uncle remus-第2章

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in。　We　have　seen　enough　to　know　that　a　very　interesting　line　of　investigation　has　been　opened。〃

Professor　Hartt；　in　his　Amazonian　Tortoise　Myths；　quotes　a　story　from　the　Riverside　Magazine　of　November；　1868；　which　will　be　recognized　as　a　variant　of　one　given　by　Uncle　Remus。　I　venture　to　append　it　here；　with　some　necessary　verbal　and　phonetic　alterations；　in　order　to　give　the　reader　an　idea　of　the　difference　between　the　dialect　of　the　cofton　plantations；　as　used　by　Uncle　Remus；　and　the　lingo　in　vogue　on　the　rice　plantations　and　Sea　Islands　of　the　South　Atlantic　States：

〃One　time　B'er　Deer　an'　B'er　Cooter　（Terrapin）　was　courtin'；　and　de　lady　did　bin　lub　B'er　Deer　mo'　so　dan　B'er　Cooter。　She　did　bin　lub　B'er　Cooter；　but　she　lub　B'er　Deer　de　morest。　So　de　noung　lady　say　to　B'er　Deer　and　B'er　Cooter　bofe　dat　dey　mus'　hab　a　ten…mile　race；　an　de　one　dat　beats；　she　will　go　marry　him。

〃So　B'er　Cooter　say　to　B'er　Deer：　'You　has　got　mo　longer　legs　dan　I　has；　but　I　will　run　you。　You　run　ten　mile　on　land；　and　I　will　run　ten　mile　on　de　water！'

〃So　B'er　Cooter　went　an'　git　nine　er　his　fam'ly；　an'　put　one　at　ebery　mile…pos'；　and　he　hisse'f；　what　was　to　run　wid　B'er　Deer；　he　was　right　in　front　of　de　young　lady's　do'；　in　de　broom…grass。

〃Dat　mornin'　at　nine　o'clock；　B'er　Deer　he　did　met　B'er　Cooter　at　de　fus　mile…pos'；　wey　dey　was　to　start　fum。　So　he　call：　〃Well；　B'er　Cooter；　is　you　ready？　Co　long！'　As　he　git　on　to　de　nex'　mile…pos'；　he　say：　'B'er　Cooter！'　B'er　Cooter　say：　'Hullo！'　B'er　Deer　say：　'You　dere？'　B'er　Cooter　say：　'Yes；　B'er　Deer；　I　dere　too。'

〃Nex'　mile…pos'　he　jump；　B'er　Deer　say：　'Hullo；　B'er　Cooter！'　B'er　Cooter　say：　'Hullo；　B'er　Deer！　you　dere　too？'　B'er　Deer　say：　'Ki！　it　look　like　you　gwine　fer　tie　me；　it　look　like　we　gwine　fer　de　gal　tie！'

〃W'en　he　git　to　de　nine…mile　pos'　he　tought　he　git　dere　fus；　'cause　he　mek　two　jump；　so　he　holler：　'B'er　Cooter！'　B'er　Cooter　answer：　'You　dere　too？'　B'er　Deer　say：　'It　look　like　you　gwine　tie　me。'　B'er　Cooter　say：　'Go　long；　B'er　Deer。　I　git　dere　in　due　season　time；'　which　he　does；　and　wins　de　race。〃

The　story　of　the　Rabbit　and　the　Fox；　as　told　by　the　Southern　negroes；　is　artistically　dramatic　in　this：　it　progresses　in　an　orderly　way　from　a　beginning　to　a　well…defined　conclusion；　and　is　full　of　striking　episodes　that　suggest　the　culmination。　It　seems　to　me　to　be　to　a　certain　extent　allegorical；　albeit　such　an　interpretation　may　be　unreasonable。　At　least　it　is　a　fable　thoroughly　characteristic　of　the　negro；　and　it　needs　no　scientific　investigation　to　show　why　he　selects　as　his　hero　the　weakest　and　most　harmless　of　all　animals；　and　brings　him　out　victorious　in　contests　with　the　bear；　the　wolf；　and　the　fox。　It　is　not　virtue　that　triumphs；　but　helplessness；　it　is　not　malice；　but　mischievousness。　It　would　be　presumptious　in　me　to　offer　an　opinion　as　to　the　origin　of　these　curious　myth…stories；　but）　if　ethnologists　should　discover　that　they　did　not　originate　with　the　African；　the　proof　to　that　effect　should　be　accompanied　with　a　good　deal　of　persuasive　eloquence。

Curiously　enough；　I　have　found　few　negroes　who　will　acknowledge　to　a　stranger　that　they　know　anything　of　these　legends；　and　yet　to　relate　one　of　the　stories　is　the　surest　road　to　their　confidence　and　esteem。　In　this　way；　and　in　this　way　only；　I　have　been　enabled　to　collect　and　verify　the　folklore　included　in　this　volume。　There　is　an　anecdote　about　the　Irishman　and　the　rabbit　which　a　number　of　negroes　have　told　to　me　with　great　unction；　and　which　is　both　funny　and　characteristic；　though　I　will　not　undertake　to　say　that　it　has　its　origin　with　the　black's。　One　day　an　Irishman　who　had　heard　people　talking　about　〃mares'　nests〃　was　going　along　the　big　road…it　is　always　the　big　road　in　contradistinction　to　neighborhood　paths　and　by…paths；　called　in　the　vernacular　〃nigh…cuts〃…when　he　came　to　a　pumpkin…patch。　The　Irishman　had　never　seen　any　of　this　fruit　before；　and　he　at　once　concluded　that　he　had　discovered　a　veritable　mare's　nest。　Making　the　most　of　his　opportunity；　he　gathered　one　of　the　pumpkins　in　his　arms　and　went　on　his　way。　A　pumpkin　is　an　exceedingly　awkward　thing　to　carry；　and　the　Irishman　had　not　gone　far　before　he　made　a　misstep；　and　stumbled。　The　pumpkin　fell　to　the　ground；　rolled　down　the　hill　into　a　〃brush…heap；〃　and；　striking　against　a　stump；　was　broken。　The　story　continues　in　the　dialect：　〃W'en　de　punkin　roll　in　de　bresh…heap；　out　jump　a　rabbit；　en　soon's　de　I'shmuns　see　dat；　he　take　atter　de　rabbit　en　holler：　'Kworp；　colty！　kworp；　colty！'　but　de　rabbit；　he　des　flew。〃　The　point　of　this　is　obvious。

As　to　the　songs；　the　reader　is　warned　that　it　will　be　found　difficult　to　make　them　conform　to　the　ordinary　rules　of　versification；　nor　is　it　intended　that　they　should　so　conform。　They　are　written；　and　are　intended　to　be　read；　solely　with　reference　to　the　regular　and　invariable　recurrence　of　the　caesura；　as；　for　instance；　the　first　stanza　of　the　Revival　Hymn：

〃Oh；　whar　/　shill　we　go　/　w'en　de　great　/　day　comes　Wid　de　blow　/　in'　er　de　trumpits　/　en　de　bang　/　in'　er　de　　　　　　　　　　drums　/　How　man　/　y　po'　sin　/　ners'll　be　kotch'd　/　out　late　　En　fine　/　no　latch　ter　de　gold　　/　en　gate　/

In　other　words；　the　songs　depend　for　their　melody　and　rhythm　upon　the　musical　quality　of　time；　and　not　upon　long　or　short；　accented　or　unaccented　syllables。　I　am　persuaded　that　this　fact　led　Mr。　Sidney　Lanier；　who　is　thoroughly　familiar　with　the　metrical　peculiarities　of　negro　songs；　into　the　exhaustive　investigation　which　has　resulted　in　the　publication　of　his　scholarly　treatise　on　The　Science　of　English　Verse。

The　difference　between　the　dialect　of　the　legends　and　that　of　the　character…sketches；　slight　as　it　is；　marks　the　modifications　which　the　speech　of　the　negro　has　undergone　even　where　education　has　played　in　deed；　save　in　the　no　part　reforming　it。　　Indeed；　save　in　the　remote　country　districts；　the　dialect　of　the　legends　has　nearly　disappeared。　　I　am　perfectly　well　aware　that　the　character…sketches　are　without　permanent　interest；　but　they　are　embodied　here　for　the　purpose　of　presenting　a　phase　of　negro　character　wholly　distinct　from　that　which　I　have　endeavored　to　preserve　in　the　legends。　Only　in　this　shape；　and　with　all　the　local　allusions；　would　it　be　possible　to　adequately　represent　the　shrewd　observations；　the　curious　retorts；　the　homely　thrusts；　the　quaint　comments；　and　the　humorous　philosophy　of　the　race　of　which　Uncle　Remus　is　the　type。

If　the　reader　not　familiar　with　plantation　life　will　imagine　that　the　myth…stories　of　Uncle　Remus　are　told　night　after　night　to　a　little　boy　by　an　old　negro　who　appears　to　be　venerable　enough　to　have　lived　during　the　period　which　he　describes…who　has　nothing　but　pleasant　memories　of　the　discipline　of　slavery…and　who　has　all　the　prejudices　of　caste　and　pride　of　family　that　were　the　natural　results　of　the　system；　if　the　reader　can　imagine　all　this；　he　will　find　little　difficulty　in　appreciating　and　sympathizing　with　the　air　of　affectionate　superiority　which　Uncle　Remus　assumes　as　he　proceeds　to　unfold　the　mysteries　of　plantation　lore　to　a　little　child　who　is　the　product　of　that　practical　reconstruction　which　has　been　going　on　to　some　extent　since　the　war　in　spite　of　the　politicians　Uncle　Remus　describes　that　rcconstruction　in　his　Story　of　the　War；　and　I　may　as　well　add　here　for　the　benefit　of　the　curious　that　that　story　is　almost　literally　true。

J。　C。　H。




CONTENTS

LEGENDS　OF　THE　OLD　PLANTATION

I。　Uncle　Remus　initiates　tbe　Little　Boy　II。　The　Wonderful　Tar…Baby　Story　III。Why　Mr。　Possum　loves　Peace　IV。　How　Mr。　Rabbit　was　too　sharp　for　Mr。　Fox　V。　The　Story　of　the　Deluge；　and　how　it　came　about　　VI。　Mr。　Rabbit　grossly　deceives　Mr。　Fox　VII。　Mr。　Fox　is　again　victimized　。　VIII。　Mr。　Fox　is　〃outdone〃　by　Mr。　Buzzard　IX。　Miss　Cow　falls　a　Victim　to　Mr。　Rabbit　X。　Mr。　Terrapin　appears　upon　the　Scene　XI。　Mr。　Wolf　makes　a　Failure　XII。　Mr。　Fox　tackles　Old　Man　Tarrypin　XIII。　The　Awful　Fate　of　Mr。　Wolf　XIV。　Mr。　Fox　and　the　Deceitful　Frogs　。　　。　XV。　Mr。　Fox　goes　a…hunting；　but　Mr。　Rabbit　bags　the　Game　Xvl。　Old　Mr。　Rabbit；　he's　a　Good　Fisherman　XVJI。　Mr。　Rabbit　nibbles　up　the　Butter　XVIII。　Mr。　Rabbit　finds　his　Match　at　last　XIX。　The　Fate　of　Mr。　Jack　Sparrow　XX。　How　Mr。　Rabbit　saved　his　Meat　XXI。　Mr。　Rabbit　meets　his　Match　again　XXII。　A　Story　about　the　Little　Rabbits　XXIII。　Mr。　Rabbit　and　Mr。　Bear　。　XXIV。　Mr。　Bear　catches　Old　Mr。　Bull…Frog　XXV。　How　Mr。　Rabbit　lost　his　Fine　Bushy　Tail　XXVI。　Mr。　Terrapin　shows　his　Strength。　XXVII　Why　Mr。　Possum　has　no　Hair　on　his　Tail　XXVIII。　The　End　of　Mr。　Bear　。　XXIX。　Mr。　Fox　gets　into　Serious　Business　XXX。　How　Mr。　Rabbit　succeeded　in　raising　a　Dust。　XXXI。　A　Plantation　Witch　XXXII。　〃Jacky…my…　Lanteern〃　XXXIII。　Why　the　Negro　is　Black　XXXIV。…The　Sad　Fate　of　Mr。　Fox　　Plantation　Proverbs

His　Songs

I。　Revival　Hymn　II。Camp…Meeting　Song　III。　Corn…Shucking　Song　IV。The　Plough…hands　Song　V。Chrisnas　Play…Song　VI。　Plantation　Play…Song　VII。　Transcriptions：　　　　　　　1。　A　Plantation　Chant　　　　　　　2。　A　Plantation　Serenade

VIII。　De　Big　Bethel　Church　IX。…Time　goes　by　Turns　A　Story　of　the　War

His　Sayings　I。　Jeems　Roher'son's　Last　Illness　II。　Uncle　Remus's　Church　Experience　III。　Uncle　Remus　and　the　Savannah　Darkey　IV。　Tumip　Salad　as　a　Text　V。　A　Confession　VI。　Uncle　Remus　with　the　Toothache　VII。　The　Phonograph　VIII。　Race　Improvement　IX。　In　the　Role　of　a　Tartar　X。　A　Case　of　Measles　XI。　The　Emigrants　XII。　As　a　Murderer　XIII。His　Practical　View　of　Things　XIV。That　Deceitful　Jug　XV。The　Florida　Watermelon　XVI。　Uncle　Remns　preaches　to　a　Convert　XV1I。　As　to　Education　XVIII。　A　Temperance　Reformer　XIX。　As　a　Weather　Prophet　XX。　The　Old　Man's　Troubles　XXI。　The　Fourth　of　July




LEGENDS　OF　THE　OLD　PLANTATION

I　UNCLE　REMUS　INITIATES　THE　LITTLE　BOY

One　evening　recently；　the　lady　whom　Uncle　Remus　calls　〃Miss　Sally〃　missed　her　little　seven…year…old。　Making　search　for　him　through　the　house　and　through　the　yard；　she　heard　the　sound　of　voices　in　the　old　man's　cabin；　and；　looking　through　the　window；　saw　the　child　sitting　by　Uncle　Remus。　His　head　rested　against　the　old　man's　arm；　and　he　was　gazing　with　an　expression　of　the　most　intense　interest　into　the　rough；　weather…beaten　face；　that　beamed　so　kindly　upon　him。　This　is　what　〃Miss　Sally〃　heard：

〃Bimeby；　one　day；　atter　Brer　Fox　bin　doin'　all　dat　he　could　fer　ter　ketch　Brer　Rabbit；　en　Brer　Rabbit　bein　doin'　all　he　could　fer　ter　keep　'im　fum　it；　Brer　Fox　say　to　hisse'f　dat　he'd　put　up　a　game　on　Brer　Rabbit；　en　he　ain't　mo'n　got　de　wuds　out'n　his　mouf　tewl　Brer　Rabbit　came　a　lopin'　up　de　big　road；　lookin'　des　ez　plump；　en　ez　fat；　en　ez　sassy　ez　a　Moggin　hoss　in　a　barley…patch。

〃〃Hol'　on　dar；　Brer　RAbbit；'　sez　Brer　Fox；　sezee。

〃'I　ain't　got　time；　Ber　Fox；'　sez　Brer　Rabbit；　sezee；　sorter　mendin'　his　licks。

〃'I　wanter　have　some　confab　wid　you；　Brer　Rabbit；'　sez　Brer　Fox；　sezee。

〃'All　right；　Brer　Fox；　but　you　better　holler　fum　whar　you　stan'。　I'm　monstus　full　er　fleas　dis　mawnin'；'　sez　Brer　Rabbit；　sezee。

〃'I　seed　Brer　B'ar　yistdiddy；　'sez　Brer　Fox；　sezee；　'en　he　sorter　rake　me　over　de　coals　kaze　you　en　me　ain't　make　frens　en　live　naberly；　en　I　tole　'im　dat　I'd　see　you。'

〃Den　Brer　Rabbit　scratch　one　year　wid　his　off　hinefoot　sorter　jub'usly；　en　den　he　ups　en　sez；　sezee：

〃'All　a　settin'；　Brer　Fox。　Spose'n　you　drap　roun'　ter…morrer　en