"Da Lion, 'e no hab bin sma't lak B'er Rabbit. 'E strong wit' 'e fut, 'e strong wit' 'e tush, but 'e no strong wit' 'e head. 'E bery foolish, 'cep' 'e is bin hab chance ter jump 'pon dem creetur.
"One tam 'e bin come by B'er Rabbit in da road; 'e ahx um howdy; 'e ahx um wey 'e gwan. B'er Rabbit say 'e gwan git fum front de Buckra Màn wut bin comin' 'long da road. B'er Rabbit say:--
"'Hide you'se'f, B'er Lion; da Buckra ketch-a you fer true; 'e is bin ketch-a you tam he pit 'e y-eye 'pon you; 'e mekky you sick wit' sorry. Hide fum da Buckra, B'er Lion!'
"'Ki! Me no skeer da Buckra Màn. I glad fer shum. I ketch um en I kyar um wey I lif; me hab da Buckra Màn fer me bittle. How come you bein' skeer da Buckra Màn, B'er Rabbit?'
"B'er Rabbit look all 'bout fer see ef da Buckra bin comin'. 'E say:--
"'Me hab plenty reason, B'er Lion. Da Buckra Màn shoot-a wit' one gun. 'E r'ise um too 'e y-eye, 'e p'int um stret toze you; 'e say _bang!_ one tam, 'e say _bang!_ two tam: dun you is bin git hu't troo da head en cripple in da leg.'
"'Me no skeer da Buckra Màn. I grab-a da gun. I ketch um fer me brekwus.'
"'Him quare fer true. Me skeer da Buckra, me no skeer you; but you no skeer da Buckra. How come dis?'
"'Me no skeer da Buckra, but me skeer da Pa'tridge; me berry skeer da Pa'tridge.'
"B'er Rabbit, 'e lahff tel 'e kin lahff no mo'. 'E say:--
"'How come you skeer da Pa'tridge? 'E fly wun you wink-a you' eye; 'e run en 'e fly. Hoo! me no skeer 'bout dem Pa'tridge. Me skeer da Buckra.'
"Da Lion, 'e look all 'bout fer see ef da Pa'tridge bin comin'. 'E say:--
"'I skeer da Pa'tridge. Wun me bin walk in da bushside, da Pa'tridge 'e hol' right still 'pon da groun' tel me come dey-dey, en dun 'e fly up--_fud-d-d-d-d-d-e-e!_ Wun 'e is bin do dat me is git-a skeer berry bahd.'"
No typographical device could adequately describe Daddy Jack's imitation of the flushing of a covey of partridges, or quail; but it is needless to say that it made its impression upon the little boy. The old African went on:--
"B'er Rabbit, 'e holler un lahff; 'e say:--
"'Me no skeer da Pa'tridge. I bin run dem up ebry day. Da no hu't-a you, B'er Lion. You hol' you' eye 'pon da Buckra Màn. Da Pa'tridge, 'e no hab no gun fer shoot-a you wit'; da Buckra, 'e is bin hab one gun two tam.[74] Let da Pa'tridge fly, B'er Lion; but wun da Buckra Man come you bes' keep in de shady side. I tell you dis, B'er Lion.'