"De Lawd make him mad whin He tell him he can't git no mo' free vit'als out'n Eden. De Lawd say, 'Nor, suh, yer got ter wurk, an' sweat, an' crawl fur vit'als de res' er yo' life--an' you an' Miss Eve gwine fight one nuth'r tell one er yer gits kilt.'" "When are they going to fight?" asked Willis eagerly. "Dey fit dat ve'y day; an' whin hit git too hot fur Miss Eve, she take an' jump on top er ole man Elerphant's back 'fo' Mist'r Rattlesnake cud git her. He try ter crope up ole man Elerphant's legs, but Elerphant keep his foots wurkin' s' much, an' his snout flyin' roun' s' tur'bul, dat Mist'r Rattlesnake hatt'r keep out'n de way. Miss Eve she set up an' laf' at him, an' dat make Mist'r Rattlesnake so mad, he rip an' tar', an' fome at de mouf, an' mos' turn hisse'f wrong side out'ards tryin' ter hop up an' bite Miss Eve. Miss Eve she th'ow herse'f eroun' laffin' an' say: 'Ynan, ynan,' at 'im, tell Mist'r Rattlesnake git so mad he jes' up, an' bite his own se'f." "Did it kill him?" Mary Van crawled further on the apron and sat beside the little boy. "Hit wud er kilt him ef he hadn't er run'd an' got dem rattlesnake yerbs mouty quick,--an' dat's howcum Miss Eveses' chilluns know how ter kyore rattlesnake bite." "How, Mammy?" demanded Willis. "'Caze Miss Eve watch de yerbs Mist'r Rattlesnake eat ter swage his pis'n, den she tell her chilluns ter eat de same kine ef he ev'r bite dem."[2] [2] The old Cherokee Indian cure for rattlesnake poison is "Robin Plantain, Sweet Fern, Pine Snake root, Salve Weed, Devil's Shoe String, Wild Rosemary, and Red Joint." It was said that by infuriating the reptile until a wound was self-inflicted and then observing his selection of herbs as a remedy, the Indians found the antidote for rattlesnake bite. Reptiles that were bitten and kept in confinement died, while those allowed freedom to select and bite the herbs, recovered. "Did Mist'r Rattlesnake bite Miss Eve's children?" asked Willis. "He bite 'em ev'y time he git er chanct." "But it don't kill them, because they know how to get cured, don't they, Mammy Phyllis?" Mary Van disliked tragedy. "Miss Eve's Injun chillun kyores derse'f, but de res' er de fambly dies." "No, Mist'r Rattlesnake shan't bite Miss Eve's children," said Mary Van, shaking her curls. "You late in de day gittin' in yo' sayso, 'caze Mist'r Rattlesnake bite you ef you fools wid 'im; he ain' nuv'r git in er good hum'r wid nobody sense de Lawd make him wurk fur his livin'. He bin crawlin' crookid, an' doin' fokes crookid ev'r sense." "How does he work?" Willis pulled her face to him.