“‘Brer Fox died dis mornin’,’ sez Brer Wolf, sezee.

“‘Whar yo’ mo’nin’ gown, Brer Wolf?’ sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.

“‘Gwine atter it now,’ sez Brer Wolf, sezee.  ’I des call by fer ter bring de news.  I went down ter Brer Fox house little bit ’go, en dar I foun’ ‘im stiff,’ sezee.

“Den Brer Wolf lope off.  Brer Rabbit sot down en scratch his head, he did, en bimeby he say ter hisse’f dat he b’leeve he sorter drap ‘roun’ by Brer Fox house fer ter see how de lan’ lay.  No sooner said’n done.  Up he jump, en out he went.  W’en Brer Rabbit got close ter Brer Fox house, all look lonesome.  Den he went up nigher.  Nobody stirrin’.  Den he look in, en dar lay Brer Fox stretch out on de bed des es big ez life.  Den Brer Rabbit make like he talkin’ to hisse’f.

“’Nobody ‘roun’ fer ter look atter Brer Fox—­not even Brer Tukkey Buzzard ain’t come ter de funer’l,’ sezee.  ’I hope Brer Fox ain’t dead, but I speck he is,’ sezee.  ’Even down ter Brer Wolf done gone en lef’ ’im.  Hit’s de busy season wid me, but I’ll set up wid ‘im.  He seem like he dead, yit he mayn’t be,’ sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.  ’W’en a man go ter see dead fokes, dead fokes allers raises up der behime leg en hollers, wahoo!’ sezee.

“Brer Fox he stay still.  Den Brer Rabbit he talk little louder: 

“’Mighty funny.  Brer Fox look like he dead, yit he don’t do like he dead.  Dead fokes hists der behime leg en hollers wahoo! w’en a man come ter see um, sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.

“Sho’ nuff, Brer Fox lif’ up his foot en holler wahoo! en Brer Rabbit he tear out de house like de dogs wuz atter ’im.  Brer Wolf mighty smart, but nex’ time you hear fum ’im, honey, he’ll be in trouble.  You des hol’ yo’ breff’n wait.”

XII.  MR. FOX TACKLES OLD MAN TARRYPIN

“One day,” said Uncle Remus, sharpening his knife on the palm of his hand—­“one day Brer Fox strike up wid Brer Tarrypin right in de middle er de big road.  Brer Tarrypin done heerd ‘im comin’, en he ’low ter hisse’f dat he’d sorter keep one eye open; but Brer Fox wuz monstus perlite, en he open up de confab, he did, like he ain’t see Brer Tarrypin sence de las’ freshit.

“‘Heyo, Brer Tarrypin, whar you bin dis long-come-short?’ sez Brer Fox, sezee.

“’Lounjun ‘roun’, Brer Fox, lounjun ‘roun’,’ sez Brer Tarrypin.

“‘You don’t look sprucy like you did, Brer Tarrypin,’ sez Brer Fox, sezee.

“’Lounjun ‘roun’ en suffer’n’,’ sez Brer Tarrypin, sezee.

“Den de talk sorter run on like dis: 

“‘W’at ail you, Brer Tarrypin?  Yo’ eye look mighty red,’ sez Brer Fox, sezee.

“‘Lor’, Brer Fox, you dunner w’at trubble is.  You ain’t bin lounjun ‘roun’ en suffer’n’,’ sez Brer Tarrypin, sezee.

“’Bofe eyes red, en you look like you mighty weak, Brer Tarrypin,’ sez Brer Fox, sezee.

“‘Lor’, Brer Fox, you dunner w’at trubble is,’ sez Brer Tarrypin, sezee.