Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/361

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Folk-Tales from Georgia. 29

say he fix Brer Tarrapin so he can hold on. So Brer Frog he take a pebble, and he break two little holes in Brer Tarrapin's shell, so Mooly can stick her horns through, and make Brer Tarrapin fast. And Brer Tarrapin he ride off and he feel mighty proud.

Presently Brer Tarrapin he feel powerful hungry, and he feel powerful thirsty, and he tell Mooly he bound to get down and get a fresh drink.

But when Brer Tarrapin set out to get down he find he done fast and can't get down.

Well, poor old Brer Tarrapin he ride, and he ride, but he can't eat, and he can't drink, and he ride twell he done starve to death, and the twelve months done past, and old Brer Tarrapin still done fast to Mooly's horns twell she done wore out with toting old Brer Tarrapin, and Mr. Man he tired of seeing Mooly toting Brer Tarrapin about the place. And one day Mr. Man he cut Mooly's horns off close to her alls head, and she never have no horns no more to this day, and all along of that old Brer Tarrapin riding twelve months on her horns.

IX. WHEN MR. PINE-TREE AND MR. OAK-TREE FALL OUT.

Mr. Pine-tree and Mr. Oak-tree used to be great friends and live in peace side by side, twell Mr. Oak-tree he get jealous of Mr. Pine- tree 'cause Mr. Pine-tree he keep his fine green clothes on all win- ter ; but jest as sure as cold weather come Mr. Oak-tree's clothes they fade out a most ugly sort of color and fall off, and that make Mr. Oak-tree jealous to see hisself and his family with just few faded old clothes on their backs, while his neighbor, Mr. Pine-tree and his family, stand up proudful with all their fine green clothes on.

Mr. Oak-tree he grow more jealous year by year, but he keep it all to hisself, 'case Mr. Oak-tree he don't know just what he going do about it.

One year the people was looking for a place to have the camp- meeting. Now they always have the camp-meeting on big grove hill, where Mr. Oak-tree and Mr. Pine-tree grow side by side, and Mr. Oak-tree and Mr. Pine-tree, both powerful prideful, 'case they have the camp-meeting there.

But one time the people come, and instead of placing round the seats and breshin' up the grounds, they go 'bout tearing everything up and toting them over in the big pine grove, where Mr. Pine- tree live all by hisself.

Mr. Oak-tree he hear the people talking, and they say it am much nicei in Mr. Pine-tree's house, 'case he have a nice carpet on the ground, while Mr. Oak-tree's house all covered with dirty old leaves.

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