arooorrrrar!' an' dey come ter de den, an' dey open de do', an' dar
wuz de lions wid dey mouf open an' dey eyes er shinin,' jes er
trompin' backerds an f'orerds; an' dar in de corner sot an angel
smoovin' uv 'is wings; an' right in de middle uv de den was Dan'l, jes
er sot'n back dar! Gemmun, he wuzn totch! he nuber so much as had de
smell uv de lions bout'n 'im! he wuz jes as whole, mun, as he wuz de
day he wuz born! Eben de boots on 'im, sar, wuz ez shiny ez dey wuz
wen dey put 'im in dar.

"An' he jes clum up de side uv de den, he did; an' soon's uber his
feet tech de yeath, he sez ter de king, sezee, 'King, hit ain't no
usen fur yer ter fool erlong o' me,' sezee; 'I'm er prayin' man mysef,
an I 'low ter live an' die on my knees er prayin' an' er sarvin' de
Lord.' Sezee, 'De Lord ain't gwine let de lions meddle long o' me,'
sezee; 'I ain't fyeard o' nufn,' sezee. 'De Lord is my strengt an' my
rocks, an' I ain't er fyeard o' NO man.' An' wid dat he helt er
preachin', sar, right whar he wuz; an' he tol' 'em uv dey sins, an' de
goodness uv de Lord. He preach de word, he did, right erlong, an'
atter dat he 'gun ter sing dis hymn:

"'Dan'l wuz er prayin' man;
He pray tree times er day;
De Lord he hist de winder,
Fur ter hyear po' Dan'l pray.'

"Den he 'gun ter call up de mo'ners, an' dey come too! Mun, de whole
yeath wuz erlive wid 'em: de white folks dey went up; an' de niggers
dey went up; an' de pater-rollers dey went up; an' de king he went up;
an' dey all come thu an' got 'ligion; an' fum dat day dem folks is er
sarvin' de Lord.