er wadin' de creek, er swimmin' de river-- When it come ter dat, dey'd run ter kivver!

When folks come 'long fer ter git across, De creeturs tuck notice dat dey rid a hoss.

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Brer Fox, he say he wish he had one, An' 'mongst all de yuthers he'd be de glad un; He'd git a bridle an' a bran' new saddle, An' git on de hoss an' ride 'im straddle; He say, sezee, "He'd do some trottin', Kaze when I git started, I'm a mighty hot un!"

Brer Rabbit, he smole a great big smile, Wid, "I can't ride myse'f, kaze I got a b'ile!

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"But it seem like ter me dat I knows whar a hoss is: He's away back yan' whar two roads crosses, An' I'll meet you dar termorrer mornin', Des 'bout de time when day's a-dawnin'."

Brer Fox, he say, "I hear yo' sesso, An' ef I ain't sick I'll be dar desso!"

Brer Rabbit tip his hat, wid, "So-long, frien'; We'll git de hoss, you may depen'."

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Long 'fo' de time, Brer Rabbit wuz a-stirrin', An' he chuckle ter hisse'f like a cat a-purrin'; De hoss wuz stretched out asleep in de pastur'; Brer Rabbit went up des ez close ez he dast ter, Fer ter see ef he 'live: hoss switched his tail, suh!

"Dis time we'll git you widout fail, suh!"

So Brer Rabbit say; den he seed Brer Fox-- "An' an'er fine gent fer ter git in a box!"

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Den he say out loud, "Good luck done sont 'im, An' laid 'im down right whar you want 'im!

Ef youer tied ter his tail, you kin sholy hol' 'im, An' mo' dan dat, you kin trip 'im an' roll 'im!"

So said, so done! an' dar Brer Fox wuz, Right close ter de place whar a heap er knocks wuz!

Brer Rabbit, he holla, "Hol' 'im down! hol' 'im down!

Des make 'im stay right spang on de groun'!"

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De hoss, he riz wid a snort an' a whicker, An' showed dat he wuz sump'n uv a kicker!

An' den an' dar, Brer Rabbit 'gun ter snicker, Wid, "Hol' 'im, Brer Fox! 'twon't do ter flicker!

Ef you make 'im stan' still, you kin ride 'im de quicker!"

De hoss, he r'ar'd an' raise a mighty dust up, An' fust thing you know, Brer Rabbit hear a bust-up!

"I hope, Brer Fox, dat you ain't much hurt-- But yo' wife'll be mad, kaze you done tored yo' s.h.i.+rt!"

BRER RABBIT FINDS THE MOON IN THE MILL POND