When Charles Colcock Jones Jr. learned to talk, his first word was gone. It was a word that would become a refrain during his long, productive life and the unifying theme in his fourteen books, more than sixty shorter works, and thousands of letters. A sense of loss pervades Jones’s prodigious literary efforts, and Negro Myths of the Georgia Coast (retitled in this edition as Gullah Folktales from the Georgia Coast), one of the earliest and most enigmatic collections of coastal African American folklore, exists because near the end of his life Jones was worried that such tales were about...

One time Buh Rabbit, him meet Buh Alligatur, an eh ax um: “Budder, you tek life berry onconsarne. Enty you come pon trouble some time?” Buh Alligatur, him mek answer: “No, Budder, nuttne nebber bodder me. Me dunno wuh you call trouble. Me hab plenty er bittle fuh eat. Me sleep an tek me pledjuh. Wuh mek you tink trouble kin come topper me?” Buh Rabbit, him berry cunnin. Eh yent say nuttne. Eh know Buh Alligatur blan come out de ribber an sun isself in de broom-grass fiel. Buh Rabbit, eh laugh oneside to isself an mek plan to...

Buh Tukrey Buzzud, him yent hab no sense no how. You watch um.

Wen de rain duh po down, eh set on de fench an eh squinch up isself. Eh draw in eh neck, an eh try fur hide eh head, an eh look dat pittyful you rale sorry for um. Eh duh half cry, an eh say to isself: “Nummine, wen dis rain ober me guine buil house right off. Me yent guine leh dis rain lick me dis way no mo.”

Wen de rain done gone, an de win blow, an de sun shine, wuh Buh Tukrey Buzzud...

Buh Deer, him kin outrun all de tarruh creetur. Buh Cooter, him cant go fast no time. Him kin jis creep, an dat all; but him hab plenty er sense.

One day Buh Deer bin a laugh at Buh Cooter becase eh walk so slow. Den Buh Cooler, him git mad, an eh tell Buh Deer dat ef eh does slow eh hab de bes win, an eh bet Buh Deer eh could beat um to de fibe mile pose. Buh Deer, him smile an tuk de bet. Dey gree on nex Monday week fur run de race.

Buh Cooter,...

Buh Wolf and Buh Rabbit, dem bin lib nabur. De dry drout come. Ebry ting stew up. Water scace. Buh Wolf dig one spring fuh him fuh git water. Buh Rabbit, him too lazy an too scheemy fuh wuk fuh isself. Eh pen pon lib off tarruh people. Ebry day, wen Buh Wolf yent duh watch um, eh slip to Buh Wolf spring, an eh full him calabash long water an cah um to eh house fuh cook long and fuh drink. Buh Wolf see Buh Rabbit track, but eh couldnt ketch um duh tief de water.

One day eh...

Buh Fowl-Hawk, him fly ebry day dis way and dat way ober de lan, an eh cant fine nuttne fuh eat. Eh hail de Sun one time, an eh tell um eh so hongry eh ready fuh drap; dat eh cant git bittle fuh eat; an he dunno wuh fuh do. De Sun, eh say: “Budder, ef you kin ketch me in me bed, me gree fuh fine you in bittle.” Buh Hawk tek de greement, an eh try berry hade fuh come pon topper de Sun in eh bed. But ebry time de Sun done git up befo Buh...

You notus Buh Tukrey Buzzud. Him lub lamb, an dead cow, an dead horse, an snake, an alligatur, an all kinder varmint. Eh berry lub dead fish too, but eh nebber bodder wid crab. You sabe huccom so? Lemme tell you.

One time one fisher-man bin come from fishin. Eh tek out de good fish, eh tring um on a mash grass, an eh lef in de boat some leely gannet-mullet an catfish wuh eh no want, an one big King Crab wuh eh bin ketch duh ribber. De sun hot. De fish done dead. Bimeby eh smell bad in...

One time er King hab er pooty Darter. Buh Wolf an Buh Rabbit all two bin a spark at um an a cote um. De sanfly bin berry bad. De King tell Buh Wolf an Buh Rabbit de one wuh kin stan de sanfly de longes bedout bresh um way, shill git de gal.

Buh Wolf yent bin so scheemy as Buh Rabbit. Wen dem all was a settin fuh de match, Buh Rabbit, him say: “Gentlemans, my fader had a black horse. Eh had a white spot yuh, and a red spot day; a white spot yuh, and a...

Buh Pattridge and Buh Rabbit jine compny fuh kill cow. Wen dey done kill um, dey share de meat equel. Buh Pattridge tek one half; Buh Rabbit, him tek tarruh half. Buh Pattridge tote him share home, an cook some, an gen um to him chillun. Buh Rabbit, him tay buhhine an watch him share. Wen Buh Pattridge an him chillun done eat dem belly full, Buh Pattridge gone back to de place way de cow bin kill. Eh meet Buh Rabbit duh siddown day duh wait fuh hire somebody fuh cahr him meat ter him house. Buh Pattridge, him...

An ole man bin a hunt roccoon in de wood. Eh hab eh dog fuh tree de coon, an eh hatchich fuh chop down de tree. De dog bark. De ole man gone ter um. Eh look up de tree fuh see de coon. Steader de coon, er big Gallinipper bin a settin in de crotch er de sweet-gum. De tree so big de ole man cant retch round um wid bofe eh arm. De dog bark at de Gallinipper. Eh bark. Eh bark. De Gallinipper git bex. Eh light off de tree fuh bite de dog. De dog holler...

Buh Sparruh, him berry leetle, but him lub fur brag. Eh yent much fur wuk.

One time de Bluefinch, de Trasher, de Red-Bud, de Jay-Bud, de Pattridge, and de Sparruh all come inter cohoot ter plant tetter¹ and see who kin raise de bigges. Wen de tetter done mek an dig, all de bud collec togarruh, an ebry one fotch a tetter ter show wuh kind a crop eh mek. De Crow bin de judge. Eh look ober all de tetter, an wen eh fine Buh Sparruh no bin bring none, eh ax Buh Sparruh: “Way you tetter?” Buh Sparruh...

Buh Alligatur nebber does trubble Buh Mash-hen an eh chillun. Enty, heap a time, you see Buh Mash-hen duh ketch fiddler on de ribber bank close by way Buh Alligatur duh feed, an Buh Alligatur yent lick at um wid eh tail, ner skade um? You know huccum dis? Ef you dunno, lemme tell you.

One time Buh Alligatur, him been er eat crab. Him bin hab one teet wuh hab hole in um. Dat teet duh hot um berry bad. Buh Alligatur blan chaw up crab, shell an all. Wen eh der eat dem crab, one er de claw...

Time bin berry harde. Bittle oncommon scace. Buh Fowl-hawk an Buh Tukrey Buzzud, dem bin a sail backwud and forrud in de element, duh look fuh see wuh dem kin pick up fur eat. Es dem pass one a nurruh, Buh Fowl-hawk, him ax Buh Tukrey Buzzud how him mek out. Buh Tukrey Buzzud mek answer dat eh yent mek out wut; dat half de time eh cant fine nuttne fuh eat; dat eh so hongry eh mos ready fuh perish; but dat eh mek up eh mine ter keep on guine, an ter wait on de Lord. Den eh...

Buh Wolf and Buh Rabbit bin a cote de same Gal. De Gal bin rich an berry pooty. Dem tuk tun fuh wisit um. Buh Rabbit, him gone der mornin, and Buh Wolf, him gone der ebenin. De Gal harde fuh mek up eh mine. Eh sorter courage bofe er um. One mornin Buh Rabbit bin a mek fun er Buh Wolf ter de Gal, an eh tell um say Buh Wolf yent duh nuttne mo den eh farruh ridin horse.

Wen Buh Wolf pay him wisit de same ebenin, de Gal tell um wuh Buh Rabbit bin say bout um....

Buh Wolf, him binner inwite ter two dinner de same day an de same time: one gen by Cooter Bay, an de tarruh by John Bay. Dem bin bredder, an dem lib on two seprite road wuh jine at de fork. Buh Wolf, him so greedy him cept bofe inbitation. Wen de time come fuh go, eh dress ehself up an eh light out. Wen eh git ter de place way de road fork, eh stop an eh consider. Eh want fuh tek bofe road an go ter de two dinner. Eh cant tek one an leff tarruh. Eh gone...

Buh Owl, him bin a great music-meker. Him an Buh Rooster bin good fren. Heap er bud blan wisit Buh Rooster house fuh yeddy music an fuh dance. Buh Owl, him sing so well an eh pick de banjo so clear, nobody kin listen ter um an keep eh foot still; but eh no wan leh nobody shum wen eh duh sing an play. Buh Rooster, him always blan hab a dark room fuh Buh Owl fuh set in wen eh duh play fuh de bud. Lamp day in day, but eh hab shade on um. Buh Owl kin see...

Buh Lion bin a hunt, an eh spy Buh Goat duh leddown topper er big rock duh wuk eh mout an der chaw. Eh creep up fuh ketch um. Wen eh git close ter um eh notus um good. Buh Goat keep on chaw. Buh Lion try fuh fine out wuh Buh Goat duh eat. Eh yent see nuttne nigh um ceptin de nekked rock wuh eh duh leddown on. Buh Lion stonish. Eh wait topper Buh Goat. Buh Goat keep on chaw, an chaw, an chaw. Buh Lion cant mek de ting out, an eh come close, an eh...

Buh Bear, him tired lib wid eh farruh an eh fambly, an eh tell eh farruh eh guine way fuh mek eh own libbin, an eh want um fuh gem wuhebber eh hab wuh cummin ter um from de fambly property. Eh farruh an eh murrer try fuh swade um fuh stay long dem, but eh say eh mek up eh mine fuh go. Den eh farruh tell um eh yent hab nuttne fuh gem cept sebbn loaf er bread. Buh Bear, him berry disappint; but wen eh see eh yent guine git nuttne mo, eh gree fuh tek um....

Ebry body cept Buh Monkey bin full er trouble. On ebry side you yeddy nuttne cept bout trouble. Trouble yuh, trouble day, trouble ebry way. Buh Monkey tell eh wife eh wonder wuh dis ting duh wuh ebry body bin a talk bout, an wuh dem all duh call trouble. Him say him cant tell. Den Buh Monkey mek up eh mine fuh go teh de Debble, an fine out from um. Eh gone. Eh ketch de Debbie duh eat eh brukwus; an eh ax um huccum ebry body hab trouble cept him. An eh leh de Debbie know say...

Buh Elephant, him bin know Buh Rooster berry well. Dem blan roam togerrur, an Buh Rooster blan wake Buh Elephant duh mornin, so eh kin hunt eh bittle befo de jew dry.

Dem bin a talk togerrur one day, an Buh Elephant, him bet Buh Rooster say him kin eat longer ner him. Buh Rooster, him tek de bet, an dem tun in nex mornin, wen de sun jis bin a git up, fuh see who guine win de bet. Buh Elephant, him gedder leaf an grass, an eat an eat tel eh full an cant eat no mo. Buh...

One po Man bin er mek eh libbin long split shingle an cut timber in de swamp. Him hab wife, but no chillun. Ebry day, from sunrise tel sundown, eh day in de swamp der cut. Try eh bes, eh scacely kin mek bread fuh eat.

One berry big Snake—de farruh er all dem tarruh snake wuh lib in de swamp—notus de po man. Eh see how hard eh wuk an how little eh mek, and eh tek pity on um. One ebenin, dis befo de po man knock off wuk, dis snake crawl up ter de log...

A leely Gal bin a gwine home. Eh come ter de ribber bank, an no boat day fuh him fuh git cross. Eh dunno wuffer do. Eh seddown. Eh cry. Day binner gwine. Alligatur yeddy um, an eh come day, an eh ax de leely Gal wuh de matter. De leely Gal tell um. Den de Alligatur say: “Ef you prommus no fuh tell who cahr you ober de ribber, me will pit you cross.” De leely Gal prommus, an de Alligatur tek um on eh back and ferry um ober all safe.

De nex day de Alligatur duh sun...

De Cat an de Rat, dem fine one big piece er cheese een er closet. Dem cahr um way fuh share um. Dem cant gree how eh fuh dewide, an dem call een de Fox fuh jedge between um.

De Fox, eh berry cunnin, an eh nebber furgit ehself. Eh bring eh scale, an eh pit de cheese een um. Den eh tek eh knife an eh cut off big piece, an eh pit um one side an eh say dis fuh de jedge. Den eh weigh de cheese gen een de scale, an eh tek um out an eh...

All de animel conjunct togedder fuh buil house an gedder dem winter perwision. Buh Rabbit prommus fuh help, but wen dem call pon um fuh help tote de pole and de bresh, him mek scuse, say him wife berry sick and him bleege fuh tay home an nuss um. All dis bin a lie. Buh Rabbit, him scheemy an lazy. Eh always ready fuh mek big brag bout wuh him gwine do, but eh nebber does come up ter eh wud. Eh hate fuh wuk, an eh lub fuh lib offer tarruh people labuh.

Wen de house done buil, de...

Buh Wolf, him hire Buh Rabbit fuh help um wuk eh crap. Eh crap, eh day een de grass, an Buh Wolf faid eh gwine loss um. Befo dem state der fiel, Buh Rabbit notus say Buh Wolf hab een him house er nice pan er fresh butter. Eh mout water fuh git some, but eh shame fuh bague Buh Wolf. Buh Rabbit, him berry lub fuh tief, an eh mek eh plan fuh git some er dat butter.

Buh Wolf an Buh Rabbit done gone der fiel an tun een fuh wuk. De sun hot, an befo long Buh...

De Eagle, him duh er wise bud. Eh mek eh nes on one tall pine tree close de ribber, er de sea, way nuttne kin git at um. Eh saterfy wid two chillun. Eh tek good care er um. Ebry hour eh fetch um snake an fish, an eh garde um from win an rain an fowl-hawk, an mek um grow fas. Wen eh wing kibber wid fedder an eh strong nough fur fly, wuh Buh Eagle do? Eh wunt leff dem chillun een de nes fuh lazy an lib pon topper eh farruh an eh murrer, but eh tek...

You nebber bin see er finer bud den Buh Chanticleer. Eh fedder eh glisten same luk silber een de sun. Eh step so high, an eh yent faid nuttne. Wen eh crow you could yeddy um all tru de settlement. De hen all lub um, an run ter um wenebber him call. Eh can lick all dem tarruh rooster; an jist es soon es eh mek motion at dem, dem run.

Befo eh bin fine um out fuh true, day bin er big yaller Rooster een de gang wuh try fuh spute Buh Chanticleer, an mek eh brag say eh...

Day nebber bin a man wuh kin equel Buh Rabbit fuh mek plan fuh lib offer tarruh people bedout wuk isself. Groun-mole, bin berry tick. On ebry side dem bin er root up de tetter patch, and stroy pinder. Nobody know how fuh ketch um, case eh wuk onder de groun, an wen you go fuh fine um eh yent dedday.

Buh Rabbit, him see eh chance, an eh tell ebry body him know how fuh stroy um. De ting come ter Buh Wolf yez, an eh sen fuh Buh Rabbit. Buh Rabbit gone ter Buh Wolf, an eh tell...

Anurrer way Buh Rabbit hab fuh mek eh libbin bedout wuk bin dis. Eh hab een eh pocket er pooty, smoode rock, bout de size ob er tukrey agg. Wid dem people wuh no quaintun wid um eh pass ehself off fuh er fus-class cook, an eh tell um say eh hab one rock wuh mek pruppus fuh gie soup de bes tase; an dat de soup wuh mek long dat rock sweeter den all edder soup.

Eh gone ter Buh Bear house, an Buh Bear hearky ter um, an gage um fuh mek some soup long eh rock. Buh...

Two fren, dem bin a mek one journey togerruh. Dem haffer go tru one tick swamp wuh full er bear an edder warmint. Dem prommus fuh tan ter one anurrer, an help one anurrer out ef de warmint should tack dem. Dem yent bin git half way tru de swamp wen one big black Bear jump outer de bush an mek fur dem. Steader one er dem tan fur help fight um, eh leff eh fren an clime one tree. De tarruh fren bin yeddy say Bear no gwine eat dead people, so him leddown on de groun, an hole...

One Ole Man bin berry tired long wuk. Him want fuh stop an tek eh pledjur all day een him house. Eh bex long de Buckra wuh gie um task, an mek um ten ter um. Eh constant duh pray, so people kin yeddy um, dat Det would come an cahr way eh Mossa, an eh Mistis, an de Obersheer. De Obersheer him yeddy wuh de Ole Man bin a pray fuh, an eh tell de Mossa, an dem fix plan fuh hab fun long de Ole Man. Wen night come, an ebryting on de plantation done gone bed, de...

One time dere was a King wuh bin done git marry, an eh bin hab one fine Ring wuh him bin call eh gagement Ring. Dat King, him bin hab tree serbant wuh wait bout him table, an clean him shoes, an do wuhebber him want um fuh do. Dem bin tek tun een clean de shoes. One clean um one mornin, anurrur one clean um nex mornin, an de edder one clean um de nex. One er dem serbant tief de King Ring. De King try fuh fine out which one er de tree bin tek um, an eh...

Buh Lion, him bin keep er bank. Een dat bank him hab chicken, en hog, en sheep. Buh Fox, him marry ter Buh Coon darter. Buh Fox farruh-een-law, him bin er rogue. Buh Coon an Buh Rabbit mek er plan fuh rob Buh Lion bank, an dem usen fuh tek ting outer um ebry now en den, an nobody kin fine out who duh de tief. Buh Fox, Buh Rabbit, an Buh Coon, dem day fas fren, an dem constant keep compny. Buh Rabbit him tell Buh Lion, say him know de man wuh duh rob him bank, but eh...

Ebber sence dat time wen Buh Wolf ketch Buh Rabbit duh tief water outer him spring, an eh bin tie um ter de spakleberry bush an lick um, Buh Rabbit hate Buh Wolf an mek plan fuh git eben wid um.

Dem all two lub fish. Buh Rabbit an Buh Porpus bin good fren, an many er time Buh Porpus blan gie Buh Rabbit some er de fish wuh him der ketch. One day, Buh Porpus, him bin berry lucky een eh fishin, an eh fetch fuh Buh Rabbit mo ner two quart er gannet mullet, and blow um on...

De Debble, him kin tek all sorter shape fuh cahr out him plan an fool people. Sometime eh mek isself inter wolf fuh kill you sheep. Narruh time eh tek de shape er alligatur fuh worry you duck an goose. Den eh look lucker white deer, an eh fly tru de wood, dout mek no noise, fuh skade people duh walk long de big road. Den eh come same lucker owl, an eh holler down you chimbly an eh tarrify ebry body wen dem duh tun flour een de pot. Den wen you sick, eh gone eensider you lucker a...

One time er rich Buckra hab er senserble ole man serbant wuh come from Afreka. Dis ole nigger bin know ebryting bout ebryting. Nobody could tun um wid questun. Eh Mossa try um heap er time, an eh ebber did mek right answer. Eh fren try um too, an dem nebber ketch um duh miss. De Buckra brag heaby on de ole man, an berry offne eh win bet topper um. One day de Buckra man gen er big dinner, an eh eenwite heaper fren ter him house. Eh lay er wager say nobody kin ax eh ole serbant er...

Arter Buh Wolf bin lick Buh Rabbit an trow urn een de brier patch case eh ketch um der tief water outer him spring, Buh Rabbit faid fuh meet Buh Wolf, an him leff an gone buil ehself new house een Buh Bear settlement. Buh Bear, him hab well, an steader Buh Rabbit fine him own water, eh blan slip ter Buh Bear well an tief water outer um. Buh Bear fine dis out, but Buh Rabbit so scheemy Buh Bear couldnt pit eh han topper um fuh ketch um. So eh git one big crawfish an eh pit um...

You ebber notus say Buh Elephunt yez all de time duh heng down, an eh cant cock um up luk de tarruh creetuh? Eh hinge to eh yez look luk eh broke. You know wuh mek so? Ef you yent know, lemme tell you.

Buh Rabbit an Buh Elephunt, dem blan ramble tru de same wood. Buh Rabbit, him lib offer de noung grass, an Buh Elephunt, him eat de tree limb. Dem bin quaintun wid one anurrur; an, weneber dem meet, dem nusen fuh pass de time er day. Buh Rabbit, him too leetle fuh Buh Elephunt fuh keep...

Buh Rabbit an Buh Wolf gone long de ribber bank fuh hunt Cooter agg. Dem Cooter blan come outer de water wen de tide high, an dig hole een de san, an lay dem agg, an kibber dem ober so crow an ting cant fine um. Buh Rabbit an Buh Wolf come topper nough er Cooter nes, an dem gedder de agg an share um equel. Dem pit um een bag, an es dem gin gwine home, de agg so fresh an sweet, Buh Rabbit slip eh han een eh bag an onbeknowinst ter Buh Wolf eh suck all de...

Arter Buh Rabbit bin fool Buh Wolf bout dem Cooler agg, an slip way from Buh Possum, eh faid fuh meet Buh Wolf, an eh walk berry skittish ebry time eh lef eh house. Buh Wolf bin on de keen look-out fuh um. One day dem meet. Buh Wolf, him say: “Haw! Budder, me got you now. You dodge me long time. Ebry man fuh isself.” Wid dat eh tek arter Buh Rabbit. Buh Rabbit, him bin quaintun wid all de holler tree een de wood, an wen Buh Wolf push um close, eh jump een one er dem. Buh...

Buh Rabbit greedy fuh hab mo sense den all de tarruh animel. Eh yent lub fuh wuk, an eh try heap er scheme fuh git eh libbin outer edder people by fool um.

One time eh gone ter one wise Cunjur Man fuh larne um him way, an fuh git him knowledge, so him kin stonish tarruh people an mek dem bliebe say him bin wise mo ner ebrybody. De Cunjur Man larne um heap er curous ting. At las Buh Rabbit ax um fuh gen um eh full knowledge. De Cunjur Man say: “Buh Rabbit, you hab sense nough...

Buh Rabbit es er soon man. You haffer git up befo day fuh head um. Wayebber you fine um, eh yez cock up fuh yeddy ebryting wuh duh gwine on. Eh nose duh twis from side ter side fuh ketch all de scent duh float een de element, an wen eh walk bout eh hop so light you tink der sperit. Eh lub fuh lib close big road an settlement, way him kin quaintun wid all wuh happne, an pick eh chance fuh mek eh libbin easy.

One time er Ole Man hab er fish trap wuh mek wid bode....

Buh Rabbit an Buh Wolf come inter cohoot fuh kill cow. Dem gone een de paster an pick out one fat yearlin, an run um down, an ketch um, an cut eh troat. Den dem skin um an share de meat. Buh Wolf claim de bigges part, case him hab de bigges fambly. Eh strong mo ner Buh Rabbit, an so Buh Rabbit yent hab de power fuh mek um do jestice. But ef Buh Wolf hab de strenk, Buh Rabbit hab de bes sense. So wuh Buh Rabbit do? Eh tek some salt outer him bag, an eh buil...

Arter dat time wen Buh Rabbit bin play dat trick on Buh Wolf an ride um up ter de Gal house wuh dem all two bin er cote, Buh Wolf berry bex long Buh Rabbit, an eh wan ketch um fuh gie um good lickin. Buh Rabbit, him so smate eh keep outer Buh Wolf way so eh couldnt come pon topper um. Buh Wolf hire one dog fuh help um ketch Buh Rabbit. One day de Dog meet Buh Rabbit der wood, an dout say one wud ter um, eh lean arter um fuh ketch um. Buh Rabbit run,...

Buh Squirle bin berry busy duh gedder hickry not on de groun fuh pit way fuh feed ehself an eh fambly duh winter time. Buh Fox bin er watch um, an befo Buh Squirle shum, eh slip up an eh graft um. Buh Squirle, eh dat skaid eh trimble all ober, an eh bague Buh Pox fuh lem go. Buh Fox tell um say eh bin er try fuh ketch um long time, but eh hab sich sharp yeye, an keen yez, an spry leg, eh manage fuh dodge um; an now wen eh got um at las, eh mean...

Er Buckra man bin hab er gang er sheep. Ebry now an den eh miss one. Eh sarche eh fiel, an eh see Buh Wolf track day, an eh mek up eh mine say him bin er de one wuh duh tief eh sheep. Eh fix heaper plan fuh ketch um, but eh fail. At lenk eh call een Buh Rabbit, case eh hab summuch sense, fuh help um. Buh Rabbit, him gree fuh do so ef de Buckra man would len um one horse, an would prommus no fuh tell Buh Wolf nuttne bout de ting.

De Buckra man...

Buh Rabbit fool Buh Wolf so many time, an een sich diffrunt fashion, dat eh outdone wid um. Ebry time eh try fuh ketch um fuh lick um, Buh Rabbit somehow er narruh slip tru eh ban an git way. Buh Wolf, him hire edder people fuh wuk plan fuh git de better er Buh Rabbit an pit um een eh power, but, bless you soul! dem fail too, an Buh Rabbit, him go clear. De ting mose worry Buh Wolf life outer um. Eh fret so bout um tel eh biggin fuh tun rale po.

At lenk Buh Wolf...

Er New Nigger notus say eh Mossa heap er time duh seddown wid eh foot cross, yent duh say nuttne an yent duh do nuttne, wen him haffer wuk all de time. One day eh ax eh Mossa huccum dat. De Buckra man answer: “Wen you see me duh seddown, an you tink me duh lazy, same time me duh wuk long me head, an duh mek plan, an study pon ting.”

Soon arter dat de Buckra man come pon topper de New Nigger een de fiel. De sun hot. Eh bin drap eh hoe, an bin er seddown on...

Dere was er King wuh bin hab er pooty Darter, an heap er people bin er cote um. De gal couldnt mek up eh mine which one fuh tek, an so eh ax eh farruh fuh help um pick. Den eh farruh, wuh bin de King, gen out wud say de one wuh kin fetch ter um de Alligatur yeye teet, an water from de Deer yeye, shill hab eh Darter.

All dem wuh bin er cote de gal fix plan fuh git dem ting, but dem fail. Ebry body bin faid Alligatur, an nobody could outrun Buh Deer. Buh...

Er Buckra man bin berry lub fuh hunt deer. Eh nussen fuh brag too. Eh hab er Serbant wuh always gone wid um der wood fuh dribe de deer. Him bin berry fond er eh Mossa, an eh ready any time fuh schway ter de tale wuh him tell bout how much deer dem kill, an way dem shoot um. One time dis Buckra man bin tell eh fren say him shoot er deer long er rifle, an wen eh gone fuh zamine um, eh fine say de ball shoot off eh hine foot an hit um een eh yez....

Buh Roccoon ax Buh Possum wuh mek, wen de dog tackle um, eh double up ehself, an kibber eh yeye wid eh han, an wunt fight lucker man an lick de dog off. Buh Possum grin eh teet same lucker fool, an eh say, wen de dog come pon topper um, dem tickle him rib so bad long dem mout dat him bleege ter laugh; an so him furgit fuh fight.

Coward man hab all kind er lie fuh tell fuh scuse ehself....

Buh Wolf bin er set een de do er him house duh play eh fiddle. Lord er massy! how dat animel did mek dat fiddle talk! Buh Wolf yeye shet tight, an eh dis bin er rock from side ter side, an draw eh bow teh eh berry lenk, en der pat de time wid eh foot. Er hebby shower er rain come on. Buh Rabbit, him bin een de big road not fur from Buh Wolf house. Buh Rabbit yent lub rain, an eh try fuh shelter ehself onder er oak tree wuh kibber wid long moss. De rain...

Buh Rabbit, him bin er tief Buh Alligatuh agg. Buh Alligatuh ketch um topper eh nes. Eh graff um an eh pit um een one crocus bag, an eh tie up de een er de bag tight, an eh heng um on one tree lim, an eh gone home fuh git eh lash fuh lick Buh Rabbit. Buh Rabbit dat skaid eh yeye big moner saucer. Eh duh trimble een de bag, an duh peep trough de crack een de crocus fuh notus wuh gwine happne.

Bimeby eh see Buh Wolf duh ramble dat way. Soon es Buh Wolf come...

One time er ole Bull-Frog bin berry sick an spectin fuh dead. All eh fren een de pon collec roun um an eh fambly, fuh nuss um an tek dem las look at um. Dat ole Frog bin hab er noung wife an heap er leely chillun. Eh berry trouble een eh breas bout who gwine mine eh fambly arter eh gone. Wen eh woice biggin fuh fail um, an dist befo eh dead, eh say: “Me fren, who gwine tek me wife wen de breaf leff dis yer body?” Eh fren all holler out at de top er dem...

Buh Rabbit, him berry greedy, an him lub fuh tell lie. Him an Buh Pattridge mek greement fuh kill Cow. Buh Pattridge ax Buh Rabbit: “Way we gwine butcher um?” Buh Rabbit say: “Less we dribe um close up ter my house befo we kill um.” Dem done dat, an arter dem kill an skin de Cow, dem cut um up fuh share um. Den Buh Rabbit tell Buh Pattridge: “You tek one er de fore-quarter, caze you know you leetle an cant tote much one time, an me radder you tek de fore-quarter anyhow, caze eh nex de heart,...

Long time ago dere bin er Ebo man wuh bin er great fiddler. Eh know better den all dem tarruh people wuffer do long fiddle. Wen eh lean back, an shet eh yeye, an draw eh bow fuh tru, nobody wuh yeddy kin keep from shuffle eh foot. Ebry body roun de settlement blan gage um fuh mek de music fuh dem fuh dance. One day eh bin gwine fuh keep eh gagement fuh play at er party. Eh hab eh fiddle een er bag. Es eh bin der walk tru er deep swamp, Buh Tiger an Buh Bear tek...

Er ole King yeddy say dem gwine pit er noung King een him place. De ting worry um an mek um hex. Eh want fuh keep eh trone: so eh gen order teh eh head man fuh mek him soldier kill all de ole people een de nation, so de noung King shant hab no wise pusson fuh help um cahr on de bidness er de kingdom. De soldier tek dem gun an dem club, an dem massacree all de ageable people een de Ian.

Den de ole King sen wud teh de noung King, wuh de people bin pick...

Buh Goat berry faid tunder an lightnin an rain. One day big tunder storm rise een de wes, an eh rain, an eh lightnin, an eh hail. Buh Goat an eh wife bin er feed een de wood close by Buh Wolf house. Wen de lightnin flash, an de tunder roll, an de rain po down, dem faid fuh stay een de wood, an dem run teh Buh Wolf house, an dem bague um fuh leh dem come een tel de storm done ober. Buh Wolf tell dem yes; an eh tun Buh Goat an eh wife een de shedroom,...

The incident which we relate occurred some forty years ago at one of those beautiful plantations in the swamp-region of Georgia, where the magnolia grandiflora and the live-oak mingled their noble shadows,—where the cultivation of rice and sea-island cotton engaged the attention of the agriculturalist,—where generous hospitality and a patriarchal civilization abode,—and where, at a remove from city, all operations were conducted within the limits of the liberal domain, and through the intervention of means and servants appurtenant to the long-established and abundant home.

Prominent among the domestics on this plantation was Daddy Jack. A favorite servant,...

Foremost among the reptiles which excited the curiosity and aroused the fears of the Georgia colonists, upon their first acquaintance with them, were the alligators. Francis Moore, keeper of the stores, describing them in 1736, says: “They are terrible to look at, stretching open an horrible large mouth big enough to swallow a Man, with Rows of dreadful large sharp Teeth, and Feet like Draggons, armed with great Claws, and a long Tail which they throw about with great Strength, and which seems their best Weapon, for their Claws are feebly set on, and the Stiffness of their Necks hinders...

Among the negroes of the coast region of Georgia and the Carolinas a belief in the existence of ghosts, “sperits,” and super-human influences was very general. Especially did it obtain among the ordinary field-hands and those least educated. Comparatively few there were who could lift themselves entirely above the superstitious fears born in Africa and perpetuated by tradition in their new home. Memories of Fetichism, of Totemism, and of Anthropomorphism were strangely mingled with the teachings of Christianity, and in their religious exercises the emotional predominated over the intellectual.The potency of charms and philters was freely admitted, and it was...

Daddy Jupiter was an old man when I first knew him. In the capacity of a body servant he had accompanied his master during the campaign of 1812-15; and this fact, apart from his excellent character, elevated him in the esteem of all. For many years prior to his death he was practically “off duty” keeping in-doors whenever he did not feel entirely well, and in pleasant weather working in the vegetable garden. He was fond of his chickens and pigs, and cultivated on his own account a small patch where arrowroot, long collards, sugar-cane, tanniers, ground-nuts, benne, gourds, and...