Classic Audiobook Collection - Uncle Remus Returns by Joel Chandler Harris ~ Full Audiobook [folklore]

Episode Date: February 2, 2023

Uncle Remus Returns by Joel Chandler Harris audiobook. Genre: folklore In Uncle Remus Returns, Joel Chandler Harris brings back the soft-spoken, sharp-eyed storyteller of the old plantation, now older and enjoying a quieter sort of retirement. When a new child arrives to visit family - the son of the original little boy who once begged for tales by the fire - Uncle Remus slips naturally into his familiar role, turning everyday moments into invitations for story. One by one, he shares a set of lively animal fables in which Brer Rabbit, forever small but never helpless, matches wits with larger, tougher neighbors like Brer Fox and Brer Bear. The adventures are comic, cunning, and often pointed, using mischief and surprise to explore pride, greed, fear, and the thin line between being clever and being cruel. Framed by the boy's questions and Remus's warm, teasing wisdom, the collection captures the rhythms of spoken storytelling and the pull of tales passed from one generation to the next. Heard today, the book also reflects the attitudes and dialect writing of its era, and some language may feel dated or offensive, even as the folk patterns and trickster energy remain compelling. For ad-free listening try our premium subscription Chapters (Approximate) (00:00:00) Chapter 00 (00:02:07) Chapter 01 (00:28:08) Chapter 02 (00:54:29) Chapter 03 (01:21:15) Chapter 04 (01:45:57) Chapter 05 (02:09:48) Chapter 06 (02:31:04) Chapter 07 (02:40:47) Chapter 08 (02:47:57) Chapter 09 (02:51:37) Chapter 10 (02:54:41) Chapter 11 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

uncle remus returns by joel chandler harris brother rabbit's bear hunt the little boy had naturally a good deal of that simple faith that is one of the most beautiful characteristics of childhood but his training had been to some extent along the lines marked out in certain periodicals that contain departments in which mothers are instructed how to deal with children and in which sage advice is given by young men and young women under names not their own, as to the training of youngsters. Young as he was, the little boy had been denied pretty much all the romance that belongs to childhood, for him the beautiful story of Santa Claus with all the associations that belong there to, had been shattered. The grandmother deplored it and wept over it during the long watches of the night, but you know about these grandmothers with their antiquated ideas and their old-fashioned notions.

The mother had been caught in the net laid for the ignorant by so-called scientists, and she regarded her own views, which were far from being her own, as of the utmost importance. The youngster yearned to believe the tales told by Uncle Remus, but his mother managed to keep the wings of his imagination clipped as close as those of a chicken that we desire to keep from flying over the garden fence. One thing about the stories that he failed to understand was the remarkable success of Brother Rabbit in keeping out of trouble.

He was obliged to identify Uncle Remus's Brother Rabbit with the rabbits that he saw okay. on the plantation, and they were not only weak, but seemed to be very stupid. They had neither claws nor tushes nor strength of limb. He asked his mother about it, and she gave him an explanation that he had no desire to hear. He asked his grandmother, and she laughingly referred him to Uncle Remus. He can tell you about it much better than I can, she said. thus it happened that the little boy was compelled to fall back on the most gifted fabulous that the plantation had ever known he laid his puzzle before uncle remus one afternoon when the old negro had just finished his dinner and was therefore in a very good humor

apparently the child had some difficulty in making clear to uncle remus the nature of his doubts but after a while he seemed to understand what the youngster wanted to know to make sure however uncle remus stated the case as he understood it in his own simple way if i ain't mighty much mistookin honey you want to know how come bror rabbit can i'll do de yot o yot o cret'er's when he ain't got no tushes neer no claws and not much strength. The old negro's eyes twinkled as he looked at the little boy. Well, that's the very identical thing that the tales is all about. Look like he was born little, so he can cut up capers and play pranks no matter where about you put him at. What he can't do with his foot, he can do with his head. And when the head get him in trouble that's deeper than what he counted on, he puts his pendant

in his foots, because that's where he keeps his lippity clip and his blippity-blick. The little boy brightened up, for it was the purely pictorial language that Uncle Remus sometimes used that appealed to his sense of the fitness of things. "'Tain't been mowed in a good half-hour ago,' Uncle Remus casually remarked, "'that I was lapping fit to kill but the way brer rabbit done when he went by. hunting. He show had his fun, no matter if he went hunting or fishing, but when he took a notion for to go a-hunting old bruh bar, he had more fun than you can shake a stick at. Some folks might not like that kind of fun what you can have when you go bar-hunting. Brer Rabbit was

monsters fun done it, because the kind of hunting what he done was a mighty queer kind, and the fun what he get outin it was the kind what makes him laugh till he can't stand up no mode and a weak old baby but lye i speck i done made your mamma mad by telling you these old time o'-tale so much she looked mind-hearted me yesterday when i went up dar and asked miss sally for a gimme a piece o pound-cake if she had any left over from last christmas why christmas has been gone so long that i had almost forgotten it said the little boy boy. "'That's so,' Uncle Remus assented. "'But we'll have to whirl in and have another one fold of years out. By that time you'll be gone back home, and me and Miss Sally will have something that's got more claws and more color than plain silly bug.' There was a long pause during which Uncle Remus watched the youngster out of the corner of his eye.

Presently the little fellow stirred uneasily and then made this statement. I don't see why Brother Rabbit wanted to go bear hunting. He would be in a worse fix when he caught the bear than he was when he hit and kicked the Tar Baby. Uncle Remus laughed heartily. I spec your paw done gone and told you about the toy baby. Oh, Brother Rabbit, show was in a mighty close place that time. But if you take notice, he ain't stayed our long, no, sir, not him.

but uncle remus exclaimed the child why did he want to haunt the bear i don't see how he showed his sense by doing such a thing as that he ought to have known better well honey you ain't got no needs for de pester yo self with the ups and downs o brer rabbit if he got sense and if he ain't got none it don't make no difference now cause the old times is done gone an if twasn't for these old tales nobody wouldn't know that day was ever any old times say in which uncle rimas filled his after-dinner pipe and turned to his unfinished task whatever it was but the little boy was by no means satisfied to let the matter go at that he wanted to know why brother rabbit hunted brother bear and how the hunt ended and he was so persistent about it that the old negro was compelled to tell him the story in self-defense "'There was one time,' said Uncle Remus, "'when the creeders had laid by the craps, "'and they ain't got nothing for the do but to sit down on a log "'and char the tobacco and tell all they knowed and lots more besides.

"'One day, Brough rabbit was guan down the road just to be a guine, "'when who should he meet but brough fox and brough wolf?' "'There was ambling and a rambling, l'amble, along together, just as chummy as you please, laughing and talking, and old brunt rabbit joined in with them. At a while they sat down by the side of the road and got to talking about the neighbors and about the dull times in general. Brough Fox say, they ain't nothing talk wine on, no parties, no picnics, and no barbecues.

Broo says he's that old settled man, and he ain't carrying money. for parties and them kind of doings, but he likes for to see young folks join their cells while stay young and supple. Brough Rabbit, he up and loud that there ain't no dull times with him, cause it looked like he got something or other for to do every minute or the day, whether he's at home or whether he's abroad. Bro, Wolf, he asks, what you're doing right now? And then he'd look at brough fox and won one eye.

He won't mighty quick, but not quick enough for to keep Brough Rabbit from catching a glim of it. Brough Rabbit, wipe his mouth sort of slow, like, and look up at the clouds floating by. He loud, he did. Well, friends, if I hadn't deceived you all, I'd have been well on my way for to look at my fish traps. And that done, I'd have come round by my turkey blind. I ain't got too much time know how you can. can fix it, and when I does set down, it's a threpto-g-g-gincate that I traps to sleep for anybody can head me off.

Brough, say, with me it's different. When I lay by my crop, I always take a little recess and pass the time a day with my neighbors. Brough, rabbit law, that's what make me stop here a little minute. When I gets home, my old woman is sure to ask me who I seed and what they say, now was there folks and their families. You know how the women is. They'll tantalize the life I knew, twill you tells them who you see and what they had on.

But me, I ain't got time for the tarry. I'm a fixing up for it to go on a big bar hunt tomorrow, and it's a going to take up all my time for to get good and ready. My old woman been begging me not to go. She says she's all of a tremble. She's so scared I'll get hurted somehow, some war but that's the way the women they make out they are monstrous scary but when you fetch the game home they all is ready for the clean and scull it and fix it up for the table when brer rabbit say this brough fox and brouf flung back their heads and laughed fit to kill brad he loud friends what's the joke be sociable and let me laugh with you says brer wolf says he we're laughing

bruh rabbit, cause you say you gone bar hunting. You know might of well that you ain't big enough for to catch no bar. Why, I'm lots bigger than what you is, and I think twice for I started out for to hunt brough bar. Brow, he kind of smold one of his old times smiles. He loughed, he did. Yes, bro, Wolf, you are lots bigger than what I is. But will you and bro Fox head him off if I get him on to run?

brough fox he up an spoke cissy you get em on to run brer rabbit and we'll head him off i promise you dat much we'll head em off if you get em on to run brer rabbit low it's a bargain then and we'll shake hands on it it was a law among the creeders that when they make a bargain and shook hands on it there was no way o getin round it and so when brer rabbit make em shake hands with him bro wolf and bruff and bro fox both both both me both mrs fox both mrs know that if there was any bar hunt, they'd have to be on hand for to head him off when Brow Rabbit got him on the run. They shook hands, but they ain't give Brer Rabbit as hard a grip as they mought, because they ain't had no notion of getting in a show-nough bar hunt. That is one of the kind of things what they wasn't in their habits are doing. They kind of had the idea that Brer Rabbit was thus a-braggin, but when he make them shake hands,

They gunned feel sort of skittish, yet they want no getting round the bargain what they done shook hands on. Brough Rabbit, ain't stay so mighty long out of that. He say he got to go and make all his arrangements for to bag the game and to barbecue it out ofwards. He flipped brough wolf and bro Fox his so long, and asked him for to meet him at the same place, the next day. meet me right here friends says old bro rabbit says he and i'll show you somethin dat'll kinda stir you up and make you feel like dat dey somethin goin on round here same as what they is in the ginny country where they hunt bar every day in the year except sunday they say they'll be dar if nothin don't happen and they ask bror rabbit what must they fetch for to help him out and he's fine that all he wanted to do do is to head bruh bar off when he get him on the run. I'll show you where to take your stand, says old bruh, rabbit, says he.

And all in the round world you got to do is to stand your ground and not get scared when you see him coming and make a little fuss like you're going to catch him. But you don't hider put your hand on him. I'll do all the catching that's going to be done. All I ask you is to stand where I'll show you and not. make out like you guan to help me. All you got to do is exactly what you say you'll do. Head him off when you see him coming.

Brough Rabbit went down the road singing one of the old-time tunes, and Browulf and Broufox sought why he left him and look at one another. At a while, old Browulf, say, says he, What the name of goodness you reckon he's up to. Bro, wolf grinned one of them are grins. What make cold chills run up and down your back? He lough he did. He's just trying for the foolers.

He done got the idea that we are scared. If we go dar, he'll say he's mighty sorry that he ain't fine, brubar. And if we don't go, dar, he'll laugh and tell it everywhere that we was feared for to stand up to our part of the bargain. Oh, bro, Fox grinned his kind of grin, and says he, we'll be dar show. At this point, Uncle Remus paused to indulge in a hearty laugh, and it was some little time before he resumed. He laughed so long, indeed,

that the little boy was moved to ask him what he found that was so funny. This inquiry seemed to have no effect on the old negro. He continued to laugh, and when he could laugh no more, he chuckled. All the time, watching the little boy, although he pretended to be looking in another direction. Finally, however, he became more serious and settled himself in the attitude he always assumed when telling a story. Well, sir, brough rabbit went down to roll to piece,

and got off in the bushes, and lay down, and just roll over and over with laughing. By and by he lay right still, and a little bird setting up into tree-holler out, run here run here n'er bird say what de matter what de matter the fuss bird make answer bruh rabbit did bruh rabbit dead ter ter ter ter ter ter ter ter ter ter bird say don't you believe it don't you believe it bruh rabbit laid ar he did twill he got good and rested and by and by he jump up and crack his heels together and put out for home like the bugger man was out of him home he did and split up some kindling for his old woman for to get supper with and frail out four-five of his chillin and then he sot in the shade and smoked his cigar at er he done at his supper he combed his har and tuck down his walking-can and put out to the woods for to go to the place where brub bar live at he got darned at a so long time an hello de ho's an old brubar come shuffling out and ax him in old miss bar sot out the chairs at er dustin em with her apron and brubar an old bruh rabbit sot dar and corn fab dust like two old cronies at a while bruh rabbit ax brubar if he hear the latest news and brub bar say he don't speck he is cause he ain't went out much he been so busy cleaning the grass out in his roasting ear patch

bruh rabbit pull his mustaches and look brubar right hard he low he did well su de's there's big news floating round br''n br'n's de'n de'n's de'n de'n de'n'n'n'''''n''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' says he, it seems like they knowed pretty well where the tracks was guan to lead them, and they was feared for to follow him, lessened they had mow company for to come with him. Oh, brubar leaned down he did, and knocked ashes out in his pipe, and then he looked at brough rabbit and grin, till his mouth looked red and hot. He said, feared for the follow the tracks was they? Well, you can't blame him much, most especially if they know.

the tracks, what dey guan do about it. They ain't going to sit down and let the roasting-eers walk off down the lane, is they? Brough Rabbit kind of held his head on one side and look at brub bar. He low, says he, I was just coming to that brub bar when you broke in on me. The news, what I hear, is that Browulf and Brough Fox is going to have a big bar hunt. they done sunt the invites to some of the neighbors and the neighbors will do the driving whilst they does the catching they asked me if i wouldn't help do the driving and i told em that i'd be molding glad brubar look hard at brer rabbit and brou rabbit look at the fireplace you said dat you said you'd be mowed and glad says old brubar says he bruh rabbit he'll i'll i w'lapit he'll i w'l'i'll i w'n't you'll be mow'n glad says he

bruh rabbit he'llow i most sho'ly did i told em that i get you started and then they can do the ketchin oh brubar laugh and when he do dat it sound like thunder grumbling way out in the hills he say says he how much of a family is they got bruh rabbit and brou rabbit he spined says he i can't tell you brub bar cause i ain't neighbor'd with em for the longest i don't like to them and they don't like me and that's the reason that i come for to tell you the news i had the id that maybe you like for the tape-pawed in this big bar hunt that they want to have the bar kinda scratch his head and lick his paw fur to slick over the place he says he it seems like i'm bleased to be dar cause if i ain't there won't be no fun tall well then they sot dar they did and laid their plans, and laugh fit to kill at the old jokes that they swapped with one another, and the old tales they told. They sought dire they did, twill old Miss Barr had her come in and tell him, for goodness sakes, to go to bed, because if they sat up and went on that way, there won't be no sleeping

for her into chilling. Bro, rabbit jump up when he hear this, and tell him all good night, and put out for home, and when he got dar, he can't get to bed for last. laughing. Oh, Miss Rabbit, she stuck her head out from under the cover, and now what the name of goodness is the matter. You surely must be a hear-something outdacious in your rambles, and now that you done woke me up, you dust as well to tell me about it. But, oh, brer Rabbit, he's that tickled that he can't fish up the words for the teller. All he can do is to laugh and cough and wheeze and sneeze, and keep this up till it looked like he bleased to

strangle or get smithlicated. But you better believe that old Miss Rabbit sotted up with him till she find out all about it. And she ain't laughed when he tell her. She shook her head, and now you keep on with your foolishness twill some of them your other creatures will catch you in your own trap. And then what me and the children's want to do. O'bara Rabbit laugh and say that there's been widders and northings

ever since the world goin to roll now bruh rabbit dun tell brough wolf and brough fox that the bar hunt was goin to come off bright at early and that they must be dar whar he left em at and shone off when he went down the road dar they was he knowed that they been talkin bout em cause they look right sheepish when he come up behind em he ax em is day ready an dee say dey is an he tell em furta come on cause they ain't got no time fur to lose if they goin to get any bar me dat day they went long they did but when they get to war the bushes was thick and de shatters black brovo and brough f'n's fox kinda hung back hung back. Brough Rabbit sees this and he says he hope they ain't no ways bashful, because if they want to help him catch the bar, they got to stand up like their well, and not be droopy like they're sick.

By and by, they come to the place where they was a blind path running through the woods, and Brer Rabbit, he say that he want him to stand right down, and if their bar come by they was to help him catch him. Says old Brer Rabbit, says he, i'm hoping that i'll catch him fore he gets dis fur and if he does i'll holler and if he's too quick for me if he gets the idea that i'm out of him and starts to run for i gets my hand on him more than likely he'll come this way if he do just stand your ground cause i'll be right behind him just make out like you want to grab him and hold on tom to a lot can get him and then our day's work will be done brough wolf and brough fox say they'll do just like bruh rabbit tell em and they took their places with that bruh rabbit went loping through the woods just as gaily as a race-horse the place where a bruh rabbit make em take the stand wasn't so mighty fur from the place where old brer rabbit live at And twas'n'st'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'''''''n''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

dar. Old brubar was a-comin' like a pot of bi'lin. His mouth was wide open, and his tongue hanging out, and the blue smoke wriths from him every time he fetched the pan. Browulf and Brough Fox stood the ground, because they feared that Brer Rabbit would have the laugh on him if they broke and run. They stood there they did, and do like they was going to catch, brub. He come on with his head down and his breath coming high. and as he run he fetched brough wolf a swipe with one hand and brough fox a white-wit out of him well said uncle remus looking hard at the little boy they ain't no use for to go on with this tail the swipe that brub bar fetched em come mighty nigh t'n't i takin out de vitals and if you nev'n as he halloin before you m'n't a-hid hit'n den but brub bar he kept on a-runnin with br'ra rabbit a-o'n as they run they laugh fit to kill and from dat day to dis brouf'n bro fox been given old brubbar all the elbow room that he needs by day er by night did brother bear hurt them very much asked the little boy hurt em why he ripped open to hides from yeas socket to tailholt for the time being day was mighty nigh

end of brother rabbit's bear hunt chapter two of uncle remus returns by joel chanmer harris this labor box recording is in the public domain recording by phil shennavair empty empty and the blacksmith late one afternoon when the little boy was trying his best to slip up behind uncle remus and frighten him with a big boo he heard noises that caused him to pause in his tracks and listen with all his ears the sound he heard was the voice of the old man and he seemed to be in deep distress apparently something had happened that the child had not heard of it was something serious too for although the old man was explaining something to some one in a low tone he frequently paused to sigh and groaned the child's sympathy was aroused such an extent that he forgot or forbore to put in execution the plan he had in mind when he started to the cabin after listening a while in a futile effort to discover the nature of the trouble he boldly entered the door and looked around the room which for the lack of windows was not very well lighted he was surprised to find that the old man was alone and more surprised still to find that he was gazing at the rafters with a smile of satisfaction on his weather-beaten features what is the matter uncle remus asked the child matter exclaimed the old man they may be something to matter with you honey but they ain't nothin nothin tall to matter with me

why i heard you talking to someone and groaning that's the way people do when they have trouble if i was talking to anybody they musta slip out when you slipped in if they ain't done that they're here right now if you is for groaning, that's about all that folks can do when they gets as old as what I is. By good rights, they ought to groan every time they draws their breath. But you were groaning just as though you had a terrible pain, and needed some of the medicine that mother gives to me when I have a stomachache. The ailment what I had, honey, was summers on the right hand side of my mind, when I got word from a little bird that you was coming down, here for the slip up on me and scare me it put me in mind at the time when yo pappy

was about your age and then i got the rambling back twill my members hit me a whack that come mighty nigh knocking me flat something up and said that one of the tales what i told him in them days was the wrong thing yes sir the wrong thing that is when you hear me talking and groaned and I don't know how I gwine to get the feeling much better, less'n somebody up dar at the big house, sends me some of the truck what gives you the stomach-ache, resins, and mince pies, and apple dumplings. It makes me right hungry when I think about telling your papa the wrong thing when he won nothing but a little bit of chat.

But I done the best I know now." What tale was it, Uncle Remus?" the little boy inquired. "'T'n't need a moan or less than that whole-time tale about Empty Upty and a blacksmith. "'A gun it out just as twas gun to me, but twas the wrong thing, and the wrong thing can't be made the right thing. Anybody'll tell you that.' "'Empty-umpty?' exclaimed the child. "'Why, what is that?'

"'It's just somebody's name,' said Uncle Remus with a sigh. "'Some folks call him one thing and some another. ain't you never hear your pep'all talk about it no i never did replied the little boy not when he drop his collar button on the floe and it row way under the bureau the child shook his head solemnly is you right show you ain't heard him call a name when he can't find the button persisted the old man leaning back in his chair he laughed heartily when he saw the light of comprehension dawning in the child's Kyle's eyes. Whole empty empty has got more names than yo can count on your fingers. Some calls him Satan, some calls him the old boy, some calls him clutes, and some calls him what your pappy do, and he answers to all of em.

And there's times off and on when he'll come long for you call him. From what I hear, he's been about the busiest creature that you ever run about with two behind legs and a tail to boot. Well, to tell what I done gone and told your pappy about old empty-umpty and the blacksmith was the wrong thing, and I don't know whether to writing it with him or with you. It seems like you're the handiest, yet if I write-in-it-with-you, I'll have to get your promise for to writing it with him. The little boy was enthusiastic in making the promise, so much so that Uncle Remus was compelled to wipe an untimely smile from his mouth, using the back of his hand for the purpose. He seemed to be in no hurry

to write in things, however, for instead of beginning the story at once, he leaned his head against the wall as though he were about to take a nap, this being his favorite attitude when he wanted to doze. The little boy was not as impatient as his father had been under the same circumstances. He sat, perfectly quiet, awaiting the good pleasure of Uncle Remus. Peeping from under his eyelashes, the old negro was again compelled to employ the back of his hand to smother a smile. This seemed to arouse him. I ain't been sleep, is I? How far did I get with the tail? Why, you didn't even begin to tell it, said the child.

Well, sir, exclaimed Uncle Remus, with well fain surprise. now ain't that too much one thing i notice is an dat ain't too i notices that the mo andy dominoes what crawls over me the big o my forgetting skits and i bound it'll come to dat past that time will come when i'll forget to eat and ain't nobody that i know son that's goin to come long and put victuals in my mouth that's what the little boy said not a word in response to this nor did he smile The trouble with him was that he was inclined to take Uncle Remus too seriously. This made the old man more solemn than he would have been otherwise, but he began very bravely, in spite of his fear, that the simple tale he had to tell would fail to appeal to a youngster who had nearly all his mischievousness trained away under the modern system of parental instruction.

"'One time,' said Uncle Remus, "'not yesterday, not a day before, but we—' back yonder in the days when folks know lots more and a heap less than what they knows now there was a blacksmith what had his shop at the big crossroads it seemed like that if folks was gone anywhere or coming back they pleased to pass this year a blacksmith's shop they'd make no difference where they goin or where they're coming from the blacksmith and his shop was right sprang on the road time and time again some of them set right flat on the ground and try to figure out how and why twas that day had to pass this shop, no matter which way they started nor which way they come back. They figured and figured, but tain't do em a grain of good. In due time, they'd hear a wanging and a clanging, and when they look up, there was the shop, looking red inside on counter-fire,

and there was the bellows a wheezing and a snorting, and the big sledge hammer are banging on the anvil, twill it looked like it had bust wide open. No difference what road they took, they'd had to pass the shop, and if they passed the shop, they'd had to see the red light of shining, and hear the sledgehammer are banging. The shop got so head up in the daytime that it held the heat all night, and the blacksmith ain't been working there long, for old rabbit find out that if he want to get get warm and feel good. All he had to do was the creed underdow and set by the fire and nod.

In them days, folks had a better opinion of the creeders than what they got now, and they were more familiar with them than they is now. But the blacksmith was so big and strong that he sought everybody anachin a pattern. He wasn't scared of the biggest creeder that come long, let it be rhinocie horse or hippie-pidampapodamus. as for brough rabbit he want no war he was lots bigger in dim days than what he is now but he want no matching muscle for the man what been slinging the sledgehammer and so dare twas the blacksmith with big arms and strong legs and old brer rabbit with nothing but a long head and big years old brer rabbit had a mighty habit of setting up late at night he'd set up so late playing his pranks and cutting up his capers that when he woke up the next morning he was e'ed about as sleepy as he had been the night before, and there was times when he ain't wake up twill he heard the blacksmith fumbling

at the door, and, most specially, there was one time when the blacksmith walked right in on him and found him sitting up close to the place where the fire done been at. Instead of shoeing brubberra rabbit away like he oughta done if he ain't one'n't done, the blacksmith flung a hammer at him, and if it are hit him, they wouldn't have been enough of him left for to stop a hole in the chigger's house. But brough rabbit dodged the hammer, and went scooting to the bribe-patch where he'd borne and bred at. He went out dar he did and felt to himself all over for to see if he was all dar, and then

when he find out that he was, he'd jump up and crack his heels together and walk one eye like somebody don't tell him a great secret. He sought out Dar in the Brar Patch and studied what he'd want do next, and long about that time. Who should come long that way but old man, Billy, Rickerson Dickerson, knowing Brough Rabbit long and well, he stopped for the past the time of day and asked the news, and he ain't been dar long for Brow Rabbit told him many a long tale

that nobody ain't never here before. by the time he was ready for the sing out his soul long brer rabbit asks him if he'll do a favor for one of his old-time friends and mr rickerson dickerson loud that he will well then says old brer rabbit says he when you are passing the blacksmith shop dispoke your head in the dough and say friend you'll have company soon and the next passer by you meet tell him to do the same well sir the word went round and it wasn't long for everybody that come by the blacksmith's shop had the same saying in the mouth friend you have company soon this sought the blacksmith to studying he asked himself what they all mean by dat and he got so out a while that he put the hot iron on the anvil and let it get stone cold before he hit a lick with the hammer he was so worried that he can't sleep at night and the nine neighbors wondered when they hear the bellows a snortin and the hammer are banging they say to de self that the blacksmith breathes to have a mighty heap of work to do and they dunno where it all come from now who was havin't done by and by at her a long time the neighbors got so that they'd drop in on him at a supper and sit and talk and dodge sparks while the blacksmith run the bellers and swung the hammer one night the talk turned on the old boy and his belongings the fire burnt so blue and the sparks flew so fur that they can't help but think about the bad place and with that they pleased to think about oh empty umpty the one what runs it the blacksmith was

monstrous busy but he ain't so busy but what he can hear what they're talkin about he blowed the bellers and he hammered the red-hot iron but he ain't lost none o'-on to talk specially when they gunned to talk about old empty-empty he listened he did but he kept on making what he started for to make when he first got word that he was gwine to have company and foe they got true telling what they knowed about old empty-umpty he done finish it he sotted up on the anvil and pushed all round with his tongs and dem what was settin dar sees that twas a box a b'an box with the sides all welded together and the top fixed so that he can weld that up tight the minute he got good and ready he turned the box all round and round and then he wiped a sweat off in his forehead and grin he low dar's a box what is a box and if anybody can beat it let em do it everybody been telling me i'm goin to have company soon and i spect it must be so but they can't come foe i'm ready for em then he asks em all how come they had a talk about old empty umpty and what do they know about em anyhow this start to talk again and if the old boy had a had any count they'd a root it right den and dar they say that they ain't but treething that he can't turn hisself into whilst he's roaming round the world seeking whomsoever he might destroy one was a hog one was a monkey and one was a cat the blacksmith laughed and say that if old empty umpty is gwine to be the company they are talkin about well and good cause he just is ready for him as what he is for anybody else he ain't no soon to say this

Then a tall black man stepped inside the door And bowed with how the masters and friends They all looked at him up and down And well they might Because never in all day born days As they seen anybody like that He was black, but he ain't looked like no nigger His eyes shined like a piece of glass in the moonlight

He had on a stovepipe hat and a broad cloth suit he was slim and slick and supple and it seemed like he was club-footed and double-jointed well honey he stood there smocking and smiling and it looked like that the mole you look at him the slicker he got he lough mouses and friends you had to excuse me for a coming in so sudden like i used to be a blacksmith myself and i ne'er catches a glimpse of a forge and a fire but what it seemed like I'm obliged to stop in a minute if only for the warm my hands like this. He held out his hands toward the live charcoal's, and the fire sprung up, just like he do when you is working the bellas for all she's worth. The flame burnt white, and then it burnt blue, and by and by, it burnt right green, and all the time he got bigger and bigger twillet gun to rob round the black man's hands,

just like snakes. Nobody ain't say a word. They ain't had no needs to. It took up all the time for to watch what the black man wanted to do next. By and by, when he done warm his hands as much as he want to, he turned to the blacksmith and say, says he, I hear you specting company soon. Blacksmith, he up and asks, who's telling you?

The black man made answer, why I seen old man Rickerson Dickerson this morning, and he ain't mowed and told me how'd, for he loud that you speck and company. And soon as I heard that, I told him for to set down in the big rocking cheer and make yourself at home, and off I put for to see who this company might be

that was coming to see you. Now all them neighbors, what had come in to set up with the blastsmith, no matter well. that old man Rickerson Dickerson had done been buried the day before, and then made them open their eyes when they hear the black man say that he had seen him that morning, and one old man what had white hair and was kind of shaky in the legs, up and asked,

Whereabouts is it you see him at? The black man say, I see him coming down the road, and he looked like he was kind of cold, and I asked him in for the warm by my fire. We had a little chat, and then it was that he told me about how they was company expecting at the cross-roads blacksmith shop. The old man loud, and did he warm himself? The black man flung back his head and laughed,

till the smoke come out in his mouth. He said, Mr. Rickerson Dickerson show did get warm, and the reason I knows is because I hear, himself. The old man shook his head and say, says he, that he reckon he better be pulling on towards home on account of the lateness of the hour. Did you say that smoke came out of the black man's mouth, Uncle Remus?

The little boy asked. He was so much in earnest that a curious little puckered between his eyebrows right over his nose. That what I said, honey? Smoke? And twas't no natural smoke, neither. cause it smelled dus like it do when you struck one o'-time o smithlicating matches it kinda git the neighbors a turn an one by one they sneaked off home twill the first news you know there wasn't nobody left in the shop but the black man and the blacksmith with old pro rabbit peeping through a crack the black man he say says ee

i done had my eye on you and i like the way you do minor well you've been working too hard and too much but you get over them kind of habits one of these long-come shorts i used to be a blacksmith myself and i'm feared you'll go at it in a mighty roundabout way what does you want with a fire and what uses you got for that great big bellis which you had to work yourself to pieces for the blow the blacksmith He loud he did, that he bleeds to have a fire, and the onlyest way he can have one is to make the bellows blow its breath on it. The black man, he says he, they might be a time when I had the same idea, but that time is done past and gone. Let me show you how I does the business. With that, he took up a plow-tong, hefty close to his mouth, and blowed on it once or twice, and it got red-hot, and then took on a white heat the kinde cause a welting heat he put it on the anvil and hit a lick or two with the hammer and it come out the prettiest shuffle plow you ever is lay your eyes on he helped it out but the blacksmith back off he did and loud who the name o goodness is you anyhow the black man frown when he heard the word o goodness but he make answer folks got a heap a different name

for me, but I ain't no ways proud, and so I spons to all of them." The blacksmith says he, I believe you ain't nobody but old empty, empty, and yet, says the black man, says he, some calls me the old boy, and then again they calls me Satan, and I got worse sounding names than that. They tells me, says the blacksmith, says he, that there's three things you can't do. says he. Oh, empty-unpty, lough. Be pleased for the harm to name him, says he. Well, sir, says the blacksmith, says he. It a talk round in the neighborhood that you can't change your old self into a hog, nor a monkey, nor indeed into a cat. Oh, empty-empty grinned and

showed his sharp tushes, and then he lipped in the hour around with a little twist, and when he hit the ground again he was in the resemblance of a hog and he looked so much like a hog that he went grunting all over the shop and gobbling up every scrap of victors he could find then he lay down and wallered like he was in a mud-hole and got up a monkey well mr monk was moll livelier than what the hog was and he run up the wall and got on the rafters and sot dark chattering and whistling just like a show-nough monkey he dropped from the rafters and when he hit the ground the monkey was a cat not a great biggin but a little blackin that you'd a been sorry for if you'd a seed it by that time the blacksmith had his iron box ready and setting on the ground and when the cat come close enough he grabbed it by the back of the neck and sussed it in the box and slammed down the lid and fastened it then he laughed and laughed and laughed did it look like he ain't never gwine to get done laughing but old bro rabbit with his eye to the crack gone to get kinda unpatient and he fetched the ground a whack with his behind foot he hit it so hard and so quick that you'da thunk somebody was beating on the muffledrum blacksmith says says he who dat bruh rabbit spawned i'm de man what you had in the box de so blacksmith say says he go away You can't fool me.

Oh, empty-umpty in here where I'll put him at, and he'll be empty-umptied for he's emptied. You hear me talking? Bro Rabbit, say, says he, Shake the box, man, shake the box. And sure enough, when the blacksmith shake the box, he ain't hear nothing in there. He shake it again, and he don't hear nothing in there.

Well, this kind of thing ain't what he been expecting, and he kind of scratched his head. He study and he studied what he'd go on do, and by and by he sought right flat on the ground and opened the box for to see if it's empty or empty-umpty. He opened it, he did, and raised the lid and tried to peep in, but he ain't seen nothing. He raised it a little higher,

and when he done that, a great big black bat flew out of the box and hit him right sprang in the face. he done his level best fur to catch it he struck at it with his hat and slapped at it with his hand but the bat done gone out and reach and when the blacksmith's look up it was sailing round munk's rafters fliffin and fluffin and gritting its tufties the bat flew round much as it want her and then it made a dart for the dough and was gone done gone well time went on and the day come when the blacksmith's shop was shot up and the blacksmith himself was swapped from the cool and board to the graveyard uncle remus paused and looked hard at the little boy who was listening with the composure and the complacency that were so puzzling to the old negro he paused cleared his throat and then went on from cool and board to graveyard ain't such a mighty fur ways but i don't expect the blacksmith cared if twas long or short they tells me i don't know if it's so or no it might be dus he's say but they tell's me dat the blacksmith had caj'n to go down door where empty umpty live at he m'n't thus been passing by liceways he went to empty umpty's house and knock at the dope he knock once and he knocked twice and then o o empty umpty holler and ax who dat blacksmith says says says z's ee

ain't nobody but me empty umpty low he did if you're the blacksmith what shut the cat up in a box you can't come in this place and then he called one of his little impies and say go get him a chuck of fire and let him start a center factor of his own he can't come in here that remarked uncle remus with something like relief was all the fur the tail could follow the blacksmith the little boy sat as though lost in reflection finally however he stretched himself and spoke oh pshaw he exclaimed and ran laughing toward the big house end of empty umpty and the blacksmith chapter three of uncle remus returns by joel chanler harris this labor box recording is in the public domain according by phil chenevere tilly poe when next the little boy put in an appearance at uncle remus's cabin the old man was engaged in making something that appeared to be very much like a hammock indeed it was so very much like a hammock that the youngster took the fact for granted and at first asked no questions about it he was really as inquisitive as most children but he had been taught that this the most natural way of improving his mind and adding to the small sum of his knowledge was rude and country-fine. What the matter, honey? asked Uncle Remus, observing that the little fellow was more serious than usual.

I hope the old Shanghai Rooftain't hauled off and kick you. The child blushed. The big rooster, which had been raised as a pet, and which had a habit of pecking and pulling viciously at the buttons on people's clothes, was the only thing on the plantation that the little boy was really afraid of. he didn't know why he was afraid of the rooster but it seemed that the rooster himself had discovered this weakness and whenever he saw the child he would come running with his feathers ruffled and making queer noises that seemed to issue from the depths of his craw the youngster always made it a point to get out of the rooster's way as promptly as his nimble little feet would carry him he blushed therefore when uncle remus placed a blunt finger on his weakness but made no reply to the comment. Instead, he declared that his mother had said

that Uncle Remus had no business to fill the little boy's head full of foolish notions, especially about Satan and other topics almost equally as impolite. What Miss Sally say to that? inquired the old Negro with a smile of genuine amusement. Miss Sally was the child's grandmother. Why, grandmother said that if Satan ever got me, It wouldn't be at your cabin.

Ha, he-hee, and did what your man to see, the old Negro asked. She said it wasn't nice to talk about such things, and Grandmother asked if the Bible was a nice book. There now, what I've been telling you. Honey, you better study old granny close and look at her good, because some of these odd-come shorts. She wanted to take wings and flude away, and once she gets out of your sight,

you ain't going to see no more like her. lots of folks could get rich and make dey self happy just by picking up what she done forgot if she'd a bit a man she'd a bit a preacher and if not that then she'd a been one of these kind of folks what leads to all the rest no matter what crowd she got in she'd a headed the whole gang they ain't no two ways about that why miss sally can stand on that back porch up dar and give her orders and you can hear every word She say plumb to two-mile place, you show can." The little boy disputed nothing that was said in regard to his grandmother, for he was very fond of her, but he was too small to appreciate the qualities that Uncle Remus was dimly endeavoring to indicate. And so his mind wandered from the old Negro's words to his work.

"'What are you doing, Uncle Remus?' he asked. "'This a-nittin' and a-notting, honey. "'Tis a-noughton and a-knitin.' as you see me now de sole you not a seed me fifty year ago most specially i was doin what i'm doin now where will you hang the hammock when it's finished inquired the youngster his curiosity temporarily getting the better of his training if i can get two men to hold the staffs and another one for the swin't i'll hang it up in the middle of the creek and get the catfishes and the suckers and the perches a ride i hope they'll like it well enough not to be disprinted, but you most never can scarcely tell, if fishes is like folks. I know pretty well that they don't like it. There was Mr. Gristle. I most know you ain't never seen him, cause he been dead ever since I was in my teens. Well, they took Mr. Grissel to the coat house where there was a whole

parcel of lawyers, and they made great long speeches about him, and the judge judged him, and the jury sat on him, but spite of all this the man wasn't satisfied and he made a terrible racket when they went to hang him it's pretty much the same way with the fishes spite of the fact that i been sittin here working on dissaid off an on mighty nigh two months the fishes want no more to get any good fo they'll make a terrible slutteration and try for the break out well i reckon so the little boy exclaimed yes sir you can't please everybody if you're hanging em or making the same or tell o the tail somebody or somethin will say taint the right thing i ha'n fresh in my mind a tail that follows right long out of the one about old empty empty same as the behind-ham wheel of a buggy follows the frontin but bless gracious there's your mammy warning me not to call names in vain and i dunno which way to turn looks like they ain't nothin left for me to do, but to keep my mouth shut and tell my tails to myself, out or I go to bed. The little boy laughed, for Uncle Remus had, as it were, by chance, hit upon one of his own

little tricks. In a moment he was serious again. But Grandmother says there was no harm in the stories, he declared. And a mighty good thing, exclaimed Uncle Remus, because if there was any harm in him, all our folks would have gone to rack and ruin, and eleven to eleven generations of before and ada they may be the wrong thing but they ain't done nobody no harm not since i can first remember white from black and dat was a long time ago but what was the story uncle remus asked the little boy whose interest was now wedded to a very keen edge inquirements like that all is leads to mow talk remarked the old man with that air of wisdom that can only be assumed by those who are olden years and experience.

It's one of them are tales what I never is tell to yo, Pappy. Nothing ain't suit him, sephing them tales about the brough rabbit, with the creeders pursuing on Adderin, and him pursuing on at the creeders. But they tells me that in them days the times that the tales tells about, Mr. Man and his kennery was in about as vigorous as any of the creeders what was pursuing on Atta brough rabbit, that what the old folks say, and if anybody knows, it surely ought to be them. Well, this year I tell what I had fresh in my mind.

It got a song in it, and that's the reason I ain't been itching fair to tell it, because I ain't got the knack of saying what I used to have. When I was young, the old folks was always telling me that if I don't stop holling so loud, I'd break my puckering strength, and I'd think. and I spect that what to matter with me now. I done hollered so much calling the halls and the sheep, and one thing and nutter that you can't expect me to tune up and sing to us any whar and any time. When this tale was handed down to me, and that's a long ago to talk about,

it seems like that some kind of hard feelings done sprung up twixt Mr. Man and Obra Rabbit, some kind of spute about garden peas and goobers mr man say that bror rabbit nipped off the tops time they get out in the ground good mr rabbit he low that dem what mr man's miss he'd never come out in the ground mr man say that may be so but he tell brer rabbit to just look at the cabbages where they nibbled brer rabbit now he did that it might be the calves uh the big green worms. And he asks, Mr. Mann, what needs do he have for it to be nibbling at spindling greens like them when he got a fine garden of his own? Mr. Mann say he to heap rather see that fine garden than to hear telling it. And so dispute run on one word calling for another, and there they had it twill by and by, before one of them was trying for to say two words to the yotters

one. The upshot on it was that Mr. Man gets so mad that he was red in the face, and he called his dogs Rambo, Bamboo and Lambo, and sit them on, brou rabbit. And you know mighter well that if there'd have been any partnership tricks them, the sicken the dogs on woulda bust it up. Now the dogs ain't got no better sense than to do the best they can. They track old bruhrabbit, they trail him and they track him round and round and up and down twill by and by he say to his self that if they don't kind of let up he sure will drop in his tracks whilst he loping long with his tongue out and his tail off he come to the big hollipopola by the cool spring he went in he did and run up stars and sat down in a chair and panted like he'd a been playing hop and go fetch it the old negro paused at this point as if to see what effect the last statement would have on the child the youngster knew as well as any one that a hollow tree has no stairway and no place for chairs but the matter-of-fact way in which uncle remus had made the announcement seemed to be sufficient evidence of its truth indeed one of the queerest results of the old man's manner of telling his stories the charm of which cannot be reproduced in cold type was that

all the animals and all the various characters that figure therein were taken out of the reality which we know and transported bodily into that realm of reality which we feel the reality that lies beyond the commonplace everyday facts that constitute not the least of our worries fortunately for childhood the little boy failed to discover that uncle remus had made any statement out of the ordinary observing this the old negro's face seemed to be lighted up with enthusiasm and he resumed the story with more cheerfulness than the child had ever seen him exhibit he went up stars he did said uncle remus insisting on renewing the statement and sat down into big rock and cheer and panted twill he got kind of rested and all this time rambo bamboo bamboo and lamboo was a running round with the nose to the ground trying for to pick up the trail where they lost it at they run here and they run down they run heather and they run yon but they can't find it and by and by they dropped their tails and went on home but uncle remus the little boy interrupted why didn't the dog's tree brother rabbit don't you remember how you told you me that the dogs on the place here could tree possums? If the child had been older and wiser, he would have made sure that he had the old man in a tight corner, but he never suspected that he had Uncle Remus treed. He was simply seeking information. After a little pause,

the venerable storyteller was himself again, and the little boy never knew how near he was to catching the old negro as he never had been caught before. Corimus closed his eyes when the little boy asked why the dogs didn't trail Brother Rabbit to the tree, and then tree him, and gave utterance to a heart-rending groan as though he was suffering some fearful pang, physical or mental. He thought quick and hard, and wondered what reply he should make when the youngster himself came to the rescue. I reckon that was before dogs had been trained to tree things.

The old man opened wide his eyes and grinned from ear to ear. "'Honey, you show hit the nail on the head that time. I was just waiting for to see if you had to be told, and here you come and take the words right out in my mouth. Day to day past that you don't get smarter, and you'll soon be so that nobody can't fool you. Yassah, that's why the dogs ain't trail-brother rabbit to the tree and then bayed the tree. They ain't been learned how.

There wasn't no needs for it, and so when Brough Rabbit went in to holler-tree and run up stars, he just might as well I took wings and flew away for all the dogs, knowed. Well, the dogs went on back home, and out of so long a time, out of Brer Rabbit done a char on his cud much as he wanted him, he come down and went on bout his business, and I tell you, hon, it was big business, too, if you believe me, he put out he did and he went lippity clippity way off in the middle of the swamp where old mamma bama big money live at he was gone along mighty gaily fo he got inside o the house but time he see dat he goin to get droopy twill time he get to the gate if there was a gate he looked like he been sick a mona-mo as soon as uncle remus had mentioned the name of mammy-bammy big money the child straightened himself on the bench which he was using as a chair and gave unmistakable evidence that his interest in the story had been strengthened and renewed

he had heard his grandmother saying something about a witch named mammy-bammy big money and now he seemed to be on the point of hearing a good deal more about her we can see look he kin holler and he hailed and hailed twill somebody halloed and in he went when he got in dar he looked moh droopy and puny than if he'd had a spell of swamp fever mammy bamey big money asks him what the matter and he say he in deep trouble and then he up and erlate all the circumstance about how mr mann been treating him and mammy bamby big money shook her head and say that that looked like to her that them kind o doings ain't much less than scandalous hanging on the wall o the place was the heart of some kind of vomit i dunno what it had the head the footsies and the tail on she took it down and laid it on the float and then got a handful of salt and sprinkled it on the fire a little at a time singing rise skin rise open your big red eyes sharpen your long black claws and work your big strong jaws so said so done cause whilst the salt was a snapping and a cracking in the fire the varmit high gun to move and stretch itself denny gunn to roll and wad on the flow and time de salt done all burn up dar twas big as life and twife as natural walking round and rubbing gin o'mmy mammy big money for all the world like a great big double-jointed wild cat brough rabbit git de vormit plenty of room whenever it come his way by and by the old witch up and tell brou rabbit that he can go home now and rest in peace

t'n't goin'n't goin'n't be many long hours twill mr man will have all he contend to without pestering with anybody else the hide had been hanging up so long and was so hard and stiff that the vomit had some trouble long at first there was big hard wrinkles here an da but twasn't so might along for it all limped up and the creeter what some ever the name might be got so that it can rack round just as super as any other creed bruh rabbit went off home and went to bed so that when night come he can be up and about with both eyes open and both years ready for to hear a bug fly in a mile off when twas time for a boy rabbit to get up and be a mozy and round for to see what there is for to be seed mr man was fixin for to go to bed he got in the hour he did and the bed feel so satifying that he fetch a grunt and a groan, and then, oh, you can say, Billy Billups, with your mouth open, he was done gone, and every

time he draw the breath, it sounded like somebody was trying for the grind coffee. Well, it went on this away, twill sometime during the night, and then, all at once, Mr. Man opened his eyes and find himself wide awake.

Does likes folks do when they get the idea that there's somebody, in the room. He listen, and he listen, and by and by, he hears something stirring about amongst the pots and the pans in the little room where he does his cooking at.

He hear it, and then he don't hear it, then he hear it, and it sounds like there's something in there are hunting for scraps or vittles. So out the bed he slips and slams the dough, too, which he done come open. He slams it, but not befoed the creeder what's in there, done gone out all sephing the tail. He caught the tail when he slammed the doe,

and off he come right smick-smacks move. The tail was wiggling so that he can't hardly pick it up, and when he do, he can't hardly hold it in his hand. He look at it, and he say to himself that he ain't never is seen no tail like that. he took and tuck it in the room whar he sleep at and uncovered the fire and kindle it up and all this time the tail what he had in his hand was giving him about as much as he can do for to hold it by and by he put it down on the hearth and put his foot on it but it was a long tail and a strong tail and to keep up a mighty wiggling and squirming and it worked itself out so that it had some room and then he gunned to hit the man on the leg and it hit so hard that it made him holler then he got mad and he grab up the tail and flung it in the fire sprang in the middle of the red-hot embers if you never see squirmin you might have seen den if you'd a bend dar you know how lizard tail'll jump and do like their live long ere they'd been knocked off well this tail was lots more livelier than what day is

It is a big strong tail, and it jumped out so that it knocked the ashes and the embers out on the hearth, and the onlyest way that Mr. Mann can keep it into fire is to hold it down with the tongs, whilst he tucked the shovel and carried it with the live coals. It fried and shook, and shook, and fried, twelve by and by. It looked like they weren't nothing for the fry and shake. Then Mr. Mann went to bed again, "'A''er looking at the seven stars for to see what time tis, "'and he make up his mind he going to catch up to sleep what he done lost,

"'but time he get the doze in good, "'he hear a mind of scratching and gnawing at the top of the doe where there was a crack at. "'He lough, who that?' "'And then he lay still and listened, "'and at a while he hears something say and sing, "'Telie-po, you know and I know, Did I once my tilly-po? Over and under and through the dough

I'm coming for to get my tilly-poe." Uncle Remus gave to this nonsense a queer whining intonation, and while he was singing or intoning it, he pretended to be crying. Its effect on the little boy was peculiar. He frowned in sympathy and caught his breath. Wasn't Mr. Mann scared? he asked. Why didn't he get his gun?

"'Shoe, honey. In them times all the guns was pop-guns,' the old man replied. "'The fighting they had was fist and skull. They knocked it down and drug out and bit and gouged guns. Why, if a gun had a went off where they could hear it, they'd have run sprang to the jumping-off place, wheresoever that may be. Mr. Mann laid our into bed, and he ain't know what to do. The scratching and gnawing went on. "'Twill Mr. Man fairly shook and shivered. "'But by and by he thuggy his dogs,

"'and he made so bold as to go to the back dough and call him. "'At this point Uncle Remus raised his voice to a very high pitch, "'as people do in the country places where they call their dogs. "'Here, rainbow, here bamboo, here, lamboo, here, here dogs, here. "'Well, the dogs ain't got no better sense than to come, when they are called, and they come or running. Mr. Mann sick em round to the front of the house, and it seemed like when they got there they took right out of something,

and off they went or flying till they get plumb out and hearing. For they can get back home again, Mr. Mann was just about to drop off to sleep when he heard the same scratching fuss, and this time it was at the back, though, while there was a big a crash. he asks who the name goodness is dat and what does day one at this time o night when all honest folks ought to be in bed and no sooner is he asks this then dare come to answer your name i know is welly joe and fo i'm gwine de rally go i bleeds to have my telly-po give ye dat now gilly go telly-po my telly-poe mr man went out to the front and called the dogs but they ain't dar, and so they can't spawn. Dahl was Mr. Man, and some was not fur off,

was the scratching and ginoin creature crying out, I know you know, and I know I know that all I wants is my tailipo. Mr. Man shut and barred the dough, and went back to bed and pulled the cover over his head, because he don't know what more to do. He can't catch the creature in the dog without the help of the dog, without the help of the dogs and the dogs done gone way off yonder he got his head kivered but spite oe dis he bleeds to listen that the scratching and gnawing and growling and he shaked shipper wasn't he ever done somehow another by tooth or to-neil the creature got in the house and no sooner as he get in than he gunn to ramble round hunting for his tail he rambled he did and we're

when anything got in his way, he'd hunched over and rooted out in the way. Pans fell on the floor, slam bangorang. Pots got turned over, and when they roll across the floor, they sound like a young thunderstorm. The man, he lay down and shook and shivered. By and by the vomit come to the fireplace in the room where the man's sleeping at. In them days, there weren't no matches, not even these here are smithplicating kind. and folks had a kibber up the fire if they spectin to find any dar the next morning. "'Twas that a walkin' a mile of mo' for to buy a chunk.

Well, Mr. Mann had kivet his fire, out of he put the creature's tail in the embers. He had ashes on top of the embers, and the embers on top of the chunks and coals. The critter come up to the hearth he did a nose round, and it seemed like he smelled something, because he growled, whined, and with that he started pawing the fire. The way he's scratching clawed up was a sin. The red-hot embers flew out on the flow. The live coals followed them, and then out come the chunks,

and whamsoever they hit a blaze sprung up. Some flued on the bed, and some flew'd clean over it. When the creeder had clawed all the fire out, there was his tail, all safe and sound. and he grabbed it up in his mouth and went out of the house like there was something out of him by that time the house was in a blaze and not only the house but the bed where mr man was laying at twas then getting close to daybreak and when the other folks gunn to wake up and stir around they say hey oh some neighbor is burning off his new ground o brough rabbit sitting in his rocking cheer kind o'nk one eye and say humph i clad o gracious if i don't smell smoke o mammy bambmy big money way off in the swamp raise her head and say i smells me to fry the little boy waited a few minutes to see if uncle remus had finished the story and then he ran off to tell her to his grandmother End of Taley Pope.

Chapter 4 of Uncle Remus Returns. This is a Libra Box recording. All LibraVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libravox.org. Recording by Phil Chenevere. Akorimus Returns by Joel Chandler Harris, Brother Rabbit, Brother Fox, and Two Fat Pullets. The little boy, to whom Uncle Remus told his later stories,

was not as persistent nor as insistent as was his father before him when he was a youngster. This fact was not as pleasing to the old man as might be expected. He liked to be asked for a story so that he might have an opportunity of indulging in a friendly dispute, a wrangle of words, and then suddenly ended all by telling the tale that happened to be in his mind at the moment. In short, he delighted to wet the expectation. of the youngster and arouse his enthusiasm. This particular little boy never appeared to be very anxious for a story unless the old man led up to it by means of conversation and comment,

or indicated it by some evasive illusion, and when the story was once underway, the child rarely interrupted to ask a question, so that Uncle Remus was frequently in great doubt as to whether the tale had been an enjoyable one. But the old man, like best of all things, was to hear children laugh, and to feel that he had, in some measure, added to the sum of their enjoyment. Most of his quarrels were mock quarrels, and his severest frowns always had pretense for a basis. Over and above the results of his training, which the old man, agreeing with the grandmother,

thought had been a severity out of all proportion to the character of the child, child, the little boy was as much interested in Uncle Remus himself as he was in the stories he told, for the old man had already developed into a tradition. His name was as much a part of the family as that of any member thereof, and if the child had any hero, such as dwelt in the realm of mystery and romance, it was Uncle Remus himself, with his gray head and his heir of belonging to some other place and some other time. And all this, in spite of the fact that no other person could take his place, or fit, or filled the position which he occupied.

One day when the little boy came to see the old man, he seemed to be somewhat disturbed about something. "'Aquorumas, Okorimus! He cried, and then, remembering some admonition that had to do with conduct, he paused. "'Why, honey, what's the matter? Who been pestering you? Just tell me the name and how big day is, and I'll see if I can't put a flea in there, yeah, or maybe too. There isn't anything to matter much.

After I was ready to go to bed last night, I didn't feel very sleeping, and Grandmother told me a story. She said it was one you used to tell Papa. But that wasn't all. She said that all the animals were once meat-eaters. I don't see how that could be. Well, if that's all your trouble, honey, it's. show ain't much.

You can put yo pennants in what Miss Salas eat. If she tells you the creeders was meat-eaters, they show was, and if she tell you that they ain't never is eat no meat, you can put it down just that way." Grandmother was telling how Brother Rabbit got some meat from Mr. Mann," said the little boy by way of explanation. "'Yes, exclaimed Uncle Remus enthusiastically. It seems just like yesterday I was telling that tale to your Papi. He was sitting right on that bitch, dar, fooling with my shoe-knife and mixing the big pegs

with the little-ins, and I had to holler at him more than once. He was some bigger than what you is, and he had more life in him than a quarter-cam feed. It seems just like twas yesterday, but he'd un-grown up, and now here you is, not much bigger than a bunch of rob-chin-berries and what the robins have been tampering with. As Miss Sally say, time has got a heap o flugin just mixed up with it you think it's a standing still but all that time it's just a callahootin an a humpin and a totin de mail you can't hear the engine but dee's one dar and a mighty biggin at dat and it's gwan yonder where's it's the little boy it's guan where it's gwan that's where it's gwan replied uncle remus in a tone and an air that seemed to render further inquiry not only unnecessary but altogether absurd. It ain't doing nothing but just a gwyne, and when it gets where it's gwyne, it keeps on a guine.

And if you want to go with it, go you can, if you just let me stay right where I is. The little boy said nothing more on that subject, which was quite beyond his comprehension. He sat quite still while Uncle Rimas sharpened his pocket-knife, which was a large horn-handled affair, and bore the marks of long usage. Grandmother said you were not the only person that said the animals ate meat, or something else besides vegetables. She told how Plutarch said something about the sheep-eating fish.

Did she say that? inquired Uncle Remus. When the little boy nodded his head in the affirmative, the old negro closed his eyes and seemed to be reflecting. Presently he returned to the subject, Plutarch. Is Miss Sally say what plantation he live on? The child shook his head.

Well, responded Uncle Remus with a sigh of relief. He ain't never as live in these parts, because if he had, I'd have known him. I spect Miss Sally here'd talk on him the time she went to, for Jenny, because if they'd have been any pluto-talk munch the niggas in these diggins, I'd have known him. Let him be where he will or where he can. De Cretors all used.

to eat meat instead of grass and hay and it had to be fresh they was all so greedy that by and by fresh meat gone to get scarce and they had to study how and whar'd gwine get it and how they wanted to keep it from the balance of em out of they got it it got so at a while that they had to all get a share of what they got to the king line and it seemed like he had a yapitite bigger than a thrashing machine Then the time come when King Line stuck a briar in his foot, and the yada craters had a set up all night, get up full day, for to keep him with enough fresh meat, for to keep him from starving to death. He lay dar and groan twill some of em come in with a hunk of fresh meat, and then he growl

and asked him if that was all day fetch. Long about the time his foot got so bad that he had a sin for the doctor, and whom should the doctor be, but Obrough rabbit himself. He ain't had no powders, and he ain't had no pills, but he know a mighty heap about yorbs and such-like green truck. He know how to make begamute grease for to put on his har when he go to see Miss Meadows and the gals. He know that peach tree poultice is good for bile.

He know that sheep's sorrow salve is good for old sores, and he know that white turkentine and mutton so it will heal up fresh hurts and cuts. The creatures heard him talking about all these salves and truck, and, just for fun, they call him Doc when they ain't fretting about the way he been doing him. Well, old King Line sent for the doctor, and Brough Rabbit looked in on him for to see what might be done for him. Now, to look at the paw what the briar was stuck in, Brough Rabbit had to go monsters close to King Lyon's mouth, which was spank full of blood-red tongue and shiny tushes, and he ain't like that kind of business no-how.

Every time Brough rabbit had filled a hot breath of King-Line blowing on him, he'd flinch and swing up, and when old King-Line gaped, Brough-Rabbit liked to fainted dead away. But he fumbled round and stayed dar the best he can, fix up the paw with some kind of soothing sab for to draw the information out, and then he say he's so long. When he come out of King Lion's house, he took notice that of all the creeders waiting to turn for to go in, brough fox war dar. He up an axe he did, war, bro, fox?

Nobody make answer. Then a brun rabbit holler out loud as what he can. Is anybody see, bro, fox? They shook their heads, one and all. Nobody ain't seen him. Then, Brub Rabbit, he pulled off down the big road. Soon as he got out and sighted the crowd, he sat down by the side of the road,

and he had a laughing spell that lasted for the longest. More than once, he made a motion like he wanted to get up from there and go on where he'd gone. Before he got on his feet good, the giggles get the better of him, and he had a set down again. At a so long a time, he got so he can walk, and then he put out down the big road, he come toward the roads cross,

when who should he meet but old brough fox, and not only brough fox, but two fat pullets, and the old puddle duck what been waddling round in them neighborhoods for more years than I can tell you. Brer rabbit he how'd eat, and bruff fox he hello,

And then, bruh rabbit, he up and asked him where he been all this long time, most specially, since he wouldn't up dar where King Lion live at. There was a mighty inquirement for you, bro, Fox, says old brer rabbit, says he, and I told them all that you was kind of feeble here lately, and that you was trying for to pick up some flesh. And show enough you was! With that, the rabbit flicker thistle seed off in his nose. with his behind foot.

Brother Fox, he looked kind of sheepish when he heard that, and he asks Brer Rabbit if King Lion made any inquirements about him. Brer Rabbit, low, he call out your name moaning once, and he put some language round it that'd burn a hole in my tongue if I was to say it. I hope he'll be feeling better when next you see him. Brough Fox, he says he, "'For goodness sake, Brow, "'did he up and cuss?'

"'Brough rabbit, low he did. "'I ain't no totter or tails, bro, fox. "'But if you can get out in your mind "'anything worse than cussing than that "'is what King Lion say. "'Brough fox asks what he going to do about it, "'and brer rabbit say he'd be blessed if he know. "'They jowled a while,

"'and about the time that Brough Fox was going to say his so long, brough rabbit had a feeling in his pockets and lookin scared like he done lost somethin pull out a piece of paper and hold it up he low at old king line had his spell o warm talk he hand me dis and say that i was to show it when i seed you now to make sure that you see it Just tire off one corner and I'll gear to the king line when next you see him. Tain't nothing tall but a supel peony. Brough Fox, he look at it kind of sidewees. He lout, is day any writing on it? Because if there is twain't going to do me no good for to look at it, I can read reading, but I can't read writing.

Brer rabbits say that's the case with him, excepting that he can read writing, but he can't read reading. Brough Fox, he acts, he did. What do the writing say? Brough rabbit, he kind of wrinkle up his forehead and hold out the paper like you see the old folks do. He make like he reading and he loud, All and simile whichever and whoever and wheresomever, especially the how come and what's his name,

DeFoe said, Flaner and Flinder let him come head forward. into the coat-house, where the high-sharef and the low can lay him down and flatten him out, all whom she morned consohn. Nuff said. The little boy stared at Uncle Remus with wide eyes, as though the old man had lost his senses. What did all that mean? he asked. It mean that King Lion want brough fox for to come up dar where he can get both paws on him.

That what it mean. When he began to answer the little boy, query, Uncle Remus had pretended to be somewhat indignant, as it suddenly dawned on him that Brother Rabbit was only pretending that he had a paper from King Lion, and his frown spread itself out into a smile that was pleasing to see. "'T'w'r'da met dat, honey, if there'd a been any writing on the paper, but Br'Rabbit was just playing one of his pranks. He had one eye on them fat pullets, and dat on Whittle Waddle Puddle Duck, that's what he had.

And time he see, bro, Fox, totting him, he going to worry, how he going to get one or both or all of them. Brough Rabbit ain't let on about the pullets, an old Wittle, but he had them in his eye, and likewise in his mind. So he say, now you don't hear what the papers say, bro, Fox, you better follow de de Sesso. Here the piece what's tore off. take that and put it in your pocket, and when old king line asks you as you see me,

does show it, and don't be all day about it, none. Brother Fox acts as he got time for to take his meat home, and brer rabbit loud that he is. With that, he put out down the road, and bro rabbit sought right flat on the ground and laughed twill. If you'd have seen him, you'd have said he done find a new giggling place. He followed long out of Brother Fox, but took care for to keep out in sight. He seeded Brother Fox, run in his house, for to put old whittle wattle and the pullets away.

Then he ran out again, followed by his old woman, and he hear her holler out, You better come on back here and help me with these children of yowing, because it's a mighty fine situation when a woman and her not well at that has to do every blessed thing there is to be done. spit up the wood to make the fire, pick up the chips for the kennel it with, do all the cooking, all the pulling and hauling, and take care of all y'all good for nothing chilling.

You better come back here, I tell you. But by that time, Brough Fox was done gone. Brough Rabbit stayed where he was a right smart while, long enough for Brough Fox to get most where he gone, and then he sumped out in the big row, and make his way to brough foxhouse. He went up, he did, monstrous polite. It looked like butter won't melt in his mouth.

He opened the gate slow, and he made sure it was shut behind him. He went to the door and rapp on it, and stand dire with his hat in his hand, and looked mild, humble come tumble. Oh, Miss Fox, she opened the door she did, and Brow Rabbit passed the time of day with her, and then say he got a message for her summers in his pocket if he can never find it at a so long time he find the paper what brer rabbits say come from old king line he hand her dis and miss fox say she ain't a good hand at reading not since the chillin broke her first seeing specs and she dunno what the name o goodness she gwine do specially when her old man ain't scarcely got time for the stay-at-home and when he does run in it looks like the flow burn blisters in his feet and she say if she'd a know'd a fuss what she'd know at last she'd take too long things an mighty big thunk foe f'n for she'd marry anybody in the round world bruh rabbit he'll yassum and then he up an tell her that he met brou fox which king lyne dun saunt him a super peony brou fox asks him how he get known

and brough rabbit say he'd be gettin on putter well if he had anything to eat at his house. All this is the tale that brer rabbit was pouring in old Miss Fox's year. Then Brouche, wipe his eye and say, Tain't guan do for Brer Rabbit to go without eating. Oh, Miss Fox break into the tail with, I wish he'd wipe his eye about some of my troubles. His eyes dry enough when he's round here. brough rabbit lao yassum and then he say that brough fox law as how no longer in that ver morning he farch home two fat pullets an old whittle waddle puddle-duck and he say bruh rabbit can have his chosinments of the pullets o the puddle-duck more than that brou rabbit say brou fox sot right there in the road and writ miss fox a note so that she'll know his will and desirments

"'Oh, Miss Fox, look at Brow Rabbit mighty hard. She done tell him about her first-seeing specs, and she said that if the letter ain't read till she reads it, she might have saw it for the letter. She took it and turned it up aside down and round and round, and then handed back to Brer Rabbit with, What do she say, Brer Rabbit? He cleared his throat and make out he reading.

He say, to all whomstit mart contrive in consign both now and presently be so pleased as to let brer rabbit have the pullets or the puddle duck i'm well at disriding and i'm hoping you are enjoying the same shower o blessings whatso me at mottabin tain't no love letter says old miss fox says she and then she fudge out the two fat pullets and brer rabbit he mose it off home singing the song that tells about how Mr. Fox done left the town, yo. Uncle Remus paused, leaned his head back, and groaned. Is that all? asked the little boy. It might be, and then again it mightn't, the old man responded. It pins on who's the tell in the tail.

Some folks would cut it right short off and let it go at that, but not me. When I starts for the tell-to-tale, I pursues it right to the end, just like the creeders was pursuing one another. Just like the big men is pursuing the little men, with the little men getting to kiver and a hitting back as they run. One thing, Brough Rabbit know might as nigh, as well as he know that he's hungry, he know twon't never do in the wrong world for Brough Fox for to go back home

and find out how the pullets went. So when he get out inside of Brough Fox's house, he whipped up and went a runnin' home just as hard as. he can, and he tell his old lady, for they take the pullets and fix them fine with the kind of doings they has with chickens, cause he might have company. He say he got to go back and see how old King lines Paul getting on, and he put out for the B-Dar, for Brough Fox come way. He lit out he did, and finally burnt up the big road with his footsies, boog-a-bookety,

and when he get Dar show enough, Brough Fox's. was darn, looking like the really truly goodness was the dripping from his mouth and oozing from his hide. You may accede folks that look humble come tumble, but you ain't never to see nobody that got humble come tumble-ness down as fine as what Mr. Fox had it. And a mighty good reason, because he was scared that King Lion was going to haul him over the coals for not fetching the meat that he ought a fortune. When Brother Fox got to wear a king line due to kingin, there was a whole passel of craters ahead of him,

and might and I all of them had some meat, and them what ain't had it come with some tail for the scoosin'er self. They went in, one by one, and had the con fab, and then come out again, some looking glad and some looking mad, and all that time there sought Brow Fox, waiting his turn. He was mightly hope up

when he see Brer Rabbit, because he know that Brer Rabbit, being the doctor, can get in Dar for anybody. He hail Brer Rabbit, and say he mighty glad for to see him once more, live and well, and Brer Rabbit spawned that he monstrous glad for the Cobra Fox.

He la, I'm mowed and glad for to see you ain't been in Dar where the king's doing his king and at, says old Brubbit. says he. I was feared you'd take a notion and go in there for I can get back, and that'd have been mighty bad for you, it's show would. Then, brou rabbit looked like he's studying, and by and by, he up and say, says he, broufax, you stay right where you is, and don't try to go in dar where the king at, twill I get you the word. I don't know what he might do to you. Brou Fox say he mighty glad Brer Rabbit got Dar in time for to save his hide.

Now, Brow Rabbit being the doctor, he had the right for to go in Dar where the king at, without any standing round and waiting, and he elbowed his way through the waiting creatures, spider dare spitting and growling, and went right on in where King lying at. His paw was all roped up, and he was just dropping off to sleep, And whilst Brer Rabbit was looking at him, he turned loose, he did, and gunned to snow like he done swalled a horse, mane and hoof. Seeing that, Brough Rabbit made a bow and go right out where Brough Fox and the other creatures was waiting at. Soon as Brough Fox see this, he asks Brough Rabbit what the news. Brough Rabbit took him off one side and tell him he better go on home, because King Lyon was tubbly put out by the way.

way Brother Fox's been going on. I begged off for you, Brother Fox, says old Brow Rabbit, says he, and he say that he'll scozing you this time, but the next time. Brother Rabbit made a notion like he'd taken off his head.

You better go on home, bro, Fox, says he, for your old woman gives way them fine fat pullets what I seed you with this morning. Brother Fox laugh, he say, he like for to see somebody to get them pullets away from his old woman.

If you can get him, bro, Rabbit, says he. You're in mold and welcome. That's so, bro, Rabbit, loud. Thank you, bro, Fox, thank he. And he went lippity, clippeting down the road, laughing so loud that, that, bro, Fox, stop and look at him, with I'd like to know what's the joke,

kind of expression on his countenance. End of, Brother Rabbit, Brother Fox and two fat pullets Chapter 5 of Uncle Remus returns by Joel Chandler Harris This Lebe of Box recording is in the public domain According by Phil Schoever How Brother Rabbit brought family trouble on Brother Fox The little boy sat in a thoughtful attitude

After Uncle Remus had told him how Brother Rabbit had fraudulently secured Brother Fox's pullets He had been taught never to ignore the difference between right and wrong, justice and injustice, and in his mind the line between the two was sharply and deeply drawn. He sat reflecting while Uncle Remus busied himself about his workbench, on one end of which was his favorite seat. He arranged and rearranged his tools, and then folded his hands in his lap with an air of satisfaction. He evidently expected the youngster to make some comment or observation, and when he waited a little while,

he made a remark calculated to draw the child out. "'I'm feared you ain't feeling well, honey. Something in that tale must have made you feel bad.' The little boy looked at him, but made no response. "'Whereabouts in the tale was you took and sick at?' Uncle Remus inquired, with a great display of solicitude. "'Why, I'm not sick, Uncle Remus,' replied the lad. "'Well, I'm monsters glad to hear it,' the old man responded.

"'Cause you show had me scared. a little mo'n't oughta to toll you for a run and let your granny look at your tongue and feel of your pulse. The child laughed at this and then became serious again. There's something to matter with you, Uncle Remus insisted, because ever since I told you that tale, you've been looking like you got more in your mind than you can tote. I was just thinking, said the child, somewhat shyly. He was always embarrassed when commenting on Uncle Remus' stories.

I was just thinking that when Brother Rabbit got the chickens from Brother Fox, he was really stealing them. They ain't no two ways by that, said Uncle Remus complacently. But what was Bra Fox doing when he got him? Pullets and puddle ducks don't grow on trees, and it's been a mighty long time since they've been running while. No wonder, there's a heap of ideas that you got to shake off. if you're going to put the creedars alongside of folks you'll how to shake em and shuck em creedars could talk like folks dee'n that day and time and they can do a heap of things what folks do but you can see the difference for yourself folks got darlors and creeders got derin and it bleeds to be that away brer rabbit took the pullets when by good rites he oughta left em where he find em you learn for yourself that there's a heap of folks live Lots was, than brough rabbit, when it comes to taking what ain't darn, and when you lorning,

you'll look back on these times and feel so sorry that you ain't got em with you, that you'll how to wipe your eyes and blow your nose, and I'm a hoping might as strong, that you won't be trying for to show off in no gal company when you does it, because that'll make Miss Sally turn in her grave. These remarks were way beyond the little boy, but he accepted them. him as an explanation, though it was not altogether satisfactory. He seemed to imagine that if the animals could talk and reason in the way that Uncle Rimas represented them, they should have some idea of the difference between right and

wrong. The old negro had no difficulty whatever in perceiving the nature of the child's trouble, and he dealt with it as seriously and as solemnly as he knew how. "'It seems like,' he said, glancing at the little boy, that folks has got one way o'looking at things and it's all pleased to be just the way they think it ought to be if they had different eyes and if these eyes was on a different level they wouldn't see the way they does now what they see would be a little more slunch ways and then everybody would get different ideas well the different eyes and the different ideas that folks mighta had that's just exactly what the cretler's got what they see dey c's slanch ways steta up in dickler folks got der ways and de cretas is got den and deyzea ways was prone to em from the fuss creedah law ain't folks law know how you can fix it aqua remus went on with the unction of a country preacher there was old brough fox with his pullets and his puddle duck you don't got the idea that bruh rabbit done wrong when he worked his head and he work his head

hands for to get hold on him. But let me ask you, Disk, where did Brough Fox get him? He ain't got him at home, because he was totting them dar when we first run across him. He ain't get him in the woods, because pullets and puddle ducks ain't grow on trees, and if there is, Brough Fox can't climb no higher than he can jump. Now, you could put it down and carry four, that where some ever Brough Fox lay hands on him, he ain't by'em, and need was they gun to him. That much you don't have to guess at, you just nose it by your nose and your two big toes.

Let alone that, the pullets and the puddle duck might not have belonged to the one what brofox took them from, and I bound you dat to take a mighty long time for the hunt up and search out the nicknames and the petty gris, all them what had em foe, bro, rabbit dropped them off in his ration-bag. Uncle Remus paused to take note of the direction of the wind and the appearance of the sky. Then he sighed and closed his eyes. After a while the spirit seemed to move him, and he straightened himself on the workbench and exchanged the somewhat uncomfortable seat for a chair.

"'I'm might a glad you spoken up and say what you did, honey,' he remarked. "'Cause a little mo' and out of up and a world in, and told you the turtaparte of that tail by bruh rabbit and the pullets and the puddle duck. I sure would. And then you'd have felt so mighty sorry about the way the creeders look at things that you'd have went behind the smokehouse and a boo-hooed, just like your gizzard was going to break in two. The little boy gave the old negro a quick glance of reproach.

Why Uncle Remus, he exclaimed, I thought you always finished a story when you begun it. You said so yourself. In spite of a desire to treat the child seriously, Uncle Remus grinned broadly. The way I look at it, honey, you had to harness two horses one at a time, less than you got a man for to help you. And when you're telling a two-horse tail, you had to tell them one at a time. If I was to try for to tell them both at once, you'd have run to the house and tell your granny that old man Remus had done gone and got rid of his seven senses, and was trying, but to give you a good strong doza

Chinese, and when you done that, Miss Sally's show would preach my funeral march. I wasn't born yesterday, and I take notice that your daddy ain't got the double-barrow gun, and that Miss Sally don't have but one horse for the Hall of Hutter Church Sundays. that our double buggy that your daddy used to drive up darned atlante would look mighty funny if it had more than one horse hitched to it lorzy yes everything is more laimer now than what it used to be and i bet you right now that if the truth was known we are standing on our heads the little boy was obliged to laugh at this whimsical explanation and this gave uncle remus as much pleasure as the stories the child. If you wit your thumb and turned back in your mind, don't be hard for you to recommend that brough fox told brer rabbit that if he can get them two fine fat pullets from his old woman, he's mowed and welcome for to get him. But when brough fox say that,

the pullets was hanging up the brer rabbit house. He done got him with that piece of paper what he took and show old Miss Fox. That what made him laugh so long. That what made him laugh so wild and so long well sir at a bruh rabbit get done laughing he mowsed off home while his wife and children live at and brough fox he went on towards his house where his old woman live at if he'd a had his eyes shut he'd a knowed when he got dar cause old miss fox was standing in the door waiting for him she gunned the jaw out of long for he got in listen distance and you mighta hear her a mile when he got where he knowed which she was saying he ain't say nothin he doth ambalong twill he come to the do by that time old miss fox was so mad that she can't say nothin and do justice to herself so she dust stand dire and make motions with the broom what she had in her hand brough fox he wiped the purse sweat off in his face and eyes and say it seems like to me that i hear you talking to some one just now what was you saying sugar honey soon as she can catch her breath she loud i'll sugar you i'll honey you what make you fetch villas home if you gwine to send em off again what you want to put yourself to the trouble a total it to this house when you know you're going to give it away just as soon as you turn your back on the place.

And what business you got sending old Miss Rabbit the two fine fat pullets what you brung home, when they made me dribble at the mouth the first time I seen them, and I ain't more than seen them, for here comes old bro rabbit a bowing and a scraping, and a sipering and a sniggering, and he now that you done sent him for the pullets. if it had to dust'en his own known cecil he'd a ne'n't ne'n got dem pullets in the round world i'd a gouged out his goosele first but here he come with a letter what you writ though you know good an well that when it comes to writ i don't know b'n't b'n't bo'n'n bo'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'n'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' pie don't know that much. Old Miss Fox, she lous she did that dumpling pie ate chicken pie, and then she railed Pro Fox, how come you giving pullers to Oprah Rabbit and his family when your own

chilling twixt your laziness and the hard times is going round here so gut that they can't make a shatter in the moonshine? You know mighter well, none better, that we ain't never as-nabbered with that kind of trash, and I don't know what done come over you that you are taking vittles out in your own chilling's mouth and feeding that rabbed brood. Brough fox vow would declare he ain't done no such of a thing, and his old woman vowed declared that he is, and she shaped the broom so close under his nose that he had a sneeze. Then he loughed, does you mean for the stand-dard, flat-footed and right for my face and eyes,

And where your old chilling can hear you, that you took and give bruh rabbit, them are fine fat pullers what I brung home? Do you mean for tell me that? She say, if I done it, I done it because you wricked me a pistol and tell me for to do it. Brough Fox, lough, is you got the imprudence to tell me that just because Brow rabbit had you a piece of paper with something or other marked on it, you ain't got nothin better to do than to up an git him to fine fat pullets what i brung for to make some chicken pie this make old miss fox so mad that she can't see straight and when she gets so she can talk plain she vow she'd want to hurt bruh rabbit if it took a lifetime fur to do it and there was brou fox just as mad if not madder they both sot down and gripped their tushes and mumble and growl like they talking to de self. Brough rabbit wasn't so mighty fur off,

and he laughed and laughed, well he can't laugh no more. But whilst he's laughing, he laughed too loud, and brough fox hear him. He said to his old woman, I'm going to get some rabbit meat for the make-up for the chickens what you don't give weight. You be sweeping here in front of the door,

and I'll slip round about, and come up on him when he ain't thinking about it and whilst you sweeping make out you talking to me like i'm in the house so said so done miss fox she's sweep and sweeping while she's sweeping she make out she talking to pro fox whilst he in the house she say you better come out there and go about your business if you got any here i'm constant agwine for morning till night and you, Dyer is a lounging round, waiting for Brubbid for the play tricks on you. You better come on our dar, and find something order to eat for your family. That's the way she talked, while she was pretending to sweep, and just about that time.

Up come old Brow Rabbit with a mildly polite bow. He took off his hat he did. Good evening, this evening, Miss Fox. I hope I see you well, ma'am. Miss Fox, loud as she ain't as pert as she lends. look to be, and molding that, her old man laying in the house right now with a mighty bad

case of the influenza ways. Bro Rabbit say he might as saw it, but it's what we all got to look out for, because Zee's in trouble and one thing or another is all the time making the rounds of the places where our folks live at. Then, old bro rabbit

kind of hole his head on one side and sort of smile. He up and acts he did. Miss Fox. How you like that cut of calico? What king line sent you for to make a frock out'n? A reason I asked I'm a gwine to see him this evening, and I most know that he'll ask me if you like the pattern.

Miss Fox, lean her broom again to house, and put her hands on her hips, and make brough rabbit say over what he done told her. Well, well, well, says old Miss Fox, says she. The king'saunt me a calico frock, and i ain't never laid eyes on it if dat don't beat my time bruh rabbit he put his hand over his mouth and cough sort o's soft he low he did you ha'n't a-scus me ma'am says he i'm a feared i done gone an said somethin that i oughtn't to say when i knows what i'm a-doin i never likes for to come twi'n twi'n'n'n' wife if i can help myself no ma'am not me yet br'r fox is right dar'r in the house and you can ask him if you don't don't believe me. For one long minute, Miss Fox was so mad that she had a wait

till she caught her breath, fo' she can say a word. Lots of women would have stood up, dar, and squealed, but Miss Fox, she held her breath. Quick as she can, she holler out. No, he ain't in the house. He's out young trying for the slip up on you about them pullets. I'm glad you got that ID, says Brubbid, says he, because it's a liable for the down to trouble. If you was a man, Miss Fox, says he, you might get the idea that he seed me coming and was high now, cause he feared I'd ask you about the frock what the king saw on you. It sure was a mighty pretty piece of calico, and if I'd know then what I'd know now, I'd got it from Brother Fox and get it to my old woman, I sure would. With that,

brough rabbit make his bow and lied out from dar and he warn't none too soon nutter cause he ain't mow'd got in the bushes where he can hide himself for he come old brough fox he look all round but he ain't see nobody but his old woman cause brer rabbit done gone along brough fox says he where's the trifling scoundrel i see em standing right here where is he gone o miss fox she up with the broom and hit him a biff side the head that come mighty nigh knocking him into one of them ginning counties that's where he is says she and she fetched your old man a whack cross the backbone that sound like old miss jenkins a beating that old rag carpet by hitting it agin't the fence old brough fox took a notion that he been struck by lightning he fell down and rolled over and by the time that old miss fox had mightn't now worn the broom out he found out what was happening he hudder out why laws amassy honey what the matter with you what you biffin me for a-a-rabbit ow please honey don't bang me so hard i ain't goin to do it no more oh miss fox says says she ay You owns up, does you, you ain't gonna do it no more, ain't you? Now where my fine calico frock what the king saunt me? And all the time she was talking, she was whipping him up with the broom.

Ma'n, the way she beat that creed was a star natural scandal. Well, when Brough Fox got out and reached and she kind of cooled down, she up and told him about the calico-frock what king line had saunter, and she asked him, what the name of good to do you. is he done with it, and if he ain't brought it home, unbeknownst to her, who in the dashes and the dickenses is he geared to? He vowed he ain't seen no calico frock, and she loud that he done say, while she was a biffin' him, that he ain't goin do it no more. Brother Fox say he ain't know what she was beating him for, and he was most pleased to promise not to do it no more, because she was hurting him so bad. They put their heads together, they.

did, and Colog and Confab about how they goin to get even with Brubb, because the king ain't saunt no fine calico frock, and neither is they got the two fat pullets. There they was, no frock, no pullets, and Brub rabbit still cutting up his capers and playing the pranks on everything and everybody. They say they was going to catch him if it killed every cow in the island, with a couple a steer's trod in for good measure. They was going to hide close to the places where he had to pass by.

They was going to do this, and they was going to do that. But what some ever they'd done, they was going to catch up with Brub. Now then, it takes two to make a barking, and one mo for the sea that has done all right. Brer Rabbit, he know mighter well, none better, all de guines on in that part of the country,

and he make his rangements carton. He'd been used to keeping his eyeballs scunt when all his peace, but when there was any trouble ahead, he was so nervous that he'd kick out with his behind foot if a weed tickled him. When it comes down to plain nervousness, he can't be beat. Brough fox can't make a move but what Brough Rabbit would know about it. He'd know when he went out and when he went in, and he keeps such a close watch on him that was either.

about all he can do for to keep brou fox from catching him. At a so long a timer, Brow Rabbit got tired of lead in this kind of life. He could have put up with it maybe a fortnight, but when they run over that, he'd go plumbedide, Brow Rabbit did. Yet it looked like that luck was constant of running his way, because he ain't been dodging around in the bushes, trying for to keep out in Brough Fox's way.

He ain't been doing this more than a week, when there comes word from old king line for the go and see him. It seems like the place where he stuck the briar in his hand was killed up too quick and had done turned into a bile, a great biggin, and it got so that the king had to walk the flow all night, just like y'all pappy do when he had the two-fake. Well, bror rabbit ain't no sooner get the word than he run right straight to the place where they done the king in at, and tain't take him long,

neither, cause I let you know, honey, when bro Rabbit take a notion for the go anywhere right quick, he just picks up the miles with his feet and drops him off again, just like a dog shed fleas. He got thar, he did, and when he see how bad the bile was, he kind of shook his head and rub his nose, just like the show of doctors does. He asks him, why didn't they tell him about this when the bile gunned to show, and they say they've been hunting for him high and low, and they can't find him nowhere, no how. Brough Rabbit put on his specks in law, tut, tut, tut, if this ain't too bad.

I'm fear there ain't but one cure for a place like this. I hate mightily to be the occasion of any trouble, but it look like I'm just the pleased. Kingline kind of flinch and frown when he heard this, but Brough Rabbit say that the trouble ain't for him, but for one of his old-time quaintance. If you wasn't the king, he said to the line, I does let you go on and suffer, but being what you is, I'm pleased to pull old friendship up by the roots.

If you want to get well, you does have to rob your hand up in a fox hide. Not only that, but the hide must be so fresh that it's warm. Denver Rabbit make out he bout to cry. He lough, I can't bar to tell my own. friend good-bye, because we done had so many a night together, up and down and round the world. The sooner you gets Broufax here, the better, but I'll have to ask you for to let me out the

back way, and I'll go off summers in the woods and wonder at the flight of time and the changes that the years is brung. Then he bowed to King Line, he said, the next time I see you, your hand will be well, but war will Brough Fox be. The king, he said, wow. send you to caucus, but bro-rabbit say, No, please don't, because I couldn't bar to look at it. Just send it to Miss Fox.

It might be some sort of comfort to dat pole creeder. End of How Brother Rabbit Brought Family Trouble on Brother Fox. Chapter 6 of Uncle Remus returns by Joel Chandler Harris. This Lieber Vox recording is in the public domain. Recording by Phil Chenevere, The Most Beautiful Bird in Thurr, the most beautiful bird in the world. Uncle Remus and the little boy were returning from a long and leisurely walk in the woods. They had had a pretty good time, all things considered,

and the old man was in high good humor. The little boy had an idea that the walk had been undertaken solely for his pleasure, and Okolemus allowed him to think so, but the truth was that it had a purpose behind it. the old negro wanted to locate some wild hogs that had long been devastating the growing stuff on the plantation the wild hogs gave him no trouble until they began to destroy stuff that he himself had planted watermelons and sugar-cane and he argued from this that they were growing boulder and that they would have to be captured so on this particular day he had set out to find where they had their headquarters and he was successful the next thing would be to take the dogs and capture them one by one, taking care not to disturb the hogs that came up to be fed every evening when the hog feeder began to call.

The two companions, the old man and the little lad, had started out immediately after dinner, and dusk was falling when they returned. But neither one was weary. They had gone leisurely along, stopping occasionally to talk about the interesting things they saw, and resuming their walk whenever Uncle Remus thought the child had rested long enough. The squirrels ran noisily over the leaves that winter had flung on the ground and went home by jumping from tree to tree. Birds that the city-raised child had never seen before

flitted in the bushes or went hopping or running on the ground. The little boy was interested in all of them, but the Jory seemed especially to attract his attention, and he was for stopping whenever he heard a scratching in the dead leaves and trash. The Joe Rhee is a very lonely bird, and you would judge that it was mortally afraid of man, but it is not so shy as its habits would lead you to believe. It is not for flying away every time it hears a noise, but will continue scratching for its food in the fence corners and under the bushes,

until the observer ventures too close, and then, with a cheery little trill, it will fly away. In its coat of black and brown and white, it is a very pretty bird. Its markings are peculiar, but nature has laid them on so that they harmonize effectively with its surroundings in wood and swamp. The enthusiasm of the little boy was such that Uncle Remus felt obliged to clip its wings. This he endeavored to do, not by arguing or disputing, but in a way quite characteristic. The little boy had said over and over again that the jewelry with its comical hop back and forth, as it stirred up the leaves and trash, and its peculiar coloring, was the funniest as well as the most

beautiful bird he had ever seen. That'd be in the case, remarked Uncle Remus with a judicial air. You ain't never seen the Baltimore bird. Oh, yes, said the child. Don't you know you showed me the hanging nest and told me it was the Baltimore bird? Grandmother said it is the Oriole. She do, do she? Well, if she says so, I expect it so, but you ain't going to catch me twisting my tongue round for the talk.

That kind of outlandish talk, not me. And I know this, that if anybody don't want to call that bird the Baltimore bird, they don't had her. I've been calling it that a mighty long time. and you take one year with another, and if it's ye ever farted the bird in the bed, look, I ain't never year telling it. I ain't gone dispute with you, honey, but the jewelry in his place and where he belong at, they ain't no better than no putty a bird. But when it comes to say him that he's the prettiest to all the birds,

why that's the way the lawyers talk when they are jowling in the courthouse. When it comes to the prettiest bird of all the birds, she done gone away too, long ago to talk about and nobody can't find her. She want the prettiest bird just cause someone says so, not her, no son. She was put her cause all the other birds says so. They done sighted, they done greed to it, and you can't rub it out. They ain't want to say so, but they bleeds to do it. They want no getting round it. One bird ain't like the idea saying that any other bird is prettier than what she is, but they bleeds to do it, out of they seen what they see'd.

I ain't never see this pretty bird myself,' the old man went on, and the next man you ask will tell you the same, but I done here tell him if he was him. Time and again, I hear folks tell the tale some one way and some an'n'n'n'n, but it all come to the same thing in the end. Dyer was the tale. But what about the bird? the little boy asked.

Shugs, honey, ain't I dust a telling you that wasn't just a plain bird? You can say that about all of them, but this'n, which she was the prettiest bird on the face of the earth. I'm kind of rattled

about the entitlements of this bird because it seemed like that them what fuss gun to tell the tail kind of got the name mixed up with their own foolishness. Some call him the coogly bird, some call him the cow-cow bird, and some call em the coo-bird some say twas a lady bird and then again some say twas a jimmin bird by good rites she oughta been a lady bird from the fush she kicked up an abound she was it's just like i tell you about the name

yet call'er what you please and when you please she ain't goin to come for y'all calling she'd a come long ago we're callin wid a-forter cause from dat time to dis some o the other birds been hollin an they been calling us since the day dat all the birds had the semblement just like the white folks an niggas too for that matter when they want a up an outer man what ain't been doin doin the round world but gettin peatin't goin ter'n't doin doin ter'n't been doin nothin in the round world but gettin pe'n't pay for sitting round doing nothing. Don't you mean a convention, Uncle Remus? inquired the land. Papa's gone to Atlanta to attend a convention. That's exactly what I mean, honey, excepting that your daddy ought to be right here now with his mom.

But that's neither here in the dark, as the man says about to flee what he ain't caught. Way back yonder when the clouds was thicker than what they is now, and when the sun ain't had to go to bed at night to keep from being, tarred the next day the time come when the creedars fur and feather ain't had much to do most specially the birds they flew round they did and fed together without fighting and made the houses in the trees and on the ground and they was all just as sociable as you please but at a while they ain't had much to do and when that time come they got the wrangling and sputin just like folks

us now. One had sail up and say, howdy, and the other refused to spawn, and there they had it. While the gentleman birds was going on this way, the lady birds was just as busy. They sputed about their feathers and about their looks, till it seemed like they was going to be show enough while, because the most of them had bills and claws. At a while, they find that this kind of doings ain't going to pay, and so they bowed a-and-a-law. And so they bowed. to one another mighty polite and make out they gwine on about their business well they played like they was mighty busy but they soon got tired of this and they say to their cells that they die ifin they didn't run around and have a chat with the neighbors and here they went axing the news and telling that what ain't news one say she heard that miss redbird up and loud that she the prettiest of all the birds and darry's the darry's dey and darry's to all the birds and darry's they had it squalling chattering and squealing the word went round and when he come back to whar it started it ain't look like t'n't twas m'n twas miss bluebird twas miss jbird twas miss t'was miss t'her it seem like that every one of em think that she the prettiest well sir desput got so hot that they had to be something done they wa'n no two ways about that miss ren and miss bluebird and miss robin put the their heads together and acts how they goin to stop the spute.

Now one of them penned on their good looks, but their havesiness was of the best, and they wanted to stop the jowering. They study and they study, they talk and they talk, but they ain't hit on nothing. Little Miss Wren was the spriest, and she had a slice of temper with salt and pepper on it.

They talk so fast, and they talk so long. that she was scared she might get sort of sassy and she up and say ladies let me make a move and motion let's pocastinate this session of our confab cause some of us mott say something that the utters won't like the sun yen't low anyhow let's put off our colloquine twelf tomorrow we'll go home and ask our old men what they think and they'll tell us what they can you know how men folks do does, they knows everything, exceptin that they does know and that they don't forgot. They'll tell us, and when we go to bed, we can dream on it. Miss Bluebird and Miss Robin loud that this the smartest thing they ever is heard, and they agreed to what little Miss Wren say. They put on their things and marched off home for the feed the chilling and put them to bed.

Bright and yurred the next morning, they met at the same place, and out of they got over the giggling and how they doing, they start up the confab where they left off. Miss Robin says she can't think of a blessed thing. She say that when she asked her old man about it, he up and loud that she better join him in hunting bugs for the children for the playwits that are gadding from post to pillar, and the others raise their wings and say, well, well, and who to thunk it? miss bluebird loud that when she asks her old man bout it he say she better stay at home stead o'n round spreading scandalishness through the neighborhood miss wren kind of hung to her head like she shamed for the tell about her spirits

she say that her old man was monstrous sassy twill she told him that if he wanted to change his boarding-house he was mowed and welcome with that he whirled and a-wrecked and a-wrecked and welcome with that he whirled an asked her why in the name of goodness don't she sway them for to have a big simile of all the lady birds at some place or another where they'll have plenty of room where they can all march round and let somebody pick out the prettiest in the whole crowd and then when dat's done all the balance of em must be put under the necessity of grin to what the picker picks if he say the all is the prettiest then all the other birds got to say so too if he say the buzzard is the pious dat's the way it got to be la me says miss robin did you ever hear dee miss bluebird la now ain't that d'est like a man you may not believe it but the three took up with the idea and when they talked it over with the balance of the lady birds all um say it's just fine and they took up with it quicker than a cat can smell a mackerel laying on the shelf The funny thing about the whole business was that they had to have two semblements. That certainly was funny, said the little boy so seriously, that Uncle Remus closed his eyes and sighed. He never could reconcile himself to the fact that the little child could be almost as old-fashioned as a grown person.

Yes, sir, the old man continued. They had two semblements. The agreement was that all the ladybirds are all kinds in color, was to be there, and all was to march by the place where the one they had chosen for the pick-out-the-puttiest was to be setting at. The one day chosen was old brer rabbit, so that the saying might come true. When you chosen a creeter, just shunned the bird-eater. In them days, the doctor don told bror rabbit that the best eaten for him was hunter and clonner, and clonald, and swede barley and he was sticking to that kind o-doin's when the time come for the first semblman brough rabbit was right on the spot with a fresh plug of the backer and a pocketful of honey-bee clover the birds all come just like they say they would and when some ud unmoching the bird rabbit for to say the word they gunn't a march round and round one by one and two by two they ain't been marching long foe brer rabbit shook his head and sot down again la bro rabbit they say what the matter we are all here whyn't you pick out the prettiest we ain't goin to peck your eyes out i don't know so well about dat says old bro rabbit says he

you say you are all here but if i got my two eyes you ain't all here no ladies you had excused me and with dat he ris up he did and make such a nice bow that that old miss swamp ow's mouth gunned to water they say lousy mussy who's missing brer rabbit he lout well miss cuckoo bird i put on my specs but i can't see her is she round here any whars they looked all round in the corners and under the bushes where anybody might hide but they ain't find the cuckoo bird and a mighty good reason cause she wouldn't die let em hunt where they would and sort where they might. Denver rabid up and loud, ladies, all, we pleased to poll-castinate this year's semblement and put it off

till you can send word to the cuckoo-bird, because you can't do nothing for all without her. She got to be in, or she won't bide by the choosement. You displeased to get her in here if you want to stop disputing. They ain't no two ways by that. Then they all gunned to look at one another

and giggle and make a great, admiration about how sharp bird rabbit was. Some say that they don't think that the cuckoo bird is worth fooling with, because she ain't no great shakes know how. But they pleased to have her in the crowd when the dissemblement symbols, because there ain't no other way for to stop the chowering. All the birds was pleased to be there. Well, time went on just like it do now, and if there was any difference, mealtime came a right smart sooner than than it do now, and Now, in during the time, twixt the assemblement what had to be called off, and the next one that was to come, the ladybirds had a scrumptious time. They went calling on their neighbors and them that they ain't fine at home, they'd hunt up.

There was more back-bottin than you could shake a stick at, and the chatter went on so long and so loud that you couldn't hear your own years. Miss P. Fowl called on Brer Rabbit and asked how she was going to come out in the parade, and Brer Rabbit say that she'd have a mighty good chance if t'wasn't for her footsers and her skinny legs. He allowed that if she come dar with them, she won't have no show at all, and there they had it up and down, and twas the same with all of them. They tried for to make old Brer Rabbit, which he was going for to be the judge, Look at them to their own eyes. While all this was going on, they was hunting up the cuckoo bird, and at a so long a time,

they found her right where they might have found her at first, staying at home and looking at her the housekeeping. But twas a mighty queer thing about the cuckoo bird. She ain't got a rag of clothes to her back. Where the fellas oughta been, there wasn't nothing but a little bit of downy fuzz. When they find her, they say, Why ain't you come to the symbolment, where they want to choose in the prettiest of all the bird tribe?

She'll, l'la, I got something else to do, sides trying to find out who the puttiest, and more than that how I going to come when I ain't got no clothes to are. No, ma'am, you had excusing me. Go on and parade your bull-y-forward, and I'll parade at home. Then they try to tell her that they pleased to have her dar, so they'll all be satif. but she shook her head and went on cleaning her house. They swayed and they swayed and by and by, she say that if they'll loan her some clothes among them, she'll go.

If they don't, well and good she won't budge a step, and so dar twas. Well, all the other birds kind of collieged together, and they say they better loan her some clothes. They went round and got a fetter from every bird, and from some of them too. Oh, Miss Ostrich, no, she ain't stand no chance in the parade with her bony neck and long legs,

and she sought the Cuckoo Bird a bunch of the prettiest feathers you ever is laid eyes on. When the time come for the assemblement, Miss Cuckoo was dar and dressed up fit to kill, and when they all gone to march, she was at the head of the crowd and stepped long as gaily as you please, well there wasn't no two ways bout it miss cuckoo was way yonder the prettiest of the whole gang the way she look the way she walk the way she hold herself the way she bow and salute em all everything put her in the front place brough rapid stood up he did and waved his hand and they all stop still then he say that there ain't no doubt and no suspicions but what miss cuckoo bird

was the prettiest of all the birds, and they all agree with him. Then they was to have a dance, but for the music struck up, Miss Cuckoo say they must please excusing her, and with that she slipped into the bushes and was gone, done gone, gone for good, and there ain't nobody seed her from that day till this, less'n maybe old brer rabbit, and he ain't telling nobody about it. the other birds hunt for her but they can't find her and they're hunting plum twill yet hunting evra warin as de hunt they do say that when the big owlas he ain't asking who cooks for you he's saying coo coo coo coo where you at and the turtle dove hollers coo coo coo coo coo coo coo coo coo and ein down to the rooster calling out four day and all true tonight, please fetch my feather back, and so dar you is.

Cuckoo bird done flude away, and all the other birds hunting for him, and they tells me, remarked Uncle Remus after a pause, that when folks think the birds is picking their cells and straightening out their feathers, they ain't doing nothing in the round world, but seeing if they won what they loaned the cuckoo bird is done grow back. the little boy made no comment but seemed to be waiting for the story to end the old negro threw back his head and in a sing-song tone made this announcement jiggerig and jigmerie that's all the tale that was told to me end of the most beautiful bird in the world chapter seven of uncle ramos returns by joel chandler harris this labor box recording is in the public domain recording by Phil Chenevere.

Uncle Remus falls a victim to the mumps. During the recent bad spell of weather, Uncle Remus had been missing, but everybody about the Constitution office had concluded that his absence was due to a frequently expressed intention to take better care of himself hereafter. Yesterday, however, the well-known thump of his walking cane was heard upon the stair, and the young men in the editorial room haste. adopted a plan suggested by the agricultural editor to pretend that they had entirely forgotten the old man.

When he opened the door, therefore, everybody was busily engaged in reading or writing. The office boy, however, who seemed to be oblivious to all schemes of amusement, save those which culminate in a past to a menstrual entertainment, frustrated the plan by exclaiming as the colored sage entered, "'Goodness! Look at Uncle Remus!' The old man's head was enveloped in several folds of red flannel. A huge woollen comforter was wrapped around his neck, and the expansive collar of his overcoat was turned up and closely buttoned.

His appearance was a sufficient excuse for the exclamation of the boy. As a usual thing, when Uncle Remus comes in, there is an air of conciliation about him quite impossible to define. but yesterday he appeared to be indignant as well as disgusted. The young men attacked him with a running fire of raillery, but he scorned to make reply. Finally, the agricultural editor, who had been composing a paragraph about flowers, turned around and remarked,

Well, how are you? What have you been up to now? Hush! exclaimed another of the young men in a loud whisper. Don't trouble him. Wait until he gets sober. "'Surely it ain't come down to that pass,' said Uncle Remus, moving his feet uneasily. "'That our crippled nigger like me can't creep up here and squat down for the fire to get the frost off in his hands. Let's see up and make a speech.' "'Oh, you be fiddled,' flung out the agricultural editor, somewhat testily. "'Can't anybody inquire about your health?'

"'Was you asking about my health, boss?' replied Uncle Remus, relaxing a little. "'Cause if you was, then I ain't got none. You all young men's just better dip the ends of your finger in the paste pot, and go on with your editor works, telling folks the news. You ain't got no time for to be fooling long a no old nigger like me.' Uncle Remus had no idea that he was hurling a gall-tipped javelin into the editorial camp, but the evident discomfiture of the young men caused him to thaw out a little, and he even went so far as to give vent to a half-smothered chuckle.

What has been the matter with you, the agricultural editor asked. I'm going to tell you the naked truth, boss, said the old man with a sigh that ended in a deep groan. I've been sick. I've been mighty sick. I just remembered the time when I've been any more sicker than what I've been enduring this past month. Hit done got so now. Uncle Remus went on,

That no epidemic don't strike the town, That it don't light rot spraying bang on to me, And trample me down. Year two gone by, it was the measles. And now, bless gracious, hits the mumps. This announcement was the signal for a chorus of derisive laughter from the young men. But Uncle Remus, having become good-humored, was undisturbed. He rubbed his hands together and gazed into the grate with a critical

expression that seemed to linger somewhere very near the edge of melancholy. It's just like I tell you, he continued after a while. A little while ago the measles and now the mumps. Next time you hear for me, I'll be breaking out with the rash and then out of that, I'll have to get in winter quarters and cut some new tuffies. When a nigger done stand flat-footed and seed now on to eighty-year-go-by, but get struckin' with the mumps, then hit dun got time for the lay and doctor truck by the carload. Ain't you never been caught you up with the mumps, boss?

Not that I know of, respond to the agricultural editor, in a matter of fact way. How do they break out? Well, then, if you ain't never had them, boss, you don't want to be brushing up gen me, cause these you can what struck in me? They're audacious mumps. They're scandalous mumps. They're scandalous mumps. Ah, yeah, talk, that some folks ain't have no more than one month,

but these year what I got, they twinses, and they catch hold to me like they done practice on some y'other nigger that got more strength than what I is. You see me sit in here now, but if you'd see me last Tuesday was a week, you'd a hilt up your hands and asked if that was the same Rimas. They sort of swunk up and, and swag down now, continued the old man, feeling his jaws suspiciously, but the tracks is dar yet.

How do they come? It is about the time that the first snow what we had, and I was eating my dinner what Miss Sally done put up where the other niggas can't get it, when I, yeah, I'm holler from the dining-room for me to make haste dar and clean up the snow what done pile up on the front steps. That make me work my jaws more lively, and right then and be done, and ve'n't. dar something looked like it hurted me in the neighborhoods of the burr of the year up dar where the jaw-bone hinge at and i say to myself i bound i done goin and caught you up with the uralgi from mars john which minutes the time i year him marching up and down the flow like he drilling the old company o men's first my jaw hurted and then again it ain't and at a-a-a-a-done lick up the victors i goes and i shovels off to snow and then i hustles into the fire and whilst i was sittin dar toastin my shins

i puts my hind-dair behind my ear and she feels so tender it make me flinch this was the beginnings next morning when i goes to get up look like days a-crick in my neck and i feel o my jaw and bless you yo soul there was a lump growing in dar twixt the bone and the grizzle most big as a skelly bog that sort of scared me cause hit look like one o dey dey's yer widening winds done goin to house-keeping long with me but i ain't sayin nothin and the next morning there was another one sprouting in the tutter jaw this year sort o't o't o't o'tin't ee an right out o'-breakfast o'-g'n i goes an a laze de case foe miss sally here uncle remus paused reflected a moment laughed loudly and continued in a tone of undisguised admiration that woman if she ain't the outdoin'est white woman twixt dis and the united state then i'm ain't name remus i went in dar an i tell miss sally about dem winds and she drop o's sewing and rustle past me and then i year in the pantry then she rustled back and she shut the dough and stand up gin it and then she took a knife and gunned to peel a great big yowl lemon then i stand in dar she's stand and dar she's stand. She peel, and I'll look at her. She peel and I look at her. At her she done peel it, she took and turned it round, and round and look at it. And then, what in the name of goodness you spect that white woman do? Just as surely as I'm sitting here, Miss Salad took and cut a

great big slice off in that lemon, and put it in her mouth, and boss, right dars where I caved. The peeling I could stand, but when I saw her, see Miss Sally put that slice of lemon in her mouth, and when I hear her chomp down on it, it looked like to me that my jawed drop off spite of all I could do. Miss Sally, she ain't bad her eye, but I stood there I did, and slobbered at the mouth, same as one of these mules what been eating ratweed, and then on top of that, when it seemed like she done with her pranking, out she go, she do, and yeah she come with one of these, She's your great long cowcumber pickle, and she charred that up, and then she'll wipe her hands on her apron, and she ups and say, says she,

Why, you old Haitian, you got the mumps, says she. And then she tells me that if I don't get in my own house and stay darn, she'll have me slap in the calaboose. And then she shove her hand in her apron pocket, and I knows when she do that, she's talking with the bark on. i raise miss sally from a gal concluded uncle remus but if she don't bang my time then i done lost my way end of uncle remus falls victim to the mumps Chapter 8 of Uncle Remus Returns by Joel Chandler Harris. This LibraVox recording is in the public domain, recording by Phil Schenever. Uncle Remus's Views on Church Collections The Reverend James Henry preaches to a large-colored congregation in Atlanta,

and he is not only respected by his own race but by the whites as well. He is energetic, persistent, and devout, and in the midst of it all, he manages to keep an eye on Uncle Remus, in whose spiritual welfare he manifests great interest. Uncle Remus is many years older than the Reverend James Henry, and his attitude toward the preacher is one of paternal respect. The old man, however, is accustomed to listen to the lectures of his young friend with an air of listless and patient indifference, which, when Uncle Remus's restless and fiery disposition is taken into consideration, is the next thing that, to dramatic art of a very high order, if dramatic art lies anywhere in the neighborhood

of simulation. Recently the two met on a street corner. Brother James Henry was going forth upon a mission connected with the church, while Uncle Remus was gazing anxiously at the cloudy skies. "'Bless you, brother Remus!' exclaimed the preacher by way of salutation. "'How you come on this mighty long time?' "'Midlin, bruh, jimsonry. "'Das, middly.

"'I'm somewhere as twixt the pole-house and the doctor-shop, "'yet I'm glad from my heart that tain't no us. "'That's what I tells them all, Brother Remus. "'They ought to be thankful for what they've got. "'I hope soon to see you working in the vineyard, brother Remus. "'The harvest is waiting, and the labor few. "'That's so, bradjeems, Henry. "'I stands with you to our show.

"'But de most what this old cripple-nigger like me can do, dish kind of weather is to sit down and wait for watermelon time. All the same, brother Rimas, the master's work has got to be done. I ain't spooting that, brother James Henry, and I ain't going to spute it, because when I sees you parading round and promenading up and down with your standing color sticking up and your stove-pipe hat are shining and your black frock copper flopping, then it seems like to me I don't miss my calling. How's that, Brother Remus?

It's just this way, bro, James Henry. When my bag of meal run dry and my little rasha of bacon disappear from the cupboard, where I go on get any more sep'n't I sail out and scuffle round at of it. And yet, if I was stooping upwards in your shoes, bro, James Henry, there ain't can be much of a scuffle. How so, brother Remus? asked the preacher with an uneasy smile. monster's easy, bro James Henry, Monsters easy.

I'd tend to a speunt's meeting like tonight, and let drop a hint, and then I'd tend to pra meeting like a day out of tomorrow night, and let drop another hint. By Sunday meeting time, the scheme would be plumb ripe, and then I'd rise up and wrap the congregation to order and line out,

ye living men come view the ground, and uncover that, I'd send round the contribution, plate, and I'd bound you de next time folks come visiting round me. They'd be a bag of meal and a rasha of bacon and a jug of lassus in the cupboard. That day would, honey. You doing us both in justice when you talk in that style, brother Remus, said the preacher. To the contrary's of that, brachem, James Henry, responded Uncle Remus.

I ain't mixed both of us up in it. I'd just been telling you about the Pogrance what a no-count-old-n-n-nig. name Remus would have laid out, providing that his streak of luck, had a bend length and breath of urine. At this point, Brother James Henry concluded to change the subject. Well, I wish you'd come down to class meeting next Sunday, Brother Remus. A lady from Liberia is expecting to make a little talk. She's at my house now, and you might come down and get acquainted with her. Bless your soul, bruce James Henry. My woman in days is done gone. I seem to time, ain't been so mighty long ago now when i'd just jump at the chance for the call on dis yer lady and hit a dun yo heart good for to see me sidling rounder like blue pigeon on top o'-the-morn but dat time done pass and gone ain't dis yer lady continued the old man ain't dis yer lady got a scrip'n paper long widder i don't know if she ain't brother remus replied brother james henry after a pause ha he hae

Yeah, that what are allowed. She got a scription paper, and she hailed from some society in the way off y'an what nobody ain't never here talking, and she'll get up dar before you all with her bouquet and coffee weeds and pepper pods, and she'll notly entrance you with the niceness of that country, and then, lo and beholds, by and by, she'll out with that scription paper, and she'll up and say that, being as how them, folks cross there getting on my de Polly with the coffee weeds and the pepper pods, she hope and trust that everybody'll fling in something if tain't nothing but a trip.

And then brer Rassus will slap his hand to his jaw and raise the tune, and the money will rattle and jingle, and the next town what that lady's track, she'll hit it with a brand new bonnet. No use to tell me, bruh, jeans, Henry. I done Bendar. are. I done been season with him. Brother James Henry here consulted an immense silver watch while Uncle Remus went on. No, bruh, James Henry, if you see that lady and she acts out of me by name,

you up and tell her that a santa haughty, but don't go no further. Just take y'all stand upon that. Then, if she taken pressed question, take off your hat and tell her that while you was roaming round, you met up with an old nigger what got more gray hars than his money and dis old nigger he upin'-loud he did that if tain't no fudder from the meeting house to the chicken coop in dat liberia's country than what tis in this year united state o jaja then days lots trouble all round the world gear dat and let her go as the preacher smiling in spite of himself turned to go forth upon his mistress He was followed by the sonorous voice of Uncle Remus. Put my name in yo, projeems, Henry. End of Uncle Remus's views on church collections.

Chapter 9 of Uncle Remus returns by Joel Chandler Harris. This Libra-Box recording is in the public domain, recording by Phil Schenever. Uncle Remus's Political Theorys. This looks like spring, said one of the young men of the editorial staff as Uncle Remus ambled into the Constitution office with a basket of poke salad on his arm. The old man smiled a serious smile as he deposited his basket and his bundles on the floor. It's probably a glimpse, boss, but he'll make the old woman member that it's about time put a rustle round and look out of her collard patch.

Thereupon the old man sat down upon the coal-box, took off his hat, fished a bandana from its depths, and proceeded to mop his face. He was evidently, in a reflective mood. Finally he said, I yell Moss John reading to Miss Sally that they are kicking up a monstrous racket up during Congress, instead of being to home walking alongside their neighbors. It's the same old rumpus, ain't it, boss, that been going on ever since the farming days was over? Yes, exactly the same.

The old man chuckled complacently, shifted his feet around and went on, The nigger in the wood pile. They put him in dar, and now they don't know how to get him out. They flung the wood fuss on one side the fence, and then on the other, and then they hove it round the yard, but the nigger he in dar, and dar he want to stay. It's my ID that he ain't playing no favorites this season. Well, at any rate the Negroes are still in politics, one of the young men.

They might be, and then again they mottened, replied Uncle Remus. But they ain't a-voting with the looseness that they used to. They getting sort of stuck up about their privileges these niggas is. As for me, I done find out what my politics is, and I'm a sticking unto a same as a rusty-back lizard to the sunny side of the fence-reel. Well, how do you stand, Uncle Remus? You see, balls hit like this. A man, what I don't know from Adam's saddle-horse, come along and say,

Look, your old man, this year fights a fight where your interest is mixed up. It's your pounding duty to vote with the Republicans. Because the white folks will have you strung back up into slavery foe you can bat your eyes. That's what the man say. Then I asked Mars John how he make it all out, and Marsa John, he say, Remus, you villainous old sinner, there's the pot of greens and a pon the corn of cornbread out dar in the kitchen waiting for you. I ain't got no time to talk politics now. But bless your heart and soul, honey, there was more politics in that pot of greens and that I're poned a corned bread than what I ever is seed round the coat house when the niggas was rapping around, voting for folks what they ain't know, excepting long side and his sake.

It don't make no difference with me. Which a ways a man drops his arguments when he's browsing round on the edges? But when he get down to business, he just got to rub something under my nose what smells like Massa John's potter greens and Miss Salas Biledham. The argument, what got a smokehouse and a hot stove and the other in it, that argument will affect me. End of Uncle Remus's Political Theorys. Ten of Uncle Remus returns by Joel Chandler Harris.

This Libra Box recording is in the public domain, recording by Phil Chenevere. Uncle Remus discusses the true inwardness of the mule. "'Ah, yeah, Miss Sally reading this morning about a man what went and get his face smash with the mule,' said Uncle Remus to the agricultural editor. "'Ah, disremember's the name, but the paper say the mule come mighty nigh getting in his best licks.' "'Katal is the man's name,' he was told. "'That the identical name. "'I took and told Miss Sally then

"'that I suspect he was a white man. "'And a mule, "'something a nigger ain't got no business fooling longer, "'let alone a white man. "'White man can learn geography and arithmetic and all that, "'but ain't in the cost of nature "'for having to learn the mule. "'And it's mighty few niggers

"'that gets the mule by heart. "'On Master John's place and Putman's county. I plowed a gray mule might a nice sixth year, and at the very last minute, she reached out her left behind foot and picked the brass breast-pin off in my clothes, and yet I had my eye peeled for that mule in during the whole blessed time. It wasn't long out of that. I was sort of struck in with the ploycy, and the smart aleck nigger got hold of my mule. He put the gear on and lipped on the back for the rider to the new ground. Lease weighs dat what he loud,

and he didn't get out in the lot gate. Why not? What was the matter? asked the agricultural editor. You ask Mars John, and he'll tell you, that right then and dar, he loses a $700 nigger.

How was that? The exhibition was mighty private that there wasn't no great to do. It all took place just four day in the morning. The overseer, he was standing at the gate watching the hands pass, and he said he hear a little noise in the lot, what sound like somebody a scuffling and a scrambling? When he went for the zammin into the racket, he found the smart aleck what I was telling you about,

doubled up under the trough, all mixed up with the bridging, and the trace chains roped all around him. Where was the mule? Oh, the mule! That mule was fast asleep. She done gone and forget. get all about the musement. Peered like it might have happened a year before, for all she knowed about it. Was the colored man really dead? That would they say, and he ain't never sputed it yet, and that been nigh on to more than thirty year ago.

Don't tell me. I knows about these mules. White folks better keep out and they'll way, and if a nigger ain't mind-polied in his movements, they'll catch him. I talk in gospel now. End of. Uncle Remus discusses the true inwardness of the mule.

Chapter 11 of Uncle Remus returns by Joel Chandler Harris. This Libra Box recording is in the public domain. Recording by Phil Schenever. Uncle Remus talks of hard times and sunshine niggers. Uncle Remus and the old man Plato met recently at the Atlanta Passenger Depot and compared notes. This is my hard times, brother Remus. you're whooping now honey and they're gettin harder the man that gets a dollar these days is got the own limber hisself shows you bonn he got to get round same as if he was at the camp-meeting rassel that's what i calls knocking at the front doe said old uncle plato by way of expressing his hearty assent de time done come pro plato continued uncle rames when niggis ain't got nond advantage o poe white folks

some o'er my notices can sit in the sun and get fat but with me it's a scuffle and a scuffle from day's in to days in and i'm monstrous glad when night comes if i got a slice of bacon rind for de greys my stomach wit Some of these ye' niggers, brerrimus, what, stands around in sun's day self, looked like they got rich kin-folk summers. No use for to lose no sleep by them kin-folks, bro, Plato. If t'wasn't for these sunshine niggers, the chain gang wouldn't be able for the dig a post hole. It'd be mighty nigh as weak as the toddy what Mars John's fix for the baby. Niggers don't fatten on no sunshine.

And ye'er the hens cackling and a squalid, you can just put it down to that one of these, yeah, Sunshine Niggers is making his living, and if a policeman happened for the Sauta Up, there's another candidate for the chain gang. You're charing government to back in now, bro, Remus, responded Uncle Plato approvingly. End of Uncle Remus talks of hard times in Sunshine Niggers.

End of Uncle Remus returns.