Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/357

 Folk-Tales from Georgia. 25

say, " I never believe nobody deadtwell I hear em give a big groan." Brer Fox he give a monstrous powerful groan " Ounk ! " Then Brer Rabbit he just kick Brer Fox, and call him "a deceitful old man," and Brer Rabbit he put out back to Miss Possum's house. Brer Rab- bit he tell Miss Possum 'bout Brer Fox mean deceitful ways. From that time, when Miss Possum meet Brer Fox on the big road, she make like she don' know him, and she favor Brer Rabbit more con- stant.

VI. WHEN BRER FROG GIVE A BIG DINING.

Brer Frog he think he give a big dining to all his friends, so he send out invitations to all his friends to come down and eat fried fish with him.

Brer Frog he invite Brer Fox and his wife, and Brer Wolf and his wife, and Brer Coon and his wife, and Brer Possum and his wife, but he don' invite Brer Rabbit, Brer Frog don', 'cause there be hard feel- ings between Brer Frog and Brer Rabbit from way back.

When the creeters all went past Brer Rabbit's house on their way to the dining, they ask Brer Rabbit, " why he don't go to Brer Frog's dining ? " Brer Rabbit he say, " he ain' invited," and he 'low "he ain' powerful fond of fried fish nohow." So they pass on, and when they come to the branch, they find Brer Frog frying fish over twenty little fires. Brer Frog he hop round from one frying- pan to the other, like a spry old man like he is.

Tereckly Brer Rabbit he smell the fish frying where he set on the porch. It smell so powerful good, Brer Rabbit he just can't stand it. He take his way down to the branch, and he see Brer Frog taking off the fish from his twenty little fires, and set it on the table. Brer Rabbit he slip into the swamp and make a big noise. The creeters they say, " What that ! " Brer Rabbit he make er big noise. Once more Brer Fox he say, " Where we going fly to ? " Brer Frog he say, " I know the best place for me to get at." He just give one jump over all the creeters' heads and go plunk into the water. Brer Tarrapin he go slippin' and slidin' one side, then the other, and he go splash in the water ; the other creeters, they just strike out for home.

Brer Rabbit he go up to the table and he eat his fill of fried fish.

Now Brer Frog are a mighty cold-blooded kind of a man ; nobody ever see Brer Frog in a passion. Brer Frog's eyes on the top of his head. All the time while Brer Rabbit was eating that fried fish, Brer Frog he set down in the water looking straight up at Brer Rab- bit, and Brer Frog he was studying ; but Brer Rabbit he don't know that.

Brer Frog he take it mighty hard, 'case Brer Rabbit break up his dining, and he study to hisself how he going punish Brer Rabbit.

�� �