“Dat’s kase you don’ keep quiet ’nuff. How cum dey hab sich _long tungs_ ef’n dey kyant talk? Why, heah’s uh book gib me by Mars John Charles lars’ Chrismus, writ by (I kyant read de fus’ part ub de name, but hit en’s wid Sop) [Aesop]. Dat pictur’ is wha de frogs is askin’ fuh uh king.” Uncle Jerry: “De Lawd bless meh soul, what is we ter speck nex’? Lemme see de pictur’, Billy.” “Well, I struck at dat frog wid meh paddle. He jes’ wink he eye, grunt, an’ gib me sich uh curisome look, dat I got so skeered an’ cole I kyant git wa’m; so I don’ feel peart ’nuff ter tell de res’ ub de story.” Uncle Jerry: “Teck sum mo’ applejack, Billy; but don’ teck much, kase hit’s applejack dat mecks you _ve’y fogitful_.” “Dat lars’ drink mecks me feel nice an’ wa’m! Well, when de frog say, ‘What kounty you cum fum?’ de snipe say, ‘Souf Kharlina!’ Den de frog say, “What meck you set so fur out in de mash? De mud, grass an’ bresh is fine in heah, an’ jes’ ez wa’m ez uh tose, an’ plenty ub tussocks, too.’ De jacksnipe say, ‘I nebber sleep er feed ’doutin I kin see all ’roun’ me. I’s got uh game leg, an’ I will tell you all erbout mehsef. What yo’ fus’ name, Mr. Frog? Bull! Dat’s uh lubly name. Meh name is Cap’n Jack Snipe!’” “Mr. Frog: ‘What sorter spring you hab?’ “Cap’n Snipe: ‘Not ve’y nice. Grasshoppus an’ wumms is so sca’ce, an’ ez I befo’ tole you, I got uh game leg an’ kyant git ’roun’ good. “All moufs mus’ eat, but all moufs musn’ eat gravel.” Dat’s chicken an’ tukkey food, I eats wumms, grasshoppus, an’ sich like.’ “‘Well, how boutin de game leg, Cap’n? I ’gin ter think you ain’ got no game leg.’ “‘Deed I is; an’ dat game leg cum fum fallin’ in lub. Let me tell you fus’ what meh tase is an’ how brabe I is. I lub de juicy mash, glade an’ meadow, an’ I is feared ub nuffin ceppin hawks, owls, guns, dogs an’ mus’rats. But when I tu’ns inter uh Jack-uh-ma-lantern I ain’ feared ub nuffin.’” Uncle Jerry: “Billy, look at me! You sho’ dat snipe spressify dey tu’n inter Jack-uh-ma-lanterns?” “Cross meh hyart an’ bref.” Uncle Jerry: “Well, den, I eat no mo’ snipe! Dat mus’ be de reason I’s bin dreamin’ so bad.” Little Billy: “Talkin’ ’bout dem Jack-uh-ma-lanterns meck me feel quare. I is trimlin’ like uh aspine leaf.” “Teck ’nubba nip, Billy, an’ try ter ’stain yo’sef tell you git th’oo dis s’prisin’ narration.”