Nights with Uncle Remus (51 page)

. Let us; let's; less.

. G hard.

. Feeble.

. Say so.

. Proper and and particular.

. In these latter days a man with the whimzies, or a whimsies, is known simply as a crank.

. The information in parentheses is imparted in a low, impressive, confidential tone.

. Is it necessary to say that the wiggletail is the embryo mosquito?

. Galloping.

. G hard as in give.

. This story, the funniest and most characteristic of all the negro legends, cannot be satisfactorily told on paper. It is full of action, and all the interest centres in the gestures and grimaces that must accompany an explanation of Brother Rabbit's method of disposing of the mosquitoes. The story was first called to my attention by Mr. Marion Erwin, of Savannah, and it is properly a coast legend, but I have heard it told by three Middle Georgia negroes.

. Point-blank.

. In another version of this story, current among the negroes the sweet-gum tree takes the place of the sycamore.

. A species of hickory-nut. The tree sheds its bark every year, hence the name, which is applied to both tree and fruit.

. The king-bird.

. See “Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings,” p. 79.

. “ 'E mek up one sing.” She composed a song and taught the child the refrain.

. Move; he aint move he tail; he hasn't even moved his tail.

. Before he see um.

. Squeeze.

. Earth. Uncle Remus would say “Yeth.”

. Gnaws the bark from the trees.

. Drain or ditch.

. Distribute.

. Allowance; ration.

. Based on a characteristic negro saying. For instance: “Where's Jim?” “You can't keep up wid dat nigger. Des let night come, en he's runn' fum hen-roost to river-bank.” In other words, stealing chickens and robbing fish-baskets.

. Hither and yon.

. As if.

. No doubt this means that Brother Rabbit's proposition was pleasant and plausible.

. Wild; fierce; dangerous; courageous. The accent is on the second syllable, ser-
vi
-gous; or ser-
vi
-gus, and the
g
is hard. Aunt Tempty would have said “vigrous.”

. A plantation saying. It means if hard times get harder. A briefer form is “w'en shove 'come push”—when the worst comes to the worst.

. That is to say, put him on the block, and sell him.

. Victuals.

. That is could do no more than half the work of a man.

. Killdeers—a species of plover.

. This is simply “gullah” negro talk intended to be unintelligible, and therefore impressive. It means “One or the other is as good as t'other.”

. An expression used to give emphasis and to attract attention; used in the sense that Uncle Remus uses “Gentermens!”

. Hickory withe.

. One gun two times is a double-barrelled gun.

. Sissy.

. Here is one, here's another; here are two on top of t'other; here are three piled up together.

. Speculator's wagon.

. A bar of iron across the fireplace, with hooks to hold the pots and kettles. The original form of the crane.

. See “Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings,” p. 60.

. Another name for muscadines.

. That is to say, threw sticks at Mr. Hawk.

. Mrs. H. S. Barclay, of Darien, who sends this story, says it was told by a native African woman, of good intelligence, who claimed to be a princess. She had an eagle tattooed on her bosom—a sign of royalty.

. Assuaged their thirst.

. Cupboard.

. Interest.

. Dragon-flies.

. Dorcas.