uncle remus-第22章
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see one； kaze dey might come in de 'pearunce un a cow en all kinder creeturs。 I ain't bin useter no cunjun myse'f； but I bin livin' long nuff fer ter know w'en you meets up wid a big black cat in de middle er de road； wid yaller eyeballs； dars yo' witch fresh fum de Ole Boy。 En； fuddermo'； I know dat 'tain't proned inter no dogs fer ter ketch de rabbit w'at use in a beryyin'…groan'。 Dey er de mos' ongodlies' creeturs w'at you ever laid eyes on； continued Uncle Remus； with unction。 〃Down dar in Putmon County yo' Unk Jeems； he make like he gwineter ketch wunner dem dar graveyard rabbits。 Sho nuff； out he goes； en de dogs ain't no mo'n got ter de place fo' up jump de old rabbit right 'mong urn； en atter ruunin''roun' a time or two； she skip right tip ter Mars Jeems； en Mars Jeems； he des put de gun…bairl right on 'er en lammed aloose。 Hit tored up de groun' all 'roun'； en de dogs； dey rush up； but dey wa'n't no rabbit dar； but bimeby Mars Jeems； he seed de dogs tuckin' der tails 'tween der legs； en he look up； en dar wuz de rabbit caperin' 'roun' on a toom stone； en wid dat Mars Jeems say he sorter feel like de time done come w'en yo' gran'ma was 'speck…tin' an him home； en he call off de dogs en put out。 But dem wuz ha'nts。 Witches is deze yer kinder fokes wat kin drap der body en change inter a cat en a wolf en all kinder creeturs。〃
〃Papa says there ain't any witches；〃 the little boy interrupted。
〃Mars John ain't live long ez I is；〃 said Uncle Remus； by way of comment。 〃He ain't bin broozin' roun' all hours er de night en day。 I know'd a nigger w'ich his brer wuz a witch； kaze he up'n tole me how he tuck'n kyo'd 'im； en he kyo'd 'im good； mon。〃
〃How was that？〃 inquired the little boy。
〃Hit seem like；〃 continued Uncle Remus； 〃dat witch fokes is got a slit in de back er de neek； en w'en dey wanter change derse'f； dey des pull de hide over der head same ez if 'twuz a shut； en dar dey is。〃
〃Do they get out of their skins？〃 asked the little boy； in an awed tone。
〃Tooby sho； honey。 You see yo' pa pull his shut off？ Well； dat dez 'zackly de way dey duz。 But dish yere nigger w'at I'm tellin' you 'bout； he kyo'd his brer de v'ey fus pass he made at him。 Hit got So dat fokes in de settlement didn't have no peace。 De chilluns 'ud wake up in de mawnins wid der ha'r tangle up； en wid scratches on um like dey bin thoo a brier…patch； twel bimeby one day de nigger he 'low dat he'd set up dat night en keep one eye on his brer； en sho' nuff dat night； des ez de chickens wuz crowin' fer twelve； up jump de brer and pull off his skin en sail out'n de house in de shape an a bat； en w'at duz de nigger do but grab up de hide； and turn it wrong…sudout'ards en sprinkle it wid salt。 Den he lay down en watch fer ter see w'at de news wuz gwineter be。 Des 'fo' day yer come a big black cat in de do'； en de nigger git up； he did； en druv her away。 Bimeby； yer come a big black dog snuffin' roan'； en de nigger up wid a chunk en lammed 'im side er de head。 Den a squinch…owi lit on de koam er de house； en de nigger jam de shovel in de fier en make 'im flew away。
Las'； yer come a great big black wolf wid his eyes shinin' liko fier coals； en he grab de hide and rush out。 'Twa'n't long 'fo' de nigger year his brer holler'n en squallin'； en he tuck a light； he did； en went out； en dar wuz his brer des a waller'n on de groun' en squirmin' 'roun'； kaze de salt on de skin wuz stingin' wuss'n ef he had his britches lineded wid yallerjackets。 By nex' mawnin' he got so he could sorter shuffle long； but he gun up cunjun； en ef dere wuz enny mo' witches in dat settlement dey kep' mighty close； en dat nigger he ain't skunt hisse'f no mo' not endurin' er my 'membunce。〃
The result of this was that Uncle Remus had to take the little boy by the hand and go with him to the 〃big house；〃 which the old man was not loath to do； and； when the child went to bed； he lay awake a long time expecting an unseemly visitation from some mysterious source。 It soothed him； however； to hear the strong； musical voice of his sable patron； not very far away； tenderly contending with a lusty tune； and to this accompaniment the little boy dropped asleep：
〃Hit's eighteen hunder'd； forty…en…eight； Christ done made dat crooked way straight… En I don't wanter stay here no longer； Hit's eighteen hunder'd； forty…en…nine； Christ done turn dat water inter wine… En I don't wanter stay here no longer。〃
XXXII 〃JACKY…MY…LANTERN〃 *1
UPON his next visit to Uncle Remus； the little boy was exceedingly anxious to know more about witches； but the old man prudently refrained from exciting the youngster's imagination any further in that direction。 Uncle Remus had a board across his lap； and； armed with a mallet and a shoe…knife； was engaged in making shoe…pegs。
〃W'iles I wuz crossin' de branch des now；〃 he said； endeavoring to change the subject； 〃I come up wid a Jacky…my…lantem； en she wuz bu'nin' wuss'n a bunch er lightnin'…bugs； mon。 I know'd she wuz a fixin' fer ter lead me inter dat quogmire down in de swamp； en I steer'd cle'r an' er。 Yasser。 I did dat。 You ain't never seed no Jacky…my…lanterns； is you； honey？〃
The little boy never had； but he had heard of them； and he wanted to know what they were； and thereupon Uncle Remus proceeded to tell him。
〃One time；〃 said the old darkey； transferring his spectacles from his nose to the top of his head and leaning his elbows upon his peg…board； 〃dere wuz a blacksmif man； en dish yer blacksmif man； he tuck'n stuck closer by his dram dan he did by his bellus。 Monday mawnin' he'd git on a Spree； en all dat week he'd be on a spree； en de nex' Monday mawnin' he'd take a fresh start。 Bimeby； one day； atter de black…smif bin spreein''roun' en cussin' might'ly； he hear a sorter rustlin' fuss at de do'； en in walk de Bad Man。〃
〃Who； Uncle Remus？〃 the little boy asked。
〃De Bad Man； honey； de Ole Boy hisse'f right fresh from de ridjun w'at you year Miss Sally readin' 'bout。 He done hide his hawns； en his tail； en his hoof； en he come dress up like w'ite fokes。 He tuck off his hat en he bow； en den he tell de blacksmif who he is； en dat he done come atter 'im。 Den de black…smif； he gun ter cry en beg； en he beg so hard en he cry so loud dat de Bad Man say he make a trade wid 'im。 At de een' er one year de sperit er de blacksmif wuz to be his'n en endurin' er dat time de blacksmif mus' put in his hottes' licks in de intruss er de Bad Man； en den he put a spell on de cheer de blacksmif was settin' in； en on his sludge…hammer。 De man w'at sot in de cheer couldn't git up less'n de blacksmif let 'im； en de man w'at pick up de sludge 'ud hatter keep on knockin' wid it twel de blacksmif say quit； en den he gun 'im money plenty； en off he put。
〃De blacksmif； he sail in fer ter have his fun； en he have so much dat he done clean forgot 'bout his contrack； but bimeby； one day he look down de road； en dar he see de Bad Man comin'； en den he kuow'd de year wuz out。 w'en de Bad Man got in de do'； de blacksmif wuz poandin' 'way at a hoss…shoe； but he wa'n't so bizzy dat he didn't ax 'im in。 Dc Bad Man sorter do like he ain't got no time fer ter tarry； but 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 d
