LI MORE TROUBLE FOR BRER WOLF

 The next night the little boy hardly waited to eat his supper before going to Uncle Remus's house; and when Aunt Tempy failed to put in an appearance as early as he thought necessary, he did not hesitate to go after her. He had an idea that there was a sequel to the story she had told the night before, and he was right. After protesting against being dragged around from post to pillar by children, Aunt Tempy said:—

 

"Atter Brer Rabbit tuck'n make out he 'uz pizen'd un git all de beef, 't wa'n't long 'fo' he chance to meet ole Brer Wolf right spang in de middle uv de road. Brer Rabbit, he sorter shied off ter one side, but Brer Wolf hail 'im:—

 

"'W'oa dar, my colty! don't be so gayly. You better be 'shame' yo'se'f 'bout¹ de way you do me w'en we go inter² cahoots wid dat beef.'

 

[254]"Brer Rabbit, he up'n ax Brer Wolf how all his folks. Brer Wolf say:—

 

"'You'll fin³' out how dey all is 'fo' dis day gone by. You took'n took de beef, en now I'm a-gwine ter take'n take you.'

 

"Wid dis Brer Wolf make a dash at Brer Rabbit, but he des lack a little bit uv bein' quick 'nuff, en Brer Rabbit he des went a-sailin' thoo de woods. Brer Wolf, he tuck atter 'im, en yer dey had it—fus' Brer Rabbit en den⁴ Brer Wolf. Brer Rabbit mo' soopler dan Brer Wolf, but Brer Wolf got de 'vantage er de win', en terreckly he push Brer Rabbit so close dat he run in a holler log.

 

"Brer Rabbit bin⁵ in dat log befo' en he know dey's a hole at de t'er een', en he des keep on a-gwine. He dart⁶ in one een' en he slip out de udder. He ain't stop ter say goo'-bye; bless you! he des keep on gwine.

 

"Brer Wolf, he see Brer Rabbit run in de holler log, en he say ter hisse'f:—

 

"'Heyo, dey bin callin' you so mighty⁷ cunnin' all dis time, en yer you done gone en shot yo'se'f up in my trap.'

 

"Den Brer Wolf laugh en lay down by de een' whar Brer Rabbit went in, en pant en res' hisse'f. He see whar Brer B'ar burnin' off a new groun', en he holler en ax 'im fer ter fetch 'im a chunk⁸ er fier, en Brer B'ar he fotch it, en dey sot fier ter de holler log, en dey sot dar en watch it till it burn plum up. Den dey took'n shuck han's, en Brer Wolf say he hope dat atter dat dey'll have some peace in de neighborhoods."

 

Uncle Remus smiled a knowing smile as he filled his pipe, but Aunt Tempy continued with great seriousness:—

 

"One time atter dat, Brer Wolf, he took'n pay a call down ter Miss Meadows, en w'en he git dar en see Brer Rabbit settin' up side uv one er de gals⁹, he like to 'a' fainted, dat he did. He 'uz dat 'stonish'd dat he look right down-hearted all endurin' uv de party.

 

[255]"Brer Rabbit, he bow'd his howdies ter Brer Wolf un shuck han's 'long wid 'im, des like nothin' ain't never happen 'twixt 'um, en he up'n say:—

 

"'Ah-law, Brer Wolf! Youer much mo' my fr'en' dan you ever 'speckted ter be, en you kin¹⁰ des count on me right straight 'long.'

 

"Brer Wolf say he feel sorter dat a-way hisse'f, en he ax Brer Rabbit w'at make 'im change his min' so quick.

 

"'Bless you, Brer Wolf, I had needs ter change it,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.

 

"Brer Wolf, he ax 'im how come.

 

"'All about bein' burnt up in a holler log, Brer Wolf, en w'en you gits time I wish you be so good ez ter bu'n me up some mo',' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.

 

"Brer Wolf, he ax 'im how so. Brer Rabbit say:—

 

"'I'm fear'd ter tell you, Brer Wolf, 'kaze I don't want de news ter git out.'

 

"Brer Wolf vow¹¹ he won't tell nobody on de top side er de worl'. Brer Rabbit say:—

 

"I done fin' out, Brer Wolf, dat w'en you git in a holler tree en somebody sets it a-fier, dat de nat'al honey des oozles out uv it, en mor'n dat, atter you git de honey all over you, 't ain't no use ter try ter burn you up, 'kaze de honey will puzzuv you. Don't 'ny me dis favor, Brer Wolf, 'kaze I done pick me out a n'er holler tree,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.

 

"Brer Wolf, he wanter put right out den en dar, en Brer Rabbit say dat des de kinder man w'at he bin huntin' fer. Dey took deyse'f off en 't wa'n't long 'fo' dey came ter de tree w'at Brer Rabbit say he done pick out. W'en dey git dar, Brer Wolf, he so greedy fer ter git a tas'e er de honey dat he beg en beg Brer Rabbit fer ter let 'im git in de holler. Brer Rabbit, he hol' back, but Brer Wolf beg so hard dat Brer Rabbit 'gree ter let 'im git in de holler.

 

[256]"Brer Wolf, he got in, he did, en Brer Rabbit stuff de hole full er dry leaves en trash, en den he got 'im a chunk er fier en totch 'er off. She smoked en smoked, en den she bust¹² out in a blaze. Brer Rabbit, he pile up rocks, en brush, en sticks, so Brer Wolf can't git out. Terreckly Brer Wolf holler:—

 

"'Gittin' mighty hot, Brer Rabbit! I ain't see no honey yit.'

 

"Brer Rabbit he pile on mo' trash, en holler back:—

 

"'Don't be in no hurry, Brer Wolf; you'll see it en tas'e it too.'

 

"Fier burn en burn, wood pop like pistol. Brer Wolf, he holler:

 

"'Gittin' hotter en hotter, Brer Rabbit. No honey come yit.'

 

"'Hol' still, Brer Wolf, hit'll come.'

 

"'Gimme a'r, Brer Rabbit; I'm a-chokin'.'

 

"'Fresh a'r make honey sour. Des hol' still, Brer Wolf!'

 

"'Ow! she gittin' hotter en hotter, Brer Rabbit!'

 

"'Des hol' right still, Brer Wolf; mos' time fer de honey!'

 

"'Ow! ow! I'm a-burnin', Brer Rabbit!'

 

"'Wait fer de honey, Brer Wolf.'

 

"'I can't stan' it, Brer Rabbit.'

 

"'Stan' it like I did, Brer Wolf.'

 

"Brer Rabbit he pile on de trash en de leaves. He say:—

 

"'I'll gin you honey, Brer Wolf; de same kinder honey you wanted ter gimme.'

 

"En it seem like ter me," said Aunt Tempy, pleased at the interest the little boy had shown, "dat it done Brer Wolf des right."

 

1 bout   

n.侵袭，发作；一次(阵，回)；拳击等比赛

参考例句：

• I was suffering with a bout of nerves.我感到一阵紧张。
• That bout of pneumonia enfeebled her.那次肺炎的发作使她虚弱了。

2 inter   

v.埋葬

参考例句：

• They interred their dear comrade in the arms.他们埋葬了他们亲爱的战友。
• The man who died in that accident has been interred.在那次事故中死的那个人已经被埋葬了。

3 fin   

n.鳍；(飞机的)安定翼

参考例句：

• They swim using a small fin on their back.它们用背上的小鳍游动。
• The aircraft has a long tail fin.那架飞机有一个长长的尾翼。

4 den   

n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室

参考例句：

• There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
• The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。

5 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

6 dart   

v.猛冲，投掷；n.飞镖，猛冲

参考例句：

• The child made a sudden dart across the road.那小孩突然冲过马路。
• Markov died after being struck by a poison dart.马尔科夫身中毒镖而亡。

7 mighty   

adj.强有力的；巨大的

参考例句：

• A mighty force was about to break loose.一股巨大的力量即将迸发而出。
• The mighty iceberg came into view.巨大的冰山出现在眼前。

8 chunk   

n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量）

参考例句：

• They had to be careful of floating chunks of ice.他们必须当心大块浮冰。
• The company owns a chunk of farmland near Gatwick Airport.该公司拥有盖特威克机场周边的大片农田。

9 gals   

abbr.gallons （复数）加仑（液量单位）n.女孩，少女( gal的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Jim came skipping out at the gate with a tin pail, and singing Buffalo Gals. 这时，吉姆手里提着一个锡皮桶，嘴中唱着“布法罗的女娃们”蹦蹦跳跳地从大门口跑出来。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
• An' dey thinks dey wants mousy lil gals wid bird's tastes an' no sense at all. 他们想要的是耗子般的小姑娘，胃口小得像雀子，一点儿见识也没有。 来自飘（部分）

10 kin   

n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的

参考例句：

• He comes of good kin.他出身好。
• She has gone to live with her husband's kin.她住到丈夫的亲戚家里去了。

11 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

12 bust   

vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部

参考例句：

• I dropped my camera on the pavement and bust it. 我把照相机掉在人行道上摔坏了。
• She has worked up a lump of clay into a bust.她把一块黏土精心制作成一个半身像。