'Tildy, the house-girl, made such a terrible report of the carryings on of Daddy Jack¹ that the little boy's mother thought it prudent² not to allow him to visit Uncle Remus so often. The child amused himself as best he could for several nights, but his play-things and picture-books finally lost their interest. He cried so hard to be allowed to go to see Uncle Remus that his mother placed him under the care of Aunt Tempy,—a woman of large authority on the place, and who stood next to Uncle Remus in the confidence of her mistress. Aunt Tempy was a fat, middle-aged⁴ woman, who always wore a head-handkerchief, and kept her sleeves rolled up, displaying her plump, black arms, winter and summer. She never hesitated to exercise her authority, and the younger negroes on the place regarded her as a tyrant⁵; but in spite of her loud voice and brusque manners she was thoroughly⁶ good-natured, usually good-humored, and always trustworthy. Aunt Tempy and Uncle Remus were secretly jealous of each [124]other, but they were careful never to come in conflict, and, to all appearances, the most cordial relations existed between them.