BRER BEAR and the LITTLE GATORS
One time there is been one old Bear; he big and he strong. He live way in the swamp; he have nest in the hollow tree. He have one, two little Bear in the nest; he been love them chillun very hard.
One day, he get hungry; he tell he chillun he going 'way off for get some vittle for eat; he tell them they must be good chillun and stay where they live. He say he going for fetch them one fish for they breakfast. Then he gone off.
The little Bear chillun have been asleep till they can sleep no more. The sun, he shine warm, he make little Bear feel warm. The little boy Bear, he rub he eye, he say he going off for have some fun. The little gal Bear, he say, "What will we mammy say?"
Lil boy Bear, he laugh. He say, "Me going down by the creek side for catch some fish 'fore we mammy come."
Littlegal Bear, he look scared; he say, "We mammy say something gonna get you. Mind what he tell you."
Little boy Bear, he keep on laugh. He say, "Shuh-shuh! He ain't never know 'less you tell 'em. You no tell 'em, me fetch you one big fish."
Little boy Bear, he gone! He gone by the creek side, he take he hook, he take he line, he is go by the creek side for catch one fish. When he come there-there, he see something lay there in the mud. He think it been one big log. He laugh by heself; he say, "He one fine log for true. Me stand upon the log for catch the fish for me little sissy."
Little boy Bear, he there jump down; he get up on the log; he fix for fish; he fix he hook, he fix he line. By and by the log move. The little boy Bear holler, "Oh my Lordy!"
He look down; he scared most dead. The log been one big Gator. The Gator he swim away with the little boy Bear upon he back. He flutter he tail, he knock the little boy Bear spang in he two hand. He grin wide, he feel the little boy Bear with he nose; he say, "I take you where me live; me chillun is have you for they breakfast."
The Gator, he been swim towards the hole in the bank why he live. He come by the hole, he call the little boy Bear in there. He is call up he chillun; he say, "Come see how fine breakfast me been brung you."
The old Gator, he have seven chillun in he bed. The little boy Bear get scared; he holler, he cry, he beg. He say, "Please, Missy Gator, give me chance for show you how fine nurse me is — please, Missy Gator. when you gone away, me mind them chillun, me mind 'em well."
The Gator flutter he tail; he say, "I try you this one day; you mind them little one well, me leave you be."
The old Gator gone away; he leave the little boy Bear for mind he chillun. He gone get something for they breakfast. The little boy Bear, he set down there-there; he mind them chillun; he wait and he wait.
By and by, he is get hungry. He wait and he wait. He mind them chillun. He wait and he wait. He become so hungry he ain't most can hold up he head. He suck he paw. He wait and he wait. The Gator no come. He wait and he wait. The Gator no come some more. He say, "Oh! Me no gonna starve meself when there plenty vittle by side of me!"
The little boy Bear grab one the little Gator by he neck; he take 'em off in the bush side; he there eat 'em up. He no leave he head, he no leave he tail; he ain't leave nothing at all.
He go back where the other little Gator been huddle up in the bed. He rub heself upon the stomach; he say, "Hoo! Me feel too good for talk about. I no know what me going for tell the old Gator when he is come back. Ki! me no care. Me feel too good for think about them thing. Me think about them when the Gator is been come; me think about them by and by when the time come for think."
The little boy Bear lay down; he curl up in the Gator bed; he shut he eye; he sleep hard like bear do when if full up. By and by, most towards night, the Gator come; he holler, "Hey! Little boy Bear! How you is can mind me chillun when you is gone for sleep by 'em?"
The little boy Bear, he set up upon he haunch; he say, "Me eye gone for sleep, but me ear wide awake."
The Gator flutter he tail; he say, "Where me chillun what me leave you with?"
The little boy Bear become scared; he say, "They all there-there, Missy Gator. Wait! Lemme count them, Missy Gator.
Here one, here another,
Here are two upon top the other,
Here are three pile up together!"
The Gator open he mouth, he grin wide; he say, "You nurse them well, little boy Bear; come, fetch me one for wash and get he supper."
The little boy Bear, he call one, he call another, he call other, he call 'em all till he call six, then he come scared. He think the Gator gonna find 'em out for true. He stop, he ain't know what for do. The Gator holler, "Fetch me other!"
The little boy Bear, he grab the first one, he wallop 'em in the mud, he call 'em back. The Gator been wash and feed 'em fresh; he ain't know the difference.
By and by, next day morning, the Gator gone away. The little boy Bear stay for nurse them little Gator. He come hungry; he wait, but he come more hungry. He grab another little Gator, he eat 'em for he dinner. Most towards night, the Gator come. It same thing, "Where me chillun what me leave you for nurse?"
"They all there-there, Missy Gator. Me count 'em out, Here one, here another,
Here are two upon top the other,
Here are three pile up together!"
He call 'em one by one for wash and get they supper. He call two back two time. Every day he do this way till he come at the last. He eat this one, and he gone leave the place where the Gator live. He gone down the creek side till he is come by the foot-log, and he is run across quick. He get in the bush, he fair fly till he is come by the place where he little sissy been live. He come there-there, and he ain't go away no more.
