Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/359

 Folk-Tales from Georgia. 27

say, "Who there ? " Brer Bear he say in a heavy voice, " Revenue, Revenue, where my hole ? Revenue, Revenue, where my hole ? " And the little coon chillens, they all that frightened, they run up in the loft and hide, and Brer Bear he go in and eat up the lastest one of the victuals.

When Brer Coon and Sis Coon come home, they find the chillens frightened nigh 'bout outer their senses, and all the victuals done gone, and they fault the chillens, and the chillens done tell them how a big black thing done come and knock on the door and say, " Rev- enue, Revenue, where my hole ? Revenue, Revenue, where my hole ? " and how he done eat up all the victuals.

Next day Brer Bear he come just the same, and the chillens run and hide, and Brer Bear he eat up all the victuals.

That night Brer Coon and Sis Coon they talk what they going do. Sis Coon she say how she "going stay home and watch with the axe ; " and Brer Coon he say, Sis Coon go to work, and he going stay home hisself and watch with the axe. Sis Coon she hold to how she going stay home ; and Brer Coon he say, " Ain' you my wife ? Well, you do like I tells you." So Sis Coon she 'bliged to go to work, and Brer Coon he stay home and watch with the axe.

Just as they get the table set for dinner, sure 'nough here come a great black thing knocking at the door. Brer Coon he powerful scared, but he call out, " Who there ? " Brer Bear he say in a mighty heavy voice, " Revenue, Revenue, where my hole ? Revenue, Rev- enue, where my hole ? " Brer Coon he give one look at him and he drop the axe right where he 's at, and Brer Coon he just fly up in the loft, and the little coon chillens they all fly up in the loft with their paw, and Brer Bear he go in and eat up all the victuals.

When Sis Coon get home she find the family all hiding in the loft, and nothing in the house to eat ; and when Brer Coon tell her how the big black thing frighten hisself, Miss Coon she scared, and she say she don't want to stay home and watch.

Next morning Brer Coon he say he go way to work, and Sis Coon she say she don' want to stay home and watch. Brer Coon he say, " Ain't you my wife ? Then you do like I tells you." So Brer Coon he go off to work, and he leave Sis Coon to watch with the axe.

Sure 'nough, just soon as they get the table set for dinner, here come a great black thing knocking at the door. Sis Coon she say, " Who there ? " Brer Bear he say in powerful grum tone, " Revenue, Revenue, where my hole ? Revenue Revenue, where my hole ? " Sis Coon she crack the door, and when Brer Bear he step in, Sis Coon take the axe and split his head open. And so Brer Coon he don't order Miss Coon round these days, but from that day Brer Coon he done been a plum henpecked man.

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