By Joel Chandler Harris
“Ilay ’t won’t be long,” said Uncle Remus, as the little boy drew his chair closer to the broad fireplace, “’fo’ I’ll hatter put on a backlog en pile’ up de chunks. Dem w’at gits up ’bout de crack er day like I does is mighty ap’ fer ter fin’ de a’r sorter fresh deze mornin’s. Fus’ news you know old Jack Frost ’ll be a-blowin’ his horn out dar in de woods, en he ’ll blow it so hard dat he ’ll jar down de hick’ry-nuts, de scalybarks, de chinkapins, en de bullaces, en den ole Brer ’Possum will begin fer ter take his promenades, en ef I don’t ketch ’im hit ’ll be kaze I’m too stiff in my j’ints fer ter toiler ’long atter de dogs.
“Dish yer kinder freshness in de a’r w’at make yo’ breff smoke w’en you blow it outen yo’ mouf,” continued Uncle Remus, “puts me in de min’ er de time w’en Brer Polecat wuz a-huntin’ fer a new house. De wedder wuz gittin’ kinder shivery, en Brer Polecat he sot out ter fin’ a good warm place whar he kin stay w’en de freeze come on.
“He mozey ’long, Brer Polecat did, twel he come ter Brer Rattlesnake house, w’ich it wuz in a holler tree. Brer Polecat knock at de do’. Brer Rattlesnake ’low, ‘Who dat?’
“Brer Polecat ’spon’, ‘Hit’s me; open de do’.’
“Brer Rattlesnake say, ‘W’at you want?’
“Brer Polecat say, ‘Hit mighty cool out yer.’
“Brer Rattlesnake ’low, ‘Dat w’at I year folks say.’
“Brer Polecat up en ’spon’, sezee, ‘Hit too col’ fer ter stan’ out yer.’
“‘Dat w’at I year tell,’ says Brer Rattlesnake, sezee.
“‘I wanter come in dar whar hit’s warm,’ says Brer Polecat, sezee.
“Brer Rattlesnake ’low dat two in dat house would be a big crowd.
“Brer Polecat say he got de name er bein’ a mighty good housekeeper.
“Brer Rattlesnake say hit mighty easy fer anybody fer ter keep tother folks’ house.
“Brer Polecat say he gwine come in anyhow.
“Brer Rattlesnake ’low, ‘Dey ain’t no room in yer fer you.’
“Brer Polecat laugh en say: ‘Shoo, Brer Rattlesnake! eve’ybody gives me room. I go ’long de road, I does, en meet Mr. Man. I walks right todes ’im, en he bleege ter gi’ me room. I meet all de critturs, en dey bleege ter gi’ me room.’
“Brer Rattlesnake say, ‘Dat w’at I year tell.’
“Brer Polecat ’low, ‘Don’t you pester yo’se’f ’bout room. You des lemme git in dar whar you is, en I’ll make room!’
“Wid dat Brer Rattlesnake shot de do’ er his house en sprung de latch, en atter so long a time Brer Polecat went pacin’ off some’rs else.”
