“Bless gracious, honey, dat he didn’t.  Who?  Him?  You dunno nuthin’ ’tall ‘bout Brer Rabbit ef dat’s de way you puttin’ ’im down.  W’at he gwine ’way fer?  He moughter stayed sorter close twel de pitch rub off’n his ha’r, but tweren’t menny days ‘fo’ he wuz lopin’ up en down de neighborhood same ez ever, en I dunno ef he weren’t mo’ sassier dan befo’.

“Seem like dat de tale ’bout how he got mixt up wid de Tar-Baby got ‘roun’ ’mongst de nabers.  Leas’ways, Miss Meadows en de gals got win’ un’ it, en de nex’ time Brer Rabbit paid um a visit Miss Meadows tackled ’im ’bout it, en de gals sot up a monstus gigglement.  Brer Rabbit, he sot up des ez cool ez a cowcumber, he did, en let em run on.

“Who was Miss Meadows, Uncle Remus?” inquired the little boy.

“Don’t ax me, honey.  She wuz in de tale, Miss Meadows en de gals wuz, en de tale I give you like hi’t wer’ gun ter me.  Brer Rabbit, he sot dar, he did, sorter lam’ like, en den bimeby he cross his legs, he did, and wink his eye slow, en up and say, sezee: 

“’Ladies, Brer Fox wuz my daddy’s ridin’-hoss fer thirty year; maybe mo’, but thirty year dat I knows un,’ sezee; en den he paid um his ’specks, en tip his beaver, en march off, he did, des ez stiff en ez stuck up ez a fire-stick.

“Nex’ day, Brer Fox cum a callin’, and w’en he gun fer ter laugh ’bout Brer Rabbit, Miss Meadows en de gals, dey ups en tells ’im ‘bout w’at Brer Rabbit Say.  Den Brer Fox grit his tushes sho’ nuff, he did, en he look mighty dumpy, but w’en he riz fer ter go he up en say, sezee: 

“’Ladies, I ain’t ‘sputin’ w’at you say, but I’ll make Brer Rabbit chaw up his words en spit um out right yer whar you kin see ‘im,’ sezee, en wid dat off Brer Fox put.

“En w’en he got in de big road, he shuck de dew off’n his tail, en made a straight shoot fer Brer Rabbit’s house.  W’en he got dar, Brer Rabbit wuz spectin’ un ‘im, en de do’ wuz shet fas’.  Brer Fox knock.  Nobody ain’t ans’er.  Brer Fox knock.  Nobody ans’er.  Den he knock agin—­blam! blam!  Den Brer Rabbit holler out mighty weak:  ’Is dat you, Brer Fox?  I want you ter run en fetch de doctor.  Dat bait er pusly w’at I e’t dis mawnin’ is gittin’ ‘way wid me.  Do, please, Brer Fox, run quick,’ sez Brer Rabbit, sezee.

“‘I come atter you, Brer Rabbit,’ sez Brer Fox, sezee.  ’Dar’s gwineter be a party up at Miss Meadows’s,’ sezee.  ’All de gals ‘ll be dere, en I prommus’ dat I’d fetch you.  De gals, dey ’lowed dat hit wouldn’t be no party ‘ceppin’ I fotch you,’ sez Brer Fox, sezee.

“Den Brer Rabbit say he wuz too sick, en Brer Fox say he wuzzent, en dar dey had it up and down, ‘sputin’ en contendin’.  Brer Rabbit say he can’t walk.  Brer Fox say he tote ’im.  Brer Rabbit say how?  Brer Fox say in his arms.  Brer Rabbit say he drap ’im.  Brer Fox ’low he won’t.  Bimeby Brer Rabbit say he go ef Brer Fox tote ’im on his back.  Brer Fox say he would.  Brer Rabbit say he can’t ride widout a saddle.  Brer