Matty Glow- Antoine (St Vincent) 1966 Abrahams B
[My title. From: Child Ballads in the West Indies: Familiar Fabulations, Creole Performances by Roger D. Abrahams; Journal of Folklore Research, Vol. 24, No. 2 (May - Aug., 1987), pp. 107-134.
This is a cante fable- story with song- based on Child 81. In the St. Vincent versions the parrot replaces the foot-page. In this version the names are confused. Matty Glow is Lady Barnard and Garoleen is Littel Musgrave.
For a recording listen to Blinky (Sylvester McIntosh of St. Croix) and the Roadmasters' "Matty Gru" (on VIBlinky01). Abrahams' notes folllow.
R. Matteson 2015]
In the second version, the localization of activities differs; the master leaves the island to go to Trinidad. As in the first rendering, a large part of the actual performance consists of the parrot's search for the master.
Matty Glow- Collected from Elisha Antoine, Georgetown, St. Vincent, May 9, 1966; transcribed by Karl Reisman.
Matty Glow is in the bed with Garilee;
If any man, any man, any man,
Any man in another one' house,
It is time for to rise and go home.
"Pretty Poll, Pretty Poll, Pretty Poll
Pretty Poll don't you tell me no lie."
"Yes, Matty Glow is in the bed with Garilee."
That was a man, he was a baker, he works all over [on the] sea, [by the] name of Dean. And e wife name Matty Glow. And Matty Glow is keepin' by a man call name of Garilee, when Dean gone away. But Dean have a parrot, that anything happen the parrot goin' say. And this day when Dean come-e come, so happens, [to] hit 'pon the woman, meet she cleanin' out the parrot cage. An' she was so glad she turn off an' lef' the cage open. An' the parrot [got] out [and immediately flew] for town. When the parrot reach in town, it was only one vessel there to go with. An' e get on the mas'. An' when e reach in Trin'dad, when e reach in Trin'dad, the fo's' [first] bakeshop e meet, he sing:
Masta Dean, Masta Dean, Masta Dean,
Matty Glow is in the bed with Garilee.
The baker then come out. They say, "He is not here. He been here an' e jus' gone up the nex' big tree. The parrot fly to the nex' big tree. When e go to the nex' big tree, an' e sing, they tell 'im e gone up the other big tree, the royal [palm] big tree there. And the parrot went there. When e went there Dean was in the bake shop. He hear Dean' voice, an' e go 'pon top the roof, between some ol' shingle top up the'. E sing:
Masta Dean, Masta Dean, Masta Dean ...
Dean say, "I hearin' my name call." E come out an' e look right roun'- can't see nothin'. E goin back. The parrot sing. E come out an' e look. E ain't see the parrot. The parrot climb an' come right down by the window, an' he sing. An' when the parrot sing-when Dean see the parrot-he took down the parrot. The parrot start to sing:
Masta Dean, Masta Dean, Masta Dean,
Matty Glow is in the bed with Garilee.
Dean says:
Pretty Pol, Pretty Pol, Pretty Pol,
Pretty Pol, don't you tell me no lie.
The parrot say:
"Yes, Matty Glow is in the bed with Garilee."
E got a boat they call "Quickstep"-as quick as you do say, you reach whe' you a go. Go anywhere, that boat. An' e come to St. Vincent. When he reach-e got the parrot-e reach aroun' eight the night. An' Matty Glow an' Garilee, dey in bed. An' as e reach the door, that parrot start to sing. (Well if me dey in a one man' house an' me hear somebody dey before the door a sing, me a mek window. They have a ... if I heard a parrot singing at my door, I would go out right away through the window; there you have it!) An' the parrot sing, sing, sing, tell Matt-Dean himself sing out:
If any man, any man, any man,
Any man in another man' house,
It is time for to rise an' got home.
An' with that e bus' the door. An' e go in. When e go in, e meet them fas' asleep. An' e bus' the woman in two with a sword. The man in two, with a sword. E fling them eas' wes' nart' sout'. Is that why you see that harnin' [horning] business runnin' to an' fro in the world today. The story end.