PART I. ANNANCY STORIES.

When the hoes stop clicking and you hear peals of laughter from the field, you may know that somebody is telling an Annancy story. If you go out, you will find a group of Negroes round the narrator, punctuating all the good points with delighted chuckles. Their sunny faces are beaming, and at the recital of any special piece of knavery on Annancy's part ordinary means of expression fail, and they fling themselves on the ground and wriggle in convulsions of merriment.

Annancy is a legendary being whose chief characteristic is trickery. A strong and good workman, he is invariably lazy, and is only to be tempted to honest labour by the offer of a large reward. He prefers to fill the bag which he always carries, by fraud or theft. His appetite is voracious, and nothing comes amiss to him, cooked or raw. No sooner is one gluttonous feast over than he is ready for another, and endless are his shifts and devices to supply himself with food. Sometimes he will thrust himself upon an unwilling neighbour, and eat up all his breakfast. At another time he carries out his bag and brings it home full of flesh or fish obtained by thieving. He is perfectly selfish, and knows no remorse for his many deeds of violence, treachery and cruelty. His only redeeming point is a sort of hail-fellow-well-met-ness, which appeals so much to his associates that they are ready almost, if not quite, to condone his offences.

Annancy has a defect of speech owing to a cleft palate, and pronounces his words badly. He speaks somewhat like Punch, through his nose very rapidly, and uses the most countrified form of dialect. He cannot say "brother," and has to leave out the _th_ owing to the failure of the tongue to meet the palate, so he says "bro'er." He even pretends he cannot say "puss," and turns it into "push." Strings of little words he delights in, such as, in the Brother Death story, the often-repeated "no mo so me no yerry," an expressive phrase difficult to render into good English. It means "I must have failed to hear." The words are "no more so me no hear," equivalent to "it must be so (that) I (do) not hear," the "no more" having something of the force of the same words in the colloquial phrases, "no more I do," "no more I will." When, for instance, to the remark, "I thought you didn't like the smell of paint," we make the rejoinder "no more I do," Priscian strives in vain to disentangle the words and reduce them to rule of syntax, but they mean "Well! I do not." Thus "no more me hear" would be "Well! I do not hear." The "so" introduces the hypothetical element and the "no" before "yerry" is a reduplicated negative.

Thus far for the sense. Now for the pronunciation. The accent indicates where the stress of the voice falls, and unless the accent is caught, the phrase will not run off the tongue. This is how it goes:

n[)o] m[)o] | s[=o] m[)e] n[)o] | yerry.

As an illustration of the necessity of right placing of the accent, take the name of that town in Madagascar, which we so often saw in our papers a few years ago, Antananarivo. Most of us just nodded our heads at it, but never tried, or at least only feebly, to articulate it. With all this "an an" it was the same sort of hopeless business as the deciphering of the hieroglyphics of those writers whose words seem to be composed of nothing but _m_'s. And yet how simple, and easy to say, the word is when we catch the accent. First "an"; then stop a little; "tanana," same values as traveller; and finally "rivo." French sounds for the vowels of course, An-tananarivo. This grouping of accents is that which in music is known as rhythm. Rightly grouped they make musical sense, wrongly grouped--and alas! how often we hear it--musical nonsense. See the stuttering hopelessness and helplessness of an-tan-an-a--there might be any number more of "an-an"s to follow, and compare with this the neat satisfying form Antananarivo. So let no bungler read in the story of Brother Death "no mo so me no yerry" with halting and panting, but let him reel off as quickly as he can "no mo so me no yerry" with just the accent that he would use in this phrase:--"It is here that I want you." Remember, too, that the _o_'s have the open sound of Italian, and not the close sound of English. So is exactly like _sol_ (the musical note) with the _l_ left out, and not as we pronounce it. And above all, speed.

When the stranger lands in Jamaica and hears the rapid rush of words, and the soft, open vowels, he often says: "Why, I thought they talked English here, but it sounds like Spanish or Italian!" The difficulty in understanding a new language lies in the inability to distinguish the point where one word ends and the next begins. The old puzzle sentence, _Caille a haut nid, taupe a bas nid_, shows this very well. The ear catches the sound but fails to differentiate the words, and, their real identity being disguised, the listener has a sort of impression of modern Greek or Italian, writing these fragments in his brain _oni_, _bani_.

Just as hopeless is negro English to the newcomer, and the first thing to do is to set about learning it. And well it repays investigation. It is the boast of the English language that it has got rid of so much superfluous grammatical matter in the way of genders, inflections and such-like perplexities. True, it has abolished much that was evil, and enables us to speak and write shortly and to the point. But negro English goes a step further, and its form is still more concise. Compare these expressions:

NEGRO. ENGLISH.

Corn the horse. Give the horse some corn. Care the child. Take care of the child. Him wife turn fire. His wife became a shrew. You middle hand. The middle of your hand. My bottom foot. The bottom of my foot. Out the lamp. Put out the lamp. The boy too trick. The boy is very tricky. I did him nothing. I did not provoke him. See the 'tar up a 'ky. Look at the star up in the sky. No make him get 'way. Do not let him get away. Me go buy. I am going to buy. A door. Out of doors. Short-mout'ed. Quick at repartee. Bull a broke pen. The bull has broken out of the pen. Bell a ring a yard. The bell is ringing in the yard. Same place him patch. In the place where it was patched. To warm fire. To warm oneself by the fire. You no give. If you do not give. Bring come. Bring it here. A bush. In the bush.[38]

[Footnote 38: These idioms are very similar to those of Cape Dutch, especially as spoken by the coloured people, and may help to illustrate its development. Cf. _Jy is te skellum_,--_ek gaan_ (or better, _Corp_) korp, etc. "To warm fire" reminds one of the Bantu _Ku ot a moto_, of which it is almost a literal translation. (A.W.)]

These are a few typical sentences out of a host which might be cited to show the neat, short turn they take in the mouth of the Jamaica Negro.

The rapidity of utterance natural to all the Blacks is exaggerated by Annancy. He generally affects, too, a falsetto tone as in "Play up the music, play up the music," in Yung-kyum-pyung. He has a metamorphic shape, that of the Spider. At one moment he is a man "tiefing (thieving) cow," the next he is running upon his rope (web).

As he is the chief personage in most of the stories in this book, it is well to have a perfectly clear idea of the pronunciation of his name. Unnahncy does not represent it badly, but the first letter has actually the sound of short French _a_ as in _la_. The accent falls strongly on the middle syllable. In "Tacoma" all the syllables are very short. The first has the sound of French _ta_, and takes the accent; _co_ is something between English _cook_ and Italian _con_, and it is impossible to determine whether to write the vowel _o_ or _u_; _ma_ again as in French. The exact relation in which Tacoma stands to Annancy is obscure. In one case he is described as Annancy's son, but, according to most of the stories, he appears to be an independent neighbour.

The stories are obviously derived from various sources, the most primitive being no doubt those which are concerned only, or chiefly, with animals. These may be of African origin, but we should have expected to find the Elephant and not the Tiger. I have a suspicion that Tiger was originally Lion, and that he is the Ogre of Jack the Giant-killer, and other fairy stories brought to Jamaica from England. Ogre would easily be corrupted to Tiger, and with the information, which might have been acquired at the same time, that Tiger was a fierce animal which ate men, his name would find its way into stories repeated from mouth to mouth. This is, however, pure conjecture. How much the stories vary may be seen from the two versions of Ali Baba, in one of which the point is so entirely lost that the door is not kept shut upon the intruder.

The tunes are in the same case as the stories. What I take to be certainly primitive about them is the little short refrains, like "Carry him go 'long" (Dry Bone) and "Commando" (Annancy and Hog). These suggest tapping on a drum. Again, the same influence that has produced the American Plantation Songs is occasionally visible, as in "Some a we da go to Mount Siney" (Annancy in Crab Country). This kind of patter is just what the Negro likes. Some of the tunes are evidently popular songs of the day, as, for instance, the vulgar "Somebody waiting for Salizon" (Snake the Postman). But others are a puzzle, showing as they do a high order of melodic instinct. Such are the melodies in "The Three Sisters" and "Leah," and the digging-tunes, "Oh, Samuel, Oh!" and "Three Acres of Coffee." These digging-tunes are very pleasant to hear, and the singers are quick at improvising parts. They are an appropriate accompaniment to the joyous labour of this sunny, happy land.

One more word with regard to the tunes. They gain a peculiar and almost indescribable lilt from a peculiarity in the time-organisation of the Negro. If you ask him to beat the time with his foot, he does it perfectly regularly, but just where the white man does not do it. We beat _with_ the time; he beats _against_ it. To make my meaning quite plain, take common measure. His first beat in the bar will be exactly midway between our first and second beats. The effect of this peculiarity in their singing is, that there is commonly a feeling of syncopation about it. The Americans call it "rag-time."

The men's voices are of extraordinary beauty. To hear a group chatting is a pure pleasure to the ear, quite irrespective of the funny things they say; and their remarks are accompanied with the prettiest little twirks and turns of intonation, sometimes on the words, sometimes mere vocal ejaculations between them. The women's voices have the same fine quality when they speak low, but this they seldom do, and their usual vivacious chatter is anything but melodious.

I. ANNANCY AND BROTHER TIGER.

One day Annancy an' Bro'er Tiger go a river fe wash'kin. Annancy said to Bro'er Tiger:--"Bro'er Tiger, as you are such a big man, if you go in a de blue hole with your fat you a go drownded, so you fe take out your fat so lef' it here."

Tiger said to Bro'er Annancy:--"You must take out fe you too."

Annancy say:--"You take out first, an' me me take out after."

Tiger first take out.

Annancy say:--"Go in a hole, Bro'er Tiger, an' make me see how you swim light."

Bro'er Annancy never go in.

As Tiger was paying attention to the swimming, Annancy take up his fat an' eat it.

Then Annancy was so frightened for Tiger, he leaves the river side an' go to Big Monkey town.

Him say:--"Bro'er Monkey, I hear them shing a shing a river side say:--

[Music:

"Yeshterday this time me a nyam Tiger fat, Yeshterday this time me a nyam Tiger fat, Yeshterday this time me a nyam Tiger fat, Yeshterday this time me a nyam Tiger fat."]

The Big Monkey drive him away, say they don't want to hear no song.

So him leave and go to Little Monkey town, an' when him go him said:--

"Bro'er Monkey, I hear one shweet song a river side say:--

"Yeshterday this time me a nyam Tiger fat. Yeshterday this time me a nyam Tiger fat."

Then Monkey say:--"You must sing the song, make we hear."

Then Annancy commence to sing.

Monkey love the song so much that they made a ball a night an' have the same song playing.

So when Annancy hear the song was playing, he was glad to go back to Bro'er Tiger.

When him go to the river, he saw Tiger was looking for his fat.

Tiger said:--"Bro'er Annancy, I can't find me fat at all."

Annancy say:--"Ha ha! Biddybye I hear them shing a Little Monkey town say:--

"Yeshterday this time me a nyam Tiger fat. Yeshterday this time me a nyam Tiger fat.

"Bro'er Tiger, if you think I lie, come make we go a Little Monkey town."

So he and Tiger wented.

When them get to the place, Annancy tell Tiger they must hide in a bush.

Then the Monkey was dancing an' playing the same tune.

Tiger hear.

Then Annancy say:--"Bro'er Tiger wha' me tell you? You no yerry me tell you say them a call you name up ya?"

An' the Monkey never cease with the tune:--

Yeshterday this time me a nyam Tiger fat. Yeshterday this time me a nyam Tiger fat.

Then Tiger go in the ball an' ask Monkey them for his fat.

The Monkey say they don't know nothing name so, 'tis Mr. Annancy l'arn them the song.

So Tiger could manage the Little Monkey them, an' he want fe fight them.

So the Little Monkey send away a bearer to Big Monkey town, an' bring down a lots of soldiers, an' flog Bro'er Tiger an' Annancy.

So Bro'er Tiger have fe take bush an' Annancy run up a house-top.

From that, Tiger live in the wood until now, an' Annancy in the house-top.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=Go a river fe wash 'kin=, go to the river to wash their skins. Pronounce =fe= like =fit= without the =t=.

=in a de=, into the.

=A go drownded=, will be drowned.

=fe take=, short for =must have fe take=, must take.

=so lef'=, and leave.

=fe you=, for you, yours.

=me me=, I will. Annancy is fond of these reduplications.

=in a hole=, in the hole.

=make me see=, let me see. =Make= and =let= are always confused.

=frighten=, frightened. Past participles are seldom used.

=take=, =eat=, =leave=, =go=, takes, eats, leaves, goes. This shortening is always adopted. If a final =s= is used, it is generally in the wrong place.

=shing a shing=, sing a song. Annancy's lisp will not always be printed, but in reading, it should be put in even when not indicated.

=a river side=, at the river's side. The =v= is pronounced more like a =b=, and the =i= in =river= has the sound of French =u=.

=me a nyam=, I was eating, I ate. =Nyam= is one of the few African words which survive in Jamaica.

=make we hear=, and let us hear it.

=have the same song playing=; the past participle again avoided, and its place supplied by the present participle. Song and tune are interchangeable terms, and, even when there is no singing, the fiddle speaks words to those who are privileged to hear; see "Doba" and other stories.

=Biddybye=, by the bye.

=a Little Monkey town=, in Little Monkey town. So already in this story we have had _a_ standing for =to=, =in=, =the=, =at=, =will=, besides being interjected, as in =me a nyam= and elsewhere.

=make we go=, let us go.

=in a bush=, in the bush, in the jungle.

=dancing an' playing.= No mention of singing, observe.

=a wha' me tell you, etc.= What did I tell you? Did you not hear me tell you they were talking about you up here? A good phrase to illustrate the use of the interjected =say=.

=Call you name=, mention your name.

=Monkey them=; another common addition.

=nothing name so=, nothing called so.

=a bearer.= Bearers are important people in the Jamaica hills where post-offices are few. They often bear nothing but a letter, though some carry loads too.

=Jack Mantora, etc.= All Annancy stories end with these or similar words. The Jack is a member of the company to whom the story is told, perhaps its principal member; and the narrator addresses him, and says: "I do not pick you out, Jack, or any of your companions, to be flogged as Tiger and Annancy were by the monkeys." Among the African tribes stories we know are often told with an object. The Negro is quick to seize a parable, and the point of a cunningly constructed story directed at an individual obnoxious to the reciter would not miss. So when the stories were merely told for diversion, it may have been thought good manners to say: "This story of mine is not aimed at any one."

II. YUNG-KYUM-PYUNG.

A King had t'ree daughter, but nobody in the world know their name. All the learned man from all part of the eart' come to guess them name, an' no one could'n guess them.

Brother Annancy hear of it an' say:--"Me me I mus' have fe fin' them ya-ya gal name. Not a man can do it abbly no me."

So one day the King t'ree gal gone out to bathe, an' Brother Annancy make a pretty basket, an' put it in a the house where he knew they was going to come fe eat them vittle.

He leave it there, an' go under the house fe hear the name.

When them come, them see the basket, an' it was the prettiest something they ever see in their life.

Then the biggest one cry out:--

Yung-kyum-pyung! What a pretty basket! Marg'ret-Powell-Alone! What a pretty basket!

And the next one say:--

Margaret-Powell-Alone! What a pretty basket! Eggie-Law! What a pretty basket!

And the youngest bahl:--

Eggie-Law! What a pretty basket, eh? Yung-kyum-pyung! What a pretty basket, eh?

Brother Annancy hear it all good, an' he glad so till him fly out a the house an' gone.

Him go an' make up a band of music with fiddle an' drum, an' give the musicians them a tune to sing the names to.

An' after a week him come back.

When him get where the King could yerry, him give out:--"Play up the music, play up the music."

So they play an' sing:--

[Music:

Yung-kyum-pyung Eggie-Law Marg'ret-Powell-Alone.]

After six times sing the Queen yerry.

She say:--"Who is that calling my daughter name?"

Annancy tell them fe play all the better.

Then the Queen massoo himself from up'tairs, an' t'row down broke him neck.

Dat time de King no yerry, so Annancy harder to play de music still.

At last the King yerry, an' him say:--"Who is dat, calling me daughter name?"

Annancy let them sing the tune over and over:--

[Music:

Yung-kyum-pyung Eggie-Law Marg'ret-Powell-Alone.]

An' the King t'row himself off a him t'rone an' lie there 'tiff dead.

Then Annancy go up an' take the t'rone, an' marry the youngest daughter an' a reign.

Annancy is the wickedest King ever reign. Sometime him dere, sometime him gone run 'pon him rope an tief cow fe him wife.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Me, me I mus' have, etc.=, I will find out those girls' names. Anybody else would have said:--"Me mus' have fe find them ya (those here) gal name," but Annancy likes to add a few more syllables. His speech is =Bungo talk=. The Jamaican looks down on the Bungo (rhymes with Mungo) who "no 'peak good English."

=abbly no me=, except me.

=go under the house.= It is no absurdity to the narrator's mind to picture the King's house on the pattern of his own. This is a two-roomed hut, consisting of the hall or dining-room and a bedroom. It is floored with inch-thick cedar boards roughly cut and planed, so that they never lie very close. An air space is left underneath, and anybody who creeps under the hut can hear all that goes on above.

=bahl=, bawl.

=hear it all good=, hears everything perfectly.

=Play up the music.= He almost sings, like this:--

[Music:

Play up the music.]

=all the better=, all the harder.

=massoo himself=, lifts herself up. "Massoo" is an African word. The hall seems to have a sort of gallery.

=t'row down, etc.=, throws herself down and breaks her neck. They always say =to broke=.

=Dat time de King.= The turning of =th= into a =d= or nearly a =d= is characteristic of negro speech. To avoid the tiresomeness of dialect-printing, and for another reason to be mentioned by and by, this is not always indicated. The change is introduced occasionally to remind readers of the right pronunciation.

=let them sing=, makes them sing.

=Sometime him dare=, sometimes he is there (at home), sometimes he goes and runs upon his web and steals cows for his wife. Other stories will show Annancy's partiality for beef, or indeed anything eatable.

=tief=, thieve.

Spiders' webs of any kind are called =Annancy ropes=.

III. KING DANIEL.

There was two young lady name Miss Wenchy an' Miss Lumpy. The King Daniel was courtening to Miss Wenchy, an' the day when they was to get marry Miss Lumpy carry Miss Wenchy an' show him a flowers in the pond. Miss Wenchy go to pick it, an' Miss Lumpy shub him in the pond.

An' she said:--"T'ank God! nobody see me."

Now a Parrot sat up on a tree, an' jes' as Miss Lumpy say "T'ank God! nobody see me" the Parrot say:--"I see you dough!"

Then Miss Lumpy said to the Parrot:--"Do, my pretty Polly, don't you tell, an' I'll give you a silver door an' a golden cage."

And the Parrot sing:--

[Music:

No, No, I don't want it, for the same you serve another one you will serve me the same.]

"Oh do, my pretty Polly, don't you tell, an' I'll give you a silver door an' a golden cage."

But the Parrot wouldn' stay, and he fly from houses to houses singing this tune:--

[Music:

I brought, I brought a news to the young King Daniel; Miss Lumpy kill Miss Wenchy loss, on becount of young King Daniel.]

At last the Parrot got to the table where the young King Daniel was.

An' Miss Lumpy was into a room crying. Many pocket-handkerchief she got wet with tears. An' the Parrot sing the same song:--"I brought, I brought a news to the young King Daniel; Miss Lumpy kill Miss Wenchy loss on becount of young King Daniel."

Then Miss Lumpy call out:--"Oh drive away that nasty bird, for Miss Wenchy head hurting her."

But King Daniel wouldn' have it so, but said:--"I heard my name call. I would like to know what is it."

An' the Parrot fly near upon the King's shoulder an' tell him what become of Miss Wenchy. An' they go an' look in the room an' find her not.

An' pretty Polly take them to the pond an' show them where Miss Wenchy is, an' she was drown.

Then the King call Miss Lumpy an' head him up into a barrel an' fasten it up with tenpenny nails, an' carry him up to a high hill an' let him go down the gully, an' he drop in the gully pom-galong.

An' the Parrot laugh Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=I see you dough.= The first three words are pitched high and the voice falls as low as possible on the =dough= and dwells upon it.

=Do, my pretty Polly, etc.= I have heard this story many times, and these words never vary. Obviously it was once a silver cage with a golden door.[39]

[Footnote 39: The well-known and lately-current ballad of _May Colvin_, in which this incident occurs (though it is the false lover, not the sister, who is murdered), has a cage of gold with an ivory door. (C.S.B.)]

=I brought=; brought for bring, as we had =broke= for break.

=loss.= It is doubtful what this word represents. It may be loss or lost. Observe =be=count.

=I would like to know what is it=, I should like to know what it is, what the matter is. The perverse misplacing of these words strikes a newcomer to the island. In questions they misplace them again and say "What it is?"

=find her not.= The =not= has a heavy accent.

=gully=, precipice.

=pom-galong= imitates the sound of the barrel as it goes bumping down. The =o='s have the Italian sound.

IV. TOMBY.

One day there was a gal, an' Annancy really want that gal fe marry, but he couldn' catch him. An' Annancy ask a old-witch man--the name of him was Tomby--an' the old-witch man had a 'mash-up side, an' him was the only man could gotten the gal for Annancy. An' Annancy give the old-witch man a t'reepence to give the gal when him goin' to the market to buy a t'reepence of youricky-yourk. An' the gal take the t'reepence. An' as she walk along the pass to market she meet up one of her friend call Miss Princess Johnson an' she said:--"Good mornin' me love," an' the answer:--"How you do, me dear? Where you a come from now?"

An Miss Justina say:--"Me a come from Tomby yard, an' see de t'reepence he give me fe go buy youricky-yourk."

"Never you bodder with somet'ing 'tan' so. Gi' ahm back him fuppence because him goin' to turn trouble fe you."

"How I manage fe gi' him the fuppence?"

"When you go to the market come back tell him you no see no youricky-yourk."

"An' what you go go buy, Miss Princess?"

"Me go buy me little salt fish an' me little hafoo yam, t'reepence a red peas fe make me soup, quatty 'kellion, gill a garlic to put with me little nick-snack, quatty ripe banana, bit fe Gungo peas, an' me see if me can get quatty beef bone."

"Ah! me missis, Cocoanut cheap a market ya."

"Yes, me love, make me buy sixpence."

An' as they talking they get to market. They buy what they want an' turn back, an' when they reach up Princess yard they tell goodbye an' Justina call in to Tomby.

An' Justina bring back the t'reepence an' sing:--

[Music:

Me go to market, me look, Tomby; look oh! me look, Tomby, look oh! me look, Tomby, see no youricky-yourk; Me went to Lingo Starban, 'cornful day, me went to Lingo Starban, 'cornful day, me went to Lingo Starban, 'cornful day.]

An' Tomby very vex as, being a old witch, he knew all what the gal do already. An' he answer:--

[Music:

Hm hm! hm hm! me have me mash-up side gee oh! a him make you say Tatalingo ya you bit oh! 'cornful day.]

An' he won't take the t'reepence. Now the rule is that anybody take something from old-witch an' can't give it back, it give him power to catch him. An' so comes it that Tomby catch Justina an' send for Mr. Annancy an' make him a present to be a wife. His name was Miss Sinclair, but she becomes now Mrs. Annancy Sinclair.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Old-witch=, a person of either sex possessed of supernatural powers, not necessarily old in years, as will be seen in other stories. The name "white witch" applied to men is familiar to dwellers in the West of England.

='mash-up=, smashed up, wounded, lacerated.

=youricky-yourk=, a nonsense word for some kind of plaster.

=pass=, path.

=Miss Princess.= Prince and Princess are common names for boys and girls.

=good mornin'.= This broad =o= is always pronounced =ah=.

=yard=, a house with its immediate surroundings.

=Never you bodder=, don't you bother with something which stands so, with that sort of commission.

=ahm=, frequently used for him.

=fuppence=, with Italian =u= having a turn towards =o=, fivepence in the old Jamaica coinage, equal to threepence English. Princess advises the return of the fuppence because it is going to get Justina (English =u= and Italian =i=) into trouble, coming as it does from an old-witch. It would not be guessed that the Jamaica coinage is identical with that of England. Such is, nevertheless, the case in spite of these curious names:

3 farthings 1 gill. 2 gills 1 quatty (quarter of sixpence, pronounced quotty). 2 quatties 1 treppence or fuppence (old coinage). 3 quatties 1 bit. 4 quatties 1 sixpence or tenpence (old coinage). 5 quatties, bit-o-fuppence. 7 quatties, bit-o-tenpence. 8 quatties 1 shilling or maccaroni. 10 quatties, mac-o-fuppence.

=go go buy.= It is not only Annancy who uses reduplications. The close English =o= is replaced in the Negro's mouth by an Italian open =o=.

=hafoo= (pronounced hahfoo, really =afoo=, an African word), a kind of yam.

='kellion=, skellion or scallion, a kind of onion which does not bulb.

=Gungo=, Congo. This pea is not only excellent for soup, but the growing plant improves the soil by introducing nitrogen into it.

=ya=, do you hear? a common ending to any remark.

=tell goodbye.= They =tell= howdy (how do you do?) and goodbye.

=Lingo Starban.= This should probably be Lingo's tavern, Lingo's tahvern; =v= and =b= being indistinguishable as in Spanish and Russian.

='cornful day=, a day of scorning or flouting. Justina wishes Tomby to believe that she tried everywhere to get some youricky-yourk, but met only with flouts and jeers.

=Hm, hm=, grumbling.

=a him=, it is him, it is that which makes you say:--"Tatalingo, here's your bit," your three quatties. She only had a treppence but the Negro is above accuracy as the Emperor Sigismund was above grammar.

=Tatalingo.= Lingo's name is now transferred to Tomby. Italian vowels in Tata. In "Finger Quashy" we find Tatafelo as one of the cats' names.

=make him a present=, make her (Justina) a present to Annancy.

=Mrs. Annancy Sinclair.= They are not particular in the matter of surnames. A remarried widow is constantly called by the surname of her first husband.

V. HOW MONKEY MANAGE ANNANCY.

One day Mr. Annancy an' his wife sat under a tree an' don't know that Mr. Monkey was on the tree. Mr. Annancy say to his wife:--"You know I really want little fresh." The wife say to Annancy:--"What kind a fresh?"

"How you mean, me wife, fe ax me dat question? Any meat at all. Me wife, you know wha' we fe do. Make we get a banana barrel an' lay it on de bed, make him favour one man, so get white sheet an' yap him up from head to foot, an' sen' go call Bro'er Cow, Bro'er Monkey, Bro'er Sheep, Bro'er Goat an' Bro'er Hog. An' when them come we mus' put all the strange friend them inside de house an' den you fe stay inside de room wi' dem."

Now Bro'er Annancy send fe all his friend, Sheep, Goat, Hog, Monkey. Cow was the minister.

When they come to Annancy yard they met him was crying.

Parson Cow say:--"Don't cry so much, my good friend, because it is the all a we road."

Annancy say:--"Ah, ah! Bro'er Cow, you no know the feeling me have fe me one puppa. Bro'er Cow, as you is the parson, take you frien' in, you will see de ole man 'pon bed."

During this time Mrs. Annancy was inside the room. The Reverend Cow went in to raise up the sheet.

Mrs. Annancy say:--"No; me husban' say nobody fe look on the ole man face till in the morning."

So Cow don't rist.

Mr. Monkey who hear all what Annancy was saying, he an' his wife wouldn' go in the house.

Mr. Annancy say:--"Bro'er Monkey, go inside. Go see the last of the ole man."

Monkey say:--"No, Bro'er Annancy, me sorry fe you too much. If a go in dere a we cry whole a night."

"No, Bro'er Monkey, go in, go keep them other one company for you are me nearest frien'."

Monkey never go.

He has to left Monkey, for Monkey was too clever for him.

An' by that time Mr. Annancy hid his cutlass back of his door well sharpen an' go in the house an' shut the door. It was the only door in the whole house, so he sat back of the door after lock it.

An' after, Bro'er Annancy ask Bro'er Cow to say a word of prayer.

During the praying Annancy was crying.

Hog with an old voice say:--"Keep up Mr. Annancy, keep up Mr. Annancy."

He cry much the better.

The prayer was finish. Mr. Annancy ask Cow to raise a hymn.

The Cow commence with hundred a de hymn, hundred a de page.

[Music:

Me gullen ho St. John, me gullen ho St. John, me see the last to-day ya, me see the last, puppa gone.]

Bro'er Annancy want fe kill Parson Cow, begin with a big confusion, say that him don't like that hymn.

During this time his door was well lock, an' same time Bro'er Annancy draw his cutlass an' raise a fight, say that him don't like that hymn.

An' the poor friend them didn' have anything to fight. He kill the whole of them.

In the morning Monkey laugh, say:--"Bro'er Annancy, If me min come in a you house you would a do me the same."

Annancy say "No."

Him give Monkey a piece of the meat.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=fresh=, fresh meat. In the country districts the only meat to be had as a rule is ancient salt beef out of a tub.

=favour=, look like. In some parts of England the word is still used in this sense.

=met him was crying=, found him crying.

=all a we.= All of us have to tread the road of death.

=one=, own.

=who hear=, who had heard previously when he was on the tree.

=cutlass.= Every Negro carries one. It is used for every sort of purpose, but seldom murderously as here.

=old voice=, voice of simulated grief.

=much the better=, all the more.

=hundred a de=, hundredth.

=me gullen ho=, nonsense words.

=confusion=, quarrel.

=min=, been. If I had come in you would have done the same to me.

VI. BLACKBIRD AND WOSS-WOSS.

One day there was a place where they usual to kill plenty of meat. An' Mr. Blackbird has a certain tree, hiding himself. An' every cow them kill Mr. Blackbird see how them kill it. An' going into the house, the house don't lock with no key nor either open with no key. When they want to go in them use a word, say "one--two--t'ree--me no touch liver," an' the door open himself. An' when them want to come out of the house them use the same words "one--two--t'ree--me no touch liver." An' Mr. Blackbird tief them fe true, an' them never find it out.

An' one day Mr. Blackbird write his friend Mr. Annancy to take a walk with him, an' him will show him where he is getting all these meat. An' when he is going him tell Mr. Annancy all the rule, that when he go on the tree he must listen, an' him will hear what them say to open the door both going in an' coming out.

What Mr. Annancy did; when he see the butcher them passing with the meat, Annancy was trembling an' saying:--"Look a meat,--Look a meat."

"Bro'er Annancy hush you mout', you a go make dem shot me."

When the butcher them gone, Mr. Blackbird come down, he an' Mr. Annancy, an' go inside the house the very same as the butcher them do, say "one--two--t'ree--me no touch liver." As they go into the house Blackbird tell him that him mustn't take no liver. An' Mr. Annancy took liver an' put in his bag. An' when Blackbird started out with the same word Mr. Annancy left inside was tying his bag.

Now Mr. Annancy ready fe come out of the house, count "one--two--t'ree--me no touch liver," and by this time he has the liver in his bag.

The door won't open.

Blackbird call him "Come on."

He say:--"The door won't open."

Then he count more than what he was to by get so frighten. He say:--"One--two--t'ree--four--five--six--seven--eight--nine--ten--me no touch liver."

The door won't open.

Mr. Blackbird say:--"Look in your bag, you must be have liver."

The fellow so sweet-mout' say in a cross way "No."

Blackbird leave him.

When Blackbird go home he look an' can't see Mr. Annancy, so him fly a bush an' get up a whole regiment of soldier. Who these soldier was, was Woss-Woss. Mr. Blackbird was the General, march before. When them reach to the place they were just in time, for the butcher were taking Mr. Annancy to go an' tie him on a tree to cut him with hot iron. Word of command was given from Mr. Blackbird, an' by the time the butcher them come to the door with Mr. Annancy the whole world of Woss-Woss come down on them.

They have to let go Mr. Annancy. Not one of the butcher could see. Mr. Blackbird soldier gain the battle an' get 'way Mr. Annancy. They take all the butcher meat an' carry home. Then Mr. Blackbird take Mr. Annancy under his wing an' all his soldiers an' fly to his own country. From that day Woss-Woss is a great fighter until now, so bird never do without them to guard their nest.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=Woss-Woss.= The West Indian wasp hangs its paper nest to the twigs of bushes and trees as a rule, though it does not despise the shelter of the verandah. The wasps live in colonies, making many small nests instead of one big one. The nests are shaped like the rose of a watering-pot with the shank turned upwards.

This story clearly owes its origin to Ali Baba. The conversion of Sesame, which meant nothing to the negro, into one-two-three, which at least means something, is not unnatural.

=fe true=, literally =for true= is an expressive phrase conveying the idea of intensity. =It hot fe true=, it is intensely hot. =He tief fe true=, he steals terribly. =It rain fe true=, it is raining very hard. =He wort'less fe true=, he is a regular scamp. =He sinnicky fe true=, he is a horrid sneak. =His ears hard fe true=, his ears are outrageously hard, said of a boy who will not do as he is told. =He nyam fe true=, he eats immensely. =Lazy fe true=, abominably lazy. =Ugly fe true=, exceedingly ugly. =The water cold fe true=, the water is very cold. =White yam burn fe true=, the white yam is sadly burnt. =Orange bear fe true=, the oranges bear heavily. =Puss catch ratta fe true=, the cat catches any amount of rats. =Him favour tiger fe true=, he looks for all the world like a tiger, said of a man who has a sullen expression. =Me head hurt me fe true=, I have a very bad headache. =Boot burn me fe true=, my boots gall me dreadfully.

=by get so frighten=, through fright; literally, owing to his getting so much frightened.

=must be have=, must have.

=sweet-mout'=, sweet-mouthed, greedy.

VII. THE THREE SISTERS.

There was t'ree sister living into a house, an' everybody want them fe marry, an' them refuse.

An' one day a Snake go an' borrow from his neighbour long coat an' burn-pan hat an' the whole set out of clothing. Then he dress himself, an' him tell his friends that him mus' talk to those young lady. An' what you think the fellow does? He get up a heap a men to carry him to the young lady yard. An' when him got there the door was lock with an iron bar. An' when he come he say:--"Please to open the door, there is a stranger coming in." An' he sing like this:--

[Music:

My eldes' sister, will you open the door? My eldes' sister, will you open the door oh? Fair an gandelow steel.]

An' the eldest one was going to open the door. An' the last one, who was a old-witch, say to her sister:--"Don't open the door," an' she sing:--

[Music:

My door is bar with a scotran bar, My door is bar with a scotran bar oh, Fair an' gandelow steel.]

Then the Snake ask again to the same tune:--

My second sister will you open the door? My second sister will you open the door oh? Fair an' gandelow steel.

An' the youngest, which was old-witch, sing again:--

My door is bar with an iron bar, My door is bar with an iron bar oh, Fair an' gandelow steel.

An' the Snake turn to a Devil, an' the t'ree sister come an' push on the door to keep it from open.

An' the Devil ask a third time:--

My youngest sister will you open the door? My youngest sister will you open the door oh? Fair an' gandelow steel.

But the last sister won't have it so, an' she said with a very wrath:--

[Music:

The Devil roguer than a womankind, The Devil roguer than a womankind oh, Fair an' gandelow steel.]

An' the Devil get into a great temper an' say:--

[Music:

What is roguer than a womankind? What is roguer than a womankind oh? Fair an' gandelow steel.]

Then the Devil fly from the step straight into hell an' have chain round his waist until now.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Snake= is pronounced with an indefinite short vowel between the =s= and =n=, senake.

=burn-pan hat=, the tall hat of civilized towns. The =pan= is the usual cylindrical tin vessel used for cooking. When blackened by fire it is a =burn-pan= or burnt pan. It is pronounced like French _bonne_.

=Gandelow, scotran.= The meaning of these words is lost.

=roguer.= This word is doubtful. Sometimes it sounds like rowgard, at others like rowgod. It may mean "more roguish." The boy who gave me this story often quotes this line from a hymn:

"To break the bonds of cantling sin."

One day I asked him to point it out in his hymnbook. It was =conquering=. He can say it perfectly well, but he still goes on with =cantling=. It is not surprising, therefore, that we cannot recover words passed from mouth to mouth for generations.

=womankind.= Again it is doubtful whether this is a single word or two words. The article would fix it as the latter in pure English, but in negro speech it goes for nothing.

=old-witch=, though she was a young girl: see notes to No. IV. (Tomby).

VIII. WILLIAM TELL.

Once there was a man who name William Tell, an' him have a lots of cow. An' in the yard there was a tree, an' the tree no man can fall it. Any animal at all go under that tree it kill them, an' the name of the tree is Huyg.

An' William Tell wanted the tree to cut down.

An' him offer a cow to any man that kill the Huyg. They shall get the cow.

An' first of all Tacoma went to cut down the tree, an' him couldn' bear the itch, I mean 'cratch of the tree.

An' William Tell made a law that any man come to cut the tree they must not 'cratch their 'kin or else they would lose the cow.

An' Mr. Tacoma were very sorry, an' he was to leave the cow just to save his life.

An' that great man Mr. Annancy heard about the cow an' him got a very sharp axe. An' when Mr. Annancy come, William Tell show him the cow--Annancy glad when he see the cow--an' after he show Mr. Annancy the tree.

Then Mr. Annancy say:--"Ho, me good massa, don't you fret of the tree. If one sing don't send 'way the tree another one must send him 'way."

An' the first sing was:--

[Music:

Big chip, fly! little chip, fly!]

He repeat the word over an' over, but the tree don't fall yet.

So him take up another sing again:--

[Music:

Me go to Rickylanjo, eye come shine, come show me your motion, eye come shine.]

An' Mr. Annancy never cease till him cut down the tree an' receive his reward.

NOTES.

=Huyg= for Hag, as they say =buyg= for bag. The spelling is awkward but it seems the only convenient one to adopt. The sound will be best understood from the second example. Say =buy= and put a hard =g= after it. The =Huyg= seems to combine the qualities of the Upas and Cow-itch (_Mucuns pruriens_). The last, a common Jamaica weed, looks like a scarlet runner. It bears pods covered with a pretty velvet of hairs which "scratch" or irritate the skin.

=sing.= Further on there is a collection of these =sings=.

=show me your motion=, let me see you begin to topple.

IX. BROTHER ANNANCY AND BROTHER DEATH.

One day Brother Annancy sen' gal Annancy fe go a Brother Deat' yard fe go beg fire.

When the gal go, him go meet Brother Deat' dis a eat fe him breakfas' enough eggs. Brother Deat' give gal Annancy one. Gal Annancy take the egg an', after eat done, put the shell 'pon him finger.

Brother Annancy wait an' wait but can't get the fire, till at last he see the gal a come.

When him see the gal with the egg shell 'pon him finger, him run an' bit off the gal finger slap to the hand. Him take 'way the fire, out it, an' go back to Deat' say:--"Bro'er Deat', de fire out."

Brother Deat' give him fire an' one egg, tell him fe go home.

"Say, Bro'er Deat', I goin' to give you me daughter fe marry to."

So Annancy do marry off Deat' an' him daughter the same day. So him lef' them gone for a week, then come back again fe come see him son-in-law.

When him come him say:--"Bro'er Deat', me son, me hungry."

Brother Deat' no 'peak.

So Annancy begin fe talk to himself: "Bro'er Deat' say me fe go make up fire, but no mo so me no yerry."

After five minutes him call out:--"Bro'er Deat', me make up de fire."

Deat' no 'peak.

"Bro'er Deat' say me fe wash de pot, but no mo so me no yerry."

When the pot wash done, him call out:--"Pot wash."

Deat' no 'peak.

"Bro'er Deat' say me fe to put him on, but no mo so me no yerry."

Soon him say:--"Bro'er Deat', where de vittle?"

Deat' no 'peak.

"Him say me fe look somewhe de me see enough yam, me fe peel dem put dem a fire, but no mo so me no yerry."

Annancy cook all Deat' food.

When it boil, him take it off. Him say:--"Bro'er Deat', him boil."

Deat' no 'peak.

"Bro'er Deat' say me fe share, but no mo so me no yerry."

Annancy eat fe him share, then turn back say:--"Bro'er Deat', you no come come eat?"

Deat' no 'peak.

"Bro'er Deat' say him no want none, but no mo so me no yerry."

So Annancy eat off all the food him one.

Then Deat' get vex in a him heart, and him run into the kitchen.

"Bro'er Annancy a whe you mean fe do me, say a come you come fe kill me?"

So Deat' catch Annancy an' say:--"Me no a go let you go again, no use, no use."

Then, after, Deat' carry Annancy in a him house an' leave him, gone to get his lance to kill him.

So, after Annancy sit a time an' about to go away, him say:--"Bro'er Deat' say me fe go take piece a meat, but no mo so me no yerry."

When Annancy go to the meat cask, him see the cask full with meat. Him take out two big piece of meat. Then he see fe him daughter hand with the missing finger. Him jump out of the house an' bawl out:--"Bro'er Deat', you b'ute, you b'ute, you kill me daughter."

Deat' catch him again an' was going to kill him, but the feller get 'way, run home a fe him yard.

Brother Deat' follow him when him go home.

Annancy take all him children an' go up a house-top, go hang up on the rafter. Brother Deat' come in a de house, see them up a de house-top.

Annancy say to his family--there was two boy an' the mumma--"Bear up! If you drop de man a dirty de a go nyam you."

Here come one of the boy say:--"Puppa, me han' tired."

Annancy say:--"Bear up!"

The boy cry out fe de better.

Annancy say:--"Drop, you b'ute! No see you dada a dirty de?"

Him drop.

Deat' take him and put him aside.

Five minutes the other one say:--"Puppa, me han' tired."

Annancy say again:--"Drop, you b'ute! No see you dada a dirty de?"

Him drop.

Deaf take him an' put him aside.

Soon the wife get tired, say:--"Me husban', me han' tired."

Annancy say:--"Bear up, me good wife!"

When she cry she couldn' bear no more, Annancy bawl again:--"Drop you b'ute! No see you husban' a dirty de?"

She drop.

Deat' take her.

At last Annancy get tired. Das de man, Bro'er Deat' been want. Annancy was so smart, no want fe Deat' catch him, so he say:--"Bro'er Deat', I goin' to drop, an' bein' me so fat, if you no want me fat fe waste, go and fetch somet'ing fe catch me."

"What me can take fe catch you?"

"Go in a room you will see a barrel of flour an' you fe take it so fe me drop in de."

Deat' never know that this flour was temper lime.

Deat' bring the barrel an', just as he fixing it up under where Annancy hanging, Annancy drop on Deat' head PUM, an jam him head in a the temper lime an' blind him. So he an' all him family get 'way.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=dis a eat=, just as he had eaten.

=no mo so me no yerry=, I must have failed to hear. See page 3.

=Deat' no 'peak=, Death won't speak. The comedy is well sustained. Annancy goes through the various stages of preparation for breakfast, pretending that he is carrying out orders from Death which he fails to hear.

=put him on=, put the pot on the fire.

=somewhe de=, somewhere there. The =e='s are like French =e=, and =de= is said with a strong accent and made very short.

=enough yam=, plenty of yams.

=say a come you come=, say do you come.

=me no a go etc.=, I am not going to let you go again.

=no use=, no mistake about it this time.

=bawl.= Remember to pronounce it =bahl=.

=b'ute=, brute, pronounced byute like the island Bute.

=a fe him yard=, to his yard.

=a dirty de, etc.=, on the ground there will eat you.

=fe de better=, all the more.

=Das=, that's.

=temper lime=, tempered lime originally no doubt, but now meaning quick lime. Temper, I am told, means cross. And in further explanation my informant adds: "You can't fingle (finger) temper lime as you have a mind; it cut up your hand."

=pum= with the shortest possible vowel represents the thud of Annancy's fall upon Death's head.

The Kitchen is outside the house, often at a considerable distance from it.

X. MR. BLUEBEARD.

There was a man named Mr. Bluebeard. He got his wife in his house an' he general catch people an' lock up into a room, an' he never let him wife see that room.

One day he went out to a dinner an' forgot his key on the door. An' his wife open the door an' find many dead people in the room. Those that were not dead said:--"Thanky, Missis; Thanky, Missis."

An' as soon as the live ones get away, an' she was to lock the door, the key drop in blood. She take it up an' wash it an' put it in the lock. It drop back into the blood.

An' Mr. Bluebeard was a old-witch an' know what was going on at home. An' as he sat at dinner, he called out to get his horse ready at once. An' they said to him:--"Do, Mr. Bluebeard, have something to eat before you go."

"No! get my horse ready."

So they bring it to him. Now, he doesn't ride a four-footed beast, he ride a t'ree-foot horse.

An' he get on his horse an' start off itty-itty-hap, itty-itty-hap, until he get home.

Now, Mrs. Bluebeard two brother was a hunter-man in the wood. One of them was old-witch, an' he said:--"Brother, brother, something home wrong with me sister."

"Get 'way you little foolish fellah," said the biggest one.

But the other say again:--"Brother, brother, something wrong at home. Just get me a white cup and a white saucer, and fill it with water, and put it in the sun, an' you will soon see what do the water."

Directly the water turn blood.

An' the eldest said:--"Brother, it is truth, make we go."

An' Mrs. Bluebeard was afraid, because he knew Mr. Bluebeard was coming fe kill him. An' he was calling continually to the cook, Miss Anne:--

[Music:

Sister Anne, Sister Anne, Ah! you see any one is coming? Sister Anne, Sister Anne, Ah! you see any one is coming?]

An' Sister Anne answer:--

[Music:

Oh no, I see no one is coming, But the dust that makes the grass so green.]

An' as she sing done they hear Mr. Bluebeard coming, itty-itty-hap, itty-itty-hap.

Him jump straight off a him t'ree-foot beast an' go in a the house, and catch Mrs. Bluebeard by one of him plait-hair an' hold him by it, an' said:--"This is the last day of you."

An' Mrs. Bluebeard said:--"Do, Mr. Bluebeard, allow me to say my last prayer."

But Mr. Bluebeard still hold him by the hair while he sing:--

Sister Anne, Sister Anne, Ah! you see any one is coming? Sister Anne, Sister Anne, Ah! you see any one is coming?

An' Sister Anne answer this time:--

[Music:

Oh yes! I see someone is coming, And the dust that makes the grass so green.]

Then Mr. Bluebeard took his sword was to cut off him neck, an' his two brother appear, an' the eldest one going to shot after Mr. Bluebeard, an' he was afraid an' begin to run away. But the young one wasn't going to let him go so, an' him shot PUM and kill him 'tiff dead.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=three-foot=, three-legged.[1] =Hand= is used for arm in the same way.

=itty-itty-hap=, imitating the halting gait of the three-legged horse. The voice rises on =hap= which is said with a sharp quick accent.[40]

[Footnote 40: "The 'three-foot horse' is believed to be a kind of duppy with three legs, hence its name; and is able to gallop faster than any other horse. It goes about in moonlight nights, and if it meet any person it blows upon him and kills him. It will never attack you in the dark. It cannot hurt you on a tree." _Folklore of the Negroes of Jamaica_, in _Folklore_, Vol. XV., p. 91. (C.S.B.).]

=fe kill him=, to kill her. The use of masculine for feminine pronouns is bewildering at first.

XI. ANNANCY, PUSS, AND RATTA.

One day Annancy an' Puss make a dance, an' invite Ratta to the ball. Annancy was the fiddler. The first figure what him play, the tune say:--

[Music:

Ying de ying de ying, Ying de ying de ying, take care you go talk oh, min' you tattler tongue ying de ying, min' you tattler tongue ying de ying, min' you tattler tongue ying de ying.]

The second tune he say:--

[Music:

Bandywichy wich, Bandywichy wich, Bandywichy wich, Timber hang an' fall la la, fall la la, fall la.]

Then, as the Ratta dance, the high figure whe him make, him slide in the floor an' him trousies pop. Then the shame he shame, he run into a hole, an' him make Ratta live into a hole up to to-day day.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

This story should be rattled off as quick as possible.

=Ratta=, rat or rats.

=Ying de ying= imitates the "rubbing" of the fiddle, as they call it.

=take care you go talk=, mind you don't talk, mind your tattling tongue.

=figure whe him make=, caper that he cuts.

=trousies pop=, trousers burst.

XII. TOAD AND DONKEY.

One day a King made a race and have Toad and Donkey to be the racer. An' Toad tell Donkey that him must win the race, an' Donkey mad when him yerry so. And the race was twenty mile.

An' Donkey say:--"How can you run me? I have long tail an' long ear an' a very tall foot too, an' you a little bit a Toad. Let me measure foot an' see which one longer."

An' Toad say to Donkey:--"You no mind that man, but I must get the race."

An' Donkey get very vex about it.

An' Donkey say to the King:--"I ready now to start the race."

An' the King made a law that Donkey is to bawl at every miles that he might know where he got.

Now that little smart fellah Toad says to the King that he doesn't fix up his business yet, an' will he grant him a little time.

An' the King grant him a day, an' say to the two of them:--"Come again to-morrow."

An' Donkey wasn't agree, for he know that Toad is a very trickified thing.

But the King wouldn' hear, an' say:--"No, to-morrow."

Now Toad have twenty picny. An' while Donkey is sleeping, Toad take the twenty picny them along with him on the race-ground, an' to every mile-post Toad leave one of his picny an' tell them that they must listen for Mr. Donkey when he is coming. "An' when you yerry that fellah Mr. Donkey bawl, you must bawl too." An' Toad hide one of his picny behind every mile-post until him end the twenty mile.

So the race begin.

Donkey was so glad in a him heart that he was going to beat Toad that he say to himself:--"Tche! That little bit a fellah Toad can't manage me, so I must have plenty of time to eat some grass."

So him stand by the way, eat grass and poke him head through the fence where he see some potato-slip, an' try a taste of Gungo peas. An' he take more than an hour fe catch up the first mile-post, an' as him get him bawl:--

[Music:

Ha! Ha! Ha! me more than Toad.]

An' there comes the first picny call out:--

[Music:

Jinkororo, Jinkokkokkok.]

An' Donkey quite surprise, an' say:--"Tche! How him manage to be before me?"

An' he think:--"Me delay too long with that grass, I must quicker next mile."

An' him set off with a better speed an' only stop a minute for a drink of water. An' as him get to the next post him bawl:--

[Music:

Ha! Ha! Ha! me more than Toad.]

An' there come the second picny call out:--

[Music:

Jinkororo, Jinkokkokkok.]

An' Donkey say:--"Lah! Toad travel fe true. Never mind, we will chance it again."

So him 'tart, an' when him reach the third mile-post him bawl:--

[Music:

Ha! Ha! Ha! me more than Toad.]

An' the third picny behind the post say:--

[Music:

Jinkororo, Jinkokkokkok.]

Jackass get vex when he hear Toad answer him, an' he go fe 'mash Toad, an' Toad being a little man hide himself in a grass.

Then Donkey say:--"Hi! fellah gone ahead; make I see if I can catch up the next mile-post before him." An' he take him tail an' touch it like a horsewhip an' begin fe gallop.

An' him get to the fourth mile-post an' bawl:--

[Music:

Ha! Ha! Ha! me more than Toad.]

An' there comes the fourth picny answer him:--

[Music:

Jinkororo, Jinkokkokkok.]

When him yerry, him 'tand up same place an' trimble, say:--"My goodness King! a whe me a go do? Make me gallop so I knock off all me hoof self upon the hard hard dirty because I must beat the race."

An' he gallop so fast than he ever do before, until when he get to the fifth mile-post he was really tired an' out of breath.

But he just have enough to bawl:--

[Music:

Ha! Ha! Ha! me more than Toad.]

When he hear:--

[Music:

Jinkororo, Jinkokkokkok.]

This time he really mad, an' race on harder than ever. But always the same story. Each mile-post he catch him bawl:--"Ha! Ha! Ha! me more than Toad." An' always come answer:--"Jinkororo, Jinkokkokkok."

An' Donkey begin to get sad in his mind for he see that he lost the race. So through Toad smartness Donkey can never be racer again.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=tall foot=, long leg. A tall bridge is a long one, not one that stands high above the river.

=wasn't agree=, didn't agree. Auxiliaries are a snare.

=picny.= This is the almost universal form of picaninny in Jamaica, varied occasionally by picany.

=Tche!= the Pshaw! of books and the Tush! of the Psalms. There is a world of contempt in this ejaculation, which is accompanied by an upward jerk of the chin. The vowel is that of French =le=.

=potato-slip.= The sweet potato (_Ipomoea Batatas_) is cultivated by slips or cuttings. Our kind of potato is called "Irish potato."

=Jinkororo, etc.= This is a capital imitation of the Toad's croaking chuckle. The second bar should be made as out of tune as possible and the =kok= is on the lowest note of the voice. It is the repeated k's that make the croak so life-like.

=take him tail.= They are fond of this expression. Other examples are:--"The horse take him mout' fe 'cratch him foot," the horse scratches his leg with his mouth. "Me take me owny yeye an' see it," I saw it with my own eyes.

=a whe me a go do?= What am I going to do, what shall I do?

=dirty=, ground.

XIII. SNAKE THE POSTMAN.

One day Annancy ask Snake to be his postman.

Snake ask him how much he is going to pay him.

An' Annancy tell Snake that he know he is a man love blood, an' when him come in the night he will give him a bite off his head.

An' Snake did agree.

An' the first night he give Annancy a bite in his head, an' Annancy feel it very much.

An' the second night when Snake is to come back Annancy invite his friend Mr. Rabbit. An' Annancy usual to sleep out in the hall. An' that night, when his friend Mr. Rabbit did come, he move an' go in the room an' make a very high bed. An' his friend Mr. Rabbit didn' know what Annancy mean to do.

So Annancy put him out in the hall, an' tell him that one of his cousin is sleeping in here too, so he will come in later on; an' when him hear him call he must just get up an' open the door an' see who it is.

An' when Annancy out lamp Rabbit think it very hard, an' say to himself:--"Bro'er Annancy up to some trick."

An' Rabbit wake up an' begun to dig a hole, an' him dig a hole until him get outside the door an' find himself back to his yard.

When Snake come in the night to get the other bite from Annancy him call Annancy.

Annancy wouldn' give answer as him being put Rabbit outside in the hall, an' Snake continually calling until Annancy give answer.

An' when him give answer he begin to wake Rabbit an' thought Rabbit was inside the house. He didn' want was to receive his bite, an' he begun to call Rabbit "Cousin Yabbit," that Rabbit may glad an' give him answer. When him couldn' hear, him say "Godfather Yabbit" An' him call again "Bro'er Yabbit," an' him couldn' hear him. An' he call again "Puppa, Puppa!" an' he couldn' hear.

An' him light the lamp an' come out the hall an' begin to s'arch for Rabbit. An' when him look, him see Rabbit dig a heap of dirt an' come out.

An' Annancy beguns to cry inside the house an' wouldn' open the door. An' he begin to complain to Snake that the first bite him gi' him he 'mash up the whole a him head.

An' Annancy 'tudy a 'cheme, catch up a black pot an' turn it down over him head.

An' as he put out him head Snake bite the pot, t'ought it's Annancy him catch. An the whole of Snake mouth was in sore. An' when he get home he send back to Annancy that he sick an' won't manage to come back another night.

An' Annancy was very glad an' send go tell him that himself is in bed.

An' when the bearer start for home him sing this song:--

[Music:

Somebody waiting for Salizon, Somebody waiting for Salizon, Somebody waiting for Salizon, Take up your letter an' go.]

An' from that day Snake broke friend with Annancy.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

The house would have two rooms, first the hall and then the inner room or bedroom. From Rabbit's burrowing operations it appears to have no floor. This was a common condition in the old times, but now it gets rarer and rarer. Only Coolie (East Indian) houses are unfloored.

=him being put=, he had put.

='tudy a 'cheme=, studies a scheme. It is more usual ='tudy a plan=. This common, vulgar song is evidently of late origin and probably does not really belong to the story.

XIV. DOBA.

One day Puss make a ball an' invite the whole world of Ratta.

All the Ratta dress in long coat an' silk dress. There was t'ousand of them women, an' men. When them come they bring a little boy an' the mother with a young baby.

When all the Ratta settle, the door was shut, an' the Puss them have them junka 'tick secretly in a them trousies' foot. They made a bargain between themselves that, when the Ratta deep in dancing, Doba must out the lamp, then the licking-match commence.

When the music begin, it sweet Ratta so that they dance till their white shirt-bosom was wet.

The fiddler was Dandy Jimmy Flint.

An' this is what the fiddle say:--

[Music:

Doba, Doba, Doba no make de little one get 'way Ballantony Bap! twee twee, Ballantony Bap! twee twee.]

The boy Ratta take notice of what the fiddle say.

Him go to him dada an' whisper:--"Puppa, you no yerry what the fiddle say?"

[Music:

Doba, Doba, Doba no make de little one get 'way Ballantony Bap! twee twee, Ballantony Bap! twee twee.]

The father say:--"Get 'way, Sir, you little fellah you! It the worst fe carry any little boy out fe met. Go, off, Sir, you lying fellah!"

During this time the boy hear what the music say in truth, went an' dug a hole fe him an' him mumma.

When Ratta in hot dancing the gate-man Puss, Mr. Doba, out the lamp. Then the junka 'tick fly round an' all the Ratta was kill. Blood was cover the floor an' all the Puss take their share.

Only boy Ratta an' his mumma an' the young baby, get way.

If the puppa did take what the boy say him wouldn' dead.

Puss ball was flourish with meat.

If boy Ratta an' his mumma didn' get 'way we wouldn' have no Ratta in dis ya-ya-world again.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=Ratta=, rats.

=Puss them.= These words are closely joined together.

=junka 'tick=, short sticks.

=trousies' foot=, the legs of their trousers. The Negroes are expert in the art of hiding things about their person.

Fighting with sticks is called a =licking-match=.

=sweet= (a verb), pleased, delighted.

In these stories the fiddle is often made to sing words which some have the gift of hearing.

=Bap!= is the knock of the stick, or "lick of the stick" as they say.

=twee twee=, the squeak of the rat.

=no make=, don't let.

=it the worst fe carry, etc.= It is very troublesome to take a little boy out to a meeting. Met, dance, spree, picnic are convertible terms.

=Carry= is seldom used as in English. They say:--Carry the mule a pastor (to the pasture). When a man carries you over a river on his back he "crosses you over."

=Doba=, long =o= as in Dover.

=Blood was cover, etc.=, the floor was covered with blood.

=Dis ya-ya=, the vulgar English "this here." =Ya-ya= is said very quickly. It does not come into common speech but is reserved for Annancy stories and is generally found only in Annancy's mouth.

XV. DRY-BONE.

One day Rabbit invite Guinea-pig to his yard.

An' when Guinea-pig go, Rabbit ask Guinea-pig to go an hunting.

An' Rabbit meet up Dry-bone.

An' when him meet up Dry-bone, him t'row down his gun an' him call to Guinea-pig an' tell him:--"I meet with a luck."

An' Guinea-pig tell Rabbit:--"I won't carry none of the Dry-bone, but you must make me carry the birds what we kill."

Rabbit wasn't agree to let him carry the birds, but Guinea-pig coax him until Rabbit consent an' they fix up the bargain: Rabbit was to carry Dry-bone, an' Guinea-pig was to carry the birds.

So they put Dry-bone into the bag, an' Rabbit ask Guinea-pig to help him up.

An' Guinea-pig help him up an' pick up the gun an' carry it.

An' they start home to their yard.

An' when Rabbit got half part the road he found the load getting heavier an' heavier, an' him ask Guinea-pig to take it for a while.

Guinea-pig tell him that he made no promise was to help him with Dry-bone.

Rabbit walk on till the load get so heavy him begin to cry, say that him going to t'row down Dry-bone.

An' Dry-bone fasten on his head an' begin to talk.

He say to Rabbit:--"You take me up you take up trouble."

An' that time Guinea-pig was laughing after Rabbit.

Just then that cravin' fellah Mr. Annancy was passing an' see Rabbit with his load. He thought that it was something good, an' he ask Rabbit that he will help him carry it.

An' Rabbit was very glad to get relief of his trouble.

So Annancy take Dry-bone from Rabbit an' put him on his own head.

An' when Annancy 'tart, he t'ought that Rabbit was coming.

An' Rabbit turn back an' hide a bush an' leave the trouble to Annancy.

When Annancy get home to his yard him find that it was Dry-bone, an' it vex him in a him heart.

An' Annancy want to leave Dry-bone an' go away.

An' Dry-bone find out what Annancy mean to do.

Annancy have a cock in the yard.

Dry-bone tell him that him must watch Annancy, keep him a yard, an' he will pay him.

An' the Cock ask Dry-bone:--"What is your name?"

An Dry-bone say:--"'Tis Mr. Winkler."

So Dry-bone live in Annancy yard.

An' one day Annancy ask him if him don't want to warm sun.

Dry-bone say:--"Yes."

An' Annancy tell him that to-morrow he will put him out a door.

Annancy went away an' make a bargain with Fowl-hawk, that him have a man name of Mr. Dry-bone, him must come to-morrow an' take him up an' carry him an' drop him in the deepest part of the wood.

An' so Fowl-hawk did do.

When the Cock see Fowl-hawk take up Mr. Winkler him sing out:--

[Music:

Mister Winkler, Winkler come give me me pay.]

An' Annancy look up a 'ky an' sing:--

[Music:

Carry him go 'long, Annancy say so, Carry him go 'long, Me'll pay fe cock, Carry him go 'long, Annancy say so, Carry him go 'long, Me'll pay fe cock, Carry him go 'long.]

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=help him up=, to get the load on to his head. In this story and some others the load once taken up cannot be put down. It sticks to the head of the bearer and, until it reaches its destination, can only be transferred to another head.

=cravin'=, craving, greedy, often sounds like craven. A man who is =cravin'= is generally =cubbich=, covetous. This has lost its original meaning of desiring possession of other people's things and is used only in the sense of close-fisted. A =cravin'= man wants to get hold of what others have got, a =cubbich= (ends with the sound of rich) one will not part with what he has.

=laughing after=, laughing at.

=him must watch.= The Cock must watch Annancy and not let him leave the yard; Dry-bone is helpless, and requires attention.

=to warm sun=, to warm himself in the sun. So they have:--"Puss warm fire," the cat warms herself by the fire.

=a 'ky=, in the sky.

=Me'll pay fe cock=, I will pay the Cock's wages which Dry-bone agreed to give. _We_ pay a person for a thing, but the Negro pays for the person as well.

=Walk=, =talk=, =warm=, =hawk=, all have the vowel ah. This story refers to the time of slavery. It is almost indisputable that in certain cases, when a slave was in a weak state owing to incurable illness or old age, he was carried out and left to die. To his pitiful remonstrance, "Massa me no dead yet," the overseer made no reply, but went on with his directions to the bearers, "Carry him go along." This kind of barbarity was not practised by owners living in Jamaica. By them the slaves were well treated and such a thing would have been impossible. But when the masters went away they left the control in the hands of overseers, men of low caste who had neither scruples nor conscience.

XVI. ANNANCY AND THE OLD LADY'S FIELD.

One day there was a old lady work a very nice field on a rock, an' an old-witch boy is the watchman.

An' one day Annancy heard about the old-witch boy, an' Annancy send an' invite him to his yard. An when the old-witch boy come, Annancy ask him what his name. An' he says to Annancy that his name is John-John Fe-We-Hall.

An' the boy ask Annancy why him ask him like that.

An' Annancy say:--"Don't be afraid my frien', I very love you; that's why I ask whe you name."

An' by this time the old lady didn't know that the old-witch boy gone to Annancy yard.

An' Annancy have a son is a very clever tief, call Tacoma.

An' Annancy made a bargain that, when him see John-John Fe-We-Hall come, he must walk to the back door an' come out, an' go to the old lady ground an' destroy the provision.

An' when Tacoma come home, Annancy leave John-John out the hall, an' tell him that he is going to get some breakfast for him.

Now the old lady make a law that, if the watchman eat any of his provision, it going to make him sick in a way that he will find out if it is the same watchman tiefing him.[41]

[Footnote 41: This is evidently a reminiscence of the "medicine" (Nyanja, _chiwindo_) used in Africa to protect gardens. Sometimes it kills the thief, sometimes makes him ill. (A.W.)]

An' being the boy is old-witch, he know that the food Annancy is getting ready is from the old lady field. So when Annancy bring the breakfast he won't eat it.

Annancy tell him that he must eat the food, he mustn't be afraid.

An' the boy say:--"No."

An' Annancy send an' tell the old lady that the man is here clever more than him.

An' when the old lady receive the message from Annancy, he sent to the ground to tell the old-witch boy that he must look out for Mr. Annancy, for him receive a chanice from Annancy.

An' this time the old lady didn't know that the watchman is at Annancy yard.

An' the old-witch boy is a fluter, an' when the old lady want to dance it's the same boy playing for the old lady. An' the old lady have a tune which he is dancing with. An' Annancy ask the boy to play the tune when he is going home, an' Annancy know if the tune play the old lady will dance till she kill herself.

When the boy going home, him took up his sing with the flute:--

[Music:

Old lady you too love dance, turn dem, Old lady you too love dance, turn dem, Turn dem make dem lay, turn dem, Turn dem make dem lay, turn dem.]

An' when the old lady hear the sing she beguns to dance an' wheel until she tumble off the rock an' dead.

An' Annancy becomes the master of the field until now.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

A rock would be a bad place for a field. Her house was on a rock probably, and her field or provision-ground elsewhere. For Provision-grounds and their contents see Digging-Sings.

=old-witch.= Join these words as closely as possible wherever they occur.

=Fe-We-Hall.= Very humble houses are called So-and-so Castle and So-and-so Hall. =Fe we=, for us, our. He was John of our Hall.

=destroy=, take away, so that they are lost to the owner and destroyed as far as she is concerned.

=out the hall=, out in the hall.

=breakfast=, the principal repast of the day at twelve o'clock.

=the man is here.= They delight in this enigmatic language. Annancy speaks of himself. He sends word that the man here (himself) is more clever than her (the old lady). Straightforwardness is a quality which the Negro absolutely lacks. If you try to get at the truth of any story he brings, and cross-question him upon it, he will shuffle and change it little by little, and you cannot fix him to any point. Language with him is truly, as the cynic said, the art of disguising thought.

=chanice=, more usually =chalice=, challenge.

Boys constantly carry their musical instruments about with them. The Flute, a cheap kind of fife, and the Concertina are the favourites. They play as they walk along the road.

The tune, which is quick, is sung over and over and gets uproariously and deliriously merry; gasps on an inward breath, which there is no time to take properly, doing duty for some of the notes.

The words are fragments of a song referring to fowls and eggs. It runs:--

Mother Bonner me hen a lay, turn dem, Them a lay t'ree time a day, turn dem, Turn dem make dem lay, turn dem.

XVII. MAN-CROW.[42]

[Footnote 42: Cf. the story of "Rombas" in Duff Macdonald's _Africana_ II., which would seem to have reached Africa through the Portuguese. Rombas kills the whale which has swallowed the girl, and removes the tongue. (A.W.)]

Once there was a bird in the wood name Man-crow, an' the world was in darkness because of that bird.

So the King offer thousands of pounds to kill him to make the world in light again.

An' the King have t'ree daughter, an' he promise that, if anyone kill Man-crow, he will make them a very rich man an' give one of his daughter to marry.

So t'ousands of soldiers go in the wood to kill Man-crow. An' they found him on one of the tallest trees in the woods. An' no one could kill him, an' they come home back.

So there was a little yawzy fellah call Soliday.

An' he say to his grandmother:--"Gran'mother I am very poor. I am going in the wood to see if I can kill Man-crow."

An' the grandmother answer:--"Tche, boy, you better go sleep a fireside than you go to the wood fe go dead."

"Gran'mother, I goin' to town fe buy six bow an' arrow."

So he went to Kingston an' bought them.

An' when him return home he ask his grandmother to get six Johnny-cake roast, an' he put it in his namsack, an' he travel in the wood.

He s'arch until he find the spot a place where Man-crow is, an' he see Man-crow to the highest part of the tree.

An' he call to him with this song:--

[Music:

Good marnin' to you, Man-crow, Good marnin' to you, Man-crow, Good marnin' to you, Man-crow, How are you this marnin'?]

An' the bird answer:--

[Music:

Good marnin' to you, Soliday, Good marnin' to you, Soliday, Good marnin' to you, Soliday, How are you this marnin'?]

An' Soliday shot with his arrow at Man-crow an' two of his feather come out.

An' Man-crow come down to the second bough.

An' Soliday sing again:--

[Music:

Good marnin' to you, Man-crow, Good marnin' to you, Man-crow, Good marnin' to you, Man-crow, How are you this marnin'?]

An' Man-crow answer as before:--

[Music:

Good marnin' to you, Soliday, Good marnin' to you, Soliday, Good marnin' to you, Soliday, How are you this marnin'?]

An' he fire after Man-crow an' two more feather fly out.

An' so the singing an' shotting go on.

At every song Man-crow come down one branch, an' Soliday fire an arrow an' knock out two feather, till five arrows gone.

So Brother Annancy was on a tree watching Soliday what he is doing.

An' the song sing for the sixth time, an' Man-crow jump down one more branch.

An' Soliday put his last arrow in the bow an' took good aim an' shot after Man-crow.

So he killed him an' he drop off the tree.

An' Soliday go an' pick up the bird an' take out the golden tongue an' the golden teeth, an' shove it in a him pocket, an' Soliday come straight home to his grandmother.

An' Annancy come off the tree an' take up the bird, put ahm a him shoulder, cut through bush until he get to the King gate, an' he rakkle at the gate.

They ask:--"Who come?"

He say:--"Me, Mr. Annancy."

An' they say:--"Come in."

An' the King said:--"What you want?"

"I am the man that kill Man-crow."

An' they take him in an' marry him to one of the King daughter an' make a very big table for him an' his family.

They put him in the middle of the table, but he refuse from sit there. He sit to the doorway to look when Soliday coming. (The King then do know that that fellah up to trick.) An' directly Annancy see Soliday was coming, he stop eating, ask excuse, "I will soon be back." An' at that same time he gone outside into the kitchen.

An' Soliday knock at the gate.

An' someone answer him an' ask:--"What you want?"

"I am the boy that kill Man-crow."

An' they said:--"No, impossible! Mr. Annancy kill Man-crow."

An' he take out the golden tongue an' teeth an' show it to the King, an' ask the question:--"How can a bird live without teeth an' tongue?"

So they look in the bird mouth an' found it was true.

An' they call Annancy.

An' Annancy give answer:--"I will soon be there."

An' they call him again.

An' he shut the kitchen door an' said:--"Me no feel well."

All this time Brother Annancy shame, take him own time fe make hole in the shingle get 'way.

They call him again, they no yerry him, an' they shove the kitchen door.

Annancy lost in the shingle up to to-day.

An' the King marry Soliday to his daughter an' make him to be one of the richest man in the world.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Yawzy.= Yaws is a disease very prevalent among the Negroes. It causes ulcers to form on the soles of the feet. In old slave days every estate had its yaws-house for the accommodation of the sufferers. This complaint does not attack the Whites.

=six bow an' arrow=, a bow and six arrows, we suppose.

=Johnny-cake=, journey cake made of flour and water fried in lard.

=spot a place=, spot of place, exact place.

=ask excuse=, asks to be excused. Pronounce the =s= like =z=.

=shame, etc.=, was ashamed and was quietly making a hole in the shingle roof so as to get away.

XVIII. SAYLAN.

There was a man have two daughter. One of the daughter belongs to the wife an' one belongs to the man. An' the wife no love for the man daughter, so they drive her away.

An' she get a sitivation at ten shillings a week, an' the work is to look after two horses an' to cut dry grass for them.

An' every night she put two bundles of dry grass in the 'table.

An' the mother was very grudgeful of the sitivation that she got.

An' one night she carry her own daughter to the pastur' an' they cut two bundles of green grass. An' they go secretly to the horse manger an' take out the dry grass an' put the green grass in its place.

So the horse eat it, an' in the morning they dead.

An' the master of that horse is a sailor.

The sailor took the gal who caring the horse to hang her.

An' when he get to the 'pot a place to hang her he take this song:--

[Music:

Mourn, Saylan, mourn oh! Mourn, Saylan, mourn; I come to town to see you hang, hang, you mus' be hang.]

An' the gal cry to her sister an' brother an' lover, an' they give her answer:--

[Music:

Sister, you bring me some silver? No, my child, I bring you none. Brother, you bring me some gold? No, my child, I bring you none. Lover, you bring me some silver? Yes, my dear, I bring you some. Lover, you bring me some gold? Yes, my dear, I bring you some. I come to town to see you save, save you mus' be saved.]

An' the lover bring a buggy an' carry her off an' save her life at last.

An' the mumma say:--"You never better, tuffa."

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

This is quite an unusual form of story, but appears to be of some antiquity in my district, where it ranks as an Annancy story.[43]

[Footnote 43: Cf. _The Maid Freed from the Gallows_, F.J. Child, _Ballads_, vol. ii., p. 346. (C.S.B.)]

=caring=, taking care of. This is so convenient a word that it is used by everybody.

=You never better=, you will never be good for anything.

=tuffa=, with Italian =u= imitates spitting, a sign of contempt.

XIX. ANNANCY AND SCREECH-OWL.

One day Annancy made a dance, an' ask 'creech-owl to be the musician. An' Annancy send an' invite all his friend.

An' when they come Ratta was in long coat an' Guinea-pig too, for Ratta tell Guinea-pig they must wear long coat an' they will get all the gal to dance with.

An' 'creech-owl is a great player, but the only danger he cannot sing in the day.

An' 'creech-owl has a Cock in his yard, an' he sent an' ask Annancy if he can bring a friend along with him.

An' Annancy send an' tell him that 'tis no objectin to bring the friend, an' Annancy tell 'creech-owl that he will get a lots of drink.

At that time Annancy didn't know the friend as yet.

So, as he being hate 'creech-owl, he didn't wish to see no friend of his.

So when the friend come the friend was a Cock.

An' Annancy was very sorry for he knew that the Cock going to crow when day clean, an' 'creech-owl going to know when day is cleaning an' go away.

An' Annancy got some corn, an' get a pint of 'trong rum, an' t'row the rum in the corn, an' let the corn soak in the rum.

An' when the Cock call out to 'creech-owl that he is hungry, he says to Mr. Annancy that he must treat his friend Mr. Cock, an' Annancy took some of the corn an' give to the Cock.

An' it so being that he love corn, Annancy continually feed him with the corn until he get drunk an' fast asleep.

An' Annancy feel very glad in his heart that he is going to kill Brother 'creech-owl for his breakfast.

An' when 'creech-owl playing, his mind was on his dear friend Mr. Cock, an' he continually listen to hear him crow, an' he couldn' hear him.

An' he ask for him.

Mr. Annancy tell him that he is having a rest.

An' 'creech-owl play an' play till day catch him.

An' Annancy got a kettle of boiled water an' dish it out an' ask his friend them to have some tea.

An' 'creech-owl get very sad to see day catch him.

An' Annancy didn' know whe make 'creech-owl wouldn' drink the tea.

So Annancy begin to raise a confusion over it, say, as he won't drink the tea he must made up him mind to sarve him breakfast.

An' 'creech-owl began to cry.

An' the same time Annancy (that wicked fellah!) take up 'creech-owl music, an' ask young ladies an' young gentlemen to assist him in a noble song which he is going to kill Mr. 'creech-owl with.

An' this the song:--

[Music:

There's a blind boy in a ring, tra la la la la, There's a blind boy in a ring, tra la la la la, There's a blind boy in a ring, tra la la la la, He like sugar an' I like plum.]

An' when Annancy sing the sing done, he catch up 'creech-owl an' wring off him neck, an' get him cook for his breakfast an' becomes the master of 'creech-owl's band of music.

An' from that day Mr. Annancy becomes the greatest player an' the biggest raskil in the world.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=the only danger=, the only danger is. This omission is frequent.

At daylight, or soon after, it is the custom to drink tea. This is generally hot water and sugar with, or more often without, milk. Sometimes they make an infusion of the leaves of lime, orange, mint, fever-grass, cinnamon, pimento or search-me-heart. Coffee and chocolate are also occasionally used. These all grow in Jamaica, but, owing to its high price, actual tea is beyond the reach of the peasant. Lime is, of course, not the English tree of that name, but the tropical one which bears that small juicy fruit which is so much better than the coarser lemon. Fever-grass (_Andropogon citratus_) has the exact smell and taste of lemon-scented verbena. Search-me-heart (_Rhytidophyllum tormentosum_) is a pretty wild plant with leaves of green velvet, which on moist days give out a delicious aromatic smell much like _Humea_.

=raise a confusion=, get up a quarrel. Annancy resorted to the same artifice when he killed Cow and the other animals at the mock obsequies of his father.

=sarve him breakfast=, serve for his breakfast.

The song will be found again among the dance tunes.

=sing the sing done=, finished the song.

='creech-owl= sounds like creechole.

XX. ANNANCY AND COW.

One day Annancy tell his family that he is going in the wood.

Before he start he get some cane-liquor an' pour it into a big gourdy, an' he tell him wife that "me gone."

An' he travel so till he meet three Cow.

An' he tell one of the Cow marnin', say:--"Marnin', Bro'er Cow."

Cow say:--"Marnin', Brother Annancy."

Annancy say:--"Beg you a little water, Bro'er Cow."

When Annancy get the water he said:--"The water no sweet not 't all." An' he say to Cow:--"Come taste fe me water." An' he no make Brother Cow know say a cane liquor him got.

When Cow taste it him lick him tongue.

Annancy say:--"No say fe me water sweeter more than fe you?"

Cow said "Yes."

Annancy said:--"Bro'er Cow, you want to go home with me becausen me have it de a run like a river? Bro'er Cow, if you want to go with me you fe make me put one wiss-wiss over you harn. But, Bro'er Cow, me have some picny a me yard, dey so fooyish, when time we most yech, dey ma go say 'Puppa bring Cow.' When them say 'Puppa bring Cow' you mus' say 'A so him do.'"

Annancy carry Cow into his yard an' tie him upon a tree, an' tell Cow him goin' to get a yitty breakfus' for him. (Annancy 'tudy trick fe nyam Cow; he was very anxious for his beef.)

An' he get into his house and take his tumpa bill coming to Cow force ace fe chop off Cow's neck. He miss the neck an' chop the wiss-wiss, an' Cow take him tail put on him back an' gallop away.

Annancy a bawl, a call:--"Say, Bro'er Cow, a fun me a make, me a drive fly, come back."

Cow no a yerry but gallop till him get home an' tell him wife an' picny, said Annancy want fe kill him:--"Thank God me get 'way; the whole family must sing we own tune to-day ya":--

[Music:

Brother Annancy tie somebody, Me no min know da bad me do, Brother Annancy tie somebody, Me tie, me tie, me tie oh! Brother Annancy tie somebody.]

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=cane liquor=, juice of sugar-cane.

=gourdy=, the dried shell of the gourd-like fruit of the Calabash (_Crescentia Cujete_).

=wiss-wiss=, withe. There are many kinds of these natural ropes to be found in the bush.

=fooyish=, foolish.

=most rech=, almost reach, are just getting to the yard.

=day ma go say=, they may go and say.

=A so him do=, so he does. The reciter imitates lowing here, the voice falling to a deep prolonged note on the last word.

=carry=, lead.

=yitty=, little.

=nyam=, eat.

=tumpa=, stumpy, short.

=force ace=, post haste.

=a fun me a make=, it's fun I am making, I was only pretending.

=min=, been, wrong auxiliary for did. I did not know that I had done anything wrong.

Substitute the vowel =ah= in water, all, bawl, call.

XXI. TACOMA AND THE OLD-WITCH GIRL.

One day there was a old-witch gal, an' Tacoma want the gal to marry. An' Tacoma went to the gal yard an' ask the gal to courten to. An' the gal tell Tacoma that he don't want a husband as yet.

So Tacoma get very sad in his heart, an' he comes home back to his yard, an' when he come he 'tudy a plan. An' when he 'tudy the plan he fix a day to go back to the gal yard.

An' Tacoma get a buggy, an' get Ratta for his Coachman, an' get a pair of brown-coloured mongoose to be the horse.

An' when Tacoma was going he sent to notice the gal that he is coming such a day.

An' Tacoma went to his friend Annancy an' borrow long boots an' dress himself nicely, an' borrow a gold watch an' chain, an' got a helmet to his head.

An' when Tacoma ready he order his coachman to harness up the horses. An' when he start he carry lots of present, an' hitch a grey horse behind the buggy, an' take along with him t'ree pieces of music.

An' this time Tacoma didn' know the gal was a old-witch, an' all what Tacoma talk from home the gal really know everything.

An' he reach up the yard an' sing:--

[Music:

I will make you have a present of a nice gold watch, Just to wear it on your side for to let the people see, If you'll only be my true lover, If you'll only be my true lover.]

An' the gal answer:--

[Music:

No, no, dear, not for all your gold watch, I will never be yours true lover, I will never be yours true lover.]

An' Tacoma have plenty more t'ing is to make a present to the gal. An' he promise to give her a nice silk dress, an' a nice silver bangle, an' a nice gold egg, an' a nice grey horse, an' tell the gal that everyt'ing, which is going to make him a present to, he must wear it along the street to let the people see, if you will only be my true lover.

An the gal say to Tacoma:--"No, for I want the best thing which you have."

An' Tacoma guess an' guess an' he couldn' find out.

An' the gal say if Tacoma find out she will marry Tacoma.

An' Tacoma guess an' guess until he made the gal a promise that he will give him the key of his heart.

An' then the gal was so glad an' said to Tacoma that I'll ever be yours true lover.

An' Tacoma sent for the gal's parents an' his parents an' marry off the gal, an from that day the gal becomes Tacoma wife.

NOTES.

=mongoose=, see the note to the dance tune "Mahngoose a come."

=yours true lover=, always =yours=. Generally it is "you" for "your." They say "this is yours" correctly and then add "and this is mines."

=t'ing is=, things.

=which is going, etc.=, which he is going to make her a present of.

When, commenting on Tacoma's directions, I objected that the girl could not wear the grey horse, the boy who was telling the story saw it at once and said:--"No, he must =carry= it." When the story was done (it is reproduced exactly from his dictation) he sang all the missing verses with the girl's answer to each verse, and instead of his usual "carry" which did not fit he substituted "lead it in the street." The singer will see at once where to make the necessary alterations. The words "silver bangle" want four quavers instead of two crotchets, and it will be worn on the hand as they call the wrist or any part of the arm. "Just to keep it in your hand" follows "gold egg." "The silk dress is worn 'long the street," and after "the key of my heart" comes "just to keep it in your own." I was looking out in this last verse for a change in the words "for to let the people see," but none came. To the last verse the answer is:--"Yes, yes, dear, for the key of your heart I will ever be yours true lover." [Cf. Baring-Gould, _Songs of the West_, No. xxii.; Fuller-Maitland and Broadwood, _English County Songs_; and _Journal of the Folk-Song Society_, Vol. ii., pp. 85-87. (C.S.B.)]

XXII. DEVIL'S HONEY-DRAM.

One day Devil set his honey-dram near a river side.

An' Annancy has a little son name of John Wee-wee, an' when the boy find out Devil honey-dram he continually tiefing all the dram.

An' Devil couldn' find out who was doing it.

An' Devil put out a reward that if any one can prove who is tiefing his dram he will pay them a good sum.

An' one day Annancy miss his son, an' Annancy guess that the little boy must be gone to Devil honey-dram.

An' as Annancy being a tief himself he went an' s'arch for the boy. An' when he go he found him drunk an' fast asleep. An' Annancy lift him up an' bring him home.

An' when the boy got sober, about three days after, he got so use to the dram an' he went back.

An' Devil gone out to hunting. An' when he was going he ask his mother to give a heye upon his dram until he come in. An' the mother went down to the dram an' he found the boy drunk the very same again.

An' there was no one know the woman name except Mr. Annancy.

An' Annancy went an' look for his son.

An' when he go the woman catch the boy already an' carry him to Devil yard. An when the boy go the woman gi' him some corn to beat.

An' Annancy went an see his son was beating corn, an' he ask the woman what the boy is doing here. An' the woman tell him that this is the boy was tiefing all Devil honey-dram, an' now him catch him, an' him wouldn' let him go until the master come.

An' Annancy ask the woman if he don't have any more corn to beat.

The foolish woman say:--"Yes, Brother Annancy, but not all the corn you going to beat you won't get your son till the master come."

An' Annancy begin to fret for him know when Devil come he won't have no more son again, for Devil will kill him an' eat him.

An' the woman name is Matilda.

An' Annancy took the corn an' begun to beat an' he start to sing:--

[Music:

Wheel oh! Wheel oh Matilda. Turn the waterwheel oh Matilda! Matilda mahmy los' him gold ring, Turn the waterwheel oh Matilda.]

An' the woman begun to dance an' wheel. An she dance an' dance till she get tired an' fall asleep. An' Annancy (the clever fellah) took his son out an' light Devil house with fire.

An' when Devil in the bush look an' see his house is burning he t'row down his gun an' 'tart a run to his yard.

Until he come the house burn flat to ground.

An' Devil couldn' find Matilda his faithful mother, an' Devil take to heart an' dead.

An' Annancy take Devil honey-dram for himself an' build up a house in Devil own place, an' from that day Mr. Annancy becomes the smartest man.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=Honey dram.= The ingredients are honey, water, chewstick, ginger and rum. When mixed the dram is put in the sun to ripen. Chewstick (_Gouania domingensis_) is bitter and takes the place of hops.

=beating corn=, _i.e._ maize, to separate the grain from the husks, called also =huxing corn= (husking).

When an animal is found trespassing it is brought down to the yard, and its owner comes to redeem it by a money payment. John Wee-wee was brought in in the same way and according to custom was given something to do while he waited.

=faithful.= A faithful person is one in whom confidence is reposed.

XXIII. ANNANCY IN CRAB COUNTRY.

One day Annancy form himself as a minister, an' was going out an' preaching about. An' Annancy preach an' preach till he get in Crab country. An' Crab them wouldn' hear Annancy at all.

An' Annancy went home back, an' dress himself in a black gown, an' get some red paint an' redden his 'tummy, an' ask a few friend to walk with him.

An the friend was Mr. Toad an' Ratta an' Blackbird.

An' they all start.

An' when Annancy reach to Crab country he beguns to preach.

An' he preach an' preach till they wouldn' hear him again.

An' Annancy hire a house from Crab to stop in the night.

An' Annancy, seeing he couldn' catch them with his preaching, made a drum an' a fiddle an' give Blackbird the fiddle to play. An Ratta was playing the drum. An' Annancy see that the music didn't sufficient. He wait, until the next day he made a flute an' give to Toad.

An' when he done he put up the music them an' got in friendship with Crab, an' begun to do the same as Crab them are doing.

An' poor Crab didn' know what Mr. Annancy mean.

An' Annancy go on go on until they got used to Annancy.

An' when they got used to Annancy, Annancy write out plat-card and put it out an' tell his friend Mr. Crab that he is going to have a nice baptism at his house, an' tell them that he will have a bands of music playing in going home, an' how the music will be so sweet they won't tired walking.

An' when Annancy start with his three friend he tell Ratta to roll the drum, an' Blackbird is to rub the fiddle 'tring till it catch fire, an' Toad is to blow the flute as hard as he can, an' he will be reading the tune.

An' he start like this:--

[Music:

The bands a roll, the bands a roll, the bands a roll, a go to Mount Siney. Salem is Zakkilow, Some a we da go to Mount Siney.]

An' when Annancy get home he made a bargain with his t'ree friend that he is going to baptize them an' let Crab see.

An' when he baptize them, Crab they were very glad to see this treat which Annancy do to his t'ree friend, an' they say that they want Annancy to do them the very same.

An' Annancy tell them that they must wait till to-morrow.

An' Crab them agree.

An' Annancy made a bargain with his t'ree friend an' is going to baptize Brother Crab with boiling water.

An' he get a deep barril an' order Crab them that they must go in the barril, an' Crab they do so.

At that time Annancy have a good pot of boiling water an' as Crab a settle theirself in the barril Annancy tilt the pot of boiling water on them an' the whole of Crab body get red.

An' Annancy was very glad an' said:--"T'ank God I have got some of the clever man them for me breakfus'."

An' from that day Annancy was going about an' fool all his friend.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

The black land-crab is a much-esteemed delicacy. Formerly every property had its crabber, whose duty it was to provide crabs for the house. Since the introduction of the mongoose they have become scarcer.

=form himself as=, pretends to be.

=stop in the night=, stop in for the night.

=put up=, put away.

=do the same, etc.=, live in the same way as the Crabs.

=plat-card=, placard; a rough written advertisement affixed to the trunk of a tree. When there is a public gathering the musicians play as they walk to the place of entertainment and again as they leave it.

XXIV. GAULIN.

One day there was an India woman who have a daughter, an' when the gal born she born with a gold ring on her finger. An' everybody hear about it but they never see it.

An' Mr. Annancy was very crave to got the gal to be his wife.

An' Annancy study a plan an' take up his bands of music an' go down to the gal yard, an' when him go down they admit Mr. Annancy.

An' when they admit him Annancy beguns to play all different tune just to see if the gal would laugh with him. But the gal was very sad, neither would laugh nor smile, until Annancy see there was no good, an' tell good bye an' go home back.

Annancy when him goes home back, met his friend Mr. Rabbit in the road.

Rabbit ask him:--"Brother Annancy, where you is comin' from?"

An' Annancy begun to tell Rabbit.

So Rabbit make a bargain with Annancy that he is going to try his luck.

So Annancy say:--"As you being such a clean an' white gentleman I think you will succeed. So if you succeed, when you coming home back you must make me know; then you can take me to be your servant."

That time Rabbit didn' know what Annancy study. Annancy mean was to take away the gal from Rabbit.

So Rabbit start to the yard, an' when him go they admit him in.

An' the mumma ask Rabbit what he come about.

Rabbit says he is looking for a courtier.

An' the mumma say to Rabbit:--"Oh, my dear Mr. Rabbit, I am very sorry! You is only but a meat,[44] so I can't give you my daughter."

[Footnote 44: Cf. the Bantu use of _nyama_ ("meat") for "an animal." (A.W.)]

An' Rabbit spend a little time till he tell goodbye.

Meanwhile Annancy wouldn' go home. Him sit in the road till Rabbit coming home back. An' him ask Rabbit if him succeed.

Rabbit say:--"Oh no!"

So they begin to talk. An' by this time Sea-gaulin was passing an' hear what they are saying.

An' when Gaulin go home back, him 'tudy between himself that, if him only get a bus an' dress himself tidy an' drive to the gal yard, she'll sure be his wife.

An' Sea-gaulin goes down, an' the gal was very glad to see him an' invite him inside the house, an' they begun to arrange to be married.

An' there was a old-witch boy which was brother to the gal whisper to her:--"That one is Gaulin."

An' the gal say:--"Oh no, it is my dear love."

So the boy say to then:--"Never mind, one day you will find out if he is not Mr. Gaulin."

So, when Gaulin tell goodbye an' go home to his yard back, the boy follow him an' go to the river side where Gaulin is fishening, an' he climb a tree which hung over the water.

An' when Gaulin come down the river he 'tart a singing:--

[Music:

My iddy, my iddy Pyang halee, Come go da river go Pyang, me Yahky Yahky Pyang me jewahlee Pyang, me Yahky Yahky Pyang me jewahlee Pyang.]

An' that time Gaulin didn' know that the boy was on the tree hearing him.

When he first sing his hat fall off.

An' he sing again his jacket was off.

That time the boy was seeing every bit.

An' he sing again an' his shirt was off.

Sing an' sing till the trousies drop off.

An' as he done he find himself inside the water begun to fishening.

An' as him put him head under a stone-hole the boy come down off the tree an' find himself back to his yard.

An' next Wednesday when Gaulin come to get married, the boy provide for him to sing that very same tune when they are on the cake table.

An the boy say:--"Ladies and gentlemen will you like to hear a song?"

An' everybody say "Yes."

An' that time the boy was a fiddler, an' he tune up his violin an' beguns to play "My iddy, my iddy Pyang halee."

Gaulin say:--"Oh no, my brother, stop that tune. That same very tune kill my grandfather, an' when you sing it you let me remember my old grandfather."

An' the boy never stop sing an' play till all Gaulin clothes drop off.

An' Gaulin fly out the door mouth an' find himself right up in the air.

An' from that day that's what make Gaulin fly so high.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Gaulin=, the Egret. In stormy weather the egrets leave the seaside and fly up into the country to fish in the streams. They are especially fond of the small crabs which abound in the mountain rivulets. The words of the song have been spelt so as to convey as nearly as possible their right sound. =Halee= rhymes in both syllables to the =stali= of the Venetian gondolier. =Jewahlee= is =Jubilee= with a different middle syllable. =Pyang= with French =a= made as short as possible is the Egret's cry. It should be accented and brought out strongly.

=When him goes home back=, as he was going home.

=white gentleman.= This counts many points in the estimation of the Negro.

=Rabbit spend a little time.= Most characteristic. After the rebuff one would have expected him to go away at once, but that is not the Negro's way. He is never abashed, and after the curtest refusal of any favour he has come to ask, will sit on and talk of other things, finally taking his leave as if nothing had happened.

=bus=, the buggies which ply for hire in Kingston are so called.

=Wednesday=, the favourite day for weddings. The bridegroom is accompanied to church by a godmother, not the baptismal one but another specially appointed for the occasion.[45] They ride to church, which is usually at some distance from the yard. The bride also rides from her yard, accompanied by a godfather and two bridesmaids between the ages of eight and eleven. The ceremony and signing of the register over, the newly-wedded couple mount and gallop to the wife's yard, the rest of the company following more leisurely. Arrived there, the bride proceeds to put on her wedding-clothes and the guests are received by the godfather and given sugar-water and bread. When the bride has donned her satin gown and veil (she was married in her riding-habit) and with much sorrow pinched her feet into white shoes too small for them, the company sit down to the cake table. This has upon it two cakes, two fantastically fashioned loaves of shewbread, triumphs of the baker's art with their doves and true lovers' knots, and three vases of cut flowers. The bread is not eaten then but is distributed (_distribbled_, as they have it,) to friends on the days following the wedding. One cake is cut. A knife and fork being handed to a bridesmaid she takes off the cake-head, which is a small top tier or addition to the cake proper. This is put aside and afterwards sent to the officiating minister. The godfather then proceeds to the more serious work of cutting up the cake, giving pieces first to the bride and bridegroom and then to the guests. The second cake is left intact. Wine is poured out, and there are speeches and toasts and hymns. Then follows dinner, which is over about five o'clock. They then begin to play _Sally Water_ (see introduction to the Ring tunes) which goes on for an hour or two, and as night falls dancing is started. This goes on all night and does not end, at the earliest, till dusk on the following day, Thursday. It is often kept up until Friday evening or even until Saturday, the dancers and musicians appearing to require no rest. The latter are well supplied with rum and when they get sleepy they beg for an extra tot to rub their eyes, which burns them and keeps them awake. The whole of this time refreshments are supplied to the guests, and as long as these hold out they do not disperse, or as they put it:--"till hungry bite them they no go 'way."

[Footnote 45: Is this a survival of the African institution of "sureties" (Yao, _ngoswe_, see Duff Macdonald, I. 118), or "sponsors," who arrange the marriage? I am not sure whether the custom exists among Negro as well as Bantu tribes. (A.W.)]

The Sunday after the wedding is 'turn t'anks (return thanks). The married couple and their friends get all the beasts, _i.e._ horses and mules, they can muster, and ride to church dressed in their best. The bride and bridegroom, attended by the godfather and godmother, sit in "couple bench," the rest of the party going to their own pews. After service the whole cavalcade gallops as hard as it can, regardless of the precipices which skirt all Jamaica mountain paths, up hill and down hill to the husband's yard. There wine is provided, and the second cake is cut and eaten. Dinner follows at three, and then _Sally Water_ is again played until midnight, when dancing recommences and goes on till four or five o'clock on Monday afternoon. This is the end of the festivities, which sometimes cost twenty pounds or more.

=provide for him=, prepared himself.

=door mouth= includes not only the opening, but also the whole space just outside the door.

XXV. ANNANCY, MONKEY AND TIGER.

One day Annancy an' Tiger get in a rum-shop, drink an' drink, an' then Monkey commence to boast. Monkey was a great boaster.

Annancy say:--"You boast well; I wonder if you have sense as how you boast."

Monkey say:--"Get 'way you foolish fellah you, can come an' ask me if me have sense. You go t'rough de whole world you never see a man again have the sense I have."

Annancy say:--"Bro'er Monkey, how many sense you have, tell me?"

Monkey say:--"I have dem so till I can't count dem to you, for dem de all over me body."

Annancy say:--"Me no have much, only two, one fe me an' one fe me friend."

One day Monkey was travelling an' was going to pass where Tiger live. Annancy was working on that same road.

As Monkey passing, Tiger was into a stone-hole an' jump out on the fellah an' catch him. All his sense was gone, no sense to let him get 'way. Tiger was so glad, have him before him well ready to kill.

Here come the clever man Mr. Annancy.

When he saw his friend Monkey in the hand of such a wicked man he was frighten, but he is going to use his sense.

He said:--"Marnin', Bro'er Tiger, I see you catch dat fellah; I was so glad to see you hold him so close in hand. You must eat him now. But before you eat him take you two hand an' cover you face an' kneel down with you face up to Massa God an' say, 'T'ank God fe what I goin' to receive.'"

An' so Tiger do.

An' by the time Tiger open his eyes Monkey an' Annancy was gone.

When they get to a distant Annancy said to Monkey:--"T'ink you say you have sense all over you 'kin, why you no been get 'way when Bro'er Tiger catch you?"

Monkey don't have nothing to say.

Annancy say:--"Me no tell you say me have two sense, one fe me an' one fe me friend? Well! a him me use to-day."

From that day Tiger hate Annancy up to now.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=can come and ask me=, that can come. The ellipsis is best explained by giving the sentence another turn: "Get away you man who are so foolish that you can come," etc.

=into a stone-hole=, in a cave.

=Tiger was so glad, etc.=, Tiger was well pleased and held him in his paws all ready for killing.

=why you no been=, why didn't you.

=a him me use=, that is the one I used.

XXVI. THE THREE PIGS.

One day a Hog have three Pig an' the three of them was boy. When they were about two month the father died, so the mother grow them up herself. When the Pig them come to big young man the mother said to the first son:--"Me son, a time fe you go an' look you own living."

The day come when he was to start. The mother tie up his clothes an' give him, an' said:--"If you get work sen' an' tell me."

The Pig start.

As he was going he meet a man with a cart of hay.

He said:--"Please, sir, you can give me that hay that I may go an' build a house?"

The man give him.

Pig go an' make up a house with his hay, an' find it very warm an' comfortable.

One day Wolf come, call:--"Little Pig, little Pig, let me come in."

Pig say:--"No, no, by the hair of my chinnychinchin."

Wolf said:--"I will huff an' I will cuff an' blow you house down."

Wolf huff an' cuff an' blow down the house, an' go in an' eat Pig.

The mother wait an' can't get no letter from the first son.

She send the other one, second to the first, an' that one travel until he meet a man with a cart of kindling.

He say:--"Please, sir, you can give me that kindling that I may go an' build a house?"

The man give him.

He make up his house, an' one day Wolf was passing, see that it was pig house, call to him:--"Little Pig, little Pig, let me come in."

Pig say:--"No, no, no! by the hair of my chinnychinchin."

Wolf say:--"I will huff an' cuff an' will blow you house down."

An' he do so an' go in an' eat Pig.

The mother wait six months an' don't get no letter.

She said:--"Those boy must be get good work an' can't get to write."

The last son she said:--"Me own little son, time fe you go look you living."

Pig say:--"Yes, mumma me wi' go now."

She tie up his bundle give him some money an' kiss him, say:--"You must try write me."

The boy start.

He travel an' travel till night take him. He has to sleep under a stone-hole. When he was sleeping he get a dream that he see his two brother was in a frying-pan. He was so frighten he wake an' start away the same hour. He travel till day clean. At about nine o'clock he get to a big road. He travel on that road till he meet a man with a cart of brick.

He said:--"Please, sir, you can give me that brick that I may go an' build a house?"

The man give him.

He go an' make up a grand house with the brick.

When his house finish Wolf hear, an' come one day, call to Pig:--"Little Pig, little Pig, let me come in."

Pig say:--"No, no, no! by the hair of my chinnychinchin."

So wolf think that this house was like the rest.

He said:--"I will huff an' cuff an' will blow you house down."

He try for one whole day an' never succeed, so he lef an' go home an' 'tudy upon Pig.

One evening he come an' call Pig an' tell him he know where there is a garden of all sort a t'ing, so Pig must come an' let them take a walk.

Pig ask him:--"What time you will be going?"

He said:--"A two in the morning."

Pig 'tart eleven, go an' come back with all good food.

At two Wolf come an' call:--"Little Pig, you ready?"

Pig say:.--"You lated; I go an' come back already."

Wolf was so vex he go home back. He didn' want nothing but to eat Pig.

He said a next day:--"Little Pig, I know where there is a apple tree a Mr. Simmit garden, make we go an' get some."

Pig ask:--"What the time?" Wolf say "T'ree."

Pig go two.

By Pig was on the tree fulling up his basket here come Wolf. Pig was so frighten he was on the tree trimbling. Wolf was quite glad to think he was going to catch Pig. He couldn' stand his ground, but dance about with joy.

Pig say:--"The apple is so sweet that I have fe take a good load. Mr. Wolf, you would like to taste one?"

Wolf say "Yes."

Pig say:--"Let me see if you can run as that apple?"

Pig throw one of the apple far an' Wolf run after it. By the time he is come back Pig get down off a the tree, leave him baskit an' everyt'ing, an' run nearly reach home.

Wolf was so sorry when he come, left the apple an' gone home.

Next night he call to Pig an' tell him that he know where there will be a met, so they must take a walk.

Pig say:--"What hour?" Wolf said "T'ree."

Pig start twelve an' go dance till two. He was the best dancer an' they give him a butter-churn as a reward. As he walking home he see Wolf at a distant coming.

He said:--"My goodness King! What I going to do?"

Nevertheless he get in the churn a roll down the hill.

Wolf see the thing. He run for his home.

The next day he go an' ask Pig if he did go to the ball.

Pig said:--"Yes, an' as I was coming home I see you, an' was so frighten I get in me churn an' roll down to see if you don't run. An' so you did run, Ha! Ha!"

Wolf get vex. He huff an' cuff all day again to see if he could broke down the building, but all he do he has to lef' it.

So one rain night he send his wife with a young baby to see if Pig would take her in by changing her voice.

She went an' call:--"Mr. Pig, please Sir, if you can give a night rest, Sir; for rain, an' I am from far."

Pig said:--"No, I don't take in no stranger whatever, especially you, Mrs. Wolf. You husban' try an' try an' can't manage, an' now him send you to see if you can kill me."

Mrs. Wolf commence to climb the chimley.

Pig put a big copper of water on the fire an', by the time she reach the top an' was coming down the chimley, she drop in the water an' dead, she an' the child.

Wolf come again an' call Pig.

An' Pig take up this song:--

[Music:

Wolf, Wolf, Wolf! no use you try fe come in, You wife dere da ready; Ha! Ha! Ha! You wanta try fe come in, Come Wolf, Me will put you both together.]

Wolf get worser vex, commence to beat Pig house with all his might an' couldn' get in. He climb up the chimley, an', by he fe get to the top, the pot of boiling water was long time ready waiting for him, an' he going down in a haste make a slip, drop in the water.

Pig salt them an' put them in his cask to soak, an' write to invite his mother to help him eat them for he find out it was them eat his two brother.[46]

[Footnote 46: Cf. Joseph Jacobs, _English Fairy Tales_, No. xiv., and note, p. 233. (C.S.B.)]

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Pig them.= Read these words together, not, Pig--them come.

=you can give=, can you give.

=huff=, scratch with the hoof.

=kindling=, small wood to light fires with.

=day clean.= Day is clean when you can see to walk.

=big road=, one that is what the Italians call _carozzabile_, carriageable. In the hills of Jamaica the roads are for the most part mere mule tracks.

=Simmit=, Smith.

=make we go=, let us go.

=What the time?= at what time?

=By Pig=, as Pig.

=fulling=, =trimbling=, always so.

=when he come, etc.=, when he came back to the tree, that he left the apples and went home.

=met=, meeting, ball.

=da ready=, already.

=by he fe get=, by the time he got.

=cask to soak.= Salt meat is kept in a tub of brine.

XXVII. DUMMY.

There was a man couldn' talk, called Dummy.

One day Annancy bet the King he going to make Dummy talk.

So the King say:--"If you make Dummy talk I will give you one of my daughter fe marry."

Well, Annancy went to Hog, ask him:--"Bro'er Hog if I carry you fe Dummy, whe you wi' say?"

Hog say:--"Me wi' say ugh! ugh!"

Annancy say:--"You won't do."

He went to Goat:--"Bro'er Goat, if I carry you fe Dummy, whe wi' you say?"

"Me wi' say Meh--eh--eh!"

"You won't do."

So he went to fowl.

Fowl say:--"Me wi' say Clk! Clk! Clk!"

"You won't do."

So he went to Bro'er Peafowl an' ask him:--"What you will say if me carry you fe Dummy?"

Peafowl say:--"Me wi' say:--

[Music:

"Chirryway, Chirryway, Chirryway dem de, Chirryway, Constan' dead to-day, Chirryway."]

Then Annancy say:--"A you me wanty."[47]

[Footnote 47: See the story of Tangalomlibo in Torrend, _Comparative Grammar of S. African Bantu Languages_, p. 319, where the cock is chosen as messenger, when the ox and goat are rejected. (A.W.)]

So Annancy beg Bro'er Peafowl he must come with him to Dummy.

An' when Dummy hear the tune it sweet him so, he commence to shake him head an' hum.

So them went to the King yard, Peafowl before, Dummy in the middle, Annancy de a back.

An' as they reach up Annancy say "Wheugh!" being him breat' gone an' him tired, but peafowl never cease with the song.

When Annancy got him breat' he say to the King:--"Master me a come, me a go make Dummy talk."

Then the King say:--"I will like to hear Dummy talk."

An' Peafowl sing an' sing, an' make all sort of figure before Dummy.

Dummy commence to shake him head two t'ree time de way de song sweet him.

At last Dummy begin to hum.

As Peafowl see him commence to hum, Peafowl make a sudden spring, went up to Dummy with a great flourish, an' at last Dummy sing right out the same as Peafowl:--

[Music:

Chirryway, Chirryway, Chirryway dem de, Chirryway, Constan' dead to-day, Chirryway.]

An' Annancy get the bet an' the King marry him off.

An' Annancy give Peafowl gold all over his body an' six quarts of corn. From that Peafowl cover all over with gold.

NOTES.

=Whe you wi' say=, what will you say?

=sweet him so=, pleased him so much.

=Constan'=, Constance.

XXVIII. ANNANCY AND CANDLEFLY.

One day Annancy go to Brother Candlefly yard fe fire.

When him go Candlefly give him fire an' tell him to wait an' he will go give him a few eggs.

When Annancy get the eggs he go home with the fire.

The next day he go back fe fire an' Candlefly give him more eggs.

Annancy go till him get halfway, out the fire an' turn back.

When him come him say:--"Bro'er Candlefly, the fire out; give me some more."

When Candlefly give him the fire, him wait an' wait to see if him can get more eggs. Candlefly never give him one.

Annancy say:--"Bro'er Candlefly, the fire a burn me, please give me one egg make me wet me han', fe make it better."

Candlefly give him one an' tell him to come an' he will carry him where any amount of egg da, "But you must not come till close a night."

Annancy don't wait till night, go about midday. When him go him get a long bag ready. Every minute him come out of the house an' look on sun. Annancy couldn' tarry but only praying to see if night can come.

When night come Candlefly get ready an' tell Annancy to stay aback. Them travel till at last them get. (Annancy going to play out Candlefly.)

Every gash Candlefly gash an' see a egg going to pick it up, Annancy say:--"A me first see ahm."

Candlefly gash again: Annancy take away every one till him bag full. Candlefly don't get one. So as Annancy such a strong man Candlefly compel was to lef' without say a word.

But Annancy going to feel the blow.

After Candlefly gone with the light Annancy couldn' find nowhere to put his foot.

Annancy say:--"Poor me boy, I mus' try see if I can fin' the way."

Annancy start.

Him travel till him go an' buck on a house. The way the night was so dark he never see the house, he just buck on it.

He don't know whose house it was but him call "Godfather!"

The person answer:--"Who is that calling?"

Him say:--"Annancy, you godson, bring some eggs fe you."

During this time Annancy never know that it was Tiger who him hate so much.

When the door open there come Brother Tiger.

Annancy say:--"Marnin', Godfather Tiger."

Tiger say:--"Come in."

Same time Tiger send his wife to go an' put on the copper on the fire.

So them boil the whole barrel-bag of eggs.

When the eggs boil Tiger ask Annancy if him want any.

The frighten in him, him say "No."

So Tiger eat the whole bag of eggs, he an' his wife an' children.

To find out if Annancy want any of the eggs Tiger tell him wife fe lef two of the good shell. So Tiger get a lobters an' put with the egg shell.

When Annancy go in to sleep, Annancy see these two eggs, don't know that it was shell. Tiger know how the fellah love eggs.

When lamp out Annancy 'tretch him hand to catch the eggs.

Lobters paw give him a good bite. Him jump. Then Tiger know that it was the egg the fellah want.

Tiger ask:--"What the matter Mr. Annancy?"

"No dog-flea a bit me up so, sir? Me never see place have dog-flea like a you yard."

Tiger gone back to sleep.

Five minute more Annancy cry out:--"Lahd! me never see place have dog-flea like a you yard."

During this time he was trying to get the egg-shell. So he try an' try the whole night an' never get.

When day light Tiger say:--"Me son, me sorry to see dog-flea bit you so last night. You is the first man come here a me house say dog-flea bit you."

Annancy say:--"Godfather, I don't get a rest from I go to bed till now."

Tiger wife get tea an' give him, so he get ready.

Tiger say:--"Go a me goat-pen, you see one goat, fetch him ya fe me before you go."

Annancy go. When him go he see a big he-goat, him beard was a yard long. Annancy catch the beard, lift him up t'row him a ground, take a big stick begin to beat him, give bup! bup! say:--"You b'ute! a you master nyam all me egg never give me so so one self."

Him beat him so till the goat form 'tiff dead. Now this was Tiger all the time. Annancy leave him gone to see if he can get any knife to cut him up.

By Annancy come back him don't see no goat, only a big old man standing up. Him put after him. Annancy run back to Tiger yard. The man was after him. Annancy see a gourdy, run right in it. Tiger lost the fellah.

Well! Tiger take his gourdy going fe water.

Annancy, knowing that Tiger mother was sick, as Tiger get halfway with the gourdy on his head Annancy call out of the gourdy mouth:--"Bro'er Tiger, you mumma dead a house from yeshterday."

Tiger stop, him listen, him can't hear.

He make a move.

Annancy bawl out again:--"Bro'er Tiger, you mumma dead a house from yeshterday."

Tiger stop, him listen, him can't hear.

He go on again, he hear the voice again.

He throw down the gourdy.

Annancy get out, said to Tiger:--"You b'ute! if you been broke me foot you wouldn' min' me wife and picny."

Tiger hear the voice but never see a soul.

Him run gone home to see if his mother dead. When he go his mother was still alive.

Annancy go home an' go to Candlefly yard tell him say:--"I never will be cravin' again, ya, Bro'er? you fe carry me again." An' Candlefly say "Yes."

Every day Annancy come. Candlefly wife say:--"Him gone long time."

Annancy never get to go with Candlefly again, an' he don't know the place.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=Candlefly.= Among the smaller fire-flies which twinkle all the year rushes, in the summer months, the great Candlefly. It makes a roaring sound with its strong, swift flight, and is a strange and splendid object. It has three lights, two looking like eyes, and a larger and much more brilliant one underneath the thorax. When at rest only the eye lights shine, but with the spread of its wings a shutter is drawn back and discloses the abdominal light. The insect, which is the size of a cockchafer but rather longer, is commonly called Big Winky or Peeny.

=da=, is pronounced like Italian.

=look on sun=, looks at the sun to see if it is sinking.

=a back=, behind.

=get=, get to the place.

=gash=, flash. Lightning is said to gash. As explained above, this gashing of the great light of the Candlefly is continuous while it is in flight, but ceases as soon as it rests.

=buck on=, run against. A horse =bucks=, here, when he stumbles. A man =bucks= his toe when he knocks his naked foot against a stone, and women fight (men too for that matter) by =bucking= with their heads.

=Marnin'.= Good morning and good evening are used as salutations without reference to the actual time of day.

=barrel-bag=, a bag of the capacity of a flour barrel.

=the frighten, etc.=, owing to the fright which was in him he said "No."

=fe lef'=, to leave.

=lobters.= This transposition of letters has a ludicrous effect on the word.

=paw=, pronounced =pah= very broadly.

Fleas are always called dog-fleas, or rather dahg-fleas.

=tea=, the morning sugar-water, is the signal that it is time for the guest to be soon moving on. Generally, however, he is given something to do before he goes.

=ya=, here.

=so so one self=, even one.

=form=, pretended.

=Him put after him.= The old man put (ran) after Annancy.

=You couldn' mind, etc.= This piece of pleasantry is common. When two men are doing anything that requires care to avoid accident, such as moving a heavy stone, one says to the other:--"No kill me ya, you couldn' min' me wife an' picny," you can't support my wife and children.

=ya=, do you hear? Which is also its meaning in the preceding note. Just now =ya= meant 'here.'

XXIX. PARSON PUSS AND PARSON DOG.

One day Toad was courting for a long time to a very pretty India gal, an' Toad didn' want marry the gal. An' him didn' want the gal was to leave him but to live without married.

An' Puss was Toad parson. An' the mother send an' call Puss, an' when Parson Puss come, the mother lay the matter before Parson Puss.

An' Parson Puss call Toad one of his lovely member in the church, an' him didn' want Toad was to leave his church. An' Parson Puss talk until Toad agree to married the gal.

An' Dog himself was a parson.

So Toad send out a invitation to all his countrywoman an' countryman, an' invite Tacoma an' his families, an' likewise invite his friend Mr. Annancy an' his families. An' when him done Toad invite Parson Dog.

An' the day when Toad is to married Parson Puss come to married Toad.

An' Parson Dog come with his gown was to take away the business from Parson Puss.

But Toad say:--"Oh no! he will like to give his Parson the preference."

An' Dog say:--"Yes, I must have it. If not will be mossiful fight to-day."

Puss wife, was the organ-player, say:--"What a man fe swear!"

An' Parson Puss say to Toad mother-in-law:--"You don't mustn't listen what that fellah Parson Dog is saying. He so tief, as soon as they 'tick the hog he will soon forget all this for he has to go an' lick blood, so when he gone I will marry my member Toad."

An' so Dog did go away.

Until he come back Parson Puss marry off Toad.

An' when they eat cake done, then Parson Puss ask the young ladies them to let them go an' play in the ring, an' so they did do.

That time Parson Dog didn' know what was doning, but soon he hear this sing:--

[Music:

When you see a hugly man, When you see a hugly man, When you see a hugly man, Never make him marry you.]

An' as him hear him hold up one of him foot an' listen.

An' he come nearer an' hear again:--

[Music:

Parson Dog won't married me, Parson Dog won't married me, Parson Dog won't married me, Cut your eye an' pass him.]

Then Parson Dog shake him head, run come.

An' as he run come he meet Parson Puss was wheeling all the gal.

Parson Dog get very vex an' he bear an' bear.

But as he hear plain how the sing go, an' see that some of the gal Puss was wheeling began to laugh after him, say:--"No see how him mout' long," Parson Dog get fairly upstarted till him run in the ring an' palm Puss an begin to fight him.

An', as Parson Puss feel Parson Dog 'trength more than fe him, him look for a very tall tree an' run right upon it to save his life.

An' from that day that why Dog an' Puss can't 'gree until now.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=lovely member.= A certain amount of blarney is supposed to be admissible to keep your sheep from straying to a rival's flock.

=to married Toad.= Though they sometimes say =marry= (see the first song) they prefer =married=. The =d= before the =T= of Toad is very awkward to pronounce, yet the reciter, whose normal speech is of the laziest, like that of all his kindred, got it out quite plainly.

=mossiful=, unmerciful. Dog really used a bad word here, which is always put in his mouth. He uses the same word in "Finger Quashy." So much does it belong to him that it occurs as a descriptive adjective to the dog in the tune for the third Quadrille figure, which will be found among the dance tunes. The word is not really very bad, but it was not considered appropriate to a book which may find its way into the nursery, so in every case another one is substituted.

='tick=, stick. The pig was killed for the wedding festivities, which were only just beginning. See note on weddings in "Gaulin."

=play in the ring=, play Sally Water, see Ring Tunes.

=doning=, being done.

=never make him marry you=, never let him, etc.

=cut your eye=, turn your eye aside. Where we use transitive =cut= they put intransitive =cut eye=.

=wheeling=, turning them in the dance.

=run come=, came running up.

=bear an' bear=, was patient for a while. A picturesque way of describing Dog's self-restraint. He bears it and he bears it again.

=no see, etc.=, don't you see how long his mouth is. This is always the joke about Dog. About Puss it is:--"You face too (very) short. Cut off half inch you don't have nose."

=upstarted=, angry.

=palm=, touch or hold with the hand.

=fe him=, his.

XXX. CHICKEN-HAWK.

Once a lady have t'ree daughter. One of the daughter, the youngest one, born with a gold teet'. The other sisters h'ard of the teet' an' ask their sister to show them the teet', but she never would show them.

One day they get Monkey an' Goat to come an' dance to let the sister laugh. They make all sort of mechanic. She never laugh all the dance Monkey an' Goat was dancing.

Those other two pay her so much to see the teet'. She won't show them.

So the second sister tell the big one say:--"Sister, let we go make bargain with Chicken-hawk to try if we can see the teet'."

So they did go an' see Chicken-hawk about it an' pay Chicken-hawk so much.

The day come when they fix up to go to the river.

Chicken-hawk was on a tree.

So they gone to swim for a long time, the big sister them swimming an' laughing in the water for the little one to laugh for them to see the teet', but she never laugh.

During that time Chicken-hawk took up all three of them clothes an' gone on a high tree where them can see him.

When the sister know that Chicken-hawk took the clothes they came out of the water all t'ree of them.

All the clothes was gone.

The first sister commence fe sing:--

[Music:

Chicken-hahk oh! Chicken-hahk oh! give me me frock. Chicken-hahk oh! Chicken-hahk oh! Chicken-hahk!]

An' Chicken-hawk bring come.

The next sister do the same an' get her frock.

Here comes the youngest one. She shut up her mouth an' was calling from her t'roat:--

[Music:

Hm hm hm hm hm hm]

Chicken-hawk never give her.

When the big sister see that she won't call for them to see the teet' they leave her, an' she become 'fraid an' call out:--

[Music:

Chicken-hahk oh! Chicken-hahk oh! give me me frock. Chicken-hahk oh! Chicken-hahk oh! Chicken-hahk.]

An' the big sister run come an see the golden teet' an' was so glad.

They go home an' tell their mother that we have gain the battle an' have seen the gold teet'.

From that day we see gold teet' until now.

NOTES.

=mechanic=, antics.

=so much=, a sum of money.

XXXI. PRETTY POLL.

Once a Duke have a sarvant. So this sarvant was courting to a young man for a long time.

So one day another friend come to see the Duke. So he love the Duke sarvant an' the Duke sarvant love him. So this man ask the Duke for her.

The Duke say:--"No, she is courting already."

So the friend was sorry.

The gal tell the young man say:--"Me love you, an' if you going to marry me I will lef' my lover an' come."

The young man say:--"How you will manage that the Duke not going to allow it?"

The gal say:--"You look out."

So one evening, when the gal lover come home, she ask him to let them go for a walk far away. "I am going to show you a very pretty place."

During this time the gal know where a well was, so she is going to shub him into the well.

As they reach to the place they see a pretty flowers in the well.

So they was looking at the flowers.

As she see that her lover was gazing at the flowers she just shub him right in the well an' said:--"T'ank God! me going to get that pretty young man."

During this time there was a Parrot on a tree seeing all that was going on, cry out:--

[Music:

Ha ha! Ha ha! I have a news to take to the Duke at home; you have your dearest lover an' cast him down to the well.]

The gal look up an' see the Parrot.

She get frighten, call to Poll:--

[Music:

Come, Pretty Poll, come! There is a house of gold an' silver before you sit 'pon tree.]

Poll sing:--

[Music:

Tree I barn, Tree I must be stay till my time come to die.]

An' Poll commence to fly from tree to tree an' she was following him till they get out to a village. Poll was still singing an' she was begging.

Poll fly from house to house till he get on the Duke house an' sing.

The gal was crying.

The Duke hear, send out man an' they listen until them hear what Poll said, an' them catch the gal an' chop off her head.

An' Poll get good care.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

This is another version of the "King Daniel" story.

=before you sit=, instead of your sitting.

=Tree I barn=, etc. On a tree I was born, on a tree I must stay.

XXXII. ANNANCY AND HOG.

One day Annancy an' him grandmamma go to a ground.

Annancy left him fife.

When him coming home, he an' his grandmamma, he said:--"Gran'mumma you know I leave my fife at groun'."

Him grandmamma say:--"Me son a know you well. You is a very bad boy. Go for it but don't play."

When Annancy coming home he play:--

[Music:

None a we, none a we commando Sairey gone home commando Yahka Yahky Yak commando, Suck your mother bone commando.]

An' as he play he meet Hog.

Hog say:--"Brother, a you a play da sweet sweet tune."

Annancy say:--"No, Bro'er."

Hog say:--"Play, make me hear."

Annancy play twee, twee, twee, all wrong note.

Hog say:--"Tche! you can't play."

Hog gone round short pass.

As Hog go round short pass, him buck the boy was playing the tune.

Hog say:--"Bro'er Annancy I think a you a play, you beggar, you light fe me dinner, you libber fe me dog."

An' Hog carry home Annancy an' goin' to do him up for him dinner.

An' when Hog think him done up Annancy him done up him own mother.

An' that made Hog nasty feeder up to to-day.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=ground=, a provision ground where yams, etc., are grown. They often pronounce it =grun=, rhyming to run but even shorter.

=a leave=, I leave.

This tune has a bobbin, see _Digging sings_. Nonsense words of course.

=commando=, pronounced common doe.

=yah=, with French =a=.

=pass=, path. It no doubt should be =gone down short pass=. The paths circle round the steep mountain sides and short cuts connect the loops.

=buck=, stumbles on, meet.

=you light, etc.= Your lights for my dinner, your liver for my dog.

XXXIII. DRY RIVER.

Once a man have t'ree daughter. Dem go go pick wacky.

When dem a come, dem come to a river having no water.

Dem meet a old man beg dem a wacky.

The two biggest one give the old man two wacky, one each, an' the little one wouldn' give any.

An' the old man sing:--

[Music:

You no give me one wacky you can't pass, You no give me one wacky you can't pass, You no give me one wacky you can't pass, Dry River will come an' take you 'way. Draw me nearer, Draw me near, Dry River will come an' take you 'way.]

An' the little one won't give.

An' the two big sister want to give two more of their wacky to the old man; but the old man say:--"No, the little one must give me one of fe her wacky."

An' she won't give.

So the old man sing the sing again.

An' still the little one won't give, until at last the river come down carry him gone.

From that day people drowning.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

In the heavy rains of October and May the rivers rise suddenly, and an insignificant stream or dry river-bed becomes a raging torrent. Travellers are delayed in the Seasons, as these rainy times are called, owing to the fords becoming impassable. This happens now less frequently than formerly, not because the rivers do not 'come down' but because many of them are bridged.

=wacky= (French =a= with a turn to =o=, almost "wocky"), guava. This fruit which makes the well-known jelly is wild. It is the size of a small apple, and has a delicious scent when ripe and yellow. Raw, however, it is not a good fruit. The flavour is coarse and the pulp is full of very hard seeds, which must be swallowed whole.

=when dem a come=, when they reach the place where the wackies are they come to a river.

=old man beg, etc.=, old man who asks them for a wacky. Much of the conciseness of negro speech is due to the suppression of relatives and prepositions.

=you no give=, if you do not give.

XXXIV. YELLOW SNAKE.

Once a woman, name Miss Winky, have four children, three son an' one daughter. The son them was hunter-man and the youngest son was old-witch. This sister never can find her fancy. Everybody come she say: "Lard, this one hugly, me no like him at all!"

Till one day she an' the mother an' old-witch boy was at home.

Snake was on a journey, get to a rum-shop. Talking an' talking they bring up some talk about this gal, that everybody go for her she refuse.

Snake say:--"Is she a pretty gal?"

They say:--"Yes, man, she is a beauty to look at."

Snake said:--"I bet anything I get that gal."

Snake change an' fix up himself an' go to the yard.

When he go he said:--"Good day, Miss Winky, I come to ask you for your daughter."

The gal, was in the room, run out to see if it is a pretty man.

As she come out she said:--"Mamma, this is my love, no one else."

So Snake was invite in the house.

The mother said:--"Well, as you get your fancy I am going to married you."

So the next day they go an' get marry.

After dinner Snake get ready, an' the gal mother tie up all her clothes an' they start.

They travel the whole night until daylight an' never could get, till about midday they reach the place. It was a big stone-hole.

Snake carry her under, put her to sit down.

An' after Snake get a good rest he commence to swallow her.

On the meantime the old-witch boy, name of Cawly, know all what was going on in the wood, tell his two elder brother to come "an' let us go hunting for I hear the voice of my dear beloved sister crying for me in the wood."

The two brother said:--"You always goin' on with your foolishness."

He said:--"Never mind, come let us go an' see."

So they start an' they walk like beast, till at last they nearly reach where they could hear the sister.

They hear a voice:--

[Music:

Fe me Cawly Cawly oh! If no hunter-man no come here oh! Yalla Snake will swallow me.]

Snake, fe all him mout' full, get to say:--"Me will swallow you till you mumma no fin' piece of you bone."

The brother come close to the place, climb upon the stone.

They hear the voice plainer, come down off the stone an' see that Snake leave but the head of their sister.

They go down on Snake an' kill him an' split him an' take out their sister an' carry her home.

From that day she never marry again for she feel the hand of marry.

So everybody that pick too much will come off the same way.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Snake=, pronounced in two syllables, Se-nake with the exact value of vowels in the French words _ce n'est que_, and of course stopping at the _k_ sound of the _q_.

=Tie up all her clothes=, in a bundle which she would carry on her head.

=get=, get to Snake's home.

=beast.= This is the generic name for a beast of burden, horse, mule, or donkey.

=fe all=, although.

=get to say=, managed to say.

=fe me=, my.

=feel the hand of marry=, a biblical expression. She felt the hand of matrimony, and behold it was heavy.

XXXV. COW AND ANNANCY.

One day Annancy was passing Cow pastur', saw the whole of them was cleaning their teeth with chewstick.

He was so frighten for Cow, he stay outside the pastur' on a tree an' call to Cow, telling them howdy.

Cow never answer him, so he get worser frighten.

He said to himself:--"If I give them piece of cane, fool them say it is my chewstick, they might a come friend with me."

So Cow them go out in the night to feed.

An' when them gone Annancy go an' get his side-bag full with cane as quick as he can. An' when him come Cow them gone away for the whole night, so he climb the tree an' sleep on the tree until daylight.

An' when the sun begin to hot the Cow come under the tree fe throw up their food fe eat it back. Same time Cow cleaning him teeth with the chewstick.

Presently the papa Cow see a big piece of something drop out of the tree.

He look up see Annancy, call to him:--"What you doing de?"

Annancy say:--"Me bring piesh a chewshtick fe you."

Cow take up the cane begin to chew. Instead of cleaning teeth he was swallowing both juice an' trash.

Cow say:--"Him sweet; you no hab no more de now?"

Annancy say "Yes."

Cow call him down from the tree.

When he come down he give everybody piece of the cane, tell them that it is fe him chewstick.

During this time he have a big bottle of cane-juice, ask Cow if him want a taste.

Cow take a taste, he done the whole bottle of it.

So they all get in friend with Annancy.

An' Annancy invite Cow to go home with him, an' he will show him where he get such good chewstick.

Cow say:--"You no have nobody a you yard."

Annancy say "Yes."

Cow say:--"Me shame fe go."

Annancy say:--"Make me go home an' sen' dem 'way."

Annancy go home, tell all his friend them must look out, him going to fetch Cow, ya.

Them say:--"If you bring Cow you we will never trust you the longest day we live."

Annancy say:--"Look out."

He take a rope. When he go back he tell Cow that him no see nobody a yard, so Cow must come make dem go.

Cow say, "Yes."

Them 'tart.

Annancy tell Cow that as he is such a coward man him have a piece of rope, Cow must make him put it on his neck, afraid a when him a go the picny them go see him, go make noise, you go turn back.

Annancy say: "Bro'er Cow, when you go near me yard, if you yerry them picny a make noise no frighten, fan you tail with strength."

When them get to where all the friend an' children could see him, him call to them:--"A da come, no see me frien' a come tell you howdy." He turn to Cow said:--"Fan you tail, no min' dem people."

At last them reach the yard.

Annancy have a big tree at the front of his house. He tell Cow:--"Bro'er Cow, stay ya, make me go look after the house; me wife no know, say me a bring 'tranger ya, so we can't carry you in so, so you can fan you tail as much."

During this time Annancy gone to get all his tool sharpen to kill Cow. He left his biggest son to watch Cow but he can't trust the boy. Every minute he come to look if Cow is there.

The first time he come an' look he say to Cow:--"Fan you tail."

When the thing them nearly done sharp he come back, see Cow was fanning his tail.

He said to Cow:--"You Cow, you no yerry me say 'No fan you tail a me yard?'"

Cow fan fe the better.

He come with his bill, said to Cow:--"If you no 'top fan you tail either you kill me or me kill you."

Cow won't stop.

He say to one of the friend:--"Now, now, sir, you see how that man a frighten me picny a me yard, him mout' so hugly."

Him come up nearer to Cow say:--"If you no 'top fan you tail somet'ing mus' done."

Cow won't stop, seeing the fly a trouble him.

Annancy set a run with his bill chop at Cow neck.

Cow draw back his head, the bill catch the rope, set Cow free, so he run for his life.

Annancy say:--"Come back, Bro'er Cow, a fun me a make wi' you, simple little fun, you run gone home."

But Cow was flying for his home an' never stop.

Annancy take up this song:--

[Music:

Lard! Lard! hasty kill me dead oh! Poor me boy oh! a whe me a go do? Me put me pot a fire fe boil Cow liver, but hasty kill me dead.]

From that day Annancy never can go where Cow is.

Anywhere Cow see him he reach him down with his mouth.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

We have had this story already in another form (Annancy and Cow, No. 20).

=chewstick=, a common climber. A piece of the stem about the thickness of a pencil is cut and makes a sort of soapy froth as it is chewed. It has an agreeable bitter taste and is used to clean the teeth.

=howdy=, how do you do?

=cane=, sugar-cane.

=fool them=, take them in, delude.

=side-bag.= Everybody has his side-bag or namsack (knapsack).

=papa=, pronunciation something between puppa and poppa, with slight accent on the first syllable. Cows in Jamaica are of both sexes.

=de there=; the _e_ is that of "debt" lengthened. French "est" gives it exactly. Whe has the same _e_.

=trash=, the fibre. Trash is any kind of refuse, such as shells of peas, husks of maize, the remains of Cassada after the starch is washed out, withered banana leaves, the outside pulp which encloses the coffee beans, etc., etc.

=ya= sometimes means _here_, sometimes _do you hear?_

=rope=, pronounced ro-up. So gate becomes ge-ut (French _e_), goat, go-ut (Italian _o_), much as in some provincial districts in England.

=a da come=, I am coming.

=carry=, lead.

=as much=, as much as you like.

=a fun me a make=, I was pretending. A man is said to make fun when he is only pretending to work, what schoolboys call "sugaring."

=hasty=, haste, _i.e._ your hurrying away.

=hungry kill me= is a common expression meaning "I am very hungry." Here _hasty_ is substituted for _hungry_. Your hasting away will leave me without food, and hunger will kill me.

XXXVI. LEAH AND TIGER.

There was a man an' his wife got one daughter, only the one picny they got. An' many a people come for her to courten to her, an' she refuse, an' she would stay a world without marry.

An' the father said to the wife:--"Them people usual trouble me with my own daughter; we must do something to get her out of them sight."

An' the both of them agree to make up a very big house in the wood to lef' the daughter there where nobody wouldn' see him.

An' the father said to the wife:--"When the house done you mus' carry him breakfas' every twelve o'clock an' dinner at four."

An mumma say:--"Yes, me dear, I think so better."

An' they take Leah an' walk with her all night an' lodge her into the house before daylight.

An' at the meantime Leah got a very valuable ring on one of her finger, a very pretty young woman too, though me never see him.

Mumma tell him that when him going to bed he must always say him prayers. An' she tell her that, when she re'ch the hillside she sing the song, she must know a him honey a come. An' this the song:--

[Music:

Leah! Leah! tingaling, You no yerry you honey, tingaling? Honey de a door, tingaling, Sugar de a door, tingaling.]

An' this time Tiger was under the house hear all the bargain.

An' Tiger lie down very 'teady. (Some days to come he must get meat fe eat a this bush.)

Then mumma go away, next day come back with him daughter breakfas', an' 'tart the tune from hillside to the spot of place where the house is. An' the door was double double double latch. An' the tune 'tarted.

An' the gal open the door an' mumma come in give her her breakfast, an' make very much of each others, an' eat done an' tell goodbye.

When the mumma gone Tiger creep out of the house with a great rolling of voice, can't 'tan' him heel. He go down to see Brother Blacksmit' if he would do a kind favour for him.

An' Brother Blacksmit' say:--"What sort of favour I can do for you?"

An' Tiger say him see a very nice meat a bush, him want go eat it then, so me want sweet voice fe sing like a him mumma.

Then Brother Blacksmit' put the iron a fire, make him red hot, so tell him open him mout'. Blacksmit' poke ahm down his t'roat, heap of smoke come out a him 'tomach.

When him finish he tell him mus' sing make him hear.

So Tiger sing, an' true him voice sound so good.

Then Blacksmit' say:--"Min' mustn' eat no duckanoo nor guava by the way, else you voice turn rough again."

Tiger gone making his way fe go eat the gal fe meat. He was very hard on his journey going on. As he get halfway he see guava an' duckanoo, an' being him so thirsty he say:--"Make me nyam ahm, nothing goin' to do me voice."

He nyam until he unrestful an' come his voice after was like groun' t'under.

"Well," he say, "never min'; by the time me re'ch up me voice will come good."

So he lay down under the floor waiting for twelve o'clock when the mother usual come.

An' when it nearly come 'pon twelve Tiger creep out under the floor commence to sing:--

[Music: E2]

Leah! Leah! tingaling, You no yerry you honey, tingaling? You sugar de a door, tingaling, You honey de a door, tingaling.

An' Leah say:--"He! He! it is not my mother dat."

An' Tiger shame, gone under the house back, voice too coarse.

Presently his mother is up, sing with a very sweet voice:--

Leah! Leah! tingaling, You no yerry you honey, tingaling? Honey de a door, tingaling, Sugar de a door, tingaling.

An' the door open, an' she go in give her daughter him breakfas'.

An' her daughter hug her up an' kiss her, an' he commence to tell her mother that him hear a great rolling like groun' shaking while ago outside, an' it make her frighten to deat'. She tell her mumma she would like to go home with her back.

The mother refuse from do so, an' lef' an gone home, tell the father what happen with Leah in the bush.

An' puppa say:--"What make you lef' me daughter a bush? Go back for him to-night."

Mamma say:--"No danger wi' me daughter, me wi' carry him dinner four o'clock, lef' him come back."

Next day Tiger 'tart to Blacksmit' fe run iron down him t'roat back. Blacksmit' get vex, tell him he going to lick him down with the iron, for his ears hard.

Tiger said:--"Do Bro'er Blacksmit', me yerry all whe you tell me this time."

An' Blacksmit' put the iron two hour a fire an' shub him down Tiger t'roat. Tiger can't take him ground, iron too hot.

When he done with him he tell him to sing make him hear, an' beg him anything that him see in the way must make him yeye pass it.

An' Tiger say:--"Yes, so me going do."

Him shut him yeye now, take the whole a road for himself, say:--"Me boy never would a nyam nothing more a pass: sweet, sweet meat like a that so a bush me could a lef' ahm so?"

He was very hurry to the house, an' just before twelve o'clock he commence to sing, an' this time his voice sound well.

Leah open the door, t'ought it was her mother, an' Tiger jump right in an' eat the whole of Leah, lef' one finger with the ring.

Him eat done, half shut the door an' go back a him bed under the house.

Leah mumma come fe sing now:--

Leah! Leah! tingaling, Yo no yerry you honey, tingaling? You sugar de a door, tingaling, You honey de a door, tingaling.

An' nobody answer her.

She sing two time more: nobody answer.

An' she shub the door an' go inside to find only one finger of her daughter.

An' him put him hand on him head, bahl, then go home to him husband, tell him husband him daughter dead, something eat every bit.

Him say:--"Me no min tell you fe bring home me daughter: you will have fe find ahm gi' me. Then if you know whe good fe you just bring him go," catch up one big junka 'tick an' lick down the wife.

An' after the wife dead the man take to heart an' dead.

That make you see woman ears hard up to to-day. They want mus' man fe carry them anywhere they told fe go. A him make them something a happen a this world up to to-day day.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=usual=, are wont.

=when she re'ch=, when she (the mother) reaches the hillside and she sings the song, she (the girl) will know that his (her) honey has come.

=tingaling.= Some tellers of this story have it =tindalinda=.

='teady=, steady, with a peculiar vowel like a dull French _eu_.

=him daughter breakfas'=, came back with her daughter's breakfast and began to sing when she reached the hillside overlooking the house, and went on singing till she got to the house.

=An' the tune 'tarted.= The reciter sings it here.

=out of the house=, out from under the house. See note to "Yung-kyum-pyung."

=rolling=, roaring.

=can't 'tan' him heel=, can't stand on his heel. See, further on, =can't take him ground=. Both mean that Tiger cannot stand still.

=a bush=, in the bush.

=ahm=, him, it.

=true him voice=, really his voice sounds very well. Only, =true= means what it says, =truly=, and does not imply the reservation at which it _really_ hints. Tiger's voice did sound very well.

=duckanoo=, a kind of mango.

=going to do=; eating the fruit is not going to do my voice any harm.

=until he unrestful.= He ate too much.

=groun' t'under=, ground thunder. It is often difficult to distinguish between distant thunder and an earthquake.

Tiger growls on a low note, and says the words very fast.

=He! He!= French e as in whe and de.

=groun'shaking=, earthquake.

=from do so=, refuses to do what she asks.

=down him t'roat back=, down his throat again.

Blacksmith was vexed because Tiger had eaten fruit on the previous occasion. His ears had been hard, _i.e._ he had acted against orders.

=make him yeye pass it=, let his eye run over it without desiring to eat it.

=take the whole a road=, staggering along, first to one side and then to the other.

=a pass=, in the path, on the journey.

=put him hand on him head=, an expressive action indicating horror and bewilderment.

=bahl=, bawl, cry out.

=me no min tell=, me no been tell, didn't I tell you?

=you will have fe find ahm gi' me=; when anything is lost, they say:--You will have to find it and give it to me.

=a him, etc.=, it is that (their ears being so hard) that makes this sort of thing happen.

XXXVII. TIMMOLIMMO.

Once there was a Bull live in a pastur'. He make a law that every young Cow born, if it is a Bull, they must kill it. So the Cow them hear what the master said. The Bull name was Timmolimmo.

So one day one of the Cow have baby an' find out that this child was a boy. She take him an' go to a deep bush an' hide her child in a stone-hole, an' feed him till him was growing an' begun to talk.

The place where the mother was taking water when she was at the pastur' was a mile from the hiding hole, an' she has nowhere to take water but there.

So every day she go an' fetch water to her son.

One day when the boy was six months old she carry him to the place where she taking water, an' hide till the master come drink an' gone. Then she give her son water, and after she take him home back.

An' when another six month come she take him back to the place an' show him the father footprint, an' commence to tell the son why him have to hide in the bush is because the father would kill you if he see you.

The boy said to his mother:--"A so all right, when me come big man I going to go an' have a fight with him."

The mumma say:--"No, me son, nobody can't fight him."

So the mother take the boy home back till another six months when the boy catch a year an' a half.

Then they go again an' the boy ask if he no can fight.

The mother say:--"Come, make me measure you foot."

When he go put his foot in his father footprint it was about two inch short.

He go home.

After six month more he come back, he alone, measure his foot in his father one. It want half inch to catch.

Him gone home back for six more month.

So one day him get up, tell his mumma that I am going to fight me puppa.

The mother say "No," but him rist an' go.

When him go to the place he measure his foot. It was one inch wider.

Him say:--"I am going fe the battle."

Him come back, tell his mumma that him going to fight puppa. So him go on till him get where his father can hear him, an' sing out:--

[Music:

Timmolimmo, man dere, Timmolimmo, man dere, Come down make we battle, man dere.]

One of the Cow call say:--"Master, Master, I hear some one calling your name."

"No, no, not a man can call my name."

The son give out again:--

"Timmolimmo, man dere, Timmolimmo, man dere, Come down, make we battle, Man dere."

Timmolimmo yerry.

Him make one jump, him jump half mile.

The son make one, him go one mile.

So they meet at a cross-pass.

As the father come him lift the son with his horn, send him half mile in the air.

The son drop on his four leg.

The son lift the puppa, send him three quarter mile.

As him drop, one foot gone.

The puppa stand on the t'ree foot send the son up again in the air.

The son drop on four foot.

The son send him up again, him come down on two.

Him stand on the two, send the son.

Him come down on four.

The son send him up again, an' him come down on one.

The puppa stand on the one foot an' send the son, an' the son come down on four.

An' the son send him up, an' him come down on him side an' broke him neck.

The son go home to his mother an' tell him that he has gain the battle, so they must come go in the pastur' an' him reign.

From that two Bull never 'gree in one pastur'.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=rist=, risks it.

=dere=, pronounced day-er, the French vowel quite abandoned.

=cross-pass=, cross-path.

=foot=, leg.

XXXVIII. CALCUTTA MONKEY AND ANNANCY.

One day Calcutta Monkey work a very large field of corn, an' when the corn commence to ripe Monkey beguns to miss the corn, an' him couldn' find out who was tiefing the corn, an' the robbing continually going on.

Till one day Monkey went to Annancy yard an' suspish upon Annancy. An' Annancy get very short an' ready to fight Calcutta Monkey.

An' Monkey say to Annancy he won't fight him but he will soon know who is tiefing the corn.

An' same time Annancy say to Monkey:--"I bet it is that big-voice Mr. Tiger."

An' Monkey say he won't judge no one again but will find out.

An' him went home back to his yard an' cut his card. An' when he cut the card he sees no man on the card but Mr. Annancy, an' Monkey think it very hard to himself that Annancy wouldn' own it.

An' the next day he went to the ground an' he find the robbing was going on. An' he met Annancy on the road an' he said to Annancy he well know who tiefing the corn.

An' Monkey send a challis to Annancy an' tell him that if him cut the card again an' find him in the card he going to give him a terrible flogging.

An' when Annancy hear about the flogging he get a little frighten, an' him stop off the robbing for about two days. The day to make t'ree Annancy couldn' bear no longer an' he beguns again to tief the corn.

An' Monkey made up a drum an' got a hunting-whip.

An' next day when Monkey go back to the ground an' find the corn tiefing he goes home to his yard, an' take up his drum an' his hunting-whip an' start looking for Annancy.

An' when he going he beguns to knock the drum ribbim-bim-bim, "Annancy no dere," ribbim-bim-bim, "Annancy no dere."

An' that time Annancy went an' climb a cullabunka tree.

Annancy hide himself in the heart, an' as Monkey get to the tree he sound the drum say:--ribbim-bim-bim, "Annancy dere."

An' he put down the drum an' wrap the whip round his neck an' climb the tree an' give Annancy a good flogging, an' Annancy run off the tree an' say that he won't do it again.

Till a few days after Annancy broke in the corn-piece again, begun to tief the corn like witch.

An' Monkey go into the ground an' see the tiefing. An' he went home an' look over his card.

He sees no one again but Mr. Annancy, an' he took up his drum an' his whip to look for Annancy again to flog him.

An' this time Tiger have a very large banana-walk.

Annancy wented there an' look for one very large bunch of banana an' go in the heart of the bunch an' hide himself.

An' as Monkey 'tart playing the drum again he get to the banana-walk. An' as he get to the spot he sound the drum say:--ribbim-bim-bim, "Annancy here."

But this time Monkey an' Tiger can't agree, an' this banana is for Tiger.

Monkey has to leave Annancy an' goes home back.

An' Tacoma says to Monkey, if him want to catch Mr. Annancy he can catch him for him. An' Monkey was very glad.

An' Tacoma made a dance an' send an' invite Mr. Annancy.

An' when Annancy come to the gate Annancy mind tell him that Calcutta Monkey is there, an' he only 'tand to the gate an' wave his hand to the ladies inside, say:--"Good evening, ladies all"; an' he turn right back an' go in the banana heart an' take it for his own dwelling.

An' from that day Annancy live in banana bunch up to now.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=suspish upon=, suspect. They also use =suspish= alone, a delightful word.

=cut his card.= Monkey is clearly an Obeah-man, a dealer in the black art.

=ribbim-bim-bim, etc.=, half sung, with strong even rhythm.

=cullabunka=, a kind of Palm.

=banana-walk=, technical name for a banana plantation.

=is for Tiger=, belongs to Tiger.

XXXIX. OPEN SESAME.

One day there was a very hard time, an' Annancy an' his family was dying for hungry.

An' there was a regiment of soldier find out a silver mine.

An' when they find it out they made a very large house.

An' they move the money an' put it in the house, an' when they are moving it they t'ought that nobody see them.

What that smart fellah Mr. Tacoma does.

He hide himself on a tree, seeing them when they passing with the money.

An' when they reach to the house, the house work with no key, an' they has a certain word to use when they want the door to open. They say "Open Sesame."

An' they go in an' t'row in the money, an' when they coming out of the house they say "Shut Sesame," and the door lock.

An' Tacoma hear what they say.

An' he go home an' harness up his cart with his mule an' drive to the house.

An' when he go him use the same word an' the door open. An' he go in an' load the cart, an' when he load done he drive home.

When he come home he want to measure the money an' he couldn' get no quart pot, an' he sent to his neighbour Mr. Annancy an' borrow his quart pot.

An' continually so he go an' come back, him still borrowing Annancy quart pot.

An' Annancy think it very hard, say:--"Somet'ing Bro'er Tacoma is measuring." An' Annancy want to know what it is.

A second day when Tacoma sent for the quart pot again Annancy 'tudy a plan.

When Tacoma come him give it to him, an' as Tacoma reach his yard don't begin measure yet, Annancy tell one of his picny that they must go a Bro'er Tacoma yard an' tell him that him really want the quart pot, must make haste make haste send it at once.

An' when the picny go he tell him must look an' see what Bro'er Tacoma measuring. An' he couldn' find out.

An' a third day him sent to the shop an' buy penny halfpenny white flour, an' when him gone home he make it to paste an' piecen the quart pot bottom inside, an' said to himself:--"Anyt'ing Bro'er Tacoma measure, whether fe rice or gungo or flour, or either money, one must fasten in the flour."

An' when Tacoma come back he sent for the quart pot.

An' when Tacoma measure done he send it back. An' as he send it a very large two an' sixpence piece fasten in the flour.

An' Annancy say:--"T'ank God I find out what Bro'er Tacoma doing with my quart pot."

An' same time he goes to Tacoma yard an' begins to cry upon Tacoma that Bro'er Tacoma must carry him an' show him where he get the money.

Tacoma didn' agree.

Annancy cry an' cry till him tell him that he must get a cart an' a mule to-morrow evening, an' when him passing he will call to him.

An' Annancy couldn' wait, an' him harness up his cart from morning an' watching out for Brother Tacoma.

An' he watch an' watch till Tacoma come.

When Tacoma was coming he lash him whip, an' as he lash, Annancy lash his own too.

An' they started.

An' when they get to the house Tacoma say "Open Sesame," an' the door open.

An' they run the cart up to the door mout' an' load it, an' they come out an' drive home.

An' by the time Tacoma get home to his yard Annancy t'row out his money an' turn back again.

An' when he go he use the same very word an' the door open.

Annancy load his cart an' when him coming home he meet Tacoma on the road an' through his strongy yeye an' his ungratefulness he want to shoot Tacoma cart a gully an' to kill his mule, that him one may be the master of the bank.

An' Annancy made a sing when he is coming home:--

[Music:

Right t'rough, right t'rough de rocky road, oh Charley Marley call you, Mid a rock, mid a rock, mid a rock, me Charley, Charley Marley call you; Oh de han'some gal are no fe you one; Oh Charley Marley call you.]

NOTES.

Here is another story founded on Ali Baba, which differs considerably from the previous one of "Blackbird and Woss-woss." The chief peculiarity of this version is that the entrapping through forgetfulness of the password is altogether lost.

=Hard time.= This refers to the months of June and July when provisions are scarce. The old yams are done and the new ones are not in yet. Subsistence has to be eked out with a few sweet potatoes and the mangoes, which are abundant in these months, and go on till the October rains bring back a season of plenty.

=so he go=, as he goes.

=piecen=, a nice word. They use it also in speaking of the patching of old clothes.

=lash him whip=, crack his whip as a signal.

=strongy yeye=, covetousness. To give the pronunciation a _y_ has to be tacked on to strong.

=him one=, he alone.

The exact application of the song is doubtful. The end is pretty clear, meaning:--all the good things are not for you alone, Tacoma. It will be observed in this and some other stories that Jack Mantora, etc., is omitted. That is because they have no tragic termination.

XL. SEA-MAHMY.

One day, height a hungry time, Blackbird have a feedin' tree in a sea. An' every day Blackbird go an' feed.

Annancy say unto Blackbird:--"Please, Bro'er Blackbird, please carry me over a you feedin' tree."

Blackbird say unto Annancy:--"Bro'er Annancy, you so cravin' you goin' to eat every bit from me."

He say:--"No, Bro'er Blackbird I won' do it."

Brother Blackbird say unto Annancy:--"A you no have no wing, how you a go?"

Well! Blackbird take out two of him tail feather, 'tick upon Annancy. He pick out two of him wing feather, 'tick upon Annancy. He take two feather out of him back again, 'tick upon Annancy; two feather out of him belly feather, 'tick upon Annancy.

Well! Blackbird an' Annancy fly in a the sea upon the feedin' tree.

Every feedin' Blackbird go fe pick, Annancy say that one a fe him.

Blackbird go upon the next limb, Annancy say a fe him.

Blackbird go upon the t'ird limb, Annancy say a fe him.

Till Annancy eat a good tummy-full.

Annancy drop asleep upon the tree.

Well! Blackbird take time, pick out all the feather back, an' Blackbird fly away.

When Annancy wake out of sleep he say:--"Make me fly."

He can't fly.

He broke a branch off a the tree, t'row in the sea. The branch swim.

Annancy say if the branch swim him will swim, an' he jump off a the tree, drop in the sea an' sink.

An' when he go down a sea bottom he meet Sea-mahmy.

He said to Sea-mahmy:--"Mumma, mother tell me me have a cousin down a sea bottom, ya."

Sea-mahmy say:--"I going to see if me and you are cousin."

Sea-mahmy put a pan of sand in the fire for well hot. When him get hot he take it off a the fire, give to Brother Annancy for drink it off.

Brother Annancy say:--"Cousin Sea-mahmy, it don' hot enough. Put it out a de sun fe make it hot more."

After him put it out a the sun then he say:--"Cousin Sea-mahmy, I think it hot now."

An' Sea-mahmy say:--"Well you must drink it off an' make I see if you an' me are cousin."

An' Annancy do drink it off.

Annancy spend t'ree day down a sea bottom.

Well! the next day Sea-mahmy said to him:--"Whe you going to come out."

Him said:--"Cousin Sea-mahmy, sen' one of you son fe carry me out a lan'."

Sea-mahmy give him one of him son, the name of that son call Trapong.

Well! Trapong an' Annancy travel, make middle in a sea.

Sea-mahmy call:--

[Music:

Trapong, Trapong, fetch back 'tranger man, come back.]

An' Trapong say:--"'Top, Brother Annancy, I think I hear my mother calling me back."

Annancy say:--"No, make way! War de 'pon sea!"

An' Trapong sail with Annancy on him back till they reach shore.

When they go to shore he say:--"Bro'er Trapong, take dis bag weigh me, see whe me weigh."

Trapong lift him up, say:--"Yes, Brother Annancy you heavy."

So Annancy come back out of the bag.

He say:--"Bro'er Trapong, you come in make I weigh you see."

Trapong went into the bag.

He tie Trapong, tie tight.

Trapong say:--"Brother Annancy you a tie me too 'trong."

He say:--"Me no a tie you fe see if you heavy?"

Trapong say to Brother Annancy:--"Me heavy?"

Annancy say:--"You heavy oh! You light oh! You heavy enough fe me wife pot." An' for all the bahl Trapong a bahl he gone back to him house an' Annancy eat him.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=height=, in the height of, at the worst of.

=Sea-mahmy=, Mermaid.

=feedin' tree.= It was a duckanoo mango according to some accounts.

Annancy behaves just as he did with Candlefly and the eggs.

The connecting =wells= of this story, which take the place of the =ands= and =sos= of other narrators are said with a little upward turn of the voice.

=Whe you going.= Whe (what) seems to be doing duty for =how= here.

=Trapong=, tarpon, the famous sporting fish of Florida and Santa Catalina, common also in Jamaica.

=make middle in a sea=, get to the middle of the sea.

=No, make way!= Annancy shouts this out.

The outrageous confidence trick which follows necessitates a Jack Mantora.

XLI. CRAB AND HIS CORN-PIECE.

One day Brother Crab work a lovely field of corn.

An' when the corns beguns to ripe Crab begin to lose the corn, an' he couldn' find out who was tiefing it.

An' he get Annancy to be a watchman for tief.

An' this arrangement make between Annancy. Crab tell him that he will come in the night and see if he is watching. An' Annancy wasn' agree at first.

Him stand for a good time an' study: an when he study he tell Crab yes that he can come.

An' when Crab gone he sent an' call his friend Mr. Tacoma an' tell him that Bro'er Crab leave him here to watch over the corn, an' say that he is going to come back in the night to see if he is watching. An' as Crab being 'fraid of Tacoma Annancy tell him that he must set a watch in the road for Crab an' catch him.

That time Ratta was hearing Annancy bargain which he is making with Tacoma. An' he went home an' tell Crab that he mustn' go to the corn-piece in the night for Tacoma going to catch him.

An' so Crab did hear Ratta.

An' him send an' discharge Annancy.

An' Annancy was very sorry, an' same time he goes to Crab an' he ask Crab what he done.

Crab tell him that he mustn' mind, he must leave the work, he is going to get another man to watch.

An' Annancy did leave, an' Crab give the job to Ratta.

An', as that wicked man Mr. Annancy know that Ratta frighten for Puss, he sent an' tell Puss that he must go in Bro'er Crab corn-piece an' keep a good watch for Ratta an' catch him an' eat him.

An' that time Candlefly was hearing Annancy what he is telling Puss to do Ratta, an' he went an' tell Ratta that he must leave the work, an' if he don't leave it he going to lose his life.

At that time Ratta get very 'fraid an' send an' give up his discharge to Crab.

When Ratta gone Crab couldn' get no one to watch the corn again, an' he consider to himself that he knows two friend very love corn an' the meal likewise.

An' the two friend was Mr. Dog an' Mr. Cock.

An' he sent an' call them an' they did come.

When they come he tell them that he have a piece of corn an' he can't get none, tief is eating out the whole.

An' he says to Dog that him know he is a very good watchman, an' same time Cock say to Crab that him watch as any soldier.

An' Crab was very glad, say:--"You is the two man that I want."

An' they says to Crab that they won't charge no money, but when the corn came in Cock is to get his share of dry corn an' Dog get his share of meal.

An' Cock ask Crab to give him a gun.

An' Crab didn' have a gun, an' he give Cock a flute an' give Dog a drum, an' tell them that anyone catch a tief they must play an' let him hear.

An' Cock tell Crab that he can't sleep on the ground, an' he wants to know if there is any tree in the corn-piece, an' Crab say "Yes."

So Cock an' Dog started.

An' when they go Cock fly upon the tree an' Dog pick up the corn trash which they cut already an' make a very soft bed an' get into it, an' Dog lie down until he fall asleep.

An' Cock sing:--

[Music:

Brether Dog oh! Brether Dog oh! Brether Dog asleep oh! Brether Dog oh! Tief come an' gone oh, Brether Dog oh! Tief come an' gone oh, Brether Dog oh!]

When the tief come Dog didn' know. An' Cock, as he being a brave soldier, he caught the tief. An' when he catch the tief he start a tune in his flute:--

[Music:

You Mister Crab oh! You Mister Crab oh! Da me same one catch de tief oh! Bengaday.]

An' as Dog being love sleep an' don't watch to the end he lose his reward.

An' Cock by him catch the tief takes the corn.

NOTES.

=arrangement between Annancy=; no misprint. =Between= may stand for =with=, or there may be an ellipsis of the words =and Crab=.

=he mustn' mind.= This is likely to convey a wrong idea. Crab was not trying to soothe his feelings, but was speaking angrily. What he said was:--"Never you mind, etc."

XLII. DRY-GRASS AND FIRE.

One day Brother Dry-grass an' Fire get in confusion.

So Fire tell his frien' Annancy (not knowing that Annancy an' Dry-grass was better friend):--"Brother Annancy I going to burn that fellah Dry-grass to-morrow."

Annancy say:--"When you a go you fe call me a yard. I goin' to make one shell. When we nearly get to the place we blow, make the fellah know that man a come."

During this time Annancy make bargain with Water that any time he hear the shell blow him must come down like rain.

So Fire reach up an' as the shell blow he see rain coming down.

So Fire has to go home.

Water tell him say that Annancy tell him that you are going to fight Dry-grass, so I must come an' help to see if we can manage you.

Fire say:--"A so! That fellah Annancy I going at his yard."

So Fire walk at Annancy yard an' tell him:--"Brother Annancy I going to come an' see you next week."

Annancy say:--"Yes, Bro'er Fire, with all pleasure."

Fire tell him that he must put all his clothes a door to make him find out the yard for I don't want to lost the way.

So Fire gone.

Annancy wife said:--"Me husband, send go stop Fire from come a you place."

Annancy say:--"No, me wife, a me best frien' so him have free come."

Just before the time Fire was appoint to come, Annancy go to Brother Tiger, an' as him walk into the house he saw some clothes.

An' he pick up the clothes an' say:--"See, Bro'er Tiger, how you clothes damp, you must have fe put dem a sun."

So Tiger hang out all his clothes on a line before the door mout'.

An' presently Fire was coming like a lion bringing Breeze with him.

When Fire see all the clothes he say to Breeze:--"See that fellah Annancy yard."

So Breeze blow harder an' come with a speed. An' Fire make a jump till he nearly got to the yard.

Tiger hear the speed Fire was coming, call to him:--"Turn back, you red-face fellah, me no want you company."

Fire was coming down more and more.

Tiger bawl fe Fire a stop, but Fire coming for the better.

So Fire get in the yard an' burn all Tiger clothes an' house, an' turn right home back.

Annancy laugh, an' sing:--

[Music:

Me wife say me no fe invite Fire, Brether Fire bring Breeze oh! Fire de 'pon lan' Fire, Fire de 'pon lan' Fire. He burn up all Tiger yard, ha ha! Brether Fire an' Breeze oh! Fire de 'pon lan' Fire, Fire de 'pon lan' Fire.]

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTE.

The shell looks like a very small cowhorn and gives a similar sound when blown. It is used as a signal for a variety of purposes. It summons to work and marks the hour of release. When a train of mules is nearing a sharp turn in the road, the head muleman blows a fanfare to give warning of his approach. The shell is in fact to the mule-track what the whistle is to the railroad. Imitation shells are sometimes made of bamboo. It was perhaps one of these that Annancy made.

XLIII. JOHN CROW.

One day there was a lady who have but only one daughter, an' Mr. Tacoma hear about the gal an' he went to court the gal.

An' when Tacoma go the gal wouldn' receive Tacoma.

An' the mother was really vex.

As the mother being a old lady, when Tacoma going Tacoma carry a brass mortar to made it a present to the old lady to beat her fee-fee. An' when the old lady see the brass mortar he really want the mortar.

But Tacoma said to her if him don't get the gal he not going to leave the mortar.

An' the gal 'treat away himself inside the room an' hide.

An' Tacoma feel very sorry an' he return home back.

When he goes home he tell Annancy about the gal, an' Annancy get a concentina he going to carry down make a present to the gal.

An' Annancy say if the gal can only take the concentina from him the gal must be his wife.

An' when Annancy go down Annancy was playing.

The gal wouldn' receive Annancy in.

An' when the mumma hear, the music was so sweet she commence to dance; an' said to the daughter, this is the son-in-law him want, for he can get him own dance any time him ready.

Not for all Mr. Annancy playing the gal wouldn' receive Annancy, until Annancy has to go home back.

When that ugly fellah Mr. John Crow hear it he study between himself an' get a carriage with his pair of horses an' his coachman, an' the carpet in the carriage was a gold carpet.

An' John Crow said between himself when him put on him watch an' chain an' his coat an' shoes, if him don't bring that gal home believe him no Mr. Goldman.

An' John Crow drive away.

An' when him get to a distant to a look-out, the gal was at his window sitting down, an' as him look, him see Mr. Goldman was driving coming.

An' him holloa to him mumma:--"Mumma, mumma, my dear love is coming."

An' as John Crow reach the yard the gal was out an' sling Mr. Goldman out the carriage an' escort him right into the house.

An' after John Crow introduce himself to the gal that his name is Mr. Goldman.

An' when John Crow tell the gal so, the gal have a old-witch brother an' says to his sister that that man is John Crow.

An' the gal get vex an' say:--"Oh no, don't use a word like that; it is my dear Mr. Goldman."

An' when the mumma come the gal introduce him to Mr. Goldman, an' tell him that his dear love just come now.

An' Mr. Goldman fix a time when to come back an' get married, and the mother was agree, an' the gal was very glad too.

An', when they settle that, John Crow drive back to his yard.

An' when he is coming back the next night he brought a old-witch boy with him an' hide him half part of the road near the yard, an' tell him that as he see day clearing, he must call him that he may got home before day clear.

An' he reach the yard an' spend the night in a very joyful dance.

So it getting near day an' the boy sing:--

[Music:

Mister Goldman oh! Goldman oh! Day da clean oh!]

An' when the boy sing out the people them inside the house hear.

An' when they hear they say:--"Stop! Stop! Stop! some one is calling Mr. Goldman."

An' the dance so sweet Mr. Goldman he wouldn' stop to listen. He only says:--"Oh don't listen to that foolish boy." An' when him use the word him one in the ring wheeling all the gal them.

An' that time him hear a sing:--

[Music:

Poor mirrybimbim ribbimbybimbim, Goldman a wheel him gal, Goldman a wheel dem.]

An' when him wheel all the gal him look outside the door an' see that day catch him; so him cry excuse an' went up'tairs.

An' when he go up he take a piece of meat an' look for a broken sash an' 'queeze himself t'rough.

An' as him go t'rough, the sash 'crape off the whole of him back head, an' from that day every John Crow born with a peel head.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=fee-fee=, food.

='treat away himself=, retreats, retires.

=concentina=, always with this =n=.

=him ready=, she is ready for it, wants it.

=a look-out=, a place visible from the house.

=sling=, hand, with a notion of vigorous action.

=an' says=, who says.

=a word=, often a sentence of several words.

=tell him=, tell her mother.

=sweet=, pleased.

=when him use the word=, as he said this.

=excuse=, to be excused; pronounce the =s= like =z=.

John Crow is the vulture-like scavenger bird of Jamaica, and has a peeled (bald) head.

XLIV. TIGER'S DEATH.

One day Mr. Annancy an' Monkey made a bargain to kill Tiger, an' they didn' know how to make the confusion for Tiger was Monkey godfather.

An' being Monkey have more strength than Annancy, Annancy try to keep close Monkey an' wouldn' leave Monkey company at all by he afraid for Tiger.

Until one day Annancy went to river an' catch some fish, an' send an' call Brother Monkey to come an' help him enjoy the fish.

An' when the breakfast ready, instead of Mr. Monkey come, it was that cravin' man Mr. Tiger who Annancy really hate, an' to every piece of the fish Annancy take up to put in his mouth, Tiger take away every bit an' never cease till him finish the whole.

An' when Mr. Annancy friend who he invite come, there was none of the fish to give him.

An' as Monkey being love fish he began to cuss his godfather Tiger.

An' that time Puss was passing when the confusion occurred.

An' they go on an' go on till Puss laugh. An' as Puss laugh Tiger get worser vex an' begun to cuss Puss, an' Puss said to Monkey:--"Come, make we beat him off to deat'."

An' Monkey wasn' agree to beat his godfather, but Annancy an' Puss force him.

An' Tiger get cross begun to lick, an' the first man him lick was his godson. An' then as him lick him godson Puss catch a fire 'tick, an' Annancy catch up a mortar 'tick, an' they never cease murder Tiger till they kill him.

An' they 'kin Tiger an' just going to share.

An' there comes a singing from the tree:--

[Music:

You long-tail Mister Monkey, Give me piece of de liver, a no you one tummy fe full. A message me bring fe Tiger say buryin' de a yard; a whe fe do, a whe fe do oh! Tiger dead already.]

An' all the look Monkey an' Annancy look, they never find the person that was singing.

So they salt Tiger.

Then Peafowl come down in the yard say:--"Good evening Mr. Annancy an' Mr. Monkey, I am very hungry. I was on a long journey bring a message to Tiger that him wife dead, but Tiger dead already."

So the whole of them stop an' eat of Tiger.

Peafowl never go back with no answer to report, for Puss an' Monkey an' Annancy give Peafowl gold not to talk that they kill Tiger.

So Peafowl never can be a poor man for he keep the t'ree friend secret.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=confusion=, quarrel, which was to be made the pretext for killing Tiger.

=whe fe do=, what to do? what is to be done? To this question the implied answer is "Nothing." So the phrase means:--"It can't be helped."

XLV. THE OLD LADY AND THE JAR.

A old lady have two son, one name Dory Dunn an' one name Tumpa Toe, an' Tumpa Toe an' Dory Dunn is a hunter-man.

Well, they give them mumma enough things an' say:--"Mumma, I am going a wood, don' interfere with that Jar in my room."

When them gone old lady say:--"I wonder what my son have in that Jar say me no fe touch."

Old lady go an' shub him hand inside in the Jar.

The Jar hold old lady.

Old Lady say:--

[Music:

Tumpa Toe, Lord! Dory Dunn oh, Lord!]

An' the Jar say:--

[Music:

Mumma longubelo, tum tullalullalum tum.]

An' the Jar fire him from the room to the hall.

An' when him reach to the hall him say:--

"Tumpa Toe, Lord! Dory Dunn oh, Lord!"

Jar say:--

"Mumma longubelo Tum tullalullalum tum."

An' all this time the Jar holding him by the hand an' can't let him go.

An' the Jar t'row him outside a door.

When him get out a door old lady say:--

"Tumpa Toe, Lord! Dory Dunn oh, Lord!"

Jar say:--

"Mumma longubelo Tum tullalullalum tum."

Jar hold him 'till.

Jar fire him to seaside now.

An' he got one daughter a seaside.

The daughter say:--

[Music:

Do my Jar, Do my Jar, will you save, will you save my mother life!]

Jar say:--

[Music:

Old lady touch me, old lady touch me, you never will see him no more.]

The daughter say:--

[Music:

Do my Jar, Do my Jar! I will give you some silver fe save my mother life.]

Jar say:--

[Music:

No, my gal, No, my gal, I got silver already; You never will see him no more.]

The Jar fire him in a sea.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Tumpa=, stump. A man who has lost his arm is called a tumpa-hand man.

=enough things=, plenty of things to eat.

In these curiously simple tunes, if tunes they can be called, it is most important to mark the time and to pay great attention to the lengths of the notes. To hear them sing, or rather say, "Lord!" is the most laughable thing. The first one begins on a note rather below the =C= of =Toe=, and slides downwards ending with an expiring grunt on a very low note of the voice. The second one is done in the same way, but is, all the way through, a little lower than the first. The point is to let the breath go with the sliding note instead of holding it as in singing.

=longubelo.= The first syllable is pronounced as in English, and the rest of the vowels are Italian, the =e= being rather more narrowed, but never quite reaching to the sound of =bale=.

=tum tullalullalum tum.= Strong accent on the =tull= and clean neatly cut syllables. Italian vowels.

=mumma.= The =u= between Italian =u= and Italian =o=.

=fire him=, throws her. Yet not quite "throws," for the Jar never lets her hand go. =Fire 'tone= is the usual expression for throwing stones. The Jar fires her first from the bedroom to the living-room (hall), next from the hall to the yard, then from the yard to the seaside, and all the time it holds her by the hand.

XLVI. JOHN CROW AND FOWL-HAWK.

One day Fowl-hawk go to John Crow yard an' tell him that him fe come have a walk with me to a country for something promise there to me.

"One day I go out an' in my way I pass a river. As I come to the river I meet Fowl. Him ask me to help him up, an' the baby any time him born I must come for it. Well my dear sir, the baby born; an' when I go, Fowl say him never make a promise with me. Look you, sir, if you see the picny, nice fresh fe we mouth, an' a no the one, but him hab more. So you will get a good bag of fresh, but the country danger home."

John Crow say:--"Me yerry dat place hab bad name, me no want go."

Hawk say:--"You too fool, we a man! we'll get 'way, me son, if them want to catch we. When me go de the first time me go slam in a Fowl yard. Me an' him stay a whole day a quarrel, an' me no dead. Come, me good friend, make we go."

Them start.

Them fly an' fly till them get over the country.

Hawk say:--"Brother John, we get over the place. Look down yonder, look fresh!"

John Crow say:--"Me no go down de."

Hawk say:--"A so! you too fool! Come make we go down little more."

Them go down till them pitch on a tree.

Hawk say:--"Brother, you see them better. I da go sing make them know say me a come."

John Crow say:--"If them yerry you, dem no will kill we!"

"No, all time me go down me an' Fowl a good friend, no mo' the little quarrel we have."

Hawk call out:--"See me ya me da come, me da come to the bargain, me da come, come; twillinky twing ping ya, me da come."

Fowl hear, tell him picny dem fe go hide.

So Dog was a gunner man, an' him an' Fowl a good friend, for Fowl always give him good treatment.

So Fowl go an' tell Dog say:--"Danger! hawk a come fe me daughter, so me a beg you fe come a yard an' shot him fe me when him come."

Dog come, an' him an' Fowl hide.

Hawk said to John Crow:--"Come make we go down."

John Crow say "No."

Hawk say:--"Hungry will burn you back."

John Crow say:--"Me no trust, me wi' wait 'pon God leisure."

Hawk say:--"All time you wait 'pon God fe give you you will never get; no see me a man no wait 'pon no man? Me go look what me know me want, but me if I get anyt'ing I never give you little piece self, you foolish fellow you! I gone."

Hawk start the singing again going down:--"See me ya, me da come, twillinky twing ping ya."

By Hawk get down Dog hit him _bam_.

Hawk dead.

John Crow laugh "Ha ha! let me pull me rusty bosom shirt an' put on me gown an' go down to see what do that fellah."

John Crow go down.

As him get on Fowl-hawk find that him was dead him say:--"Tank God, ha, ha!"

John Crow dig out the two eye and say:--"A this eye the fellah take a see," an' put it in his pocket an' turn on eating.

Dog look, an' say to Fowl:--"You finish with that one, so, sister, any time them come you send an' call me. I can't stop, I am very vex. I send out my son yesterday an' Puss meet him on the road an' beat him an' take 'way the money that I give him to give Brother Monkey. Him tell me son say him have a old grudge fe me an' him can't get to beat me, so him will beat all me picny. So, sister, I ha da go home, will be blue fire when I catch Puss."

When Dog go to Puss yard an' call him, Dog ask Puss for a drink of water an' a piece of fire.

Puss say:--"Go 'way from me gate, I know whe you come about."

Dog say:--"Ah, me man, will be blue fire!"

Puss gate was lock, for Puss have company the day. This company was Rabbit.

Dog say:--"I want to see you."

Puss say:--"Go 'way I tell you, you mout' long like a devil fork."

Dog broke the gate an' go in.

Puss lock up his house, an' stay inside an' cuss Dog till Dog has to go home.

An' Monkey say him will get the money from Puss for them is good friend.

So Dog go home to his yard an' have a hatred for Puss till death.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=help him up=, with his head-load.

=fresh=, fresh meat.

=a no the one, etc.=, he has not only one, he has several.

=danger home=, is very dangerous.

=over the country=, over the place.

=see me ya, etc.=, see me here, I am coming.

=twillingky twing ping ya=, a good imitation of the Hawk's vengeful shriek. Strong accent on the =ya=.

=bam=, French =a=, English =m=, imitating the discharge of the gun.

=what do that fellah=, what has befallen that fellow.

XLVII. FINGER QUASHY.

One day Dog invite four Puss to dinner. They were good friend. One of the Puss name was Tatafelo, one name Finger Quashy, one name Jack-no-me-touch. The last one was Tumpy John because he has no tail.

When them come, all the Puss was in long coat an' burn-pan hat. Dog was in trousies an' shirt.

An' Dog tell them all howdy very friendly, for he didn' know what Finger Quashy doing him.

An' Finger Quashy quite glad fe see how Dog look friendly an' please, an' didn' have no t'ought that him was tiefing fe him pear.

So the whole of them sit down, Dog making a complain to them that, so he get a pear an put it to ripe, by the time he ready for it him don't see none.

An' Finger Quashy was doing it.

An' Finger Quashy jump up tell Dog:--"Mr. Dog, me no tell you all time say you want one watchman? a da' fellow Ratta a tief you pear. Last night me dream say me see you put me fe watchman an' me catch the fellah, so you better put me fe guard you house from that tiefing Mr. Ratta."

Dog was quite agree.

Dog said:--"After dinner I will tell you better."

Quashy said "Yes."

So Dog lef' them gone to get dinner.

By Dog gone, Quashy come out of the house, go into Dog buttery, see two green pear, take them out go hide them.

Ratta see him go over the kitchen cry out:--"Why, why, why! Quashy take you pear; you no yerry? Quashy take ahm gone."

By Dog get in the house Quashy was in already sitting down look quite meek an' christianable.

Dog lef' them go see if his pear was there.

When he go there was none, an' Dog don't like nothing as his pear an' bone, an' he get vex, take all the dinner t'row it 'way, go in the house take down his 'tick.

By the time Dog fe lick one of the Puss everybody was on a tree on the far side of Dog yard.

Dog swear all sort of bad word fe the one that take him green pear.

Everybody say:--"Thank God me no eat green pear."

Finger Quashy said:--"Lard! what a man fe swear!"

Dog see that he couldn' manage to catch Puss, leave and go away.

An' as Dog turn round, his son playing with fire burn his house an' all his clothes.

From that day Dog hate Puss till now, for it is Puss cause him to have one suit till him dead.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Tatafelo=, Italian =a=, the other vowels English.

=Pear=, _i.e._ the West Indian pear, a delicious vegetable.

=tell you better=, make the final arrangement.

=Why, why, why!= squeaked like a rat.

=by the time Dog fe lick=, as Dog was going to strike.

=everybody=, used also of inanimate objects. They say:--"I going to water cabbage, tomato, everybody."

=T'ank God, etc.=, a favourite form of exculpation, which, however, does not necessarily imply innocence.

XLVIII. ANNANCY AND HIS FISH-POT.

One day Brother Annancy always set him fish-pot in a river ober a fallin' fe catch jonga. Tacoma usual to go an' knock it.

An' Annancy set watch into a river corner, an' Tacoma come fe knock it; he didn' know Brother Annancy hide there fe watchin' him.

As Tacoma go over de fish-pot Brother Annancy chuck him down, an' Tacoma catch in de fish-pot.

Annancy go beg Brother Rabbit say:--"Bro'er Yabbit, me fish-pot catch a big fish, come an' help me knock it, me one can't manage it, Bro'er Yabbit."

Brother Annancy an' Brother Rabbit went to the river.

Annancy say:--"Bro'er Yabbit, me feel me tummy hurt me dis marnin', no able fe put me foot in de cold water, see if you one can manage fe take out de fish-pot."

Brother Rabbit go an' take it out till he nearly make shore with the fish-pot.

Annancy say:--"Bery well, you kill Brother Tacoma! Bery well, you kill Brother Tacoma!"

Then Brother Rabbit commence to cry now, an' the frettenation in a Rabbit he say he kill somebody an' he know they going to hang him, an' next day Rabbit dead.

Then the case didn' try again.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=fish-pot=, made of bamboo strips and looking like a lobster-pot.

=jonga=, the smallest of the three kinds of crawfish which abound in the streams and rivers of Jamaica.

=knock=, empty.

=tummy=; a less pretty word is really used. Annancy squeaks his words more than usual here.

=Bery well, etc.=, in 6/8 rhythm [Music] and he claps his hands to the measure twice in the bar.

=frettenation=, probably fright, but may have something to do with fretting. Owing to Rabbit's fright, he says that he has killed a man. Rabbit, through fright, says that he has killed a man. These elliptical expressions are hard to understand until one has heard them often.

=try again=, try after all.

XLIX. HOG AND DOG.

One day Hog was going out to look work, an' Hog name was Cuddy.

An' he got out an' walk all about an' couldn' get no work.

An' when he come home Ratta employ him to keep watch for him when Broder Puss is coming.

An' Hog ask Rat how much is his pay.

An' Rat tell him that he will give him t'ree an' sixpence a week but he must find himself every t'ing to eat an' drink.

An' Hog didn' agree. But as the time being so hard he says he will bear with Ratta till the week out.

An' when the week done Ratta pay Hog, an' Ratta t'ought that Hog was still keeping watch for him.

So Ratta go out, an' when he come back he didn' fin' Hog.

An' him say:--Wasn' God, Puss would broke in on him.

An' him cuss Hog that Hog would walk an' never get no work, an' some which worse than Hog will laugh after him.

An' Hog start one morning to look work.

What that fellah Mr. Dog done Hog.

As he, being a market-keeper, he set down at the market gate an' see Hog was passing, an' he ask Hog where he is going.

Hog tell him that he is going to look a little work.

Same time Dog burst out a laugh. An' as he burst out a laugh he ask Hog t'ought he was working with Ratta.

An' Hog feel so shame to himself till he wouldn' answer Dog.

An' Dog laugh after Hog with this sing:--

[Music:

Time get so hard Hog an' all a look work, Dog sit down a market gate an' go laugh at a Hog distress; me rarabum Cuddy de da door, me rarabum Cuddy de da door, me rarabum Cuddy de da door.]

An' Dog sing an' sing an' sing till Hog get vex an' come home back.

An' from that day that's why Hog must always hate Dog until now.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Cuddy=, short for Cordelia.

=wasn' God=, if it wasn't for God.

=rarabum=, nonsense word, Italian vowels.

=de da door=, is at door, is out of doors.

L. DEVIL AND THE PRINCESS.

Once a King has a daughter, an' that gal was a pet to her father.

So one day a Prince come to ask for her.

The father love the young man, but the gal say:--"Puppa, me don't like him." So the father promise her that anybody she see she like he will agree to it.

So one night a good friend of the King made a dance an' invite the young Princess to the ball.

This man who made the dance invite all classes of people. So he invite Devil too, but they don't know that it was Devil.

When all the guests come everybody give their name. Devil give his name Mr. Winkler. So the ball commenced.

Devil see the gal. He went an' ask her if she wish to dance with him.

The gal was so glad say:--"Yes, sir, for I love you the most."

When they dance till daylight the gal don't want to lef' Devil.

She say to Devil:--"Come have a walk home with me."

Devil say:--"Yes, I would go, but I am a man have such a great business, I has to go home very soon to seek after it."

The gal say:--"Come go home with me you will get me to marry, for my father is a King."

An' as Devil hear about marry he go home with the gal.

When she get to the house she call to her father:--"Puppa, here come my lover, I have found him at last."

So the servant-boy was an old-witch, said:--"Young mistress, you know that man is Devil?"

The gal get vex, begin to cry.

She go to her father crying, tell him "the servant-boy cuss me most shameful."

The father get upstarted, come out to the boy, don't ask the boy nothing, catch the boy an' put him in prison.

They take Mr Winkler in the palace, an' the father fix up an' they get marry.

After Mr. Winkler get marry he said:--"I am ready to go."

The King say:--"No, I can't send away my one daughter. You must stay and I will make you a King too."

Mr. Winkler say "No."

During this time they don't know that it was Devil, for when the boy tell them they get vex.

Devil marry ten time an' he eat all his wife, so he was going to eat this Princess too.

So, as he was so anxious to go, the gal have to go with him.

When they ready to start the father give them a long bag full with money. Devil get a boatman an' they start.

They sail four days before they get to their home.

When the gal get there she go meet a old lady in the house. This lady was Devil cook.

As he got in he said to the cook:--"I have got a good fat meat for the party."

So Devil go an' lock up the gal in a bar, an' lef' the old lady to watch if the gal is going to get 'way. He lef' a Cock that any time the old lady say that the gal get 'way he must call, an' him lef' a bag of corn to feed the Cock that he may keep good watch.

The old lady say "Yes."

Devil ready to start, order his t'ree-foot horse saddle, for he is going to invite his friend to come an' help him eat the gal.

He start, deeble-a-bup, deeble-a-bup.

As he get about a mile the old lady go in to the gal, take her out an' tell her that her husband is Devil an' he is going to eat you.

The gal begin to cry.

The old lady say:--"Don't cry, I love you an' I going to let you go, but the Cock is a watchman; he will see you, an' if he see you he will call for his master, but never min' I will try."

The old lady get ten quart of the corn an' a gallon of rum, soak the corn in it for about a hour, an' after give it to the Cock.

An' the Cock eat the whole evening till night, an', after him finish eat, him drop asleep.

The old lady get a boatman an' pay him an' he take the gal over the sea.

When day nearly light the Cock wake an' go to look if he see the gal through a hole. When he look the gal was gone. Him go to the cook an' ask.

The lady said:--"Him gone, an' I was calling you an' you never wake."

Then Cock sing out:--

[Music:

Mister Winkler Winkler oh coocoorico the gal is gone. Awake me wake go look a hole the gal was gone.]

Mr. Winkler hear an' was coming like lighten with his t'ree-foot horse, deeble-a-bup, deeble-a-bup.

He call out:--"Me coming", deeble-a-bup, "Me coming", deeble-a-bup.

At last he reach the yard an' see the gal gone. He get a canoe an' start after her, an' by next day light he see the gal boat was far away.

He call out:--"Sairey de 'pon sea, Sairey de 'pon sea, come back darling, you husband de come fe you."

When the gal look he say:--"Shub ahead, boatman, do, to save me life!"

An' by the time they get a land Devil was near them.

An' the boatman shot off a piece of Devil canoe an' water get in, so Devil has to go home back.

An' when the gal go home, tell her father what was her life, the father say:--"Don't marry again to nobody, not if even the King."

An' the father take her in an' give her servant to look after her.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=cuss=, abuse. It does not imply swearing. To swear is to =cuss bad word=.

=in a bar=, a barred-up room.

=deeble-a-bup=, the sound of the three-legged horse's step. Compare the itty-itty-hap of "Mr. Bluebeard."

The Cook adopts Annancy's device in "Annancy and Screech-owl."

=coocoorico.= The Cock's crow is excellent. The Negro is very clever in his imitation of animals.

=a hole=, at the hole, through the hole.

=canoe=, pronounced with accent on the first syllable and French =a=.

LI. WHEELER.

One day Puss was going out on a journey, an' he travel till he reach to a river mouth. An' as Puss being afraid for water he couldn' cross the river.

An' Puss has to stop for two day an' one night, an' Puss climb a tree which hang over the water.

An' Mr. Annancy was fishening.

An' Annancy fishening till him come where Puss was, an' Puss didn' call to Annancy.

An' same time Annancy meet up a licking 'tump a river side. Annancy lick, him lick, him lick, him lick outside till him sen' him han' inside.

An' when Annancy shub him hand him feel something hold him.

An' Annancy get very frighten an' pull fe get him hand out, an' him couldn' get 'way.

An' Annancy ask the question:--"Who hold me?"

An' a voice in a the 'tump said:--"Me, Wheeler."

An' Annancy said to him must wheel him make him see.

An' him wheel Mr. Annancy mile an' distant.

An' when Annancy drop he didn' dead, an' he said:--"T'ank God! I met with a little accident, but I see it going to be a living for me an' me family."

An' Mr. Annancy went home an' get some lovely iron peg, an' when him come he plant them in the river course to the very spot which him did drop.

That time Puss seeing all what Mr Annancy is doing.

Annancy leave, an' come where Wheeler is, an' keep himself very quiet, an' presently Peafowl was passing.

An' Annancy call upon him say:--"Bro'er Peafowl, a living is here for me an' you."

An' Peafowl ask him what is it.

An' he take Peafowl an' carry him where Wheeler is, and he says:--"Bro'er Peafowl, you see that hole. As you hand is so long, don't be afraid, just shub you hand in there now an' you will find something grand."

An' as Peafowl shub in him hand Wheeler hold him.

An' Annancy tell him that he must pull.

An' when him pull he couldn' get 'way.

An' Mr. Annancy feel very proud an' happy till he laugh with joy in his heart.

An' when him done laugh him tell Peafowl to say:--"Who hold me here?"

An' Wheeler say:--"Me, Wheeler."

Annancy tell him to say:--"Wheel me mile an' distant."

An' him wheel Peafowl an' dash him on the iron peg, an' Mr. Annancy went an' pick him up an' put him in his bag.

An' him went back to his old place a bush an' sat quiet.

That time Puss was seeing all this.

Ratta was passing, an' as Annancy see him Annancy said to him:--"I's all you deeshent man I like to see."

An' Ratta ask him:--"What for?"

An' Annancy say:--"Don't be afraid; a living is here for you an' me."

An' he carry Ratta an' show him the 'tump.

An' when him show Ratta, Ratta ask him if this is the living.

Annancy say:--"No shub you han', man, in the hole, an' you will fin' a living."

An' as Ratta shub him hand Wheeler hold him.

An' Annancy tell him that he must pull.

Him say he can't get 'way.

Annancy tell him to ask:--"Who hold me?"

"Me, Wheeler."

Annancy tell him must say:--"Wheel me mile an' distant."

An' he wheel Ratta an' dash him on the iron peg again.

Annancy went an' pick him up an' put him in his bag, an' go back same place.

After, Puss come down off the tree an' walk through the bush an' go down the river a little ways an' then turn up back, coming up very meek an' poorly.

Annancy so glad to see Bro'er Puss him say:--"Walk up my bold friend Mr. Puss. Come an' see the living which is here for me an' you."

An' Puss playing as to say that he didn' know nothing at all about it.

An' Mr. Annancy begin to show Puss the 'tump, an' he tell Puss to shub him hand in the hole.

When Annancy show Puss the hole, Puss say that him don' see it.

Annancy get vex and say:--"Shub you han' you so, man! Shub you han' you so, man! There, there!"

An' Puss put him hand another way, playing to say he don' see it. An' he go on, go on, till Annancy make a flourish with him own hand, an' Annancy hand slip in the hole an' Wheeler catch him.

An' Annancy begin to cry as him know the danger which is down below.

An' him cry out:--"Do, me good Bro'er Push, jus' run a river course; you will see some iron peg, pull them up for me."

An' Puss begin fe walk in him sinnicky way, an' hide a bush where Annancy can't see.

When Puss come, him say him pull them.

Annancy wouldn' believe, an' crying still say:--"Bro'er Push, mus' go an' fetch one come make me see."

Puss go, an' when him come back him come without it.

Annancy ask him where is it.

Him tell Annancy that it too heavy, an' him roll it 'way.

An' Annancy, still crying, wouldn' believe. An' he begin to call Puss Godfather Push, an' beg him hard:--"Do, me good Godfather Push, just you jump pull dem."

An' him go on, go on, till him believe Puss, an' him ask the question:--"Who hold me?"

"Me, Wheeler."

"Wheel me mile an' distant."

An' Annancy fly by the air an' drop slam on his own trap.

An' Puss walk down an' pick up Annancy, an' put him in the bag with Peafowl an' Ratta an' carry off all the living with a jolly song:--

[Music:

Poor me little Cubba boy, barn day no Cubba? Me da go da Vaylum, barn day no Cubba?]

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=licking 'tump=, a tree stump with bees in it. The honey trickling out makes a licking-stump of it.

=lick, him lick, him lick.= These words are run closely together, then a pause, and then =him lick outside=. Pause again, after which the sentence finishes.

=wheel=, to cause to turn or spin. I have no clue to =Mr. Wheeler=.

=mile an' distant=, to the distance of a mile.

=I's all you, etc.=, it's all you decent men.

=What for?= Ratta was suspicious of Annancy's flattery.

=poorly=, poor in spirit, meek.

=sinnicky=, sneaky.

=Bro'er Push, must go=, you must go.

=barn day no Cubba?= is not my born-day (birthday) Cubba. Children used to be named according to the day of the week on which they were born.

Day. Boys. Girls.

Sunday. Quashy. Quashiba. Monday. Cudjo. Jubba. Tuesday. Cubbenna. Cubba. Wednesday. Quaco. Memba. Thursday. Qua. Abba. Friday. Cuffy. Fibba. Saturday. Quamin. Beniba.

According to this list, Cubba is a girl's name, but it is perhaps short for Cubbenna.

=me da go da Vaylum=, I am going to Vaylum.