Chapter 3

Professor J. A. Harrison of the Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia, has recently written a paper on "The Creole Patois of Louisiana,"[i_21] which is full of interest to those interested in the study of dialects. In the course of his paper, Professor Harrison says: "Many philologists have noted the felicitous [Greek: _aithiopizein_] of Uncle Remus in the negro dialect of the South. The Creole lends itself no less felicitously to the _recit_ and to the _conte_, as we may say on good authority. The fables of La Fontaine and Perrin, and the Gospel of St. John have, indeed, been translated into the dialect of San Domingo or Martinique; lately we have had a Greek plenipotentiary turning Dante into the idiom of New Hellas; what next? Any one who has seen the delightful 'Chansons Canadiennes' of M. Ernest Gagnon (Quebec, 1880) knows what pleasant things may spring from the naive consciousness of the people. The Creole of Louisiana lends itself admirably to those _petits poemes_, those simple little dramatic tales, compositions, improvisations, which, shunning the regions of abstraction and metaphysics, recount the experiences of a story-teller, put into striking and pregnant syllabuses the memorabilia of some simple life, or sum up in pointed monosyllables the humor of plantation anecdote." Professor Harrison alludes to interesting examples of the Creole negro dialect that occur in the works of Mr. George W. Cable, and in "L'Habitation Saint-Ybars," by Dr. Alfred Mercier, an accomplished physician and _litterateur_ of New Orleans. In order to show the possibilities of the Creole negro dialect, the following _Conte Negre_, after Dr. Mercier, is given. The story is quoted by Professor Harrison, and the literal interlinear version is inserted by him to give a clue to the meaning. The Miss Meadows of the Georgia negro, it will be perceived, becomes Mamzel Calinda, and the story is one with which the readers of the first volume of Uncle Remus are familiar. It is entitled "Mariage Mlle. Calinda."

1. Dan tan le zote foi, compair Chivreil ave compair Dans temps les autres fois, compere Chevreuil avec compere

2. Torti te tou le de ape fe lamou a Mamzel Calinda. Tortue etaient tous les deux apres faire l'amour a Mademoiselle Calinda.

3. Mamzel Calinda te linmin mie compair Chivreil, cofair Mlle. Calinda avait aime mieux compere Chevreuil, [pour] quoi faire

4. li pli vaian; me li te linmin compair Torti oucite, le plus vaillant; mais elle avait aime compere Tortue aussi,

5. li si tan gagnin bon tchor! Popa Mamzel Calinda di li: il si tant gagner bon coeur! Papa Mlle. Calinda dire lui:

6. "Mo fie, li tan to maie; fo to soizi cila to oule." Landimin, "Ma fille, il (est) temps te marier; faut te choisir cela tu voulez." Lendemain,

7. compair Chivreil ave compair Torti rive tou ye de cote Mlle. C. compere Chevreuil avec compere Tortue arriver tous eux de cote Mlle. C.

8. Mamzel C., qui te zongle tou la nouite, di ye: "Michie Chivreil ave Mlle. C., qui avait songe toute la nuit, dire eux: "Monsieur Chevreuil avec

9. Michie Torti, mo popa oule mo maie. Mo pa oule di ain Monsieur Tortue, mon papa vouloir me marier. Moi pas vouloir dire un

10. dan ouzote non. Ouzote a galope ain lacourse dice foi cate dans vous autres non. Vous autres va galopper une la course dix fois quatre

11. narpan; cila qui sorti divan, ma maie ave li. Ape dimin arpents; cela qui sortir devant, moi va marier avec lui. Apres demain

12. dimance, ouzote a galope." Ye parti couri, compair Chivreil dimanche, vous autres va galopper." Eux partir courir, compere Chevreuil

13. zo tchor contan; compair Torti ape zongle li-minme: son coeur content; compere Tortue apres songer lui-meme:

14. "Dan tan pace, mo granpopa bate compair Lapin pou "Dans temps passe, mon grandpapa battre compere Lapin pour

15. galope. Pa conin coman ma fe pou bate compair Chivreil." galopper. Pas conner (= connaitre) comment moi va faire pour battre compere Chevreuil."

16. Dan tan cila, nave ain vie, vie cocodri qui te gagnin Dans temps cela en avait un vieux, vieux crocodile qui avait gagne

17. plice pace cincante di zan. Li te si malin, ye te pele li plus passe cinquante dix ans. Lui etait si malin, eux avaient appele lui

18. compair Zavoca. La nouite vini, compair Torti couri trouve compere Avocat. La nuit venir, compere Tortue courir trouver

19. compair Zavoca, e conte li coman li barace pou so compere Avocat, et conter lui comment lui embarrasser pour sa

20. lacourse. Compair Zavoca di compair Torti: "Mo ben la course. Compere Avocat dire compere Tortue: "Moi bien

21. oule ide toi, mo gacon; nou proce minme famie; la tair vouloir aider toi, mon garcon; nous proche meme famille; la terre

22. ave do lo minme kichoge pou nizote. Mo zongle zafair avec de l'eau meme quelquechose pour nous autres. Moi va songer cette affaire

23. To vini dimin bon matin; ma di toi qui pou fe." Toi venir demain bon matin; moi va dire toi que pour faire."

24. Compair Torti couri couce; me li pas dromi boucou, Compere Tortue courir coucher; mais lui pas dormir beaucoup,

25. li te si tan tracasse. Bon matin li parti couri lui etait si tant tracasse. Bon matin lui partir courir

26. cote compair Zavoca. Compair Zavoca dija diboute ape cote compere Avocat. Compere Avocat deja debout apres

27. boi so cafe. "Bonzou, Michie Zavoca." "Bonzou, mo boire son cafe. "Bonjour, Monsieur Avocat." "Bonjour, mon

28. gacon. Zafair cila donne moin boucou traca; min mo garcon. Cette affaire cela donne moi beaucoup tracas; mais moi

29. cre ta bate compair Chivreil, si to fe mekie ma di toi." crois toi va battre compere Chevreuil, si toi fais metier moi va dire toi."

30. "Vouzote a pranne jige jordi pou misire chimin au ra "Vous autres va prendre juge aujourd'hui pour mesurer chemin au ras

31. bayou; chac cate narpan mete jalon. Compair Chivreil a bayou; chaque quatre arpents mettez jalon. Compere Chevreuil va

32. galope on la tair; toi, ta galope dan dolo. To ben compranne galopper en la terre; toi, tu va galopper dans de l'eau. Toi bien comprendre

33. ca mo di toi?" "O, oui, compair Zavoca, mo ben cela moi dire toi?" "O, oui, compere Avocat, moi bien

34. coute ton ca vape di." "A soua, can la nouite vini, ecouter tout cela vous apres dire." "Le soir, quand la nuit venir,

35. ta couri pranne nef dan to zami, e ta chache aine dan toi va courir prendre neuf dans tes amis, et toi va cacher un dans

36. zerb au ra chakene zalon ye. Toi, ta couri cache au ra herbe au ras chacun jalon eux. Toi, toi va courir cacher au ras

37. la mison Mamzel Calinda. To ben compranne ca mo di toi?" la maison Mlle. Calinda. Toi bien comprendre cela moi dire toi?"

38. "O, oui, compair Zavoca, mo tou compranne mekie ca vou "O, oui, compere Avocat, moi tout comprendre metier cela vous

39. di." "Eben! couri pare pou sove lonnair nou nachion." dire." "Eh bien! courir preparer pour sauver l'honneur notre nation."

40. Compair Torti couri cote compair Chivreil e range tou Compere Tortue courir cote compere Chevreuil et arranger tout

41. kichoge compair Zavoca di li. Compair Chivreil si tan sire quelquechose compere Avocat dire lui. Compere Chevreuil si tant sur

42. gagnin lacourse, li di oui tou ca compair Torti oule. gagner la course, lui dire oui tout cela compere Tortue vouloir.

43. Landimin bon matin, ton zabitan semble pou oua Lendemain bon matin, tous habitants assembler pour voir

44. gran lacourse. Can lhair rive, compair Chivreil ave grande la course. Quand l'heure arriver, compere Chevreuil avec

45. compair Torti tou le de pare. Jige la crie: "Go!" e ye compere Tortue tous les deux prepares. Juge la crier: "Go!" et eux

46. parti galope. Tan compair Chivreil rive cote primie partir galopper. Temps compere Chevreuil arriver cote premier

47. zalon, li hele: "Halo, compair Torti!" "Mo la, compair jalon, lui heler: "Halo, compere Tortue!" "Moi la, compere

48. Chivreil!" Tan ye rive dezieme zalon, compair Chivreil Chevreuil!" Temps eux arriver deuxieme jalon, compere Chevreuil

49. siffle: "Fioute!" Compair Torti reponne: "Croak!" Troisieme siffler: "Fioute!" Compere Tortue repondre: "Croak!" Troisieme

50. zalon boute, compair Torti tink-a-tink ave compair jalon au bout, compere Tortue tingue-a-tingue avec compere

51. Chivreil. "Diabe! Torti la galope pli vite Chevreuil. "Diable! Tortue la galopper plus vite

52. pace stimbotte; fo mo grouye mo cor." Tan compair passe steamboat; faut moi grouiller mon corps." Temps compere

53. Chivreil rive cote nevieme zalon, li oua compair Torti Chevreuil arriver cote neuvieme jalon, lui voir compere Tortue

54. ape patchiou dan dolo. Li mete ton so laforce apres _patchiou_! dans de l'eau. Lui mettre toute sa la force

55. dihior pou aien; avan li rive cote bite, li tende dehors pour rien; avant lui arriver cote but, lui entendre

56. ton monne ape hele: "Houra! houra! pou compair Torti!" tout monde apres heler: "Hourra! hourra! pour compere Tortue!"

57. Tan li rive, li oua compair Torti on la garlie ape Temps lui arriver, lui voir compere Tortue en la galerie apres

58. brasse Mamzel Calinda. Ca fe li si tan mal, li embrasser Mlle. Calinda. Cela faire lui si tant mal, lui

59. sape dan boi. Compair Torti maie ave Mamzel Calinda s'echapper dans bois. Compere Tortue marier avec Mlle. Calinda

60. samedi ape vini, e tou monne manze, boi, jika samedi apres venir, et tout monde manger, boire jusqu'a

61. y tchiak.[i_22] eux griser.

It only remains to be said that none of the stories given in the present volume are "cooked." They are given in the simple but picturesque language of the negroes, just as the negroes tell them. The Ghost-story, in which the dead woman returns in search of the silver that had been placed upon her eyes, is undoubtedly of white origin; but Mr. Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain) heard it among the negroes of Florida, Missouri, where it was "The Woman with the Golden Arm." Fortunately, it was placed in the mouth of 'Tildy, the house-girl, who must be supposed to have heard her mistress tell it. But it has been negroized to such an extent that it may be classed as a negro legend; and it is possible that the white version is itself based upon a negro story. At any rate, it was told to the writer by different negroes; and he saw no reason to doubt its authenticity until after a large portion of the book was in type. His relations to the stories are simply those of editor and compiler. He has written them as they came to him, and he is responsible only for the setting. He has endeavored to project them upon the background and to give them the surroundings which they had in the old days that are no more; and it has been his purpose to give in their recital a glimpse of plantation life in the South before the war. If the reader, therefore, will exercise his imagination to the extent of believing that the stories are told to a little boy by a group of negroes on a plantation in Middle Georgia, before the war, he will need neither foot-note nor explanation to guide him.

In the preparation of this volume the writer has been placed under obligations to many kind friends. But for the ready sympathy and encouragement of the proprietors of "The Atlanta Constitution"--but for their generosity, it may be said--the writer would never have found opportunity to verify the stories and prepare them for the press. He is also indebted to hundreds of kind correspondents in all parts of the Southern States, who have interested themselves in the work of collecting the legends. He is particularly indebted to Mrs. Helen S. Barclay, of Darien, to Mr. W. O. Tuggle, to Hon. Charles C. Jones, Jr., to the accomplished daughters of Mr. Griswold, of Clinton, Georgia, and to Mr. John Devereux, Jr., and Miss Devereux, of Raleigh, North Carolina.

J. C. H. ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

FOOTNOTES:

[i_1] _Uncle Remus; His Songs and His Sayings._ The Folk-Lore of the Old Plantation. New York: D. Appleton & Co. 1880.

[i_2] _Amazonian Tortoise Myths_, pp. 2, 3.

[i_3] Page 10.

[i_4] _Kaffir Folk-Lore_; or, _A Selection from the Traditional Tales current among the People living on the Eastern Border of the Cape Colony_. London, 1882.

[i_5] _Kaffir Folk-Lore_, p. 43.

[i_6] Professor Hartt, in his _Amazonian Tortoise Myths_, relates the story of "The Jabuti that Cheated the Man." The Jabuti is identical with Brother Terrapin. The man carried the Jabuti to his house, put him in a box, and went out. By and by the Jabuti began to sing, just as Brother Rabbit did. The man's children listened, and the Jabuti stopped. The children begged him to continue, but to this he replied: "If you are pleased with my singing, how much more would you be pleased if you could see me dance." The children thereupon took him from the box, and placed him in the middle of the floor, where he danced, to their great delight. Presently, the Jabuti made an excuse to go out, and fled. The children procured a stone, painted it like the tortoise, and placed it in the box. After a while the man returned, took the painted stone from the box and placed it on the fire, where it burst as soon as it became heated. Meantime, the Jabuti had taken refuge in a burrow having two openings, so that, while the man was looking in at one opening, the tortoise would appear at another. Professor Hartt identifies this as a sun-myth--the slow-sun (or tortoise) escaping from the swift-moon (or man).

[i_7] _Kaffir Folk-Lore_, p. 84.

[i_8] Page 89.

[i_9] _Kaffir Folk-Lore_, p. 178.

[i_10] Page 111.

[i_11] _Kaffir Folk-Lore_, p. 166.

[i_12] _Uncle Remus: His Songs and Sayings_, xix. p. 88.

[i_13] _Amazonian Tortoise Myths_, p. 29.

[i_14] _Reynard, the Fox, in South Africa_; or, _Hottentot Fables and Tales_. By W. H. I. Bleek, Ph. D. London, 1864.

[i_15] Page 32.

[i_16] Bleek, p. 23.

[i_17] _O'Selvagem_, p. 237. Quoted by Mr. Herbert H. Smith, in his work _Brazil and the Amazons_.

[i_18] Page 37.

[i_19] The first volume.

[i_20] D. G. Brinton's _Myths_, pp. 161-170.

[i_21] _The American Journal of Philology_, vol. iii. no. 11.

[i_22] _Tchiak_ is the name given by the Creole negroes to the starling, which, Dr. Mercier tells me, is applied adjectively to express various states of spirituous exhilaration.--_Note by Prof. Harrison._ --------------------------------------------------------------------

NIGHTS WITH UNCLE REMUS

I

MR. FOX AND MISS GOOSE

It had been raining all day so that Uncle Remus found it impossible to go out. The storm had begun, the old man declared, just as the chickens were crowing for day, and it had continued almost without intermission. The dark gray clouds had blotted out the sun, and the leafless limbs of the tall oaks surrendered themselves drearily to the fantastic gusts that drove the drizzle fitfully before them. The lady to whom Uncle Remus belonged had been thoughtful of the old man, and 'Tildy, the house-girl, had been commissioned to carry him his meals. This arrangement came to the knowledge of the little boy at supper time, and he lost no time in obtaining permission to accompany 'Tildy.

Uncle Remus made a great demonstration over the thoughtful kindness of his "Miss Sally."

"Ef she aint one blessid w'ite 'oman," he said, in his simple, fervent way, "den dey aint none un um 'roun' in deze parts."

With that he addressed himself to the supper, while the little boy sat by and eyed him with that familiar curiosity common to children. Finally the youngster disturbed the old man with an inquiry:

"Uncle Remus, do geese stand on one leg all night, or do they sit down to sleep?"

"Tooby sho' dey does, honey; dey sets down same ez you does. Co'se, dey don't cross der legs," he added, cautiously, "kase dey sets down right flat-footed."

"Well, I saw one the other day, and he was standing on one foot, and I watched him and watched him, and he kept on standing there."

"Ez ter dat," responded Uncle Remus, "dey mought stan' on one foot an' drap off ter sleep en fergit deyse'f. Deze yer gooses," he continued, wiping the crumbs from his beard with his coat-tail, "is mighty kuse fowls; deyer mighty kuse. In ole times dey wuz 'mongs de big-bugs, en in dem days, w'en ole Miss Goose gun a-dinin', all de quality wuz dere. Likewise, en needer wuz dey stuck-up, kase wid all der kyar'n's on, Miss Goose wer'n't too proud fer ter take in washin' fer de neighborhoods, en she make money, en get slick en fat lak Sis Tempy.

"Dis de way marters stan' w'en one day Brer Fox en Brer Rabbit, dey wuz settin' up at de cotton-patch, one on one side de fence, en t'er one on t'er side, gwine on wid one er n'er, w'en fus' news dey know, dey year sump'n--_blim_, _blim_, _blim_!

"Brer Fox, he ax w'at dat fuss is, en Brer Rabbit, he up'n 'spon' dat it's ole Miss Goose down at de spring. Den Brer Fox, he up'n ax w'at she doin', en Brer Rabbit, he say, sezee, dat she battlin' cloze."

"Battling clothes, Uncle Remus?" said the little boy.

"Dat w'at dey call it dem days, honey. Deze times, dey rubs cloze on deze yer bodes w'at got furrers in um, but dem days dey des tuck'n tuck de cloze en lay um out on a bench, en ketch holt er de battlin'-stick en natally paddle de fillin' outen um.

"W'en Brer Fox year dat ole Miss Goose wuz down dar dabblin' in soapsuds en washin' cloze, he sorter lick he chops, en 'low dat some er dese odd-come-shorts he gwine ter call en pay he 'specks. De minnit he say dat, Brer Rabbit, he know sump'n' 'uz up, en he 'low ter hisse'f dat he 'speck he better whirl in en have some fun w'iles it gwine on. Bimeby Brer Fox up'n say ter Brer Rabbit dat he bleedzd ter be movin' 'long todes home, en wid dat dey bofe say good-bye.

"Brer Fox, he put out ter whar his fambly wuz, but Brer Rabbit, he slip 'roun', he did, en call on ole Miss Goose. Ole Miss Goose she wuz down at de spring, washin', en b'ilin', en battlin' cloze; but Brer Rabbit he march up en ax her howdy, en den she tuck'n ax Brer Rabbit howdy.

"'I'd shake han's 'long wid you, Brer Rabbit,' sez she, 'but dey er all full er suds,' sez she.

"'No marter 'bout dat, Miss Goose,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, 'so long ez yo' will's good,' sezee."

"A goose with hands, Uncle Remus!" the little boy exclaimed.

"How you know goose aint got han's?" Uncle Remus inquired, with a frown. "Is you been sleepin' longer ole man Know-All? Little mo' en you'll up'n stan' me down dat snakes aint got no foots, and yit you take en lay a snake down yer 'fo' de fier, en his foots 'll come out right 'fo' yo' eyes."

Uncle Remus paused here, but presently continued:

"Atter ole Miss Goose en Brer Rabbit done pass de time er day wid one er n'er, Brer Rabbit, he ax 'er, he did, how she come on deze days, en Miss Goose say, mighty po'ly.

"'I'm gittin' stiff en I'm gittin' clumpsy,' sez she, 'en mo'n dat I'm gittin' bline,' sez she. 'Des 'fo' you happen 'long, Brer Rabbit, I drap my specks in de tub yer, en ef you'd 'a' come 'long 'bout dat time,' sez ole Miss Goose, sez she, 'I lay I'd er tuck you for dat nasty, owdashus Brer Fox, en it ud er bin a born blessin' ef I had n't er scald you wid er pan er b'ilin' suds,' sez she. 'I'm dat glad I foun' my specks I dunner w'at ter do,' sez ole Miss Goose, sez she.

"Den Brer Rabbit, he up'n say dat bein's how Sis Goose done fotch up Brer Fox name, he got sump'n' fer ter tell 'er, en den he let out 'bout Brer Fox gwine ter call on 'er.

"He comin' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee; 'he comin' sho', en w'en he come hit 'll be des 'fo' day,' sezee.

"Wid dat, ole Miss Goose wipe 'er han's on 'er apun, en put 'er specks up on 'er forrerd, en look lak she done got trouble in 'er mine.

"'Laws-a-massy!' sez she, 'spozen he come, Brer Rabbit! W'at I gwine do? En dey aint a man 'bout de house, n'er,' sez she.

"Den Brer Rabbit, he shot one eye, en he say, sezee:

"'Sis Goose, de time done come w'en you bleedzd ter roos' high. You look lak you got de dropsy,' sezee, 'but don't mine dat, kase ef you don't roos' high, youer goner,' sezee.

"Den ole Miss Goose ax Brer Rabbit w'at she gwine do, en Brer Rabbit he up en tell Miss Goose dat she mus' go home en tie up a bundle er de w'ite folks' cloze, en put um on de bed, en den she mus' fly up on a rafter, en let Brer Fox grab de cloze en run off wid um.

"Ole Miss Goose say she much 'blige, en she tuck'n tuck her things en waddle off home, en dat night she do lak Brer Rabbit say wid de bundle er cloze, en den she sont wud ter Mr. Dog, en Mr. Dog he come down, en say he'd sorter set up wid 'er.

"Des 'fo' day, yer come Brer Fox creepin' up, en he went en push on de do' easy, en de do' open, en he see sump'n' w'ite on de bed w'ich he took fer Miss Goose, en he grab it en run. 'Bout dat time Mr. Dog sail out fum und' de house, he did, en ef Brer Fox had n't er drapt de cloze, he'd er got kotch. Fum dat, wud went 'roun' dat Brer Fox bin tryin' ter steal Miss Goose cloze, en he come mighty nigh losin' his stannin' at Miss Meadows. Down ter dis day," Uncle Remus continued, preparing to fill his pipe, "Brer Fox b'leeve dat Brer Rabbit wuz de 'casion er Mr. Dog bein' in de neighborhoods at dat time er night, en Brer Rabbit aint 'spute it. De bad feelin' 'twix' Brer Fox en Mr. Dog start right dar, en hits bin agwine on twel now dey aint git in smellin' distuns er one er n'er widout dey's a row."

II

BROTHER FOX CATCHES MR. HORSE

There was a pause after the story of old Miss Goose. The culmination was hardly sensational enough to win the hearty applause of the little boy, and this fact appeared to have a depressing influence upon Uncle Remus. As he leaned slightly forward, gazing into the depths of the great fireplace, his attitude was one of pensiveness.

"I 'speck I done wo' out my welcome up at de big house," he said, after a while. "I mos' knows I is," he continued, setting himself resignedly in his deep-bottomed chair. "Kase de las' time I uz up dar, I had my eye on Miss Sally mighty nigh de whole blessid time, en w'en you see Miss Sally rustlin' 'roun' makin' lak she fixin' things up dar on de mantle-shelf, en bouncin' de cheers 'roun', en breshin' dus' whar dey aint no dus', en flyin' 'roun' singin' sorter louder dan common, den I des knows sump'n' done gone en rile 'er."

"Why, Uncle Remus!" exclaimed the little boy; "Mamma was just glad because I was feeling so good."

"Mought er bin," the old man remarked, in a tone that was far from implying conviction. "Ef 't wa'n't dat, den she wuz gittin' tired er seem' me lounjun' 'roun' up dar night atter night, en ef 't wa'n't dat, den she wuz watchin' a chance fer ter preach ter yo' pa. Oh, I done bin know Miss Sally long fo' yo' pa is!" exclaimed Uncle Remus, in response to the astonishment depicted upon the child's face. "I bin knowin' 'er sence she wuz so high, en endurin' er all dat time I aint seed no mo' up'n spoken' w'ite 'oman dan w'at Miss Sally is.