C014. Mr. Fox and the Frogs (original spelling)

14. Mr. Fox and the Deceitful Frogs. Text Source: Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings by Joel Chandler Harris. Online at Project Gutenberg. I have removed the frame material; click here for the standardized spelling plus all notes to the story.

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MR. FOX and the FROGS

I-doom-er-ker-kum-mer-ker!
I-doom-er-ker-kum-mer-ker! 
I-doom-er-ker-kum mer-ker!

Dat's Tarrypin talk, dat is. W'en you git ole ez me—w'en you see w'at I sees, en year w'at I years—de creeturs dat you can't talk wid'll be mighty skase—dey will dat. W'y, der's er old gray rat, en time atter time he comes out w'en you all done gone ter bed en sets up dar in de cornder en dozes, en me en him talks by de 'our; en w'at dat old rat dunno ain't down in de spellin' book. Des now, I wuz fetchin' into my mine w'at Brer Tarrypin say ter Brer Fox w'en he turn 'im loose in de branch.

Dat w'at he said — I-doom-er-ker-kum-mer-ker! Brer Tarrypin wuz at de bottom er de pon', en he talk back, he did, in bubbles — I- doom-er-ker-kum-mer-ker! 

Brer Fox, he ain't sayin' nuthin', but Brer Bull-Frog, settin' on de bank, he hear Brer Tarrypin, he did, en he holler back:
Jug-er-rum-kum-dum! 
Jug-er-rum-kum-dum!

Den Brer Frog holler out:
Knee-deep! 
Knee-deep!

Den ole Brer Bull-Frog, he holler back:
Don'-you-ber-lieve-'im! 
Don't-you-ber-lieve-'im!

Den de bubbles come up fum Brer Tarrypin:
I-doom-er-ker-kum- mer-ker!

Den Brer Frog sing out:
Wade in! 
Wade in!

Den ole Brer Bull-Frog talk thoo his ho'seness:
Dar-you'll- fine-yo'-brudder! 
Dar-you'll-fine-yo'-brudder!

Sho nuff, Brer Fox look over de bank, he did, en dar wuz n'er Fox lookin' at 'im outer de water.

Den he retch out fer ter shake han's, en in he went, heels over head, en Brer Tarrypin bubble out:
I-doom-er-ker-kum-mer-ker!

Brer Fox weren't zackly drowndid; he did manage fer ter scramble out, but a little mo' en de Mud Turkle would er got 'im, en den he'd er bin made hash un worl' widout een'.