“Time went on des like it do now; night swung by an’ day swung in, an’ here come King Sun’s house-gal atter a bucket er water. She let down de step-ladder an’ come singin’ ter de spring. She drapped her bucket in, an’ de Spring Lizzard stepped in, an’ crope roun’ ter whar de shadder wuz de heaviest. De gal clomb up de step-ladder, an’ pulled it atter her, an’ went ’long de path ter King Sun’s house. She took de water in de settin’-room fer ter gi’ King Sun a fresh drink, an’ he grabbed up de gourd an’ drunk an’ drunk twel it look like he gwineter bust. Atter dat he went in de liberry, an’ de Spring Lizzard crope out an’ lef’ Brer Deer note on de table, an’ den he crope back in de bucket.
“Atter while, King Sun’s daughter come bouncin’ in de room atter a drink er water, an’ she see de note. She grab it up an’ read it, an’ den she holler: ‘Pa, oh, pa! here’s a letter fer you, an’ I mos’ know dey’s sump’n in it ’bout me! La! I dunner who ’tis dat’s got de impidence fer ter put my name in a letter.’ Ol’ King Sun run his fingers thoo his beard, des like he combin’ it, an’ den he cle’r up his thoat. He take de letter an’ hol’ it off fum ’im, an’ den put on his specks. He ’low, ‘Well, well, well! who’d a thunk it?’ an’ den he look at his daughter. She look at de flo’ an’ pat ’er foot. He say, ‘I ain’t never hear er sech impidence.’ De gal ’low, ‘What do he say, pa?’ Wid dat, he han’ ’er de letter, an’ when she read it, she got red in de face, an’ den she got white. She think one way, an’ den she think an’er. She got mad an’ she got glad, an’ den she had de all-overs, des like gals does deze days when some un ax um fer ter have um.
“So den, dar ’twuz; Brer Deer want ter marry de gal, an’ de gal dunner whedder she wanter marry er not. Den ol’ King Sun got his pen, an’ put a little water in de ink, kaze it wuz mighty nigh dried up, an’ den he writ a letter back ter Brer Deer. He say dat ef de one what writ de letter will sen’ ’im a bag er gold, he kin have de gal. He fol’ de letter up an’ han’ it ter de gal, an’ she not knowin’ what else ter do, tuck an’ put it on de table whar she fin’ de yuther one.
“De Spring Lizzard had his eye on ’er, an’ when she went out’n de room, he clomb up on de table an’ got de letter, an’ went back in de bucket ag’in. Dat evenin’ de house-gal hatter fetch water fer de night, an’ she let down de step-ladder an’ went ter de spring. When she dip de bucket in, de Spring Lizzard, he slide out, an’ went ter his bed un’ de long green moss. ’Twant long ’fo’ Brer Rabbit had de letter, an’ atter dat, ’twant no time ’fo’ Brer Deer know’d what de intents wuz. ’Twix’ an’ ’twen um dey got up a bag er gold, an’ Brer Rabbit tuck it ter de spring whar de house-gal got water.
“De nex’ mornin’ de daughter come ’erse’f, kaze she wanter see what kinder man Brer Deer is. At de spring she fin’ a bag er gold. She clap ’er han’s an’ holler out: ‘Look what I fin’—fin’, fin’, fin’y! It’s min’—min’, min’, min’y!’ Brer Rabbit wuz settin’ in de bushes, an’ Brer Deer wa’n’t fur off, an’ dey bofe watch de gal a-prancin’ an’ dancin’; an’ den, bimeby Brer Deer went out whar she kin see ’im, an’ he des walk up ter ’er an’ say, ‘Look what I fin’; honey, youer mine!’ An’ dat ’uz de way Brer Deer got ol’ King Sun’s daughter.”
XI
BROTHER RABBIT’S CRADLE
“I wish you’d tell me what you tote a hankcher fer,” remarked Uncle Remus, after he had reflected over the matter a little while.
“Why, to keep my mouth clean,” answered the little boy.