118. Robin as Fortune-teller. [Note]
Henry Spence, Bog, Westmoreland.
Robin fawn himself to be fortune-teller. So he bet a lot of money dat whatever dey have fe dinner to-night, him will tell it. So Robin name Fox,—call him “Mr. Fox Robin,”—an’ dey didn’t know his name. So it was a fox underneat’ de dish fe de dinner. [152]So when him come in, frighten’, t’ink him goin’ to lose, him sit down, say, “Aye, poor Fox is caught to-day!” When dey hear him say dis, everybody give a shout. Him win; for it was a fox underneat’ de dish.
Once de good man again go out to shoot. So him coming home, hear about Fox too,—same Fox. So him catch a robin redbreast an’ kill it an’ roast it an’ put it under de dish de very same as dey do de fox. So at dinner when he come to a certain time, say, “I want to know what underneat’ de dish now, Mr. Fox?” So said, “Well, poor Robin is well caught to-day!”