Bones a-gittin' achy, Back a-feelin' col', Han's a-growin' shaky, Jes' lak I was ol'. Fros' erpon de meddah Lookin' mighty white; Snowdraps lak a feddah Slippin' down at night. Jes' keep t'ings a-hummin' Spite o' fros' an' showahs, Chrismus is a-comin' An' all de week is ouahs. Little mas' a-axin', "Who is Santy Claus?" Meks it kin' o' taxin' Not to brek de laws. Chillun 's pow'ful tryin' To a pusson's grace Wen dey go a pryin' Right on th'oo you' face Down ermong yo' feelin's; Jes' 'pears lak dat you Got to change you' dealin's So 's to tell 'em true. An' my pickaninny-- Dreamin' in his sleep! Come hyeah, Mammy Jinny, Come an' tek a peep. Ol Mas' Bob an' Missis In dey house up daih Got no chile lak dis is, D' ain't none anywhaih. Sleep, my little lammy, Sleep, you little limb, He do' know whut mammy Done saved up fu' him. Dey 'll be banjo pickin', Dancin' all night thoo. Dey 'll be lots o' chicken, Plenty tukky, too. Drams to wet yo' whistles So 's to drive out chills. Whut I keer fu' drizzles Fallin' on de hills? Jes' keep t'ings a-hummin' Spite o' col' an' showahs, Chrismus day 's a-comin', An' all de week is ouahs. A CABIN TALE THE YOUNG MASTER ASKS FOR A STORY Whut you say, dah? huh, uh! chile, You 's enough to dribe me wile. Want a sto'y; jes' hyeah dat! Whah' 'll I git a sto'y at? Di'n' I tell you th'ee las' night? Go 'way, honey, you ain't right. I got somep'n' else to do, 'Cides jes' tellin' tales to you. Tell you jes' one? Lem me see Whut dat one's a-gwine to be. When you 's ole, yo membry fails; Seems lak I do' know no tales. Well, set down dah in dat cheer, Keep still ef you wants to hyeah. Tek dat chin up off yo' han's, Set up nice now. Goodness lan's! Hol' yo'se'f up lak yo' pa. Bet nobidy evah saw Him scrunched down lak you was den-- High-tone boys meks high-tone men. Once dey was a ole black bah, Used to live 'roun' hyeah some whah In a cave. He was so big He could ca'y off a pig Lak you picks a chicken up, Er yo' leetles' bit o' pup. An' he had two gread big eyes, Jes' erbout a saucer's size. Why, dey looked lak balls o' fiah Jumpin' 'roun' erpon a wiah W'en dat bah was mad; an' laws! But you ought to seen his paws! Did I see 'em? How you 'spec I 's a-gwine to ricollec' Dis hyeah ya'n I 's try'n' to spin Ef you keeps on puttin' in? You keep still an' don't you cheep Less I 'll sen' you off to sleep. Dis hyeah bah 'd go trompin' 'roun' Eatin' evahthing he foun'; No one could n't have a fa'm But dat bah 'u'd do' em ha'm; And dey could n't ketch de scamp. Anywhah he wan'ed to tramp. Dah de scoun'el 'd mek his track, Do his du't an' come on back. He was sich a sly ole limb, Traps was jes' lak fun to him.