“Den de debil gib Unc’ ’Jah er miz’ry in de knee: he were ole, Unc’ ’Jah were, an’ ’twere mighty easy ter mek him painful: but Unc’ ’Jah des limp on an’ keep de dead fly in de win’ des erfore him, ’case he wanter hope set de gal free, ’count er his son Rube. “Well, de debil play all kinds er capers wid Unc’ ’Jah ’dout techin’ him, ’case he were de bestes’ hoodoo dat ebber were, dead er libin’, an’ de debil were mighty put ter hit, ’case de power er de debil stops short somers, ’n’ he were putty nigh rin ter de eend uv he rope. “So dey rin an’ rin an’ rin, Unc’ ’Jah allus keepin’ de fly in de win’ des erhead uv him, dough his tongue was hangin’ out. “Den de debil he mek de win’ blow harder, an’ de fly in de win’ des fa’r flew; but Unc’ ’Jah he hol’ up he charm erfore him an’ split de win’ des ’hine de fly. “Hit were sho’ cuissome ter see dat dead fly scootin’ on de win’, an’ Unc’ ’Jah des er-ridin’ hard, an’ er-ridin’ on nuffin; but dey say dat he sho’ done hit, an’ hit ’pear lack arter while de debil ’stonished ’case he see sech er powerful hoodoo, an’ he let dat win’ die back an’ dat fly flop down so suddent dat hit ’mos’ take Unc’ ’Jah’s bref erway. “Den Unc’ ’Jah he see dat de debil sperit done gone inter er debil hoss dat was waitin’ fur he marster close by ter whar de fly fall; an’ hit were powe’ful hard ter keep up wid de debil hoss, ’case he mek he time by jumps es well es by flyin’; but Unc’ ’Jah’s charm was es good es de debil hoss, an’ when he fly, Unc’ ’Jah fly, an’ when he jump, Unc’ ’Jah jump, an’ he keep ’im plum in sight. “Den de debil he w’ar out he hoss, an’ goes inter er grasshopper. Unc’ ’Jah groans at dat, fur he was mighty ole ter go so high an’ drap so low ever’ time wid de grasshopper, but dey say dat he done hit, an’ sho’ beat de grasshopper er-hoppin’. “Dar was er squinch-eyed toad er settin’ by er rock, de debilishest-lookin’ toad dat ebber you see, an’ when de grasshopper wore out, de debil flings his ole laigs erway an’ goes inter de toad. “Unc’ ’Jah he know hit wa’n’t no use ter kill de toad, ’case de debil gwine fin’ sumpen harder ter git ter he body in, so Unc’ ’Jah he hol’ he charm fas’ an’ des hop ’longsider de toad. [Illustration: “AN’ SHO’ BEAT DE GRASSHOPPER”] “Hit were mighty low-down work fur Unc’ ’Jah, but he were workin’ ter git eben wid de debil, an’ we has ter squat low ter rise high sometimes, an’ dat gal an’ dat Rube was bofe er-pinin’ unner de cuss. “Well, dat toad wa’n’t any good company ter Unc’ ’Jah, an’ his belly wa’n’t useter stayin’ so clost ter de groun’, so he were powerful glad when dat toad ’low he was mighty tired an’ sleepy too.