The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-02-21
why the Rabbit Has short Tail.

have been had this one afforded as much
pleasure as had been expected.
why the Rabbit Has Short Tall.
To appreciate the following story, it
will be necessary for the reader TO draw
upon his imagination to the extent of
conceiving an old negro man, with the
little folks gathered around him after
supper, when he is not too much ex-
hausted by his daily toll:
Dab! Do you hear, chil'en? What
dat?"
Children" Oh pap dat ar nothin'
but pup bark'n'."
The father" Hell he! Chii'en, do
you want to know how come dogs ter
bark and der rabbits to hab short tail Il"
Children altogether and greatly ex-
cited): "Yes, pap. Tell us wight now
Father begins: Lang time ago der
dogs use ter whistle, and der rabbits
dey use ter have long tails; but der
dogs, dey mighty proud and kinder i'm
posin' like. Well, der dogs an rabbits
use to talk like folks in dem olden days.
One Mr.. Dog went an imposed on Bud
dy Rabbit, cause he bigger'n Buddy
Rabbit; an den Buddy Rabbit he made
up his mind ter get even wild Mr.. Dog,
eff he live.
"One day Buddy Rabbit was gwine
long der road a-thinkin', when he looks
an see Mr.. Dog settin' up benin big
oak tree, DIES a-whistlin' away. Den
Buddy Rabbit say: Hello Buddy
Dog An Mr.. Dog answer: Good
mornin', Buddy Rabbit Den Buddy
Rabbit say: Buddy Dog, you is a
mighty fine whistler. / do blieve l
could fix your whistle so Diet all der
ladies would say You got der best
whistle of any gemman in dis town
"Mr. Dog say: How, Buddy Rab-
bit? Eff you will DIES fix my whistle,
I'll do anything you want me ter do
Buddy Rabbit say: Well, Buddy
Dog, can fix your whistle so it will be
der best whistle in dis town, sho 1t
gwine ter hite you at fuss; but, eff you
want meter, Ill fix it,
$50 Buddy Rabbit run his han in
his pocket an pull out his knife, an tell
Mr., Dog ter hold wight still, while he
split boff sides of his mouf back. Den
he say: Now, Buddy Dog, don't you
whistle tell j get to dat big tree way
down yonder, so can hear eff your
whistle is better When Buddy Rabbit
got to der tree, Mr.. Dog try ter whistle;
and his whistle done spilled so he can't
whistle good bit. And Mr.. Dog
gwine ter get mighty mad; bnt Buddy
Rabbit say quickly: All! Buddy Dog,
l see 'zactly what's der matter 1 done
split your mouf back jes fur enough to
Spite your present whistle and not
quite fur enough ter get to der good
whistle. Jes' hold wight still once
more, while l split it back jes' "a
leetle bit fprder.' Den, when Buddy
Rabbit done split Mr.. Dogs mouf way
back, he ran down der road, den tell
Buddy Dog ter whistle; but when poor
Mr.. Dog try ter whistle, his whistle
done gone: and he say Gr-r-r, gr-r-r,
bout, wouf, wouf, and growl and bark
all der time, instead of whistlin'. So it
make Mr.. Dog so mad, cause Buddy
Rabbit done Spite his fine voice and
whistle, and make him growl an bark,
he take after Buddy Rabbit with all his
might, to kill him. Mr.. Dog an Buddy
Rabbit run. And jest as Buddy Rabbit
jump into der briar-patch, Mr.. Dog
catch him by his long tail an bite it
short off; an from dat day ter dis Mr..
Dog he whistle no more, but bark with
his big mouf, an Buddy Rabbit he been
had short tail"