Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/124

 ! ! 2 Journal of American Folk-Lore.

make a dam and hold the water back, they most surely find the

gold.

Now Ole Brer Rabbit don't have no feelings that gold anywhere in them parts. Well, sah, the creeters they 'low to theyselves Brer Rabbit a mighty -onerous man to let them in, and they fetch they mattocks and they spades, and they dig, and Brer Rabbit he sit up on the dam and locate the spot, and he say to hisself that old spring house getting on mighty smart, when I 'clare 'fore the Lord, Brer Wolfs mattocks strike kerchink, an' out fly the gold, it most surely did, and the creeters they just jump in the hole and pick up the money. But Ole Brer Rabbit never lose he head, that he don't, and he just push the rocks out the dam, and let the water on and drown the lastest one of them critters, and then he picks up the gold, and course Ole Miss Rabbit done get her spring house, but bless your soul, sah, that only just one they times when Ole Brer Rabbit have luck.

WHY MR. DOG RUNS BRER RABBIT.

One morning, Mr. Buzzard he say he stomach just hungry for some fish, and he tell Mrs. Buzzard he think he go down to the branch, and catch some for breakfast. So he take he basket, and he sail along till he come to the branch.

He fish right smart, and by sun up he have he basket plum full. But Mr. Buzzard am a powerful greedy man, and he say to hisself, he did, I just catch one more. But while he done gone for this last one, Brer Rabbit he came along, clipity, clipity, and when he see basket plum full of fine whitefish he stop, and he say, "I 'clare to goodness, the old woman just gwine on up to the cabin, 'cause they got nothing for to fry for breakfast. I wonder what she think of this yer fish," and so he put the basket on he head, Brer Rabbit did, and make off to the cabin.

Direc'ly he meet up with Mr. Dog, and he ax him where he been fishing that early in the day, and Brer Rabbit he say how he done sot on the log 'longside of the branch, and let he tail hang in the water and catch all the fish, and he done tell Mr. Dog, the old rascal did, that he tail mighty short for the work, but that Mr. Dog's tail just the right sort for fishing.

So Mr. Dog, he teeth just ache for them whitefish, and he go set on the log and hang he tail in the water, and it mighty cold for he tail, and the fish don't bite, but he mouth just set for them fish, and so he just sot dar, and it turn that cold that when he feel he gin up, sure 's you born, Mr. Dog, he tail froze fast in the branch, and he call he chillens, and they come and break the ice.

And then, to be sure, he start off to settle Ole Brer Rabbit, and

�� �