“Gentermens! It tickles me eve’y time it come in my min’, dat it do! Well, sir, ole Brer Buzzard wuz dat full er rascality dat he ain’t got no better sense dan ter come, en de nex’ day he sail up, he did, bright en yearly. He lit on de grass, en ole Brer Tarrypin, he crope up on he back, en den Brer Buzzard riz. He riz up in de elements, now, en w’en he git up dar he sorter fetched a flirt en a swoop en slid out from under Brer Tarrypin.
“Ole Brer Tarrypin, he flapped he foots en wagged he head en shuck he tail, but all dis ain’t done no good. He start off right-side up, but he ain’t drap fur, ’fo’ he ’gun ter turn somersets up dar, en down he come on he back—kerblam—m—m—! En ef it hadn’t but er bin fer de strenk er he shell, he’d er got bust wide open. He lay dar, ole Brer Tarrypin did, en try ter ketch he breff, en he groan en he pant like eve’y minnit gwine ter be nex’.
“BRER TARRYPIN, HOW YOU FEEL?”
“Ole Brer Buzzard, he sail ’roun’, he did, en look at Brer Tarrypin, en bimeby he lit fer ter make inquirements.
“‘Brer Tarrypin, how you feel?’ sezee.
“‘Brer Buzzard, I’m teetotally ruint,’ sezee.
“‘Well, Brer Tarrypin, I tole you not ter try ter fly,’ sezee.
“‘Hush up, Brer Buzzard!’ sezee; ‘I flew’d good ez anybody, but you fergot ter l’arn me how ter light. Flyin’ is easy as fallin’, but I don’t speck I kin l’arn how ter light, en dat’s whar de trouble come in,’ sezee.”
Uncle Remus laughed as heartily at the result of Brother Terrapin’s attempts to fly as if he had heard of them for the first time; but before the little boy could ask him any questions, he remarked: