uncle remus-第20章
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〃Was the Bear's head sure enough swelled; Uncle Remus?〃
〃Now you talkin'; honey!〃 exclaimed the old man。
〃Goodness! what made it swell?〃
This was Uncle Remus's cue。 Applying the sand…paper to the axe…helve with gentle vigor; he began。
〃One time when Brer Rabbit wnz gwine lopin' home film a frolic w'at dey bin havin' up at Miss Meadows's; who should he happin up wid but ole Brer B'ar。 Go'se; atter w'at done pass 'twix urn dey wa'n't no good feelin's 'tween Brer Rabbit en ole Brer B'ar; but Brer Rabbit; he wanter save his manners; en so he holler out:
〃Heyo; Brer B'ar! how you come on? I ain't seed you in a coon's age。 How all down at yo' house? How Miss Brune en Miss Brindle?〃
〃Who was that; Uncle Remus?〃 the little boy interrupted。
〃Miss Brune en Miss Brindle? Miss Brune wuz Brer B'ar's ole 'oman; en Miss Brindle wnz his gal。 Dat w'at dey call urn in dem days。 So den Brer Rabbit; he ax him howdy; he did; en Brer B'ar; he 'spon' dat he wuz mighty po'y; en dey amble 'long; dey did; sorter familious like; but Brer Rabbit; he keep one eye on Brer B'ar; en Brer B'ar; he study how he gwine nab Brer Rabbit。 Las' Brer Rabbit; he up'n say; sezee:
〃'Brer B'ar; I speck I got some bizness cut out fer you;' sezee。
〃'What dat; Brer Rabbit?' sez Brer B'ar; sezee。
〃'W'iles I wuz cleanin' up my new…groun' day 'fo' yistiddy;' sez Brer Rabbit; sezee; 'I come 'cross wun…ner deze yer ole time bee…trees。 Hit start holler at de bottom; en stay holler plum der de top; en de honey's des natally oozin' out; en ef you'll drap yo' 'gagements en go longer me;' sez Brer Rabbit; sezee; 'youll git a bait datil las' you en yo' fambly twel de middle er nex' mont';' sezee。
〃Brer B'ar say he much oblije en he bleeve he'll go long; en wid dat dey put out fer Brer Rabbit's newgroun'; w'ich twa'n't so mighty fur。 Leas'ways; dey got dar atter w'ile。 Ole Brer B'ar; he low dat he kin smell de honey。 Brer Rabbit; he low dat he kin see de honey…koam。 Brer B'ar; he low dat he can hear de bees a zoonin'。 Dey stan' 'roun' en talk biggity; dey did; twel bimeby Brer Rabbit; he up'n say; sezee:
〃'You do de clim…'in'; Brer B'ar; en I'll do de rushin' 'roun'; you clime up ter de hole; en fll take dis yer pine pole en shove de honey up whar you kin git 'er;' sezee。
〃Ole Brer B'ar; he spit on his han's en skint up de tree; en jam his head in de hole; en sho nuff; Brer Rabbit; he grab de pine pole; en de way he stfr up dem bees wuz sinful…dat's w'at it wuz。 Hit wuz sinful。 En de bees dey swawm'd on Brer B'ar's head; twel 'fo' he could take it out'n de hole' hit wuz done swell up bigger dan dat dinner…pot; en dar he swung; en ole Brer Rabbit; he dance 'roun' en sing:
〃Tree stan' high; but honey mighty sweet… Watch dem bees wid stingers on der feet。'
〃But dar ole Brer B'ar hung; en ef his head ain't swunk; I speck he hangin' dar yit…dat w'at I speck。〃
XXIX MR。 FOX GETS INTO SERIOUS BUSINESS
〃Hrr turn out one time;〃 said Uncle Remus; grinding some crumbs of tobacco between the palms of his hands; preparatory to enjoying his usual smoke after supper…〃hit turn out one time dat Brer Rabbit make so free wid de man's collard…patch dat de man he tuck'n sot a trap fer ole Brer Rabbit。〃
〃Which man was that; Uncle Remus?〃 asked the little boy。
〃Des a man; honey。 Dat's all。 Dat's all I knows …des wunner dese yer mans w'at you see trollopin 'roun' eve'y day。 Nobody ain't never year w'at his name is; en ef dey did dey kep' de news mighty close fum me。 Ef dish yer man is bleedzd fer ter have a name; den I'm done; kaze you'll hatter go fudder dan me。 Ef you bleedzd ter know mo' dan w'at I duz; den you'll hatter hunt up some er deze yer niggers w'at's sprung up sence I commence fer ter shed my ha'r。〃
〃Well; I just thought; Uncle Remus;〃 said the little boy; in a tone remarkable for self…depreciation; 〃that the man had a name。〃
〃Tooby sho;〃 replied the old man; with unction; puffing away at his pipe。 〃Co'se。 Dat w'at make I say w'at I duz。 Dish yer man mout a had a name; en den ag'in he moutn't。 He mont er bin name Slip…shot Sam; en he mouter bin name ole One…eye Riley; w'ich ef 'twuz hit ain't bin handed roun' ter me。 But dish yer man; he in de tale; en w'at we gwine do wid 'im? Dats de p'int; kase w'en I git ter huntin' 'roun' 'mong my 'membunce atter dish yer Mister W'atyoumaycollum's name; she ain't dar。 Now den; less des call 'im Mr。 Man en let 'im go at dat。〃
The silence of the little boy gave consent。
〃One time;〃 said Uncle Remus; carefully taking up the thread of the story where it had been dropped; 〃hit turn out dat Brer Rabbit bin makin' so free wid Mr。 Man's greens en truck dat Mr。 Man; he tuck'n sot a trap for Brer Rabbit; en Brer Rabbit he so greedy dat he tuck'n walk right spang in it; 'fo' he know hisse'f。 Well; 'twa'n't long 'fo' yer come Mr。 Man; broozin' 'roun'; en he ain't no sooner see ole Brer Rabbit dan he smack his han's tergedder en holler out:
〃'Youer nice feller; you is! Yer you bin gobblin' up my green truck; en now you tryin' ter tote off my trap。 Youer mighty nice chap…dat's w'at you is! But now dat I got you; I'll des 'bout settle wid you fer de ole en de new。'
〃En wid dat; Mr。 Man; he go off; he did; down in de bushes atter han'ful er switches。 Ole Brer Rabbit; he ain't sayin' nuthin'; but he feelin' mighty lonesome; en he sot dar lookin' like eve'y minnit wnz gwineter be de nex'。 En w'iles Mr。 Man wuz off prepa'r'n his bresh…broom; who should come p'radin' long but Brer Fox。 Brer Fox make a great 'miration; he did; 'bout de fix w'at he fine Brer Rabbit in; but Brer Rabbit he make like he fit ter kill hisse'f laffin'; en he up'n tell Brer Fox; he did; dat Miss Meadows's fokes want 'im ter go down ter der house in 'tennunce on a weddin'; en he low w'ich he couldn't; en dey low how he could; en den bimeby dey take'n tie 'im dar w'iles dey go atter de preacher; so he be dar' w'en dey come back。 En mo'n dat; Brer Rabbit up'n tell Brer Fox dat his chillun's mighty low wid de fever; en he bleedzd ter go atter some pills fer'm; en he ax Brer Fox fer ter take his place en go down ter Miss Meadows's en have nice time wid de gals。 Brer Fox; he in fer dem kinder pranks; en 'twa'n't no time 'fo' Brer Rabbit had ole Brer Fox harness up dar in his place; en den he make like he got ter make 'as'e en git de pills fer dem sick chilluns。 Brer Rabbit wa'n't mo'n out er sight 'fo' yer come Mr。 Man wid a han'ful er hick'ries; but w'en he see Brer Fox tied up dar; he look like he 'stonished。
〃'Heyo!' sez Mr。 Man; sezee; 'you done change color; en you done got bigger; en yo' tail done grow out。 W'at kin'er w'atzyname is you; ennyhow?' sezee。
〃Brer Fox; he stay still; en Mr。 Man; he talk on:
〃'Hit's mighty big luck;' sezee; 'ef w'en I ketch de chap w'at nibble my greens; likewise I ketch de feller w'at gnyaw my goose;' sezee; en wid dat he let inter Brex Fox wid de hick'ries; en de way he play rap…jacket wuz a caution ter de naberhood。 Brer Fox; he juk en he jump; en he squeal en he squall; but Mr。 Man; he shower down on 'im; he did; like fightin' a red was'nes'。〃
The little boy laughed; and Uncle Remus supplemented this indorsement of his descriptive powers with a most infectious chuckle。
〃'Bimeby;〃 continued the old man; 〃de switches; dey got frazzle out; en Mr。 Man; he put out atter mo'; en w'en he done got fa'rly outer yearin'; Brer Rabbit; he show'd up; he did; kaze he des bin hidin' out in de bushes lis'nin' at de racket; en he low hit mighty funny dat Miss Meadows ain't come 'long; kaze he done bin down ter de doctor house; en dat's fudder dan de preacher; yit。 Brer Rabbit make like he hurr'in' on home; but Brer Fox; he open up; he did; en he say:
〃'I thank you fer ter tu'n me loose; Brer Rabbit; en Ill be 'blije;' sezee; Icaze you done tie me up so tight dat it make my head swim; en I don't speck I'd las' fer ter git ter Miss Meadows's;' sezee。
〃Brer Rabbit; he sot down sorter keerless like; en begin fer ter scratch one year like a man studyin' 'bout sump'n。
〃'Dat's so; Brer Fox;' sezee; 'you duz look sorter stove up。 Look like sump'n bin onkoamin' yo' ha'rs;' sezee。
〃Brer Fox ain't sayin' nothin'; but Brer Rabbit; he keep on talkin':
'Dey ain't no bad feelin's 'twix' us; is dey; Bre