“Right dar’s whar Brer Rabbit drap his watermillion, kaze he tuck’n sot out dat night en went a fishin’.  De wedder wuz sorter col’, en Brer Rabbit, he got ’im a bottle er dram en put out fer de creek, en w’en he git dar he pick out a good place, en he sorter squot down, he did, en let his tail hang in de water.  He sot dar, en he sot dar, en he drunk his dram, en he think he gwineter freeze, but bimeby day come, en dar he wuz.  He make a pull, en he feel like he comin’ in two, en he fetch nudder jerk, en lo en beholes, whar wuz his tail?”

There was a long pause.

“Did it come off, Uncle Remus?” asked the little boy, presently.

“She did dat!” replied the old man with unction.  “She did dat, and dat w’at make all deze yer bob-tail rabbits w’at you see hoppin’ en skaddlin’ thoo de woods.”

“Are they all that way just because the old Rabbit lost his tail in the creek?” asked the little boy.

“Dat’s it, honey,” replied the old man.  “Dat’s w’at dey tells me.  Look like dey er bleedzd ter take atter der pa.”

XXVI.  MR. TERRAPIN SHOWS HIS STRENGTH

“Brer Tarrypin wuz de out’nes’ man,” said Uncle Remus, rubbing his hands together contemplatively, and chuckling to himself in a very significant manner; “he wuz de out’nes’ man er de whole gang.  He wuz dat.”

The little boy sat perfectly quiet, betraying no impatience when Uncle Remus paused to hunt, first in one pocket and then in another, for enough crumbs of tobacco to replenish his pipe.  Presently the old man proceeded: 

“One night Miss Meadows en de gals dey gun a candy-pullin’, en so many er de nabers come in ’sponse ter de invite dat dey hatter put de ‘lasses in de wash pot en b’il’ de fier in de yard.  Brer B’ar, he holp*1 Miss Meadows bring de wood, Brer Fox, he men’ de fier, Brer Wolf, he kep’ de dogs off, Brer Rabbit, he grease de bottom er de plates fer ter keep de candy fum stickin’, en Brer Tarrypin, he klum up in a cheer, en say he’d watch en see dat de ‘lasses didn’t bile over.  Dey wuz all dere, en dey wern’t cuttin’ up no didos, nudder, kaze Miss Meadows, she done put her foot down, she did, en say dat w’en dey come ter her place dey hatter hang up a flag er truce at de front gate en ’bide by it.

“Well, den, w’iles dey wuz all a settin’ dar en de ’lasses wuz a bilin’ en a blubberin’, dey got ter runnin’ on talkin’ mighty biggity.  Brer Rabbit, he say he de swiffes’; but Brer Tarrypin, he rock long in de cheer en watch de ’lasses.  Brer Fox, he say he de sharpes’, but Brer Tarrypin he rock long.  Brer Wolf, he say he de mos’ suvvigus, but Brer Tarrypin, he rock en he rock long.  Brer B’ar, he say he de mos’ stronges’, but Brer Tarrypin he rock, en he keep on rockin’.  Bimeby he sorter shet one eye, en say, sezee: 

“’Hit look like ’periently dat de ole hardshell ain’t nowhars ’longside er dis crowd, yit yer I is, en I’m de same man w’at show Brer Rabbit dat he ain’t de swiffes’; en I’m de same man w’at kin show Brer B’ar dat he ain’t de stronges’,’ sezee.