"In dem days," continued Uncle Remus, speaking to the child's look of inquiry, "de Pimmerly Plum wuz monst'us skace. Leavin' out Brer Rabbit en Brer Tarrypin dey wa'n't none er de yuther creeturs dat yuvver got a glimp' un it, let 'lone a tas'e. So den w'en Brer Fox year talk er de Pimmerly Plum, bless gracious! he h'ist up he head en let Brer Tarrypin 'lone. Brer Tarrypin keep on laffin' en Brer Fox 'low:--
"'Hush, Brer Tarrypin! you makes my mouf water! Whar'bouts de Pimmerly Plum?'
"Brer Tarrypin, he sorter cle'r up de ho'seness in he th'oat, en sing:--
"'_Poun' er sugar, en a pint er rum, Ain't nigh so sweet ez de Pimmerly Plum!_'
"Brer Fox, he lif' up he han's, he did, en holler:--
"'Oh, hush, Brer Tarrypin! you makes me dribble! Whar'bouts dat Pimmerly Plum?'
"'You stannin' right und' de tree, Brer Fox!'
"Brer Fox look up in de tree dar, en he wuz 'stonish'."
"What did he see in the sycamore tree, Uncle Remus?" inquired the little boy.
There was a look of genuine disappointment on the old man's face, as he replied:--
"De gracious en de goodness, honey! Ain't you nev' is see dem ar little bit er balls w'at grow on de sycamo' tree?"[48]
The little boy laughed. There was a huge sycamore tree in the centre of the circle made by the carriage way in front of the "big house," and there were sycamore trees of various sizes all over the place. The little balls alluded to by Uncle Remus are very hard at certain stages of their growth, and cling to the tree with wonderful tenacity. Uncle Remus continued:--
"Well, den, w'en ole Brer Tarrypin vouch dat dem ar sycamo' balls wuz de ginnywine Pimmerly Plum, ole Brer Fox, he feel mighty good, yit he dunner how he gwine git at um. Push 'im clos't, en maybe he mought beat Brer Tarrypin clammin' a tree, but dish yer sycamo' tree wuz too big fer Brer Fox fer ter git he arms 'roun'. Den he up'n 'low:--
"'I sees um hangin' dar, Brer Tarrypin, but how I gwine git um?'
"Brer Tarrypin open he do' little ways en holler out:--
"'Ah-yi! Dar whar ole Slickum Slow-come got de 'vantage! Youer mighty peart, Brer Fox, yit somehow er nudder you ain't bin a-keepin' up wid ole Slickum Slow-come.'
"'Brer Tarrypin, how de name er goodness does you git um?'
"'Don't do no good fer ter tell you, Brer Fox. Nimble heel make restless min'. You ain't got time fer ter wait en git um, Brer Fox.'