Daddy Jack appeared to be quite a hundred years old, but he was probably not more than eighty. He was a little, dried-up old man, whose weazened, dwarfish6 appearance, while it was calculated to inspire awe7 in the minds of the superstitious8, was not without its pathetic suggestions. The child had been told that the old African was a wizard, a conjurer, and a snake-charmer; but he was not afraid, for, in any event,—conjuration, witchcraft9, or what not,—he was assured of the protection of Uncle Remus.
[113]As the little boy entered the cabin Uncle Remus smiled and nodded pleasantly, and made a place for him on a little stool upon which had been piled the odds10 and ends of work. Daddy Jack paid no attention to the child; his thoughts seemed to be elsewhere.
"Go en shake han's, honey, en tell Daddy Jack howdy. He lak good chilluns." Then to Daddy Jack: "Brer Jack, dish yer de chap w'at I bin5 tellin' you 'bout3."
The little boy did as he was bid, but Daddy Jack grunted12 ungraciously and made no response to the salutation. He was evidently not fond of children. Uncle Remus glanced curiously14 at the dwarfed15 and withered16 figure, and spoke17 a little more emphatically:—
"Brer Jack, ef you take good look at dis chap, I lay you'll see mo'n you speck18 ter see. You'll see sump'n' dat'll make you grunt11 wusser dan you grunted deze many long year. Go up dar, honey, whar Daddy Jack kin19 see you."
The child went shyly up to the old African and stood at his knee. The sorrows and perplexities of nearly a hundred years lay between them; and now, as always, the baffled eyes of age gazed into the Sphinx-like face of youth, as if by this means to unravel20 the mysteries of the past and solve the problems of the future.
Daddy Jack took the plump, rosy21 hands of the little boy in his black, withered ones, and gazed into his face so long and steadily22, and with such curious earnestness, that the child did n't know whether to laugh or cry. Presently the old African flung his hands to his head, and rocked his body from side to side, moaning and mumbling23, and talking to himself, while the tears ran down his face like rain.
"Ole Missy! Ole Missy! 'E come back! I bin shum dey-dey, I bin shum de night! I bin yeddy 'e v'ice, I bin yeddy de sign!"
"Ah-yi!" exclaimed Uncle Remus, into whose arms the little boy had fled; "I des know'd dat 'ud fetch 'im. Hit's bin manys [114]de long days sence Brer Jack seed Ole Miss, yit ef he ain't seed 'er dat whack24, den13 I ain't settin' yer."
After a while Daddy Jack ceased his rocking, and his moaning, and his crying, and sat gazing wistfully into the fireplace. Whatever he saw there fixed25 his attention, for Uncle Remus spoke to him several times without receiving a response. Presently, however, Daddy Jack exclaimed with characteristic but laughable irrelevance:—
"I no lakky dem gal26 wut is bin-a stan' pidjin-toe. Wun 'e fetch pail er water on 'e head, water churray, churray. I no lakky dem gal wut tie 'e wool up wit' string; mekky him stan' ugly fer true. I bin ahx da' 'Tildy gal fer marry me, un 'e no crack 'im bre't' fer mek answer 'cep' 'e bre'k out un lahf by me werry face. Da' gal do holler un lahf un stomp27 'e fut dey-dey, un dun I shum done gone pidjin-toe. Oona bin know da' 'Tildy gal?"
"I bin a-knowin' dat gal," said Uncle Remus, grimly regarding the old African; "I bin a-knowin' dat gal now gwine on sence she 'uz knee-high ter one er deze yer puddle-ducks; en I bin noticin' lately dat she mighty28 likely nigger."
"Enty!" exclaimed Daddy Jack, enthusiastically, "I did bin mek up ter da' lilly gal troo t'ick un t'in. I bin fetch 'im one fine 'possum, un mo' ez one, two, free peck-a taty, un bumbye I bin fetch 'im one bag pop-co'n. Wun I bin do dat, I is fley 'roun' da' lilly gal so long tam, un I yeddy 'im talk wit' turrer gal. 'E do say: 'Daddy Jack fine ole man fer true.' Dun I is bin talk: 'Oona no call-a me Daddy Jack wun dem preacher man come fer marry we.' Dun da' lilly gal t'row 'e head back; 'e squeal29 lak filly in canebrake."
The little boy understood this rapidly spoken lingo30 perfectly31 well, but he would have laughed anyhow, for there was more than a suggestion of the comic in the shrewd seriousness that seemed to focus itself in Daddy Jack's pinched and wrinkled face.
"She tuck de truck w'at you tuck'n fotch 'er," said Uncle [115]Remus, with the air of one carefully and deliberately32 laying the basis of a judicial33 opinion, "en den w'en you sail in en talk bizness, den she up en gun you de flat un 'er foot en de back un 'er han', en den, atter dat, she tuck'n laff en make spote un you."
"Well, den, Brer Jack, youer mighty ole, en yit hit seem lak youer mighty young; kaze a man w'at ain't got no mo' speunce wid wimmen folks dan w'at you is neenter creep 'roun' yer callin' deyse'f ole. Dem kinder folks ain't ole nuff, let 'lone36 bein' too ole. W'en de gal tuck'n laff, Brer Jack, w'at 'uz yo' nex' move?" demanded Uncle Remus, looking down upon the shrivelled old man with an air of superiority.
Daddy Jack shut his shrewd little eyes tightly and held them so, as if by that means to recall all the details of the flirtation37. Then he said:—
"Da' lilly gal is bin tek dem t'ing. 'E is bin say, 'T'anky, t'anky.' Him eaty da' 'possum, him eaty da' pop-co'n, him roas'n da' taty. 'E do say, 'T'anky, t'anky!' Wun I talk marry, 'e is bin ris 'e v'ice un squeal lak lilly pig stuck in 'e t'roat. 'E do holler: 'Hi, Daddy Jack! wut is noung gal gwan do wit' so ole man lak dis?' Un I is bin say: 'Wut noung gal gwan do wit' ole Chris'mus' cep' 'e do 'joy 'ese'f?' Un da' lil gal 'e do lahff un flut 'ese'f way fum dey-dey."
"I know'd a nigger one time," said Uncle Remus, after pondering a moment, "w'at tuck a notion dat he want a bait er 'simmons, en de mo' w'at de notion tuck 'im de mo' w'at he want um, en bimeby, hit look lak he des nat'ally erbleedz ter have um. He want de 'simmons, en dar dey is in de tree. He mouf water, en dar hang de 'simmons. Now, den, w'at do dat nigger do? W'en you en me en dish yer chile yer wants 'simmons, we goes out en shakes de tree, en ef deyer good en ripe, down dey comes, en ef deyer good en green, dar dey stays. But dish yer yuther nigger, [116]he too smart fer dat. He des tuck'n tuck he stan' und' de tree, en he open he mouf, he did, en wait fer de 'simmons fer ter drap in dar. Dey ain't none drap in yit," continued Uncle Remus, gently knocking the cold ashes out of his pipe; "en w'at's mo', dey ain't none gwine ter drap in dar. Dat des 'zackly de way wid Brer Jack yer, 'bout marryin'; he stan' dar, he do, en he hol' bofe han's wide open en he 'speck de gal gwine ter drap right spang in um. Man want gal, he des got ter grab 'er—dat's w'at. Dey may squall en dey may flutter, but flutter'n' en squallin' ain't done no damage yit ez I knows un, en 't ain't gwine ter. Young chaps kin make great 'miration 'bout gals38, but w'en dey gits ole ez I is, dey ull know dat folks is folks, en w'en it come ter bein' folks, de wimmen ain gut39 none de 'vantage er de men. Now dat's des de plain up en down tale I'm a-tellin' un you."
This deliverance from so respectable an authority seemed to please Daddy Jack immensely. He rubbed his withered hands together, smacked40 his lips and chuckled41. After a few restless movements he got up and went shuffling42 to the door, his quick, short steps causing Uncle Remus to remark:—
"De gal w'at git ole Brer Jack 'ull git a natchul pacer, sho'. He move mo' one-sideder dan ole Zip Coon, w'ich he rack up de branch all night long wid he nose p'int lak he gwine 'cross."
While the little boy was endeavoring to get Uncle Remus to explain the nature of Daddy Jack's grievances43, muffled44 laughter was heard outside, and almost immediately 'Tildy rushed in the door. 'Tildy flung herself upon the floor and rolled and laughed until, apparently45, she could laugh no more. Then she seemed to grow severely46 angry. She arose from the floor and flopped47 herself down in a chair, and glared at Uncle Remus with indignation in her eyes. As soon as she could control her inflamed48 feelings, she cried:—
"Wat is I done ter you, Unk' Remus? 'Fo' de Lord, ef anybody wuz ter come en tole me dat you gwine ter put de Ole Boy [117]in dat ole Affikin nigger head, I would n't er b'leeved um—dat I would n't. Unk' Remus, w'at is I done ter you?"
Uncle Remus made no direct response; but he leaned over, reached out his hand, and picked up an unfinished axe-helve that stood in the corner. Then he took the little boy by the arm, and pushed him out of the way, saying in his gentlest and most persuasive49 tone:—
"Stan' sorter 'roun' dar, honey, 'kaze w'en de splinters 'gin ter fly, I want you ter be out'n de way. Miss Sally never gimme 'er fergivance in de roun' worl' ef you 'uz ter git hurted on account er de frazzlin' er dish yer piece er timber."
Uncle Remus's movements and remarks had a wonderful effect on 'Tildy. Her anger disappeared, her eyes lost their malignant50 expression, and her voice fell to a conversational51 tone.
"Now, Unk' Remus, you ought n't ter do me dat a-way, 'kaze I ain't done nothin' ter you. I 'uz settin' up yon' in Aunt Tempy house, des now, runnin' on wid Riah, en yer come dat ole Affikin Jack en say you say he kin marry me ef he ketch me, en he try ter put he arm 'roun' me en kiss me."
"W'at I gwine tell him?" exclaimed 'Tildy disdainfully. "I des tuck'n up en tole 'im he foolin' wid de wrong nigger."
'Tildy would have continued her narration54, but just at that moment the shuffling of feet was heard outside, and Daddy Jack came in, puffing55 and blowing and smiling. Evidently he had been hunting for 'Tildy in every house in the negro quarter.
"Hi!" he exclaimed, "lil gal, 'e bin skeet sem lak ma'sh hen. 'E no run no mo'."
[118]"Pick 'er up, Brer Jack," exclaimed Uncle Remus; "she's yone."
'Tildy was angry as well as frightened. She would have fled, but Daddy Jack stood near the door.
"Look yer, nigger man!" she exclaimed, "ef you come slobbun 'roun' me, I'll take one er deze yer dog-iüns en brain you wid it. I ain't gwine ter have no web-foot nigger follerin' atter me. Now you des come!—I ain't feard er yo' cunjun. Unk' Remus, ef you got any intruss in dat ole Affikin ape, you better make 'im lemme 'lone. G'way fum yer now!"
All this time Daddy Jack was slowly approaching 'Tildy, bowing and smiling, and looking quite dandified, as Uncle Remus afterward56 said. Just as the old African was about to lay hands upon 'Tildy, she made a rush for the door. The movement was so unexpected that Daddy Jack was upset. He fell upon Uncle Remus's shoe-bench, and then rolled off on the floor, where he lay clutching at the air, and talking so rapidly that nobody could understand a word he said. Uncle Remus lifted him to his feet, with much dignity, and it soon became apparent that he was neither hurt nor angry. The little boy laughed immoderately, and he was still laughing when 'Tildy put her head in the door and exclaimed:—
"Unk' Remus, I ain't kilt dat ole nigger, is I? 'Kaze ef I got ter go ter de gallus, I want to go dar fer sump'n' n'er bigger'n dat."
Uncle Remus disdained57 to make any reply, but Daddy Jack chuckled and patted himself on the knee as he cried:—
"Come 'long, lilly gal! come 'long! I no mad. I fall down dey fer laff. Come 'long, lilly gal, come 'long."
'Tildy went on laughing loudly and talking to herself. After awhile Uncle Remus said:—
"Honey, I 'speck Miss Sally lookin' und' de bed en axin' whar you is. You better leak out fum yer now, en by dis time ter[119]morrer night I'll git Brer Jack all primed up, en he'll whirl in en tell you a tale."
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收听单词发音
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1
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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bout
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| n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛 | |
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plantation
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| n.种植园，大农场 | |
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bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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dwarfish
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| a.像侏儒的，矮小的 | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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8
superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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witchcraft
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| n.魔法，巫术 | |
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odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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11
grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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12
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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13
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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14
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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15
dwarfed
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| vt.（使）显得矮小（dwarf的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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16
withered
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| adj. 枯萎的，干瘪的，（人身体的部分器官）因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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17
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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20
unravel
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| v.弄清楚（秘密）；拆开，解开，松开 | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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23
mumbling
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| 含糊地说某事，叽咕，咕哝( mumble的现在分词 ) | |
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24
whack
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| v.敲击，重打，瓜分；n.重击，重打，尝试，一份 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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gal
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| n.姑娘，少女 | |
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stomp
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| v.跺（脚），重踩，重踏 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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squeal
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| v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音 | |
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30
lingo
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| n.语言不知所云，外国话，隐语 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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judicial
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| adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的 | |
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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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assent
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| v.批准，认可；n.批准，认可 | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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flirtation
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| n.调情，调戏，挑逗 | |
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38
gals
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| abbr.gallons （复数）加仑（液量单位）n.女孩，少女( gal的名词复数 ) | |
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39
gut
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| n.[pl.]胆量；内脏；adj.本能的；vt.取出内脏 | |
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40
smacked
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| 拍，打，掴( smack的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
shuffling
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| adj. 慢慢移动的, 滑移的 动词shuffle的现在分词形式 | |
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43
grievances
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| n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚 | |
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44
muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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45
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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46
severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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47
flopped
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| v.（指书、戏剧等）彻底失败( flop的过去式和过去分词 )；（因疲惫而）猛然坐下；（笨拙地、不由自主地或松弛地）移动或落下；砸锅 | |
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48
inflamed
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| adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
persuasive
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| adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的 | |
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50
malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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51
conversational
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| adj.对话的，会话的 | |
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52
puckered
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| v.（使某物）起褶子或皱纹( pucker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
asperity
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| n.粗鲁，艰苦 | |
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54
narration
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| n.讲述，叙述；故事；记叙体 | |
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55
puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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56
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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57
disdained
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| 鄙视( disdain的过去式和过去分词 )； 不屑于做，不愿意做 | |
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