The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1879-12-09
NEGRO FOLK LORE.
Why Brother Possum Is a Peace
ful Citizen. sn
/. .IAtlanta Constitution

thoughlfully and carresslngly-"onc
night Brer Possum call by fer Brer
Coon 'cordin ter 'greement, en- arter
goblin up dish er fried greens and
smoking er seegyar, dey ranbled fer
ter see how de balance NV de settle
ment was Citing long. Brcr Coon
lie wunner deze yer natchul PAGERS,
and he racked long same ez Mars
Johns bay pony, EN- Brer Possum, he
went in a ham gallop: and day got
over heap er grouH mon. Brer
Possum, he got his belly full er sim
mons, en- Rrer Coon he scooped up q
'ounnunce cr frogs ell tadpoles. Dey
ambled long dies ez soshubble EN-
baskil er kittens, twell, bimeby dey
hear Mr.. Dog talkin' ter hisse'f way
off in de woods.
.Spozen he runs up on us, Bier
Po.sum, wat yer gwinter do ?" sez
Brer Coon, sezce. Brer Possum sor-
ter smile round de corner Nv his
mouf.
'Oh, Of hc come, Brer Coon, Iml
gwineter stan by you,' scz Brer Pos
som. wat You gwiueter doa' sezec.
who mer sez Brer Coon. 'Efhei
run up onter me, Icy III give him
one twist sezee. 4''
did the dog come ? asked the little
boy.
GO way honeyl' responded the old
man in an impressive tone. Go
'wayl Mr.. Dog he come and he
come zoonin'. En- he peverIwait fer
Ter say howdy, nudder. He des sail
cd into de two un um. De ve'y fus'
pass he made, Brer Postum fetch .
grin from year to year. en- keel over
like lie was dead. Den Mr.. Dog, he
sal inter Brer Coon, and right dars
whar he. los his munnypu's, kase
Brcr Coon WAS cut out fer dat kinder
dizziness, and he fairly wiped up dc
face NV de earf wild i'm. You better
bleve dat wen Mr.. Dog got q chal CT
Ter make itself sksse he tuck it, gu
what der wus lett un him went scat
term throo de woods like II wuz shot
outen a muskit. En- Brer Coon, ht
sorter lick his cloze inter shape and
rack of, ell Brer Possun, he lay do
like lie wuz dead, twell bimeby h
raise up sorter keerful like, en- whel
he fine de coas' cle'r he scramble VI
(, Ell sca,nper off like sumpin wuz ate
:. him.
y Here Uncle Remus paused Ion
! enougl to pick up live coal Of III
! In his fingers, transfer II into tn
palm Of his hand, and thence to hi
! clay pipe, which hc had been filing
0 a proceeding that was viewed by III
q little boy with undisguised admira
% ton. The old man then proceeded
p Mex time Brcr Possum meet Br
70 Coon, Brer Coon fuse ter SON I
y his howdy. ell dis make Brer Possu
u feel mighty bad, seein ez how d.
70 useter mako sc.many 'scurshuns Z
- geddef.
G. wat make you hole your head
le high, Brer Coon ?''sez Brer Possu'
~ sczee.
10 Il ain't runnin wid cowcrds de
m days. says Brer Coon. Wen ! war
OF you ri send fer you,' sezee.
''e Den Brer Possum got mighty ma
al who's any cowerd 2 sezee.
ar sYou IT, sez Brer Coon, dats wi
ne I amt soshatin wid dem wat Il
ep down on de ground and plays de
on when dar's free fight gwine, SEE
Ily Den Brer Possum grin and lah
ri to kill hissef.
tLor, Brer Coon, You don't spe
done dat kase | wuz feared, duzyo
sezce. Why l want no more feal
dan you IL dis mint. What wuz
fer ter be skeered una' sezee.
knowed you'd git away wild Mr.. l
= ef I didn't, en- das lay dar watch
YOU shake him, waiting fer ter pu'
! u when de time come sezee.
81. Brer Coon turn up his nose.
~ Oats mighty likely tale,' SO
when Mr.. Dog hadn't more'n e
~ ~ you TO- you keoled over, and lay
.nd stiff sezee.
r;,. OATS dos what wuz gwineter
n you bout says Brcr Possum, Sc
Il want no more skeered DAN yo'
1as M right now, and | wuz fxin' fer
,,o. give Mr.. Dog a sample OF my J
, ~ ! sezee, but I'm the most ticklish {
80 what you ever laid eyes on, el
sooner did Mr.. Dog put his
down here 'mong my ribs dan !
sSo ter latin, en- laft till ! didn't
!. 90 - no use of my limbs, en- it's M
sa unto Mr.. Dog dat ! wnz tick
= !, kase a little more en- I'd ct hin
don't mine fighting, Brer CooI
. :, more dan you duz, but | declal
grashus Of l can stand ticklin.
!. -, me in a row whar dar aint no tic
J lowed, Ell I'm your man. sezee.
Zen down ter this day'-conti
's'f Uncle Remus, watching the 81
~ from his pipe curl upward ove'
little boys head-'down to dis
leve. Brer Possum's bound Ter s'rt
when you tech him in de ribs, on
laff eff he knows he's gwinet
'ia'' smashed fer IT,
time -u--.-.............s-..