“Well, dat’s diffunt,” said the old man.  “Ef you’ll clime up on my back,” he continued, speaking softly, “I speck I ain’t too ole fer ter be yo’ hoss fum yer ter de house.  Many en many’s de time dat I toted yo’ Unk Jeems dat away, en Mars Jeems wuz heavier sot dan w’at you is.”

PLANTATION PROVERBS

Big ’possum clime little tree. 
Dem w’at eats kin say grace. 
Ole man Know-All died las’ year. 
Better de gravy dan no grease ’tall. 
Dram ain’t good twel you git it. 
Lazy fokes’ stummucks don’t git tired. 
Rheumatiz don’t he’p at de log-rollin’. 
Mole don’t see w’at his naber doin’. 
Save de pacin’ mar’ fer Sunday. 
Don’t rain eve’y time de pig squeal. 
Crow en corn can’t grow in de same fiel’. 
Tattlin’ ’oman can’t make de bread rise. 
Rails split ‘fo’ bre’kfus’ll season de dinner. 
Dem w’at knows too much sleeps under de ash-hopper. 
Ef you wanter see yo’ own sins, clean up a new groun’. 
Hog dunner w’ich part un ’im’ll season de turnip salad. 
Hit’s a blessin’ de w’ite sow don’t shake de plum-tree. 
Winter grape sour, whedder you kin reach ’im or not. 
Mighty po’ bee dat don’t make mo’ honey dan he want. 
Kwishins on mule’s foots done gone out er fashun. 
Pigs dunno w’at a pen’s fer. 
Possum’s tail good as a paw. 
Dogs don’t bite at de front gate. 
Colt in de barley-patch kick high. 
Jay-bird don’t rob his own nes’. 
Pullet can’t roost too high for de owl. 
Meat fried ‘fo’ day won’t las’ twel night. 
Stump water won’t kyo’ de gripes. 
De howlin’ dog know w’at he sees. 
Blin’ hoss don’t fall w’en he follers de bit. 
Hongry nigger won’t w’ar his maul out. 
Don’t fling away de empty wallet. 
Black-snake know de way ter de hin nes’. 
Looks won’t do ter split rails wid. 
Settin’ hens don’t hanker arter fresh aigs. 
Tater-vine growin’ w’ile you sleep. 
Hit take two birds fer to make a nes’. 
Ef you bleedzd ter eat dirt, eat clean dirt. 
Tarrypin walk fast ‘nuff fer to go visitin’. 
Empty smoke-house makes de pullet holler. 
W’en coon take water he fixin’ fer ter fight. 
Corn makes mo’ at de mill dan it does in de crib. 
Good luck say:  “Op’n yo’ mouf en shet yo’ eyes.” 
Nigger dat gets hurt wukkin oughter show de skyars. 
Fiddlin’ nigger say hit’s long ways ter de dance. 
Rooster makes mo’ racket dan de hin w’at lay de aig. 
Meller mush-million hollers at you fum over de fence. 
Nigger wid a pocket-hankcher better be looked atter. 
Rain-crow don’t sing no chune, but you k’n ‘pen’ on ’im. 
One-eyed mule can’t be handled on de bline side. 
Moon may shine, but a lightered knot’s mighty handy. 
Licker talks mighty loud w’en it git loose fum de jug. 
De proudness un a man don’t count w’en his head’s cold. 
Hongry rooster don’t cackle w’en he fine a wum. 
Some niggers mighty smart, but dey can’t drive