The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-07-31
Negro Folk Lore.
The Story of Mr. Rabbit and Mr.. Fox, as
Told by Uncle Remus.

Yesterday the lady whom Uncle Remus calls
Miss Sally missed her little six-year old
Making search for him through the house, she
heard the sound of voices on the back piazza,
and, looking through the window, saw the
child sitting by Uncle Remus. His head
rested against the old mans arm, and he was
gazing W tn an expression of the most intense
interest into the rough, weather-beaten face
that beamed so kindly upon him. This is
what "Miss Sally" heard:
"Bimeby one day, arter Mr.. Fox bin doin'
all dat he could fer ter ketch Mr.. Rabbit and
Mr. Rabbit bin doin' all he could fer ter keep
i'm FUN it, Mr.. Fox say to hiss'f dat he'd put
up game on Mr.. Rabbit an he hadn't mon.
got the wuds out'n his mouf well Mr.. Rabbit
came lopin up de big road, lookin' ez plump,
an ez fat, an sassy ez Morgan hoss in bar
FHoP on dar, Brer Rabbit sez Mr.. Fox,
seZee.
Il amt got time, Brer Fox, sez Mr.. Rabbit,
sezee, sorter mendin' his licks.
But wanter have some confab wild you,
Brer Rabbit sezee. 49,
All right, Brer Fox, but you better holler
frum whar you stan. I'm monst'us full NV
fees dis mawnin,' sezee.
Il seed Brer Bar yistiddy,' sez Mr.. Fox,
sezee, an he sorter raked me over de Goals
kaZe you an me didn't make frens and live
naberly, an L tole i'm dat I'd see you.'
Den Mr.. Rabbit scratch one year wild his off
hine foot sorter b'usly, an den he ups an sez,
seZee:
''AIl settin', Brer Fox. Sposen YOU dram
roun' termorrer an take dinner wild me. We
amt got no great doin's at our house. but
spec de ole oman and de chilluns kin sorter
scramble roun' an git up sump'n fer ter stay
yer stummuck.'
I'm greeble, Brer Rabbit sez Mr.. Fox,
seZee.
Den I'll pen on you' sez Mr.. Rabbit,
seZee.
Mex day Mr.. Rabbit an Miss Rabbit got up
soon, 10 day, an raided on a gyarden like
Miss Sally's out dar, an got some cabbage, an
some roasn years, an some sparrer-grass, an
dey fixed up a smashin' dinner. Bimeby one
er de little Rabbits, playin out in de back yard
come runnin' in hollerin' 'Oh, ma! oh mai I
seed Mr.: Fox a comin'p An den Mr.. Rabbit
he tuck de chilluns by dere years an made tim
set down, an den him an Miss Rabbit sorter
dallied roun' waitin for Mr.. Fox An dey
KEEP on waitin', but no Mr.. Fox. Arter while
Mr.. Rabbit goes to de do easy-like, an peep
out, an dar. stickin' out fun behine de corner
wuz de tip-eend NV Mr.. Fox's tail. Den Mr.
Rabbit shot de do an sot down. an put his
paws behine his years an begin fer ter sing:
DE Dep place ace wharbGuts puts you R spill de grease,
An whar you fine bunch ov ha'r
You'll sholy fine de hide
Mex day Mr.. Fox sent word to Mr.. Mink,
an skuze hsself kaze he wuz too sick fer ter
Coluc, all ne dA hr. IluDDlL 1Or 10 come an
eat dinner wild him, and Mr.. Rabbit say he
was 'gree'ble.
Bimeby, wen de shadders wuz at dere short
es MIR. Rabbit he sorter bresh up an santer
down unto Mr.. Foxs house, an when he got
dar, he hear somebody groanin an he look in
de door an dar he see Mr., Fox settin' up in
rockin' cheer all wrapped up wild fannels, an
he look mighty weak. Mr.. Rabbit look all
roun' but he don't see no dinner. De dishpan
was settin on de table, an close by wuz
kyarvin knife.
Look like yer gwineter hev chicken fer din
ner, Brer Fox, sez Mr.. Rabbit, seZee.
Yes, Brer Rabbit, deyer nice, an fresh, an
tender sez Mr.. Fox, sezee.
Den Mr.. Rabbit sorter pull his mustash, an
sez. You amt got no calamus root, is you,
Brer Fox? / got so now dat can't eat no
chicken 'ceptin she's seasoned up wild calamus
root And wild dat Mr.. Rabbit lipt out er de
do an lodged 'mung de bushes, an sot dar
.watchin' fer Mr.. Fox; an he didn't watch
long, nudder, kase Mr.. Fox flung off de fan
nils an crope out er de house an got whar he
could cloze in on Mr.. Rabbit, an bimeby Mr..
Rabbit hollered out; oh, Brer Foxl I'll put
yo' calamus root out here on dis stump. Bet
ter come git it while hits fresh,' an wild dat,
Mr.. Rabbit galloped off home. An Mr.. Fox
amt never eotch i'm yit, an watts more, hon
ey, he amt gwinter. Atlanta (Ga.) Constitu-
ton