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de blacksmff say he got some little jobs dat he bleedzd ter finish up； en den he ax de Bad Man fer ter set down a minnit； en de Bad Man； he tuck'n sot down； en he sot in dat cheer w'at he done conju'a en； co'se； dar he wuz。 Den de blacksmif； he 'gun ter poke fun at de Bad Man； en he ax him don't he want a dram； en won't he hitch his cheer up little nigher de fier； en de Bad Man； he beg en he beg； but 'twan't doin' no good； kase de blacksmif 'low dat he gwineter keep 'im dar twel he promus dat he let 'im off one year mo'； en； sho nuff； de Bad Man promus dat ef de black…smif let 'im up he give 'im a n'er showin'。 So den de blacksnif gun de wud； en de Bad Man sa'nter off down de big road； settin' traps en layin' his progance fer ter ketch mo' sinners。
〃De nex' year hit pass same like t'er one。 At de 'p'inted time yer come de Ole Boy atter de blacksnif； hut still de blackssnif had some jobs dat he bleedzd ter finish up； en he ax de Bad Man fer ter take holt er de sludge en he he'p 'im Out； en de Bad Man； he 'low dat r'er'n be disperlite； he don't keer ef he do hit 'er a biff er two； en wid dat he grab up de sludge； en dar he wnz 'gin； kase he done conju'd de sludge so dat whosomedever tuck 'er up can't put 'er down less'n de blacksmif say de wud。 Dey perlaver'd dar； dey did； twel bimeby de Bad Man he up'n let 'im off n'er year。
〃Well； den； dat year pass same ez t'er one。 Mont' in en mont' out dat man wuz rollin' in dram； en bimeby yer come de Bad Man。 De blacksmff cry en he holler； en he rip 'roan' en t'ar his ha'r； but hit des like he didn't； kase de Bad Man grab 'im up en cram 'im in a bag en tote 'im off。 W'iles dey wuz gwine 'long dey come up wid a passel er fokes w'at wnz havin' wanner deze yer fote er July bobbycues； en de Ole Boy； he 'low dat maybe he kin git some mo' game； en w'at do he do but jine in wid urn。 He lines in en he talk politics same like t'er fokes； twel bimeby diimertime come 'roan'； en dey ax 'im up； w'ich 'greed wid his stummuck； en he pozzit his bag anderneed de table 'longside de udder bags w'at de hongry fokes'd brung。
〃No sooner did de blacksmif git back on de groan' dan he 'gun ter wuk his way outer de bag。 He crope out； he did； en den he tuck'n change de bag。 He tuck'n tuck a n'er bag en lay it down whar dish yer bag wuz； en den he crope outer de crowd en lay low in de underbresh。
〃Las'； w'en de time come fer ter go； de Ole Boy up wid his bag en slung her on his shoulder； en off he put fer de Bad Place。 W'en he got dar he tuck'n drap de bag off'n his back en call up de imps； en dey des come a squallin' en a caperin'； w'ich I speck dey mus' a bin hongry。 Leas'ways dey des swawm'd 'roan'； hollerin' out：
'Daddy； w'at you brung…daddy； w'at you brung？'
〃So den dey open de bag； en lo en beholes； out jump a big bull…dog； en de way he shuck dem little imps wnz a caution； en he kep' on guyawin' un urn twel de Ole Boy open de gate en t'un 'im out。〃
〃And what became of the blacksmith？〃 the little boy asked； as Uncle Remus paused to snuff the candle with his fingers。
〃I'm drivin' on 'roan'； honey。 Atter 'long time； de blacksmff he tuck'n die； en w'en he go ter de Good Place de man at de gate dunner who he is； en he can't squeeze in。 Den he go down ter de Bad Place； en knock。 De Ole Boy； he look out； he did； en he know'd de blacksmif de minnit he laid eyes on 'im； but he shake his head en say； sezee：
〃'You'll hatter skuze me； Brer Blacksrnif； kase I d an had 'speunce 'longer you。 You'll hatter go some'rs else ef you wanter raise enny racket；' sezee； en wid dat he shet do do'。
〃En dey do say；〃 con…tinued Uncle Remus； with； unction； 〃dat sense dat day de blacksmif bin sorter huv'rin' 'roan' 'twix' de heavens en de yc'th； en dark nights he shine out so fokes call 'im Jacky…my…lantun。 Dat's w'at dey tells me。 Hit may be wrong er't maybe right； but dat's w'at I years。
*1 This story is popular on the coast and among the rice… plantations； and； since the publication of some of the animal…myths in the newspapers； I have received a version of it from a planter in southwest Georgia； but it seems to me to he an intruder among the genuine myth…stories of the negroes。 It is a trifle too elaborate。 Nevertheless； it is told upon the plantations with great gusto； and there are several versions in circulation。
XXXIII WHY THE NEGRO IS BLACK
ONE night； while the little boy was watebing Uncle Remus twisting and waxing some shoe…thread； he made what appeared to him to be a very curious discovery。 He discovered that the palms of the old man's hands were as white as his own； and the fact was such a source of wonder that he at last made it the subject of remark。 The response of Uncle Remus led to the earnest recital of a piece of unwritten history that must prove interesting to ethnologists。
〃Tooby sho de pa'm er my han's w'ite； honey；〃 he quietly remarked； 〃en； w'en it come ter dat； dey wuz a time w'en all de w'ite folks 'uz black…blacker dan me； kaze I done bin yer so long dat I bin sorter bleach out。〃
The little boy laughed。 He thought Uncle Remus was making him the victim of one of his jokes； but the youngster was never more mistaken。 The old man was serious。 Nevertheless； he failed to rebuke the ill…timed mirth of the child； appearing to be alto…gether engrossed in his work。 Mter a while； he resumed：
〃Yasser。 Fokes dunner w'at bin yit； let 'lone w'at gwinter be。 Niggers is niggers now； but de time wnz w'en we 'uz all niggers tergedder。〃
〃When was that； Uncle Remus？〃
〃Way back yander。 In dem times we 'uz all an us black； we 'uz all niggers tergedder； en 'cordin' ter all de 'counts w'at I years fokes 'uz gittin' 'long 'bout ez well in dem days ez dey is now。 But atter 'w'ile de news come dat dere wuz a pon' er water some'rs in de naberhood； w'ich ef dey'd git inter dey'd be wash off nice en w'ite； en den one un urn； he fine de place en make er splange inter de pon'； en come out w'ite ez a town gal。 En den； bless grashus！ w'en de fokes seed it； dey make a break fer de pon'； en dem w'at wnz de soopless； dey got in fus' en dey come out w'ite； en dem w'at wuz de nex' soopless； dey got in nex'； en dey come out merlatters； en dey wuz sech a crowd un um dat dey mighty nigh use de water up； w'ich w'en dem yuthers come long； de morest dey could do wuz ter paddle about wid der foots en dabble in it wid der han's。 Dem wuz de niggers； en down ter dis day dey ain't no w'ite 'bout a nigger 'ceppin de pa'ms er der han's en de soles er der foot。〃
The little boy seemed to be very much interested in this new account of the origin of races； and he made some further inquiries； which elicited from Uncle Remus the following additional particulars：
〃De Injun en de Chinee got ter be 'counted 'long er de nierlatter。 I ain't seed no Chinee dat I knows un； but dey tells me dey er sorter 'twix' a brown en a brindle。 Dey er all merlatters。〃
〃But mamma says the Chinese have straight hair；〃 the little boy suggested。
〃Co'se； honey；〃 the old man unhesitatingly responded； 〃dem w'at git ter de pon' time nuff fer ter git der head in de water； de water hit onkink der ha'r。 Hit bleedzd ter be dat away。
XXXIV THE SAD FATE OF MR。 FOX
〃Now； den；〃 said Uncle Remus； with unusual gravity； as soon as the l