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An' thin； a minute afther； In comes the small Rid Hin； An' shuts the
door； and locks it； too； An' thinks； 〃I'm safely in。〃
An' thin she tarns around An' looks be'ind the door； There shtands the
Fox wid his big tail Shpread out upon the floor。
Dear me！ she was so schared Wid such a wondrous sight； She
dropped her apronful of shticks； An' flew up in a fright；
An' lighted on the bame Across on top the room； 〃Aha！〃 says she； 〃ye
don't have me； Ye may as well go home。〃
〃Aha！〃 says Fox； 〃we'll see； I'll bring yees down from that。〃 So out
he marched upon the floor Right under where she sat。
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Stories To Tell Children
An' thin he whiruled around； An' round an' round an' round； Fashter
an' fashter an' fashter； Afther his tail on the ground。
Until the small Rid Hin She got so dizzy； shure； Wid lookin' at the
Fox's tail； She jist dropped on the floor。
An' Fox he whipped her up； An' pit her in his bag； An' off he started
all alone； Him and his little dag。
All day he tracked the wood Up hill an' down again； An' wid him；
shmotherin' in the bag； The little small Rid Hin。
Sorra a know she knowed Awhere she was that day； Says she； 〃I'm
biled an' ate up； shure； An' what'll be to pay？〃
Thin she betho't hersel'； An' tuk her schissors out； An' shnipped a big
hole in the bag； So she could look about。
An' 'fore ould Fox could think She lept right outshe did； An' thin
picked up a great big shtone； An' popped it in instid。
An' thin she rins off home； Her outside door she locks； Thinks she；
〃You see you don't have me； You crafty； shly ould Fox。〃
An' Fox； he tugged away Wid the great big hivy shtone； Thimpin' his
shoulders very bad As he wint in alone。
An' whin he came in sight O' his great din o' rocks； Jist watchin' for
him at the door He shpied ould mither Fox。
〃Have ye the pot a…bilin'？〃 Says he to ould Fox thin； 〃Shure an' it is；
me child；〃 says she； 〃Have ye the small Rid Hin？〃
〃Yes； jist here in me bag； As shure as I shtand here； Open the lid till I
pit her in： Open itniver fear。〃
So the rashkill cut the sthring； An' hild the big bag over； 〃Now when
I shake it in；〃 says he； 〃Do ye pit on the cover。〃
〃Yis； that I will；〃 an' thin The shtone wint in wid a dash； An' the pot
oy bilin' wather Came over them ker…splash。
An' schalted 'em both to death； So they couldn't brathe no more； An'
the little small Rid Hin lived safe； Jist where she lived before。
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THE STORY OF EPAMINONDAS AND HIS
AUNTIE＇1＇
＇1＇ A Southern nonsense tale。
Epaminondas used to go to see his Auntie 'most every day； and she
nearly always gave him something to take home to his Mammy。
One day she gave him a big piece of cake； nice； yellow； rich gold…
cake。
Epaminondas took it in his fist and held it all scrunched up tight； like
this； and came along home。 By the time he got home there wasn't anything
left but a fistful of crumbs。 His Mammy said；
〃What you got there； Epaminondas？〃
〃Cake； Mammy；〃 said Epaminondas。
〃Cake！〃 said his Mammy。 〃Epaminondas； you ain't got the sense you
was born with！ That's no way to carry cake。 The way to carry cake is to
wrap it all up nice in some leaves and put it in your hat； and put your hat
on your head； and come along home。 You hear me； Epaminondas？〃
〃Yes； Mammy；〃 said Epaminondas。
Next day Epaminondas went to see his Auntie； and she gave him a
pound of butter for his Mammy； fine； fresh； sweet butter。
Epaminondas wrapped it up in leaves and put it in his hat； and put his
hat on his head； and came along home。 It was a very hot day。 Pretty soon
the butter began to melt。 It melted； and melted； and as it melted it ran
down Epaminondas' forehead； then it ran over his face； and in his ears； and
down his neck。 When he got home； all the butter Epaminondas had was
ON HIM。 His Mammy looked at him； and then she said；
〃Law's sake！ Epaminondas； what you got in your hat？〃
〃Butter； Mammy；〃 said Epaminondas； 〃Auntie gave it to me。〃
〃Butter！〃 said his Mammy。 〃Epaminondas； you ain't got the sense you
was born with！ Don't you know that's no way to carry butter？ The way to
carry butter is to wrap it up in some leaves and take it down to the brook；
and cool it in the water； and cool it in the water； and cool it in the water；
and then take it on your hands； careful； and bring it along home。〃
〃Yes； Mammy；〃 said Epaminondas。
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By and by； another day； Epaminondas went to see his Auntie again；
and this time she gave him a little new puppy…dog to take home。
Epaminondas put it in some leaves and took it down to the brook； and
there he cooled it in the water； and cooled it in the water； and cooled it in
the water； then he took it in his hands and came along home。 When he got
home； the puppy…dog was dead。 His Mammy looked at it； and she said；
〃Law's sake！ Epaminondas； what you got there？〃
〃A puppy…dog； Mammy；〃 said Epaminondas。
〃A PUPPY…DOG！〃 said his Mammy。 〃My gracious sakes alive；
Epaminondas； you ain't got the sense you was born with！ That ain't the
way to carry a puppy…dog！ The way to carry a puppy…dog is to take a long
piece of string and tie one end of it round the puppy…dog's neck and put the
puppy…dog on the ground； and take hold of the other end of the string and
come along home； like this。〃
〃All right； Mammy；〃 said Epaminondas。
Next day； Epaminondas went to see his Auntie again； and when he
came to go home she gave him a loaf of bread to carry to his Mammy； a
brown； fresh； crusty loaf of bread。
So Epaminondas tied a string around the end of the loaf and took hold
of the end of the string and came along home； like this。 （Imitate dragging
something along the ground。） When he got home his Mammy looked at
the thing on the end of the string； and she said；
〃My laws a…massy！ Epaminondas； what you got on the end of that
string？〃
〃Bread； Mammy；〃 said Epaminondas； 〃Auntie gave it to me。〃
〃Bread！！！〃 said his Mammy。 〃O Epaminondas； Epaminondas； you ain't
got the sense you was born with； you never did have the sense you was
born with； you never will have the sense you was born with！ Now I ain't
gwine tell you any more ways to bring truck home。 And don't you go see
your Auntie； neither。 I'll go see her my own self。 But I'll just tell you one
thing； Epaminondas！ You see these here six mince pies I done make？ You
see how I done set 'em on the doorstep to cool？ Well； now； you hear me；
Epaminondas； YOU BE CAREFUL HOW YOU STEP ON THOSE
PIES！〃
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〃Yes； Mammy；〃 said Epaminondas。
Then Epaminondas' Mammy put on her bonnet and her shawl and took
a basket in her hand and went away to see Auntie。 The six mince pies sat
cooling in a row on the doorstep。
And then；and then；Epaminondas WAS careful how he stepped on
those pies！
He stepped （imitate）rightin themiddleofeveryone。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。
And； do you know； children； nobody knows what happened next！ The
person who told me the story didn't know； nobody knows。 But you can
guess。
THE BOY WHO CRIED 〃WOLF！〃
There was once a shepherd…boy who kept his flock at a little distance
from the village。 Once he thought he would play a trick on the villagers
and have some fun at their expense。 So he ran toward the village crying
out； with all his might；
〃Wolf！ Wolf！ Come and help！ The wolves are at my lambs！〃
The kind villagers left their work and ran to the field to help him。 But
when they got there the boy laughed at them for their pains； there was no
wolf there。
Still another day the boy tried the same trick； and the villagers came
running to help and got laughed at again。 Then one day a wolf did break
into the fold and began killing the lambs。 In great fright； the boy ran for
help。 〃Wolf！ Wolf！〃 he screamed。 〃There is