"I-doom-er-ker-kum-mer-ker!"

 

No explanation could convey an adequate idea of the intonation¹ and pronunciation which Uncle Remus brought to bear upon this wonderful word. Those who can recall to mind the peculiar² gurgling, jerking, liquid sound made by pouring water from a large jug³, or the sound produced by throwing several stones in rapid succession into a pond of deep water, may be able to form a very faint idea of the sound, but it can not be reproduced in print. The little boy was astonished.

 

"What did you say, Uncle Remus?"

 

"I-doom-er-ker-kum-mer-ker! I-doom-er-ker-kum mer-ker!"

 

"What is that?"

 

"Dat's Tarrypin talk, dat is. Bless yo' soul, honey," continued the old man, brightening up, "w'en you git ole ez me—w'en you see w'at I sees, en year w'at I years—de creeturs dat you can't talk wid'll be mighty⁴ skase—dey will dat. W'y, der's er old gray rat w'at uses 'bout⁵ yer, en time atter time he comes out w'en you all done gone ter bed en sets up dar in de cornder en dozes⁶, en me en him talks by de 'our; en w'at dat old rat dunno ain't down in de spellin' book. Des now, w'en you run in and broke me up, I wuz fetchin' into my mine w'at Brer Tarrypin say ter Brer Fox w'en he turn 'im loose in de branch."

 

"What did he say, Uncle Remus?"

 

"Dat w'at he said—I-doom-er-ker-kum-mer-ker! Brer Tarrypin wuz at de bottom er de pon', en he talk back, he did, in bubbles—I- doom-er-ker-kum-mer-ker! Brer Fox, he ain't sayin' nuthin', but Brer Bull-Frog, settin' on de bank, he hear Brer Tarrypin, he did, en he holler back:

 

"Jug-er-rum-kum-dum! Jug-er-rum-kum-dum!'

 

"

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