BRER RABBIT GETS BRER FOX A HOSS

 Not many er de creeturs wuz fon’ er water, Onless it mought ’a’ been Brer Coon’s daughter; Brer B’ar, Brer Fox, an’ ol’ Brer Rabbit, Dey vow’d dey can’t never git in de habit Er wadin’ de creek¹, er swimmin’ de river— When it come ter dat, dey’d run ter kivver! When folks come ’long fer ter git across, De creeturs tuck notice dat dey rid a hoss.

Brer Fox, he say he wish he had one, An’ ’mongst all de yuthers he’d be de glad un; He’d git a bridle² an’ a bran’ new saddle, An’ git on de hoss an’ ride ’im straddle; He say, sezee, “He’d do some trottin’, Kaze when I git started, I’m a mighty³ hot un!” Brer Rabbit, he smole a great big smile, Wid, “I can’t ride myse’f, kaze I got a b’ile!

“But it seem like ter me dat I knows whar a hoss is: He’s away back yan’ whar two roads crosses, An’ I’ll meet you dar termorrer mornin’, Des ’bout de time when day’s a-dawnin’.” Brer Fox, he say, “I hear yo’ sesso, An’ ef I ain’t sick I’ll be dar desso!” Brer Rabbit tip his hat, wid, “So-long, frien’; We’ll git de hoss, you may depen’.”

Long ’fo’ de time, Brer Rabbit wuz a-stirrin’, An’ he chuckle⁴ ter hisse’f like a cat a-purrin’; De hoss wuz stretched out asleep in de pastur’; Brer Rabbit went up des ez close ez he dast ter, Fer ter see ef he ’live: hoss switched his tail, suh! “Dis time we’ll git you widout fail, suh!” So Brer Rabbit say; den⁵ he seed Brer Fox— “An’ an’er fine gent fer ter git in a box!”

Den he say out loud, “Good luck done sont ’im, An’ laid ’im down right whar you want ’im! Ef youer tied ter his tail, you kin⁶ sholy hol’ ’im, An’ mo’ dan dat, you kin trip ’im an’ roll ’im!” So said, so done! an’ dar Brer Fox wuz, Right close ter de place whar a heap er knocks wuz! Brer Rabbit, he holla, “Hol’ ’im down! hol’ ’im down! Des make ’im stay right spang on de groun’!”

De hoss, he riz wid a snort an’ a whicker, An’ showed dat he wuz sump’n uv a kicker! An’ den an’ dar, Brer Rabbit ’gun ter snicker, Wid, “Hol’ ’im, Brer Fox! ’twon’t do ter flicker⁷! Ef you make ’im stan’ still, you kin ride ’im de quicker!” De hoss, he r’ar’d an’ raise a mighty dust up, An’ fust thing you know, Brer Rabbit hear a bust-up! “I hope, Brer Fox, dat you ain’t much hurt— But yo’ wife’ll be mad, kaze you done tored yo’ shirt!”

1 creek   

n.小溪，小河，小湾

参考例句：

• He sprang through the creek.他跳过小河。
• People sunbathe in the nude on the rocks above the creek.人们在露出小溪的岩石上裸体晒日光浴。

2 bridle   

n.笼头，束缚；vt.抑制，约束；动怒

参考例句：

• He learned to bridle his temper.他学会了控制脾气。
• I told my wife to put a bridle on her tongue.我告诉妻子说话要谨慎。

3 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。

4 chuckle   

vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑

参考例句：

• He shook his head with a soft chuckle.他轻轻地笑着摇了摇头。
• I couldn't suppress a soft chuckle at the thought of it.想到这个，我忍不住轻轻地笑起来。

5 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。

6 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。

7 flicker   

vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现

参考例句：

• There was a flicker of lights coming from the abandoned house.这所废弃的房屋中有灯光闪烁。
• At first,the flame may be a small flicker,barely shining.开始时，光辉可能是微弱地忽隐忽现，几乎并不灿烂。