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； how he gwine do it。
〃'Gimme a good strong rope；' sez Brer Tarrypin； sezee； 'en lemme git in er puddle er water； en den let Brer B'ar see ef he kin pull me out；' sezee。
〃Den dey all laff g'in； en Brer B'ar； he ups en sez； sezee： 'We ain't got no rope；' sezee。
No；' sez Brer Tarrypin； sezee； 'en needer is you got de strenk；' sezee； en den Brer Tarrypin； he rock en rock long； en watch de lasses a bum' en a blubberin'。
〃Atter w'ile Miss Meadows； she up en say； she did； dat she'd take'n loan de young men her bed…cord； en w'iles de candy wnz a coolin' in de plates； dey could all go ter de branch en see Brer Tarrypin kyar out his projick。 Brer Tarrypin；〃 continued Uncle Remus； in a tone at once confidential and argumentative； 〃wem't much bigger'n de pa'm er my han'； en it look mighty funny fer ter year 'im braggin' 'bout how he kin out…pull Brer B'ar。 But dey got de bed…cord atter w'ile； en den dey all put out ter de branch。 W〃en Brer Tarrypin fine de place he wanter； he tuck one een er de bed…cord； en gun de yather een' to Brer B'ar。
〃'Now den； ladies en gents；' sez Brer Tarrypin； sezee； 'you all go wid Brer B'ar up dar in de woods en I'll stay yer； en w'en you year me holler； den's de time fer Brer B'ar fer ter see ef he kin haul in de slack er de rope。 You all take keer er dat ar een'；' sezee； 'en Ill take keer er dish yer een'；' sezee。
〃Den dey all put out en lef' Brer Tarrypin at de branch； en w'en dey got good en gone； he dove down inter de water； he did； en tie de bed…cord hard en fas' ter wunner deze yer big clay…roots； en den he riz up en gin a whoop。
〃Brer B'ar he wrop de bed…cord roun' his han；' en wink at de gals； en wid dat he gin a big juk； but Brer Tanypin ain't budge。 Den he take bof han's en gin a big pull； but； all de same； Brer Tarrypin ain't budge。 Den he tu'n 'roun'； he did； en put de rope cross his shoulders en try ter walk off wid Brer Tarrypin； but Brer Tarrypin look like he don't feel like walkin'。 Den Brer Wolf he put in en hope Brer B'ar pull； but des like he didn't； en den dey all hope 'im； en； bless grashus！ w'iles dey wnz all a pullin'； Brer Tarrypin； he holler； en ax urn w'y dey don't take up de slack。
Den w'en Brer Tarrypin feel urn quit pullin'； he dove down； he did； en ontie de rope； en by de time dey got ter de branch； Brer Tarrypin； he wnz settin' in de aidge er de water des ez natchul ez de nex' un； en he up'n say； sezee：
Dat las' pull er yone wuz a mighty stiff un； en a leetle mo'n you'd er had me；' sezee。 'Youer monstus stout； Brer B'ar；' sezee； 'en you pulls like a yoke er steers； but I sorter had de purchis on you；' sezee。
〃Den Brer B'ar； bein's his mouf 'gun ter water atter de sweetnin；' he up'n say he speck de candy's ripe； en off dey put atter it！〃
〃It's a wonder；〃 said the little boy； after a while； 〃that the rope didh't break。〃
〃Break who？〃 exclaimed Uncle Remus； with a touch of indignation in his tone…〃break who？ In dem days； Miss Meadows's bed…cord would a hilt a mule。〃
This put an end to whatever doubts the child might have entertained。
*1 Help； helped。
XXVII WHY MR。 POSSUM HAS NO HAIR ON HIS TAIL
〃HIT look like ter me；〃 said Uncle Remus； frowning； as the little boy came hopping and skipping into the old man's cabin； 〃dat I see a young un 'bout yo' size playin' en makin' free wid dem ar chilluns er ole Miss Favers's yistiddy； en w'en I seed dat； I drap my axe； en I come in yer en sot flat down right whar youer settin' now； en I say ter myse'f dat it's 'bout time fer ole Remus fer ter hang up en quit。 Dat's des zackly w'at I say。〃
〃Well； Uncle Remus； they called me；〃 said the little boy； in a penitent tone。 'They come and called me； and said they had a pistol and some powder over there。〃
〃Dar now！〃 exclaimed the old man； indignantly。 〃Dar now！ w'at I bin sayin'？ Hit's des a born bless…in' dat you wa'n't brung home on a litter wid bofe eyeballs hangin' out en one year clean gone； dat's w'at 'tis。 Hit's des a born blessin'。 Hit hope me up mightly de udder day w'en I hear Miss Sally layin' down de law 'bout you en dem Favers chillun； yit； lo en beholes； de fus news I knows yer you is han'…in…glove wid urn。 Hit's nuff fer ter fetch ole Miss right up out'n dat berryin'…groun' fum down dar in Putmon County； en w'at yo' gram'ma wouldn't er stood me en yo' ma ain't gwineter stan' nudder； en de nex time I hear 'bout sech a come off ez dis； right den en dar I'm bonn' ter lay de case 'fo' Miss Sally。 Dem Favers's wa'n't no 'count 'fo' de war； en dey wa'n't no 'count endurin' er de war； en dey ain't no 'count atterwards； en w'iles my head's hot you ain't gwineter go mixin' up yo'se'f wid de riff…raff er creashun。〃
The little boy made no further attempt to justify his conduct。 He was a very wise little boy； and he knew that； in Uncle Remus's eyes； he had been guilty of a flagrant violation of the family code。 Therefore； instead of attempting to justify himself； he pleaded guilty； and promised that he would never do so any more。 After this there was a long period of silence； broken only by the vigorous style in which Uncle Remus puffed away at his pipe。 This was the in…variable result。 Whenever the old man had occasion to reprimand the little boy…and the occasions were frequent…he would relapse into a diguffied but stubborn silence。 Presently the youngster drew forth from his pocket a long piece of candle。 The sharp eyes of the old man saw it at once。
〃Don't you come a tellin' me dat Miss Sally gun you dat；〃 he exclaimed； 〃kaze she didn't。 En I lay you hatter be monstus sly 'fo' you gotter chance fer ter snatch up dat piece er canule。〃
〃Well； Uncle Remus；〃 the little boy explained； 〃it was lying there all by itself； and I just thought I'd fetch it out to you。
〃Dat's so； honey；〃 said Uncle Remus； greatly mollified； 〃dat's so； kaze by now some er dem yuther niggers 'ud er done had her lit up。 Dey er mighty biggity； dem house niggers is； but I notices dat dey don't let nuthin' pass。 Dey goes 'long wid der han's en der mouf open； en w'at one don't ketch de tother one do。〃
There was another pause； and finally the little boy said：
〃Uncle Remus； you know you promised to…day to tell me why the 'Possum has no hair on his tail。〃
〃Law； honey！ ain't you done gone en fergot dat off'n yo' mine yit？ Hit look like ter me；〃 continued the old man； leisureW refilling his pipe； 〃dat she sorter run like dis： One time ole Brer Possum； he git so hungry； he did； dat he bleedzd fer ter have a mess er 'simmons。 He monstus lazy man； old Brer Possum wuz； but bimeby his stummick 'gun ter growl en holler at 'im so dat he des hatter rack 'roun' en hunt up sump'n； en w'iles he wnz rackin' 'roun'； who sh'd he run up wid but Brer Rabbit； en dey wuz hail…fellers； kaze Brer Possum； he ain't bin bodder'n Brer Rabbit like dem yuther creeturs。 Dey sot down by de side er de big road； en dar dey jabber en confab 'mong wunner nudder； twel bimeby old Brer Possum； he take 'n tell Brer Rabbit dat he mos' pe'sh out； en Brer Rabbit； he lip up in de a'r； he did； en smack his han's tergedder； en say dat he know right whar Brer Possum kin git a bait er 'simmons。 Den Brer Possum； he say whar； en Brer Rabbit； he say w'ich 'twuz over at Brer B'ar's 'simmon orchard。〃
〃Did th