The Portland daily press., 1880-03-29
Uncle Remus' Folk Lore.
How Brer Rabbit saved His Meat.
Atlanta Constitution.


Zone time" said Uncle Remus, whetting
his knife slowly and thoughtfully on the palm
of his hand, and gazing refectively in the FIRE
-'one time Brer Wolf"
"Why, Uncle Remus," the little boy broke
in, II thought you said the Rabbit scalded the
Wolf to death long time ago."
The old man was fairly caught, and he knew
it; but this made little difference to him. A
frown gathered on his usually serene brow as
he turned his gaze upon the child-a frown in
which both scorn and indignation were visible
Then, all at once, he seemed to regain control
of himself. The frown was chased away by
look of Christian resignation.
"Dar now! What tell you!'' he exclaimed
as if addressing witness concealed under the
bed. "Ain't 1 done tole you SO? Bles grashus
eff chilluns amt gittin so dey knows mon old
foxes, en- dey'n spute longer you, en- spute
longer you, ceppin de ma call um, wich spec
'twont be long TO she will, en- den I'll set yere
by de chimbly conder en- git some peace or
mine. Wen ole Miss wuz livin'," continued
the old man, still addressing some imaginary
person, "hit 'uz mon emmy her chilluns 'ud
das' ter do ter come sputin' longer me, en-
VhdAo cohl IL oCh yOu uO oduiC cuuy udy fyOu II
ak 'im."
"Well, Uncle Remus, you know you said the
Rabbit poured hot water on the Wolf and
killed him." said the little boy.
The old man pretended not to hear. He was
engaged in searching among some scraps Of
leather under his chair. and kept ON talking to
the imaginary person; Finally, he found and
drew forth nicely plated whip-thong with q
red snapper all waXed and knOtted
II wuz fixin' up whip for little chap" he
continued with sigh, shut, bless grashusi TO
/ kin git her done, de little chap done crowd
up twell he knows mon duz." Ic =
The child's eyes filed with tears and his lips
began to quiver, but he said nothing; where
upon Uncle Remus Immediately melted.
Il 'clar ter goodness" he said, reaching out
and taking the little boy tenderly by the hand,
wen brung her de las news er de war. Hits
des like skeerin' up ghos' wat you amt
fear'd un."
Then there was pause, the old man patting
theNchild's hand caressingly.
M You amt mad, Is you, honey?" Uncle Re-
mus asked finally, "ksse ef you is, I'm gwine
out yere en- but my head gin de do JAM.
But the little boy wasn't mad Uncle Re-
mus had conquered him and he had conquered
Uncle Remus in very much the same way be-
mus would go on with the story. He had to be
coaxed. AT last, however, he settled himself
back in the chair and begun: s -.-
"Co'se, honey, hit mouter bin ole Brer Wolf,
er hit mout er bin er n 'er Brer Wolf; it mouter
bin TO he got cotch up wild, er hit mouter bin
afterwards. Ez de tale wuz gun ter me des
dat away I'll gin it ter you. One time Brer
Wolf wuz comm long home fun fishin' frol-
ic. He sa inter- long de road, he did, wild his
string or fsh cross his shoulder, wen, fus news
you know, ole Miss Partridge, she hop outer de
bushes en- tiutter long right at Brer VOLTS
nose. Brer Wolf he say ter hisse'f dat ole Miss
Partridge tryin' ter toll i'm away FUN her nes' !,
en- wild dat he lay his fish down en- put out in
ter de bushes whar ole Miss Partridge came
FUN, en- den, bout dat time, Brer Rabbit, he
happen long. Oar wuz de fishes, en- dar wuz
Brer Rabbit, en- wen dat's de case wat you
spec sorter innerpen'en man like Brer Rab-
bit gwine do? kin tell you dis; dat dem fish
didn't stay whar Brer Rabbit put um at, en-
wen Brer Wolf come back dey wuz gone.
"Brer Wolf set down en- scratch his head, he
did, en- study en- study, en- den hit sorter rush
inter his mine dat Brer Rabbit bin long dar,
en- den Brer Wolf he put out fer Brer Rabbits
house, en- wen he git dar, he hail 'em, Brer
Rabbit he dunno nuthin tall bout no fishes
Brer Wolf, he up'n say he bleedzed ter b'leeve
Brer Rabbit got dem fishes. Brer Rabbit ny
it up'n down, but Brer Wolf stan to it dat
Brer Rabbit got dem fishes. Brer Rabbit he
say dat if Brer Wolf b'leeve he got de fishes
den he give Brer Wolf leaf fer ter kill de bes'
| COW he got. Brer Wolf he TUX Brer Rabbit at
| his word, en- go off ter de pastur' en- drive mn
| de cattle an Kill Brer Rabbits bes' cow
Brer Rabbit, he hate mighty bad fer ter lose
his COW, but he lay his plans, en- ne tell his
| chilluns dat he gwineter have dat beef yit
Brer Wolf he bin tuck up by de -patter-roliers
| fore now, en- he mighty skeered un um, un
| fus news you know, yer come Brer Rabbit hol-
lerin' en- tellin' Brer Wolf dat de patter-rollers
| wuZ comm.
You run en- hide, Brer Wolf, sez Brer Rab-
| bit sezee, 'en I'll stay yer en- take keer er de
| COW twel you gifts back, sezee.
Soon's Brer Wolf hear talk or de patter-
rollers, he scramble off inter de underbrush