Page:The International Folk-Lore Congress of the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, July, 1893.djvu/385

Rh fingehs an' a-chawin' hit up an' a-spittin' hit out ergin soster look sorter kinder keerless, "'tain't skusely wuth w'iles ter cunjer hit off ur dose hit, an', sidesen dat, Ise a-studyin' de kimplaint, but hit pester me des now, kase why I wanter git 'cross dis hyeah pond, an' I don't feel lak a-wettin' ob my laig.'

"'Ef yo' ain't too proud,' sez Fish-Hawk, a-bowin' an' a-scrapin' twell de breeze ketched 'im in he tail-feddehs an' mighty nigh flung 'im inter de lake, "shuh!—ow!—drat de win'!—Souse me, Misteh Ole Boy, de win' pesteh me so dat I plum fegit whahbouts I is. Ef so be dat you ain't too proud, I feel mighty Sot up ef yo' lemme tote yo' 'cross.'

"''Deed, my fr'en', dat's er mighty kine off eh, but Ise sholy 'fraid Ise too heaby.'

"'No, no, Misteh Ole Boy, no, no, suh! Ise sho yo' ain't."

"'Ise 'fraid I spile yo' fishin'-pahty, pun 'count ob makin' yo' too late.'

"'Dat ain't nuttin' 'tall. Ise er ole han' at de fishin' an' ef I lose one day 'tain't nuttin' ter de pledger o' sarvin' yo', Misteh Ole Boy.'

"Well suhs! dey kep' a-drorin' off an' a-comin' on dataway twell mos' sundown. Den de Ole Boy see hit time ter close in, kase dat gal's mammy mek 'er come in de house 'fo' dahk, so 'e git on do back o' Fish-Hawk and staht 'cross.

"Ole Fish-Hawk, he fly low, an' dey go smoove an' slow twell dey git 'way out o'er de lake at de place whah de lil ilun uster wuz. De ilun wuz all out a' sight at dat time, 'cept des one big, holler stump ob er oak dat wuz a-stannin' up ez tall ez de Co'te House. Fish-Hawk, he bat de eye an' grit de bill w'en 'e see dat. 'E fly low an' 'e fly slow, twell 'e wuz right 'bove de stump an' den 'e stop an' ballunce hissef pun 'e wing.

"'Wut yo' stop fob, my son?' ax de Ole Boy.

"'Pear lak I see er flsh-nes' in de bottom ob dat stump,' say Fish-Hawk.

"'Nemmine um now, my son. Des git me 'cross ter de Ian' fust, an' den come back fob fish-nestes.'

"'Des ez yo' say," arnser back Fish-Hawk, turrble p'lie. 'Hyeah we go!'—an' dey do go sho 'nuff, kase Fish-Hawk duck 'e haid an' hunch 'e wing, an' dat land Ole Boy haid-