"Did he kill himself, Uncle Remus?" the little boy asked, with a curious air of concern.

 

"Hol' on dar, honey!" the old man exclaimed, with a great affectation of alarm; "hol' on dar! Wait! Gimme room! I don't wanter tell you no story, en ef you keep shovin' me forrerd, I mout git some er de facks mix up 'mong deyse'f. You gotter gimme room en you gotter gimme time."

 

The little boy had no other premature⁴ questions to ask, and, after a pause, Uncle Remus resumed:

 

"Well, den, one day Brer Rabbit go ter Brer Fox house, he did, en he put up mighty⁵ po' mouf. He say his ole 'oman sick, en his chilluns col', en de fier done gone out. Brer Fox, he feel bad 'bout⁶ dis, en he tuck'n s'ply Brer Rabbit widder chunk⁷ er fier. Brer Rabbit see Brer Fox cookin' some nice beef, en his mouf gun ter water, but he take de fier, he did, en he put out to'rds home; but present'y yer he come back, en he say de fier done gone out. Brer Fox 'low dat he want er invite to dinner, but he don't say nuthin', en bimeby Brer Rabbit he up'n say, sezee:

 

"'Brer Fox, whar you git so much nice beef?' sezee, en den Brer Fox he up'n 'spon', sezee:

 

"'You come ter my house termorrer ef yo' fokes ain't too sick, en I kin² show you whar you kin git plenty beef mo' nicer dan dish yer,' sezee.

 

"Well, sho nuff, de nex' day fotch Brer Rabbit, en Brer Fox say, sezee:

 

"'Der's a man down yander by Miss Meadows's w'at got heap er fine cattle, en he gotter cow name Bookay,' sezee, 'en you des go en say Bookay, en she'll open her mouf, en you kin jump in en git des as much meat ez you kin tote,' sez Brer Fox, sezee.

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