BRER RABBIT AND THE PARTRIDGE NEST

 Oh, what’s de matter wid de Whipperwill, Dat she sets an’ cries on de furder hill? An’ what’s de matter wid Miss Bob White, Dat she choke herse’f wid sayin’ Good-night? You know mighty¹ well dat sump’n is wrong When dey sets an’ sings dat kinder song, ’Twix’ a call an’ a cry, ’twix’ a weep an’ a wail— Dey must be tellin’ a mighty sad tale.

Miss Whipperwill’s troubles, an’ what she say Will do fer ter tell some yuther day; But Miss Bob White—my! aint she a sight?— I’ll hatter tell why she hollers Good-night. Dey once wuz a time (needer mo’ ner less) When she ain’t try ter hide ner kivver her nes’; She built it in de open, whar all kin² see, An’ wuz des ez perlite ez she kin be.

She’d make her house facin’ eas’ an’ wes’, An’ den³ wid eggs she’d fill her nes’; Fer ter keep um warm she’d brood an’ set, An’ keep her house fum gittin’ wet. Whiles dis gwine on, Brer Rabbit come by, A-wigglin’ his mouf, an’ a-blinkin’ his eye: “De top er de mornin’, Miss Bob,” sezee; “De same ter you, Brer Rabbit,” se’ she.

Sez ol’ Brer Rabbit, “I been missin’ you long, I wuz mighty fear’d dat sump’n wuz wrong, But here you set ez still ez a mouse, Not doin’ nothin’ but keepin’ house!” “Oh, well,” se’ she, “I’m too ol’ ter gad⁴, I use’ ter do it, but I wish I never had! De only thing I want is ter wash my dress, But I can’t do dat whiles I’m on my nes’.”

Brer Rabbit, he say, “Can’t I he’p you out? I ain’t doin’ nothin’ but walkin’ about, An’ my ol’ ’oman is willin’ fer ter bet Dat ef settin ’s de thing, I’m ol’ man Set!” “I know mighty well,” sez Miss Bob White, “Ef you set a-tall, it’ll be done right.” “Thanky-do, Miss Bob! Go wash yo’ dress, An’ I’ll do what I kin fer ter kivver yo’ nes’!”

So off she put, wid a flutter an’ a flirt⁵, An’ washed her dress in a pile er clean dirt; Brer Rabbit see de eggs, an’ shuck his head; His mouf ’gun ter dribble⁶, an’ his eye turn red; Sezee, “It’d sholy be hard fer ter match um, So I’ll des take um home an’ try fer ter hatch um!” So said, so done! An’ den when he come back, He come in a gait ’twix’ a lope an’ a rack.

An’ Miss Bob White, atter washin’ her dress, Went a-runnin’ back ter house an’ nes’; “Much erbleege, Brer Rabbit,” an’ den she bowed. “Say nothin’, ma’am, fer ter make me proud, Kaze I been a-waitin’ here, frettin’ an’ sweatin’, Fer fear I ain’t sech a good han’ at settin’; My ol’ ’oman say I got a slow fever, An’ I ’clar’ ter goodness, I’m ready ter b’lieve her!

“I felt sump’n move, I hear’ sump’n run, An’ de eggs done gone—dey ain’t na’er one! I sho is seed sights, I done hear folks talk— But never befo’ is I seed eggs walk!” “My goodness, me!” sez Miss Bob White, A-peepin’ in de nes’, “You sho is right!” An’ y’ever sence den, when darkness falls, She gives de lost chillun her Good-night calls! An’ y’ever sence den, when darkness falls, She gives de lost chillun her Good-night calls!

The End

1 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。

2 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。

3 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。

4 gad   

n.闲逛；v.闲逛

参考例句：

• He is always on the gad.他老是闲荡作乐。
• Let it go back into the gloaming and gad with a lot of longing.就让它回到暮色中，满怀憧憬地游荡吧。

5 flirt   

v.调情，挑逗，调戏；n.调情者，卖俏者

参考例句：

• He used to flirt with every girl he met.过去他总是看到一个姑娘便跟她调情。
• He watched the stranger flirt with his girlfriend and got fighting mad.看着那个陌生人和他女朋友调情，他都要抓狂了。

6 dribble   

v.点滴留下，流口水；n.口水

参考例句：

• Melted wax dribbled down the side of the candle.熔化了的蜡一滴滴从蜡烛边上流下。
• He wiped a dribble of saliva from his chin.他擦掉了下巴上的几滴口水。