What was the traveler looking for at the night?

Question

The following text is for question 35 to 37.

One rainy autumn, a traveler got lost in the mountains of Arkansas. He was tired and hungry, and so was his horse. Night was approaching. All at once, he saw a cabin. A squatter sat on the porch fiddling the same tune over and over

The traveler asked the squatter for food for himself and his horse. The squatter replied, "Ain't got a thing in the house."

The traveler asked where the next house was. The squatter said, "Dunno. I ain't never been there."

The frustrated traveler asked if he could spend the night. The squatter replied, "House leaks. My wife and me sleep on the only dry spot."

"Why don't you mend the roof?" asked the traveler.

"Can't mend the roof on a rainy day."

The whole time, the squatter continued to fiddle the same tune, over and over

The traveler snapped, "Why don't you finish that tune?"

"Can't get the tum of the tune."

The traveler took the fiddle, played the turn of the tune and finished it.

"Stranger," said the squatter, "Grab yourself a chair and set down. Sal, cut a hunk outta that deer and cook it. Son, get the warm beverage and put the horse in the shed. You jest play away, stranger. Tonight, you can sleep on the dry spot!"

Adapted from: http://americanfolklore.net/folklore/2010/08/arkansas_traveler.html (August 15, 2019)