an den agin he moutent. Some say Judge B'ar come 'long en loosed
'im--some say he didn't. I hear Miss Sally callin'. You better
run 'long."


III. WHY MR. POSSUM LOVES PEACE

"ONE night," said Uncle Remus--taking Miss Sally's little boy on
his knee, and stroking the child's hair thoughtfully and
caressingly--"one night Brer Possum call by fer Brer Coon,
'cordin' ter 'greement, en atter gobblin' up a dish er fried
greens en smokin' a seegyar, dey rambled fort' fer ter see how de
ballance er de settlement wuz gittin' long. Brer Coon, he wuz one
er deze yer natchul pacers, en he racked 'long same ez Mars
John's bay pony, en Brer Possum he went in a han'-gallup; en dey
got over heap er groun, mon. Brer Possum, he got his belly full
er 'simmons, en Brer Coon, he scoop up a 'bunnunce er frogs en
tadpoles. Dey amble long, dey did, des ez sociable ez a basket er
kittens, twel bimeby dey hear Mr. Dog talkin' ter hisse'f way off
in de woods.

"'Spozen he runs up on us, Brer Possum, w'at you gwineter do?'
sez Brer Coon, sezee. Brer Possum sorter laugh 'round de cornders
un his mouf.

"'Oh, ef he come, Brer Coon, I'm gwineter stan' by you,' sez Brer
Possum. 'W'at you gwineter do?' sezee.

"'Who? me?' sez Brer Coon. 'Ef he run up onter me, I lay I give
'im one twis',' sezee."