Page:Southern Life in Southern Literature.djvu/348

330 "He wuz tryin' fer ter fling Brer Rabbit, bless yo' soul. But he des might ez well er rastled wid his own shadder. Ev'y time he hump hisse'f, Brer Rabbit slap de spurrers in 'im, en dar dey had it up en down. Brer Fox fa'rly to' up de groun', he did, en he jump so high en he jump so quick dat he mighty nigh snatch his own tail off. Dey kep' on gwine on dis way twell bimeby Brer Fox lay down en roll over, he did, en dis sorter unsettle Brer Rabbit, but by de time Brer Fox got back on his footses ag'in, Brer Rabbit wuz gwine thoo de underbresh mo' samer dan a race hoss. Brer Fox, he lit out atter 'im, he did, en he push Brer Rabbit so close dat it wuz 'bout all he could do fer ter git in a holler tree. Hole too little fer Brer Fox fer ter git in, en he hatter lay down en res' en gedder his mine tergedder.

"While he wuz layin dar Mr. Buzzard come floppin long en seein' Brer Fox stretch out on de groun' he lit en view de premusses. Den Mr. Buzzard sorter shake his wing, en put his head on one side, en say to hisse'f like, sezee:

"'Brer Fox dead, en I so sorry,' sezee.

"'No I ain't dead nudder,' sez Brer Fox, sezee. 'I got ole man Rabbit pent up in here,' sezee, 'en I'm gwineter git 'im dis time ef it takes twell Chris mus,' sezee.

"Den atter some mo' palaver, Brer Fox make a bargain dat Mr. Buzzard wuz ter watch de hole en keep Brer Rabbit dar w'ilst Brer Fox went atter his axe. Den Brer Fox, he lope off, he did, en Mr. Buzzard, he tuck up his stan' at de hole. Bimeby, w'en all got still, Brer Rabbit sorter scramble down close ter de hole, he did, en holler out:

"'Brer Fox! oh, Brer Fox!'

"Brer Fox done gone, en nobody say nuthin'. Den Brer Rabbit squall out like he wuz mad, sezee:

"'You need n't talk les' you wanter,' sezee. 'I knows youer dar, en I ain't keerin,' sezee. 'I des wanter tell you dat I wish mighty bad Brer Turkey Buzzard wuz here,' sezee.