The confusion resulting from this trifling circumstance was fearful.  “Dut” made the first child.  The question, “What did he make yer fur?” was promptly answered, “Marse Adum.”  “Eve wuz de fus man.”  “Marse Cain wuz de fus ’oman.”  “Marse Abel kilt his brudder.”  “Marse Noah wuz de fus one slewed.”  “Marse Thuselum built de ark.”  And so on, until the old man had to begin all over again, and give each one a new answer.  The catechising through with, Uncle Bob said: 

“Now, chil’en, I gwine splain de Scripchurs ter yer.  I gwine tell yer boutn Dan’l in de lions’ den.  Dan’l wuz er good Christyun man wat lived in de Bible; and whedder he wuz er white man or whedder he wuz er brack man I dunno; I ain’t nuber hyeard nobody say.  But dat’s neder hyear nor dar; he wuz er good man, and he pray tree times eby day.  At de fus peepin’ uv de day, Brer Dan’l he usen fur ter hop outn his bed and git down on his knees; and soon’s eber de horn hit blowed fur de hans ter come outn de field fur dinner, Brer Dan’l he went in his house, he did, and he flop right back on ’is knees.  And wen de sun set, den dar he wuz agin er prayin’ and er strivin’ wid de Lord.

“Well, de king uv dat kentry, he ‘low he nuber want no prayin’ bout ’im; he sez, sezee, ‘I want de thing fur ter stop;’ but Brer Dan’l, he nuber studid ’im; he jes prayed right on, tell by’mby de king he ’low dat de nex’ man wat he cotch prayin’ he wuz gwine cas’m in de lions’ den.

“Well, nex’ mornin, soon’s Brer Dan’l riz fum ’is bed, he lit right on ‘is knees, an’ went ter prayin’; an’ wile he wuz er wrestlin’ in prar de pater-rollers dey come in, an’ dey tied ‘im han’ an’ foot wid er rope, an’ tuck ‘im right erlong tell dey come ter de lions’ den; an’ wen dey wuz yit er fur ways fum dar dey hyeard de lions er ro’in an’ er sayin’, ‘Ar-ooorrrrar! aroooorrrrrar!’ an’ all dey hearts ’gun ter quake sept’n Brer Dan’l’s; he nuber note’s ’em; he jes pray ’long.  By’mby dey git ter de den, an’ dey tie er long rope roun’ Brer Dan’l’s was’e, an’ tho ‘im right in! an’ den dey drawed up de rope, an’ went back whar dey come fum.

“Well, yearly nex’ mornin hyear dey come agin, an’ dis time de king he come wid ’em; an’ dey hyeard de lions er ro’in, ’Ar-ooorrrrar! arooorrrrar!’ an’ dey come ter de den, an’ dey open de do’, an’ dar wuz de lions wid dey mouf open an’ dey eyes er shinin’, jes er trompin’ backerds an’ forerds; an’ dar in de corner sot an angel smoovin’ uv ’is wings; an’ right in de middle uv de den was Dan’l, jes er sot’n back dar!  Gemmun, he wuzn totch! he nuber so much as had de smell uv de lions bout’n ’im! he wuz jes as whole, mun, as he wuz de day he wuz born!  Eben de boots on ’im, sar, wuz ez shiny ez dey wuz wen dey put ’im in dar.