Page:Southern Life in Southern Literature.djvu/345

Rh say he would. Brer Rabbit say he could n't ride widout a saddle. Brer Fox say he 'd git de saddle. Brer Rabbit say he could n't set in de saddle less he had bridle fer ter hol' by. Brer Fox say he 'd git de bridle. Brer Rabbit say he could n't ride widout bline-bridle, kaze Brer Fox 'd be shyin' at stumps 'long de road, en fling 'im off. Brer Fox say he 'd git de bline-bridle. Den Brer Rabbit say he 'd go. Den Brer Fox say he 'd ride Brer Rabbit mos' up ter Miss Meadows's en den he could git down en walk de balance er de way. Brer Rabbit 'greed, en den Brer Fox lipt out atter de saddle en bridle.

"Co'se Brer Rabbit know'd de game dat Brer Fox wuz fixin' fer ter play, en he 'termined fer ter outdo 'im, en by de time he koam his ha'r en twis' his mustash, en sorter rig up, here come Brer Fox, saddle en bridle on, en lookin' ez peart ez a circus pony. He trot up ter de do' en stood dar pawin' de groun' en chompin' de bit same like sho' nuff hoss, en Brer Rabbit he mounted, he did, en dey amble off. Brer Fox could n't see behine wid de bline-bridle on, but bimeby he feel Brer Rabbit raise one er his foots.

"W'at you doin't now, Brer Rabbit?' sezee. "'Short'nin' de lef' stir'p, Brer Fox,' sezee. "Bimeby, Brer Rabbit raise up de udder foot.

"'Wat you doin't now, Brer Rabbit?' sezee. "'Pullin' down my pants, Brer Fox,' sezee.

"All de time, bless grashus, honey, Brer Rabbit were puttin' on his spurrers en w'en dey got close to Miss Meadows's, whar Brer Rabbit wuz to git off, en Brer Fox made a motion fer ter put on brakes, Brer Rabbit slap de spurrers inter Brer Fox s flanks, en you better b'leeve he got over groun'. W'en dey got ter de house, Miss Meadows en all de gals wuz er settin' on de peazzer, en 'stidder stoppin' at de gate, Brer Rabbit rid on by, he did, en come gallopin' down de road en up ter de hoss rack, w'ich he hitch Brer Fox at, en den he santer inter de house,