Bluegrass Messengers

II.  STORIES

I. B' RABBY IN DE CORN-FIELD.
[I must again call attention to the fact that there is not an invariable dialect  among the Bahama negroes, the same word often being pronounced differently in  succeeding phrases or sentences. My effort, therefore, has been to report these  tales as phonetically as is possible with the English alphabet as ordinarily used.]

[* The old stories are almost always introduced by this doggerel verse, and very  often some expression, as, " 'T wa'n't my time; 't wa'n't you' time; was old folks time," is added.]

Once it vwas a time, a very good time,
De monkey chewed tobacco, an' 'e spit white lime.*
 

So dis day, it vwas a man ; had a big fiel'; peas, corn, and potato'.  De man did n't used to go in de fiel'. 'E send his boy. So dis day  B' Rabby come vw'ere de boy vwas. 'E say, "Boy, you' pa say,  gi'  me some peas, com, and potato'.' " 'E let 'im eat as much as 'e vwant.  De nex' day B' Rabby come back again. 'E say, "Boy, you' pa say,  'gi' me some peas, corn, an' potatoes.' " So now vw'en de boy vwent  home de boy say, "Pa, you tell B' Rabby to say, I say must give 'im  peas, com, an' potatoes ? " De man say, "No, I aint see B' Rabby."  'E say, " De nex' time B' Rabby come dere you mus' tie B' Rabby
an' let *im eat as much peas, com, an' potatoes as 'e like." 'E  say, "You mus'n' let 'im go." De nex' day B' Rabby come. 'E
say, "Boy, you' pa say, ' gi' me some peas, corn, an' potatoes.' "B' Boy say, "Le' me tie you up first." B' Rabby say, "All right, but  vw'en I done eatin' you mus' let me go." B' Boy say, " All right,"  too. Now vw'en B' Rabby vwas done eatin', B' Rabby say, "Boy,  le' me go now ! "B' Boy say, " No ! "B' Rabby say, "Min', you  better le' me go ! " B' Boy say, " No ! " B' Boy vwent to call his  pa. B' Boy say, " Come, pa, got 'im to-day ! " De man vwent over  in de fiel'. Dey ketch B' Rabby ; bring 'im up ; put 'im in de hiron  cage.

Now dey had on six big pots o' hot vwater. B' Tiger vwas  comin' past. 'E say, "Vw'ats de matter, B' Rabby.?" 'E say, " Dey got me in here to marry de Queen's daughter, an' I don' vwan'  to marry 'er." Now 'e say, " D' see dem six pots dere ? Dey got
dem full,/«//o' cow-'eads for my weddin'." B' Tiger say, "Put me in, I vwan' to marry de Queen's daughter." B' Rabby say, "Take  me up ! " B' Rabby jump up. 'E fasten up B' Tiger. Now B'  Rabby ^^«^/ 'E git in one hollow, hollow pison-wood tree.^

De boy come out an' say, " Pa, dey big one here ! " De man say,  " Don't care if 'e big one or little one, I goin' to seal' 'im." De man  come out. 'E git de hot vwater. 'E take de big pot full, boilin' up;  'e swash on B' Tiger. B' Tiger 'e holler, " 'T aifi me ! '/ airC me ! "  De man say, "Don't care 'f 't ain' you, or vw'at, I goin' seal' you."  'E seal' B' Tiger. B' Tiger 'e give one jump; 'e knock de cage all  to pieces. B' Tiger gone !

'E come to dis same pison-wood tree B' Rabby vwas in. 'E sit  down right on de stump o' de tree vw'at B' Rabby was in. B' Rabby  had one sharp, sharp stick, an* 'e shove right into B' Tiger. B' Tiger say,  "My goody T' 'e say, "Hants here !" B' Rabby take de  stick ; 'e shove it out ; 'e stick B' Tiger. B' Tiger say, " No dis aint hants ; B' Rabby here." Den B' Tiger look down in de hole  an' 'e see B' Rabby settin' dere. B' Tiger say, "Ha-an ! B' Rabby !  Never min', you cause me to get scalded ; " 'e say, " N'er min'! I  goin' ketch you ! "B' Rabby say, "Move, boy! ' Le' me git out!  Doan' min' me ! " B' Rabby ^^«^ /

B' Rabby see one dead goat in de road. De goat dead ; stink and  be rotten. All de goat back vwas rottin' avay. B' Rabby ^^w^/ 'e  git inside de dead goat.

B' Tiger vwas comin' fas' ! Vw'en B' Rabby look, 'e see B' Tiger  comin'. B' Rabby vwas doin', " Huhn ! huhn ! " vwas doin' so in de  goat, " Huhn ! huhn ! " B' Tiger say, " Vw'ats de matter, B' Goat > "  'E say, " B' Rabby vwen' past here just now ; poin' he finger at me  an' rottin' avay all my back." B' 'Rsk^oy gone out de dead goat.

B' Rabby vwas fishin'. 'E see B' Tiger. B' Rabby had he finger bent. B' Rabby say, " Min', I goin' poin' ! " B' Tiger say, ''Do B*

Rabby, doan' poin'! ' Dat 's vw'at B' Tiger say. B' Rabby did n' poin'.

'E bo ban, my story 's en*,
If you doan' believe my story 's true,
Hax my captain an, my crew,
Vw'en I die bury me in a pot o' candle grease.*

^ Cf. Harris, Nights with Uncle Remus j Myths, etc., Boston, 1883, pp. 187 and  194; XXIII. and XXIX., HzrnSfUnc/e Remus , etc. ; His Songs and His Sayings,  etc.. New York, 1881, pp. 100 and 123.

* The first three lines of this doggerel verse form the customary ending of a  story, while the last line may be added to suit the individual fancy of the narrator.
£ bo ban is probably African.

 

j4 Group of Childrt

 

Celebration of Rm.vidpati.m — tlu Pro,

 

E Rabby, B Spider, an' B Boukt. 65

II. B' HELEPHANT AND B' VW'ALE.^

Once it vwas a time, etc.

Now dis day B' Rabby vwas walkin' 'long de shore. 'E see B'
Vw'ale. 'E say, " B* Vw'ale ! " B' Vw'ale say, " Hey ! " B* Rabby
say, " B' Vw'ale, I bet I could pull you on de shore ! *' B' Vw'ale
say, " You cahnt I " B' Rabby say, " I bet you t'ree t'ousan' dollar ! "
B' Vw'ale say, " Hall right ! " 'E gone.

'E meet B' Helephant. 'E say, " B' Helephant," 'e say, " I bet
you I could pull you in de sea ! " B' Helephant say, " Me ! " 'E
say, " Dey aint ary man in de worl* can pull me in de sea ! " B* Rabby
say, " I '11 try it to-morrow at twelve o'clock."

'E gone an' get a heap o' rope. 'E say, "Now to-day we'll try
it." 'E tie one rope aroun' B* Vw' ale's neck, and den *e tie one
aroun' B' Helephant's neck. *E say, "Vw'en you hear me say,
'Set taut,' you mus' set taut." 'E say, *' Pull avay!'' Vw'en B'
Vw'ale pull, 'e pull B' Helephant in de surf o' de sea. *E say, " You
t'ink dis little B' Rabby doin' all o' dat ! " Wen B' Helephant pull
taut, 'e pull B' Vw'ale in de surf o' de sea. B' Vw'ale ketch under-
neath one shelf o' de rock, and B* Helephant ketch to one big tree.
Den de two on 'em pull so heavy de rope broke.

B' Vw'ale went in de ocean and B* Helephant vwent vay over in
de pine-yard. Das v'y you see B* Vw'ale in de ocean to-day, and das
vy you see B' Helephant over in de pine bushes to-day.

'E bo ban, my story 's en', etc.

 

III.

B' RABBY, B' SPIDER, AN' B' BOUKI.2

Once it vwas a time, etc.

B' Rabby, B' Spider, and B' Bouki wen' in de fiel'. As evening
vwas comin* dey was comin' home in de boat An' dey had one

^ Cf. XXVI., Harris, Uncle Remus ^ /. r.,p. in.

^ Le bouc; in Louisiana negro-lore, bouki; Fortier, Trans, and Proc. of the
Mod. Lang. As. of Am. vol. iii. Baltimore, 1888, pp. 100-168. The name
B' Bouki has been adopted by the Bahama negroes as a proper name, without any
knowledge of its original meaning.

 

66 Bahama Songs and Stories.

bunch o' bananas to share, and dey did n' know how to share it. An'
B' Spider did say to B* Rabby, " T'row de bunch o' bananas over-
boar* an' den who could dive de mostest could have de mostest."

Den dey pull off de'r close. B* Rabby had de furst dive. Vw'en
'e vent down to bottom 'e bring up four bananas. Vw'en B' Bouki
vwent down 'e bring up two. B* Spider vw'en *e pitch overboar' 'e
float.

B' Rabby pitch overboar' again an' 'e bring up six. B* Bouki
pitch overboar' again an' 'e bring up four. B' Spider pitch overboar'
again ; 'afloat. 'E say, " You no tie de grapple to me an' le' me go
down an' get hall." An' 'e vwent down ; *e ketch hall on *em ; an' 'e
could n' come hup no more.

An' B' Rabby take his knife an' cut avay de rope. An' den dey

vwent home. An' B' Spider ; vw'en dey hax 'em, " Whey

B' Spider ? " An' B' Rabby say, " B' Spider 'e did have such a big
eye ; 'e did vwant all de bananas an* 'e could n' dive." 'E say, " B'
Spider did say, * You no tie dis grapple to me an' le' me get hall.' "
An' de Spider's mudder say, " 'F you don' go fetch 'im I put you in
prison." An' dey say dey aint gwine. An' de vwoman did carry
'em to prison. An' B' Rabby did put de vwoman in jail. An' de
judge did say, 'e couldn' put B' Rabby in prison fur dat, cause 't was
B' Spider's fault

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc.

 

IV.

B' MAN, B' RAT, AN' B* TIGER-CAT.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

So now dis day ; ebry time de rat use* to go in de man' field eatin'
de man' peas, potatoes, an' his com. So now dis day de man ketch
de rat ; 'e had de rat in de cage to kill *im. De rat say, " Do^ B'
Man, spare my life, I '11 never come back any more ! " De man say,
^^ Hall right ! " *E let de rat go. B* Rat vwent vay hover in de
vwood ; *e never come back any more.

Dis day de man vwent shootin' pigeons. 'E vwent vay over in de
vwoods ; 'e shoot a big bunch o' pigeons. Now 'e gone^ 'e see t'ree
young tiger-cats. De man vw'en' 'e gone *e take all t'ree de tiger-
cats. Soon as *e make one step de hold tiger-cat, *e after 'im an'
growl. De tiger-cat say, " 'T aint no good to put down my young
ones, so you might as well keep *em." B* Tiger-cat say, "B' Man, le'
me tell you vw'at to do."

 

B' Bouki ait! B^ Rabby.

 

67

 

r

 

B' Tiger-cat vwas hup in one tree ready to pitch on de man. B'
Tiger-cat say, "You let de dog heat de pigeons ; you heat de dog,
an' let me heat you." De man stan' up an' 'e study. B' Tiger-cat
say, " Talk fas', B' Man ; talk fas' ! " 'e say, " Let de dog heat de
pigeons; you heat de dog, an' le' me heat you," Den dat same
rat w'at de man let go jump out de road. 'E say, " Yes, B' Man, do
dat ; give de pigeons to de dog ; you heat de dog, and let B' Tiger-
cat heat you, an' let me heat B' Tiger-cat."

B' Tiger-cat stan' up ; 'e study, B' Man say, " Talk fas', B' Tiger-
cat, talk fas' ! " B' Man vwent towards his gun. B' Tiger-cat jus'
vwas studerin' on vw'at B' Man say. Den de man pick up his gun.
Vw'en "e fire 'e shoot B' Tiger-cat dead. Den B' Rat jump up an'
say, " One good turn deserve another ! One good turn deserve
another 1 One good turn deserve another ! " ^
E bo ban, my slory 's en', etc.

 

B' BOUKI AN' B' RABBY.

 

It vwas B' Rabby ; 'e use' to go to de Queen's pasture ebry night
an' take de bigges' sheep from de flock. So dis night vw'en "c wen',
de Queen's servant did put a lion at de head o' all de hudder sheeps.
B' Rabby vwas takin' dat to be a sheep, an' 'e carried 'im a little
vays in de road an' 'e say, " Look 'ere, dis t'ing don' vwalk like
sheep, dis t'ing vwalk like lion !" An' 'e call out for B' Bouki, 'E
say, " B' Bouki, 'ere, take dis sheep. I got to go up 'ere in de wood
for de hudder one I got tied in de fence ! " An' viv'en B' Bouki get
a little vays, 'e sing out, 'e say, " Dis t'ing don' vwalk like sheep ! "
'E say, " Dis t'ing vwalk like lion !" Den 'e hollered out to his
vwifc an' children, tell dem all to get up in de roof o' de house.^ 'E
holler out, say, " De lion comin' to tear you to pieces ! " An' vw'en
de lion get to de house, 'e walk in tr'u' de door an' 'e see all on 'em
up in de roof an' 'e look up at 'em.

An' de smalles' chil' say, " Fadder an' mudder, I know you love
me, but I cahnt hold out no longer!" An' de fadder say, " See
lion 'ere 1 " An' vw'en de chil' drop de lion tear her to pieces. De

> Cf. XVIII., Chatelain, Folk-Tahs of Angola, Boston, 1894, p. 157.
' Ct. " De Reason Br'er Rabbit wears a Short Tail," Chrislensen, Afro-Anier-
ican Folk-Lore, Boston, 1892, p. 26.

 

68 Bahama Songs and Stories.

hudder one say, *' Fadder an' mudder, I know you love me, but my
harms is tired !" An' his fadder say, " See lion dere ! ** An' vw'en
'e drop de lion tear 'im to pieces. Dis de bigges* one now ; 'e say,
" Fadder an' mudder, I know you love me an' I love you, but I cahnt
hold out no longer I " An' de fadder say, " See lion dere ! " An'
vw'en 'e drop de lion tear 'im to pieces. His vwife say, " I know
you love me," an* she say, " I love you, too ! " De husband was so
pitiful 'e could n* talk, an' 'e jus' p'int his finger down to de lion an'
his vwife drop. An' after 'e see all on 'em vwas gone 'e vwent out
t'r'u* de roof o' de house an' 'e stay dere until de momin', an dat's
how *e vwas save. B* Lion could n' jump an' 'e vwen' avay.

£ bo ban, my stoxy 's en\ etc.

 

VI.

B' BARACOUTI i AN' B' MAN.^

Once it vwas a time, etc.

Once it vwas a man ; *e had a fiel' 'pon a differ'n* part o* de shore.
Dis day 'e did vwan' to go to his fiel' ; 'e met a shark. 'E said to
de shark, " Please carry me 'cross to my fiel' I " B' Shark say, " All
right I " an' 'e carried him 'cross. Vw'en 'e got 'cross 'e give B'
Shark a good cut. B' Shark say, " All right ! "

'E come out again from his fiel' ; 'e meet B' Shark again. 'E
say, "B' Shark, //^oj^ carry me 'cross once more ! " B' Shark say,
" AH right I " An' B* Shark carried him 'cross again. An' 'e give
B' Shark a heavy cut again. B' Shark say, " All right ! "

De nex' day de man did vwan' go 'cross again. 'E say, "B*
Shark, //^^w^ carry me 'cross to dat shore ; " 'e say, '* I *11 give you a
fortune ! " B' Shark carry 'im again, an' 'e give B' Shark such a cut,
till B' Shark had to lay awake till 'e come out again.

Sun vwas nearly down vw'en de man come out. *E say, " B' Shark,
please carry me 'cross again ; " 'e say, " I '11 pay you vw'en I get
'cross." B' Shark say, " Get on my back." De firs' fish B' Shark
meet vwas a corb.^ B* Shark say, " B* Corb, you do man good an'
man do you harm;" 'e say, **Vw'at you mus* do tor him?" B'

^ The baracouti is an eel-like fish, with numerous, strong, sharp teeth, and is
very savage when attacked.

* Variants : XIX., Harris, /. r., p. 88 ; XXL, Jones, Negro Myths from the
Georgia Coasts Boston, i888, p. 46.

* Flat-headed shark, particularly dreaded as a man-eater.

 

B^ Loggerhead and B' Conch.

 

69

 

Corb say, "Cut 'im in two!" Nex' vwas a Porpy.^ 'E say, " B'
Porpy, you do man good an' man do you harm, vw'at you mus' do
tor 'im ? " B' Porpy say, " Leave it to God ! ' 'De nex' vwas a bara-
couti. 'E say, " B' Baracouti, you do man good an' man do you harm,
vw'at you mus' do tor 'im ? " B' Baracouti say. " Cut 'im to hell ! "

B' Shark see B' Rabby on de rocks. 'E say, "B' Rabby, you do
man good an' man do you harm, vw'at you mus' do tor 'im ? " B'
Rabby say, " Come in little further ; I ain' hear you ! " {B' Rabby
vwan' to save de man.) 'E come in. 'E say, " B' Rabby, you do
man good an' man do you harm, vw'at you mus' do lor 'im.'" B'
Rabby say, " Come in little bit further ; still I ain' hear you ! " B'
Shark come in a little bit further. 'E say, " I cahn' come no further
else I get 'shore ! " B' Shark say, " You do man good an' man do
you harm, vw'at you mus' do tor 'im ? " B' Rabby say, " Vy, let
'im jump 'shore!" Before de shark could turn roun' to go with
'im de man jump 'shore an' B' Shark commence to cry.

 

E bo ban, my storj' 's i

 

B' LOGGERHEAD AND B' CONCH."
Once it vwas a time, etc.

 

I

 

Dey vwanted de King's daughter. King told de two to have a
race, de onedat beat de race to have his daughter. Dey bask him,
"Vw'at sort o' race dey mus' have." 'E said 'e wanted to see who
could walk de fastes' out o' two. Dat vwas de loggerhead and de
conch. De conch knowed dat de loggerhead could beat 'im walkin',
so de conch vwent an' hired bother conchs an' put 'em to de
mark's stake. Den after dat 'e vwent down to de river whe' de log-
gerhead vwas an' told 'im 'e 's all ready for de race.

'Im an' de loggerhead started off together. De first mark de
loggerhead get to 'e meet a conch dere, takin' it to be de one dat
'e start off to race with, but standin' talkin'. De one dat went to
race, 'e went ahead o' de loggerhead. Den de loggerhead started

' Porpoiae.

* One of the variants of the famous hare and tortoise story of j£sop. Cf.
" The Crab outruns the Fox," Gerber, Great Russian Auimal Tales, Pub. Mod.
Lang. As. of Am., Baltimore, 1891, p. 68; "Cooter an' Deer," Christenscn, /. e.,
p. 5; XVIH., Harris,W«t/^j¥fw»«, /.f.,p. 80; /Md.pp. 5-8, var. of the same tale
given by Smith of the Amazonian Indians ; Chamberlain, " Deer and Mud-turtle ''
of tbe Kootenay ; " Die Hue und Die Igel " of Grimm.

 

JO Bahama Songs and Stories.

from de place where de conch vwas, expecting it vwas de same
conch. Vw'en *e git to de nex' pole 'e meet a conch again, still
thinkin' it vwas de same conch. Stand dere dey small-talk ; whilst
talkin' give de conch vw'at hired de other conchs a chance to chat
with 'im, den de conch had chance to go *is vway. Vw'en de log-
gerhead git to King's palace, 'e met de conch 'head of 'im. De
conch had beaten de race an' 'e got de King's daughter. Den after
dat de loggerhead say 'e vwould take de sea for 'is dwellin' place.

E bo ban, my story 's en*, etc.

 

VIII.

B' CRANE-CROW, B' PARROT, AN' B' SNAKE.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

It vwas a heagle, layin* in a tree. Hafter she had young ones dis
snake use' to plague de tree. So afterwards B' Heagle lef B' Crane-
crow an' B' Parrot to watch dese young ones, vw'en B' Snake come
to call 'er. So vw'en de snake come, dey call dis heagle. Dey say,
" Ma hoo heagle ! De snake comin' ! " So she come. Therefore
she kill de snake. She said, " Hafter he het my young ones ; " she
say, " Therefore I '11 go nord, I '11 live dere all my life on de nordern
part of Baltimore.^ I no more to say. De snake had het my young
ones." Dat makes, so you see, heagle live hover dere to-day ; dey
won' come dis side.

£ bo ban, my story 's en*, etc.

 

IX.

B' CRICKET AND B' HELEPHANT.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

So it vwas palm-ile tree whe* dey use' to go to feed. So heyery
time B* Helephant use' to go dere 'e use' to meet B' Cricket. 'E say,
"B' Cricket, I bet I can mash you up some o'dese days." So B'
Cricket say, " B' Helephant, you cahn' mash me up, fur it don' stan'
fur de bigness o' man ; little man could make big man run." B' Hel-
ephant say, " Go vay, B' Cricket ! "

1 To the people of Green Turtle Cay, Baltimore, from whence come the schoon-
ers in the pineapple trade, is one of the great places beyond the sea of which the
children, especially, have peculiarly vague ideas.

 

E" Crane-Crow an' E' Snake.

 

71

 

So dis day, vw'en B' Helephant come to dc tree B' Cricket vwas
dere. B' Helephant did n' see 'ira. 'E vwen' in B' Helephan' ear-
'ole an' 'e git to singin', an' B' Helephant 'e did put off a runnin'.
Everywhe's 'e put 'is foot it vwas river. So 'e meet B' Lion. 'E
say, "B' Lion, man mo' 'n me to-day ;" 'e say, " I 'bout de bigges'
beast in de fores' an' you 'bout de stronges' ; an' still, if you vwas to
hear vw'at I hear to-day, make you run,"

" Let 'im come, I'm a man fur anythin'," dat 's de word B" Lion
say. B' Cricket jump out B' Helephan' ear-'ole an' gone in B' Lion
ear-'ole, an' vw'en B' Cricket sing out in B' Lion ear-'ole, 'im an' B'
Helephan' start together. B' Helephan' see B' Lion runnin', taught
de soun' o' de cricket vwas still in 'is ear-'ole. Some Iron-wood tree
dere vwas six times big as dis house. B' Lion tear 'em right square
lip by de root.

Vw'en dey get dere dey meet B' Jack standin' on de hill. Jack
say, " Vw'at you no runnin' 'ere 'bout .' " Dey say, " B' Jack, man
'ere to-day mo' 'n you an' me an' you two together!" B' Jack say,
" I 'm de man to heat you an' de man too ! " So B' Cricket jump
out de lion ear-'ole an' vwen' in B' Jack own to tell 'im de bargemen'
B' Helephan' an' 'im had under de palm-ile tree. So B' Helephan'
'e quiver so much 'e drop down dead. B' Jack say, " My deah man,
dat vwas de harge vw'at you an' B' Cricket had." B' Cricket say, " I
tell you 'bout a little man every day ; " so a puff 0" win' come an' end
dis story.

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc.

 

B' CRANE-CROW AN' B' MAN.i

 

Now dis day de Queen did vwant a man to see if 'e could n' ketch
dis Queen Crane-Crow. De man gone whey all de Crane-Crows use'
to come. Now de man lay down an' make believe 'e vwas dead.
Now hall de Crane-Crows come. All on "em v^vas singin'. Crane-
Crows vwas say'n, " Hunte' man dead to-day ; bunte' man dead to-
day." Dis Queen Crane-Crow say, "Save 'is eye-ball fur me I"
Dey did n' vwan' believe 'e vwas dead, 'E sen' one o' dc hudder
Crane-Crows to pick 'im.

Dis little Crane-Crow goney 'e pick de man. B' Queen Crane-Crow
1 Ci. XIX., Hanis, Uncle Remus; His Songs, etc., U c, p. 87 ; Harris, Nights
with Uncle Remus, I. c, pp. 80 and 296.

 

72 Bahama Songs and Stories.

say, " Pick *im again I " 'E pick *im ; de man ain' move. Now hall
on 'em vwas comin' ; begin to pick de man. Vw'en dis Queen Crane-
Crow come to pick hout de man heye, de man hold de Queen Crane-
Crow. De Queen Crane-Crow holler, " 'T ain* me ! 'T ain' me ! T ain'
me ! " De man say, " No good, I got you now, you got to go." 'E
put 'im inside *e bag ; 'e carry 'im to de Queen. De Queen give 'im
a fortune an' de man vwas rich fur 'is lifetime. (Dat 's hall.)

£ bo ban, dat stoxy 's en', etc.

 

XI.
DE BIG WORRUM.i

Once it vwas a time, etc

So dis day it vwas a man ; he had two sons; dey didn* have no
fire. Hall dey had to heat vwas raw potatoes. Now de man sen'
dis boy to look for fire. De boy vwalk ; he vwalk ;. he vwalk till
vw'en 'e look 'e see one smoke. Vw'en 'e gone *e git to dat fire.
Vw'en *e get dere, de worrum vwas full o' fire. De boy say,
" Dimme some fan ! " (Give me some fire). De worrum say, " 'T ain',
't ain' none ; jes* do fur me." De worrum say, " Come in little closer."
Good I Soon as de boy vwen' a little closer, vw'en *e vwent to reach
de fire de worrum swallow 'im down. Den de boy vwen' down, right
down, down inside de worrum till 'e stop. De boy met whole lot o'
people vwat de worrum did swallow.

So now de man tell de hudder son, " I wonder whey my son
gone ? " De hudder son say, " Pa, I goin' look fur him." 'E vwalk,
'e valk, *e vwalk till 'e come to this big worrum, vw'at had de fire
in his mouth. So now de boy vwent to de worrum. De boy say,
\ " Dimme some fan I " De worrum say, " Keelie o' fire " (Come
and get fire). De boy say, '* Do i en e? dimme some fan?" De
worrum say, "Come a little closer." De worrum say, "Time for
Joe come " (Time to go home). De worrum say, " Keelie o' fire."
Vw'en de boy vwen* to get de fire so^ de worrum swallow him down.
De boy vwen* ; 'e vwen' down ; 'e vwen* down, till 'e met 'e brudder.

^ The descendant of an African tale, variants of which are given by Endemann,
"Mittheil. iiber die Sotho-Neger/' Zeitsckrift f, Ethnologu, VI. Jahrg. Heft i,
1874, pp. 16-66; and by Theal, Kaffir Folk-Lore^ London, 1886, in " The Story of
the Caninbal Mother," p. 142, "The Story of the Glutton," p. 175, and "The
Great Chief of the Animals," p. 177.

* Probably African survivals.

 

B Rabby art B' Tar-Baby. 73

Now de boy ladder say, "My two sons gone an' I might as vwell
gone too." De man take 'e Ian' (lance) ; it fairly glisten, it so sharp,
Vw'en 'e get dere whey de worrum vwas wid de fire in he mouth, de
man say, " Dimme some fan ? " De worrum say, " You too do fur
me 1 " (You 're too much for me). De worrum say, " Keeiie o' fire."
Vwen de man vwen' to get de fire, so, de worrum vwen' to swallow
'im. De man take he' Ian' ; as 'e vwas goin' down 'e cut de worrum ;
'e cut de worrum till 'e cut de worrum right open an' all de people
come, an' dat vwas a big city right dere.

E bo ban, dis story "s en', etc.

 

B' RABBY AN' B' TAR-BABY.^
Once it vwaa a time, etc.

So dis day B' Rabby, B' Bouki, B' Tiger, B' Lizard, B' Helcphant,
B' Goat, B' Sheep, B' Rat, B'Cricket, all o' de creatures, all kind ; ~
so now dey say, " B' Rabby, you goin' help dig vwell ? " B' Rabby
say, " No 1 " Dey say, " Vw'en you vwan' vwater, how you goin'
manage .' " 'E say, " Get it an' drink it." Dey say, " B' Rabby, you
goin' help cut fiel' .* " B' Rabby say, " No ! " Dey say, " Vw'en
you 'r" hungry, how you goin' manage ? " " Get it an' eat it." So
all on 'em gone to work. Dey vwen' ; dey dig vwell first Nex'
dey cut fiel'.

Now dis day B' Rabby come. Dey leave B' Lizard home to rain'
de vwell. So now B' Rabby say, " B' Lizard, you vwant to see who
can make de mostest noise in de trash ?" B' Lizard say, "Yes!"
B' Rabby say, "You go in dat big heap o' trash dere an' I go in dat
over dere (B' Rabby did vwant to get his vwater now !) B' Lizard
gone in de trash ; 'e kick up. Vw'ile 'e vwas makin' noise in de
trash, B' Rabby dip 'e bucket full o' vwater. 'Kgotte I

So now vw'en B' Helephant come, an' hall de bother animals come
out de fiel', B' Helephant say, "B' Lizard, you goin' let B' Rabby
come here to-day an' take dat vwater ? " B' Lizard say, " I could n't

> Cf. Tbeal, /. c, pp. 179-185 ; IV., Jones, I. c. p. 7 ; II. and_^IV.. Harris, Uiiclc
Jitrnns; His Songs, etc., /. c, pp. 23 and 29 ; I., Fortier, Trans. Mod. Lang. As.
of Am. vol. iii. Baltimore, 18SS, pp. 101 and 138 ; Christensen, /. c, p. 62 ; Dorsey,
Jonr. Am. Folk-Lore, 1893, p. 48; Chatelain, /. c, pp. 153 and 183 ; Crane, Tkt
Pop. Set. Ma. vol. xviii. p. 824; XII., Fortier, Louisiana Folk-Tales, Boston and
New York, 1895, p. 35.

 

74 Bahama Songs and Stories.

help it ! " *E say, " 'E tell me to go in de trash to see who could
make de mostest noise."

Now de nex' day dey leave B' Bouki home to min' de vwelL Now
B* Rabby come, 'E say, " B* Bouki, you vwan' to see who can run
de fastes* ? " B' Bouki say, " Yes." 'E say, " You go dat side,
an' le' me go dis side." Good! B' Bouki break off; 'e gone a run-
nin'. Soon as B* Bouki git out o' sight B' Rabby dip 'e bucket ; 'e
gone.

So now vw'en B* Helephan* an' 'im come dey say, " B' Bouki, you
let B' Rabby come 'ere again to-day and take our vwater } " 'E say,
" 'E tell me who could run de fastes*, an' soon 's I git a little vays 'e
take de vwater an' gone. So B' Helephan' say, " I know how to
ketch him ! "

T>ty gone ; hall on 'em in de pine yard. Dey make one big tar-
baby. Dey stick 'im up to de vwell. B* Rabby come, 'E say,
" Hun ! dey leave my dear home to min' de vwell to-day." B' Rabby
say, " Come, my dear, le' me kiss you ! " Soon as 'e kiss 'er 'e lip
stick fas'. B' Rabby say, " Min' you better le' go ; " 'e say, " You
see dis biggy, biggy han' here ; " 'e say, " 'f I slap you wid dat I kill
you." Now vw'en B' Rabby fire, so, 'e han' stick. B* Rabby say,
" Min' you better le' go me ; " 'e say, " You see dis biggy, biggy
han* here ; 'f I slap you wid dat I kill you." Soon as B' Rabby slap
wid de hudder han', so, 'e stick. B* Rabby say, " You see dis biggy,
biggy foot here : my pa say, 'f I kick anybody wid my biggy, biggy
foot I kill 'em." Soon as 'e fire his foot, so, it stick. B' Rabby
say, " Min' you better le' go me." Good! soon as 'e fire his foot,
sOf it stick. Now B' Rabby jus' vwas hangin' ; hangin* on de Tar-
baby.

B' Bouki come runnin' out firs*. 'E say, " Ha ! vwe got 'im to-
day ! vwe got 'im to-day ! " *E gone back to de fiel' ; 'e tell B' Hele-
phan' ; *e say, " Ha ! B' Helephan', vwe got 'im to-day ! " Vw'en all
on 'em gone out now dey ketch B' Rabby. Now dey did vwan' to
kill B' Rabby ; dey did n' know whey to t'row 'im. B' Rabby say,
" 'f you t'row me in de sea " (you know 'f dey had t'row B'Rabby in
de sea, dey 'd a kill 'im), — B' Rabby say, " 'f you t'row me in de sea
you won' hurt me a bit." B' Rabby say, " 'f you t'row me in de fine
grass, you kill me an* all my family." Dey take B* Rabby. Dey
t'row 'im in de fine grass. B' Rabby /;//«/ up ; *e put off a nmnin*.
So now B' Rabby say, " Hey I ketch me *f you could." All on *em
gone now.

Now dis day dey vwas all sittin' down heatin*. Dey had one big
house ; de house vwas full o' hall kin' o' hanimals. B' Kibhy gone ;
'e git hup on top de house ; 'e make one big hole in de roof o' de
house. B' Rabby sing hout, " Now, John Fire, go hout ! " B* Rabby

 

F Big'Head, B Big-Gut, an' B' Tin-Leg. 75

let go a barrel o* mud ; let it run right down inside de house.
Vw'en *e let go de barrel o' mud, so^ every one on 'em take to de
bush, right vwil* ; gone right hover in de bush. B' Rabby make all
on 'em vwent vwil*, till dis day you see hall de hanimals vwiF.

£ bo ban, my stoxy 's en\ etc.

 

XIII.
B' BIG-HEAD, B' BIG-GUT, AN' B' TIN-LEG.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

Dis day it vwas B' Big-head, B' Big-gut, an' B' Tin-leg. Dey ain't
had no pa, Dey ma vwas dead. Dey only had four doughboys.
So now B* Big-head say, " Now, brothers, let 's go look for water."
Now dey share o' doughboys; dey all three, each had little can.
Dey each put doughboys in de can, an' dey vwent to look for water
now. Dey walk 'til dey come to one coco'nut tree ; now B' Big-gut
say, " You go, B' Big-head ! " B' Big-head say, " I can't go ;" *e say,
" If I go, soon as I look down, my head so big I fall down." Den
'e say to B' Big-gut, 'e go. B' Big-gut say, " My gut so big if I go
I fall down." Now B' Tin-leg say, " I '11 go I " Now all on *em
had de doughboys down on de ground. Now B* Tin-leg vwas goin*,
a clim'in' up de tree. Vw'en B' Tin-leg look down an* see B' Big-
gut brushin' de flies off his doughboy, B' Tin-leg t'ought B' Big-gut
vwas eatin' it. 'E jes* kill himself on de coco'nut tree ; kickin' an*
flingin', jes' so. B' Big-gut laugh so much till 'e bust his gut.

Den it only leave B' Big-head one now. Now B' Big-head vwen'
to look for water. B* Big-head come to one well. 'E vwas drinkin'
water. B* Heagle come dere, an' de Heagle did want water an' B'
Big-head would n't let him get none. Den him an' de Heagle had
a fight. De Heagle kick him. When de Heagle went an' kick him
B* Big-head ketch his foot. After B' Big-head ketch his foot, den 'e
could n' hold it, an' de Heagle shake 'im all to pieces.

£ bo ban, my story 's en*, etc.

 

7^ Bahama Songs and Stories.

XIV.
B' RABBY HAD A MOTHER.^

Once it vwas a time, etc.

B' Rabby had a mother ; father vwas dead ; de times vwas very
hard ; did n' know vw'at to do for a livin*. B' Rabby said to 'is
mother, " You lay down on de bed an' preten* dat you are dead." So
B* Rabby cried out, " Poor B' Rabby got no mother ! " Hax 'im,
" Where was his mother ? " 'E said, " She is dead " (doing dat to
get food). 'E said, " Don't hax me nothin', but go in de room an'
see for yourself." Vw'en B' Rabbies started to go in de room to see
de dead mother, 'e stood behind de door with a club in his ban's, an'
after de room got full 'e jumped inside vwith 'is club an' lock de
door. 'E began to knock down B' Rabbies. Some 'e kill, some 'e
cripple, an' de balance get clear. Him an' his mother had a plenty
of meat to heat.

Hafter dat, by him servin' such a dirty trick dey despised him,
would not have nothing no more to do with him, an' B' Rabby said,
" I did n' ker about it ; had meat to heat an' vwater to drink."

£ bo ban, my story 's en', etc.

 

XV.

B' MAN, B' WOMAN, AN' B' MONKEYS.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

Now dis day it vwas a poor man ; 'e did n' have no money. Now
'e did vwan' fix a plan to get some money. De vwoman tell de man
to make believe like 'e vwas dead. She dress de man an' lay 'im
out in de house. De vwoman, vw'en she call all dese monkeys, tell
'em to come help 'er to sing ; say her husband is dead.

Now whole lot o' monkeys come, one-tail monkey, two-tail, t'ree,
four, five, six, seven, eight, an' nine-tail monkey. Now dis big nine-
tail monkey, 'e vwould n' come in ; 'e jus' stan' at de door.

Now de vwoman pitch de song :

^ This tale and the following are founded upon the same idea — that of certain
animals, in order to obtain food, enticing other animals to their destruction. Sim-
ilar stories are found in the folk-lore of our Southern negroes, and indeed in that
of most races. Cf. i£sop ; Theal, /. ^., p. 115; XXIII., Chatelain, /. ^., p. 189

 

E" Rad&y, B' Bouki, an B' Cow.

 

 

J =120.

 

 

 

 

 

 

M

[.""'i J 1 r r f r r 1 r r ^3^

"

My

bus

baa's

d»d a

n' 'e

gone t

e-o

N

\' Ji J. J- J _A^ J' J. , =t1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-J-

 

f

 

Vw'en de man get up, so, 'e kill everyone besides two; dat big
monkey vwas standin' to de door vwent outside ; one little t'ree-lail
monkey stay up on de roof o' de house. Vw'en 'e come down on de
vwoman, so, 'e sink 'er right t'r'u' de floor.

E bo baa, my story 's en', etc.

 

B' RABBY, B' BOUKI, AN' B' COW.>

 

 

 

 

Now dis day it vwas B' Rabby an' B' Bouki. It vwas blowin' ;
dey did n' have nuthin' to heat ; dey could n' ketch no fish. Dey
vwas trabblin' along to see if dey could n' find something to heat.
An' now vw'en B' Rabby look 'e see one big cow ; 'e gone to de
cow. Den 'e take his hand an' spank on de cow bottom. 'E say,
" Hopen, Kabendye, hopen ! " Wen de cow bottom open B' Rabby
jump in vwid his knife an' his pan. 'E cut his pan full o' meat. B'
Rabby say, "Hopen, Kabendye, hopen ! " and de cow bottom hopen
an' B' Rabby jump out.

Good! Now B' Rabby vwas goin' home ; his pan full o' meat.
B' Bouki see B' Rabby ; say, " B' Rabby. whey you get all dat
meat ?" B" Bouki say, "'f you don' tell me whey you get all dat
meat I goin' tell ! " B' Rabby say, " Go right down dere whey you
see one big cow." B' Bouki say, " Hall right ! " B' Rabby say,
" Vw'en you git dere you must take your ban' an' spank hard on de
cow bottom an' say, ' Hopen, Kabendye, hopen ! ' " B' Rabby say,
"Soon as dey hopen you must jump bin." Den 'e say, " You see

' Boas, Jour. Am. FnlkLore, 1891, p. 13, has found this tale in the folk-lore
of the Vancouver Island Indians, and even more widely distributed. Crane, /. c,
gives from Bleek a story in which the Elephant swallows the Tortoise, in order
to kill him. But the Tortoise " tore oH his liver, heart, and kidneys," and thus
killed the Elephant, then ■■ came out of his dead Ijody and went wherever it
liked." Cf., also, XXXIV., Harris, Uncle Remut, I. c, p. 143; III., Fortier,
Trans. Mod. Lang. As. 0/ Am. voL iii, Baltimore, 1S88, pp. 128 and 153.

 

78 Bahama Songs and Stories.

one big t'ing inside dere ; you must n' cut dat ! " B' Rabby say,
" Mind, 'f you cut dat de cow goin' to fall down dead." B' Bouki
gone. Vw'en 'e got dere 'e take his hand ; 'e spank on de cow bot-
tom an' 'e say, " Hopen, Kabendye, hopen ! " Den 'e jump hin. B'
Bouki cut, *e cut^ 'e cut his hand full ! B' Bouki wan' satisfied ; 'e
went an' 'e cut de cow heart ; de cow fall down ; brari^ 'e dead !
Den B' Bouki say, " Hopen, Kabendye, hopen ! " After *e foun' de
cow bottom could n* hopen, 'e vwen' inside de cow mouth. Nex'
mornin', vw'en de people come to feed 'im, dey found de cow
dead.

Now dey begin to clean de cow ; skin 'im. After dey done clean
'im dey cut 'im hopen ; dey take hout all his guts. B' Bouki vwas
inside de maw ; swell up. De vwoman say, '* Cut dat big t'ing open.
See what in dere ! " After dat dey vwent to cut it open ; den B'
Bouki jump 'way yonder. Dey did n' see 'im. B* Bouki say, " See
what you t'row on me. Ma jus' sent me down here to buy fresh
beef, den you go t'row all dis nasty stuff on me ! " De people say,
" Hush, don' cry, we give you half o' de cow ! " B' Bouki say, *' I
don' want no half ! " 'E say, " I goin' to carry you to jail ! " Den
de man say, " No, B* Bouki, we give you half o' de cow ! " De man
goin* t'row anudder stinkin* pan o' water an' blood hout. B* Bouki
jump 'way yonder. De man t'row it on B' Bouki Den B' Bouki
say, " Now I ain* goin' to stop ; I goin' carry you right to de jail ! "
De man say, " Hush, B' Bouki, don' cry, I goin' give you half o' de
cow ! " Anyhow, dey give B' Bouki half o' de cow. B* Bouki take
it on his shoulder ; 'e gone.

Vw'en 'e look 'e see B* Rabby. B' Rabby say, " Hey, whey you
get all o' dat meat.? " B* Bouki say, " I went down dere ; I cut dat
big> big t'ing in de cow, an* de cow fall down dead." Den *e say,
" W*en de people come in de mornin' to kill de cow," 'e say, " I was
inside de cow ; vw*en dey cut dat big t*ing I jump 'way yonder ; I
say, ' See what you t'row *pon me ! ' 'e say, " Den dey give me half
o' de cow." B* Rabby say, " Dat 's de way to do ! "

E bo ban, my story *s en', etc.

 

De Man ati de Dog. 79

 

XVII.
DE MAN AN' DE DOG.i

Once it vwas a time, etc.

Now dis day it vwas one man. *E had one sour-sop ^ tree ; *e
, did n't use to let no people know. He wife an* 'e children could
hardly get anything to heat. Every mornin* de man use t* go from
his house to dat tree to heat his breakfast.

Now de woman say, " Wonde' whey my husban* does git hev'ry
t'ing to heat." She get one bag o' hashes. She say, "My husban',
come ere* an* let me fix your shirt ! " Den she tied de bag hashes
on he back. Vw*en de man vwas goin* to dat tree de hashes did drop
hout. *E vwent to his sour-sop tree ; *e heat as much 's *e vwan*,
den *e come avay. Vw*en *e come home de vwoman say, " My hus-
ban', come *ere ; le* me fix your shirt again.** Den she take de bag
hashes off 'im.

Hafter dat de vwoman vwent dere to de sour-sop tree ; she pull
hev'ry one clean ; only leave one. De man say, " My soul ! some-
body been here, take hall my sour-sop ! " De man climb up in de
tree. 'E take one stick ; 'e reach up to dat limb an' try to get *e
sour-sop down, an* 'e could n't get it.

'E see B' Sheep ; 'e say, " B' Sheep, get dis sour-sop fur me ; I '11
give you half." B' Sheep say, " No, I vwan' hall ! "

'E see B' Tiger. De man say, " B' Tiger, get dis sour-sop fur me ;
I '11 give you half." B' Tiger say, ''No, I vwan' hall ! "

'E see B* Lion. 'E say, " B* Lion, git dis sour-sop fur me ; I '11
give you half." B* Lion say, '' No, I vwan' hall !" Den he see B'
Dog ; 'e say, " B* Dog ! " " B' Dog say, " Hey ! " 'E say, " Get dis
sour-sop fur me ; I give you half." B' Dog say, *^ Hall right ! " B'
Dog ketch it. Soon 's 'e git 'im, so^ 'e put hoff a running ; 'im an'
de dog. De dog fin' de man vwas comin' on 'im so, 'e burry right
up in de sand.

Now de dog jus' leave 'e two heyes out ; vw'en 'e get dere de man
say, " Ho my ! look at de san' got heyes ! " De man vwen', tell de
people de san' got heyes. 'E gone call hall de people. Vw'en hall
on 'em come now, dey look ; dey say, " Ho yes, de san' got heyes
fur truth ! " Vw'en de man dig ; vw'en 'e foun' hout vwas dat same
dog, 'e ketch 'im ; 'e squeeze 'im dead.

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc.

1 Cf. II., Harris, Uncle Remus and His Friends^ Boston, 1892, pp. 16-21;
XXXI., Chatelain, /. c, p. 209.
^ A species of Anona, the A, muricata.

 

8o Bahama Songs and Stories.

XVIII.
B' LOGGERHEAD/ B' DOG, AN' B' RABBY.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

Now dis day B* Loggerhead an' B' Dog could n't find nothing to
heat. B' Loggerhead say, **B* Dog, you like fish ? " B* Dog say,
"Yes ! " B' Dog say, " B' Loggerhead, you like conch ? " B' Log-
herhead say, " Yes ! "

Now dey gone ; dey gone to B' Rabby's craw.^ Plenty conchs an'
fish vwas dere. So B' Loggerhead pitch ^ right inside ; gone right
flat to bottom. Wen B' Dog pitch, 'e float 'E pitch again ; float !
Pitch again \ float ! B' Dog say, " I cahn' get no fish ; I goan' tell
B' Rabby ! " B' Dog gone.

B* Rabby vwas vay up on de hill lookin' at 'em' B' Dog say,
" Hey, B' Rabby ! B' Loggerhead down dere eatin' all your conchs ! "
B' Rabby ketch B' Dog ; vw'en 'e dash 'im down e' kill 'im. 'E
gone ; 'e taught 'e do B' Loggerhead like 'e do B' Dog. Vw'en 'e
fire de stick at B' Loggerhead, so^ B' Loggerhead jump right out de
craw. 'E take one little boat ; *e vwent chasin' B' Loggerhead.
Vw'en B' Loggerhead pitch at B' Rabby, so^ it nearly turn de boat
over. Good! B* Rabby say, "You know you goin' sink me."
Vw'en B' Loggerhead pitch at B' Rabby, so^ e' knock de boat right
over. B' Rabby say, " O damn ! I gone ! "

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc.

 

XIX.

B' DEVIL AN' B' GOAT.*

Once it vwas a time, etc.

B' Devil ax B' Goat come down to brother-in-law with him to git
some good dinner. An' before 'e got to 'e brother-in-law ; 't was a
place, sof ' mud ; an' other place, 't was a rock ; an' B' Devil tol' him
to jump 'cross the sof place an' 'e '11 jump ' cross the rock. B' Goat
stuck in the mud ; covered all his heys. B' Goat tol' B' Devil to
" Look what you gone cause me to do ! " B' Devil tol' 'im, " You
fool you, I did n' tol' you to jump dere ! "

They met up with some sea-grape tree. B' Devil tol' B' Goat to

^ A common species of turtle. ' Live-box for fish.

* Dive. ^ Cf. XXL, Chatelain, /. r., p. 179.

 

B' Devil att B' Goat. 8i

" eat all de leaves an' 'e 'c! eat all de grapes." Went from sea-grape
tree to cane fiel', an' B' Devil tol' B" Goat, " Now, B' Goat, you eat
all de leaves an' I '11 eat all de cane." B' Goat het de leaves an' dey
stuck him in 'is mouth. Said to B' Devil, " See what you done cause
me to do!" B' Devil said, "You fool, you! I did n' tell you to
heat all dem leaves!" Went from a cane fiel' to a pine^ fiel', an"
w'en 'c got dere B' Devil tol' 'im, " You heat all de leaves an' I eat
all de pine." When B' Goat was ealin' the pinc-slips, dey stuck 'im
in his mouth. B' Goat said, " B' Devil, see what you made me do ! "
'E say " You fool, I didn' tell you to do dat ! Now w'en you go to
brother-in-law you 'mus' say, ' Good evenin', brutes an' 'ogs,' an 1' II
say, 'Good even', ladies an' gentlemen.'" When he said, "Good
even', brutes an' 'ogs," 'e brother-in-law kicked 'im right out.

De nex' day 'c wen' out with E' Bouki. B' Devil said to B' Bouki,
says, "Wen you get dere, you jump 'cross de mud, an' I 'II jump
over de rock," B' Bouki say, " W'en you jump 'cross de mud, me
too." B' Bouki say again, " Wen you jump 'cross de rock, me too."
Went from there to de sea-grape tree. B' Devil said. " W'en you
get to de sea-grape tree, you eat all de leaves, an' I eat all de grapes."
B' Bouki say, " W'en you eat all de grapes, me too." Den wen' from
dere to cane fiel'. W'en 'e got to de cane fiel' B' Devil said to B"
Bouki, " You eat all de leaves an* I eat all de cane." Went from de
cane fiel' to de pine fiel'. Says, " W'en you git to de pine fiel", you eat
all de pine-slips an' I eat all de pines." " Wen you eat ail de pines,
me too ; w'en you eat all de leaves, me too." Dey wen' from dere
tode brother-in-law. 'E say, "W'en you git to brother-in-law, you
say, 'Good even', brutes an' 'ogs,' an' I say, ' Good even', ladies an'
gentlemen.' " B' Bouki say, " W'en you say, ' Good even', brutes an'
'ogs,' me too. W'en you say, 'Good even', ladies an' gentlemen," me
too." W'en dey get to brother-in-law B' Devil say, "Good even",
ladies an' gentlemen," B' Bouki say, "Good even*, ladies an' gen-
tlemen," tea W'en dey was comin' away, B' Bouki got 'is fiddle;
played on 'is fiddle : — >

 

broih^r - in - law an' got good din-nih.
' Pineapple.

 

82 Bahama Songs and Stories.

B' Devil say, " Play dat thing again, boy ! " B' Bouki take 'is fiddle :

" Do you t'ink you goin* to fool me like you fool B' Goat ?
Do you t'ink you goin' to fool me like you fool B' Goat ?
You t'ink you goin' to fool me, but you fool yourself ! "

An' B' Devil kick B' Bouki, an' 'e kick B' Bouki right over.

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc.

 

XX.

B' HELLIBABY AN' B' DAWNDEJANE.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

Dey was two brothers. Dey knew whey de cave was whe* de
robbers was ; plenty money. B' Dawndejane sent to buy a tub from
other baby's wife. To know what 'e was goin' to do with de tub,
she tawhed de bottom of it. Then 'e started an' went oflf to de cave.
Wen 'e got to de cave 'e says, ** Open she-she, open ! " It hopened
an' 'e went in. Filled 'is cawt with money. Afte'wards 'e came
out an' went home. W*en 'e went home 'e sent de tub home to
other baby's wife. She raised de tub an' looked under it an' found
money. She wen' sent Hellibaby to 'i§ brother, an' she ask 'im,
" Whey 'e git it } " B' Dawndejane tol' 'im whey 'e got it ; de rob-
bers' cave.

So 'e went off to de cave ; an' 'e was big-heyed w'en 'e got to de
cave ; wanted to bring too much. An' 'e filled 'is cawt too full an'
'e couldn* git out. The robbers came an* caught 'im ; an' dey tore
'im open ; hung 'im up on de tree.

Afte' 'e did n' come for t'ree days, 'is wife sent 'is brother to look
for 'im ; n' 'e foun' 'im in de tree, tore open. Take 'im an' 'e put 'im
in a cawt an' brought 'im to a shoemaker ; said to de shoemaker,
" Can't you stitch 'im neat } Sew 'im neat an* put life in 'im } "
Shoemaker tol' 'im " I co' stitch 'im neat an' sew 'im neat, but I can'
put no life in 'im." Shoemaker stitched 'im neat an' 'e sewed 'im
neat, an' dey hurried 'im. An' w'en de robbers came home, dey
missed 'im. They ask de shoemaker, " Dey see dem bring a man
dead?" Dey tol' 'im, "Yes."

Dey call a dance at B' Dawndejane' house. Dey brought jugs,
an' set in dejugs; de robbers did. While dey was dancin', B' Dawn-
dejane tol' B' Hellibaby wife to boil two cans of oil an' turn it in de

1 Cf. IV., Fortier, /. ^., pp. 128 and 154.

 

^Bout a Bird.

 

83

 

jugs ; all excep* one, in which was head man. Dey turn in all de
jugs excep* one. When B* Dawndejane went to de door, *e hol-
loed, " Come in, gentlemens ! " De head man went in. Dey kill
'im ; dey kill dem all, so I Dey went an' taken charge of de robbers*
cave, an* dey have been rich from dat day till now.

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc.

 

XXI.
'BOUT A BIRD.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

The fellah, *is fathe* an* mothe* was dead. An* 'is gran'mothe*
was a witch ; w*at *e use to stay with. *E hid something to eh, w*en
'e was small. An* w*en *e grew big, she tol* 'im if *e did n* fin* it,
she kill *im. *E made twenty-five coops ; each one o* them caught
birds an* she et them. *E made fifty ; *e says, " I know she can*t
eat themy She et them fifty. *E made a hunderd ; *e says, " I
know she can't eat a hunderd'' She et ninety-an*-nine of them.
The one what was left was a very handsome bird. *E taken it hout
an' fed it. It went up on de house an' begun to sing. *E commence
to sing : —

 

yT o,

 

^^

 

X

 

A

 

to man - go, Le, y, o, tu-

 

low to man - eo. Pan • ar, ian • ar tu low to man - eo.

 

to man - go, Pan • ar, jan • ar tu low to man - go.

Wen 'e look, saw ol* sailor comin*. Sailor said to *im, "Whey's all
dis music I heah asho' here } " " 'T is n't any music *t all ; all de
music here, little bird's got it." Sailor ax him, "What will you
sell *im for ? " 'E said, " Nothing ! " Says, " What will you let 'im
sing fah, den > " " Two thousan' ! " E' let 'im sing. Sailor give 'im
'is two thousan' dollahs. Aftah that one was gone, anothe' one
come. Said, " Say^ John, whey 's all dis music I heah sho' he'ah } "
Says, " 'T is n't any music 't all ; all de music you heah ; dis little
bird got it." Ax 'im, " What will 'e sell it fah } " Said, " 'E see
afte' a-while. Said, "What will you let 'im sing fah.?" 'E said,
" Fo' thousan' ! " Afte' e' was done singin' 'e said, " What will 'e

 

84

 

Bahama Songs and Stories.

 

sell 'im fah ? " 'E said, " Two thousan' ! " Sailor give 'im 'is six
thousan* doUah, an* 'e carried 'im 'board de schoone'.

Wen 'e got to de schooner, bird flew in de companion ; commence
to sing deh. Flew from de companion to gaff; from gaff to jib-stay;
from jib-stay flew back to 'is old master again.

One day 'is owner went out to walk ; 'e an' 'is lady. Wen 'e
come home 'is bird was gone ; gran'-mothe' had sold 'im fah two
hunderd dollahs. Tol' 'er 'f she did n' fin* it 'e would bum eh in
tah bah'l. De nex' day 'is bird came home. Still 'e bum 'is gran'-
mothe' in de tah bah'l.

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc.

 

XXII.

9

A YOUNG LAD AN' 'IS MOTHER.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

He had three siste's, an' 'e wanted one o' them fah 'is wife an' is
mothe' would n' let 'im have 'er. 'E built a little boat ; 'e tol' 'er 'e
go away an' 'e won't come back any more. Afte' 'e wen' away an'
when it was dinnah time, 'is mothe' went down to de sea with a plate
of dinnah; sung this song : —

 

m\\i\ii^i^ ; i J^/.jj'J iij.j.i

 

m

 

U sang - e wi - ley, come homei U sang - e wi - ley, come home,

 

^^

 

s

 

Come, come, come, come,come ketch you

 

yi - a - mah.

 

moth - er.

 

We know you, you ain't the one.

 

She went hup to the house an' de nex' eldes' siste' came down
an' sang de same song, an' 'e tol' 'er to go back ; she was n't the
one. Afte' she went up de younges' siste' came down ; de one *e
wanted fah a wife. She sung de same song. Then 'e paddled 'is
boat in to de shore ; caught 'er by de han' an' dragged 'er into de

 

B' Parakeet an B' Frog.

 

85

 

boat. To!" 'er 'f she did n' have 'im 'e sink de boat, and 'e 'II turn to
cub} an' she 'II turn to a porper.' She tol' 'im, " No ! " an 'e sunk
de boat. She turn to a porper, an' 'e turn to a cub ; and the porper
beat the cub, an' from dat day tUI now the porper always beats de
cub.

E bo ban, my stoiy 's ea', etc.

 

XXI I L

B' PARAKEET AN' B' FROG.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

You know 't was a man ; 'e had nine acre' of groun' to cut down.
An' 'e said, 'I 'e could get anybody to cut it down in a week, that 'e
would give 'im 'is eldes' daughter to wife an' t'ree hunderd dollah.

Miste' B' Frog says, " I t'ink 'f dcys any workin'man in de worl',
Miste' B' Frog de man ! " Miste' B' Frog started. Met Miste' B'
Parakeet ; says, "If you come go with me an" help me to cut down
this piece of groun' I give a good breakfas'. B' Parakeet says, " All
right, I go." 'E put 'im in a bag an' carried 'im. W'en'e got dere
Miste" B' Frog got up in a tree. 'E says, " I t'ink 'i deys any work-
in'man in de worl', Miste* B' Frog 's de man ; Quaw-aw.iw, QuSw-
aw.4w ! " Not a leaf did drop. Miste' B' Parakeet came out an' went
up in a tree an 'e commence to sing : —

 

An' half an acre fell down.

Wen B' Frog look 'e saw de man's daughter comin'. 'E said,
" Parakeet come down out o' that tree ; get in dis bag ; don' let 'eh
see ye." Wen she got dere she say, " I t'ink if dey 's any workin'-
man in de worl', Miste' B' Frog de man." 'E ax 'er fah a kiss. She
tol' 'im, " No, wait till to-morrah." Nex' day she came back again.
Said to him, " What 's dat pretty song I heard you singin' befo' I
got dere ? " 'E said to 'er, " De only song in de worl' I been singin" ;
'I think 'f dey's any workin'man in de worl', Miste' B' Frog's de
man; Qu4w-qu5w-Sw ! " She says, " I thought I heard one prettier
than that." An' 'e ask 'er fah a kiss, an' she gave it to 'im. Miste"
B' Parakeet did n' tike it. Nex' day B' Parakeet went again with B'
Frog. B' Parakeet got up in a tree ; began to sing : —

' Man-eating shark. ' Porpoise

 

86 Bahama Songs and Stories.

" O to 3rum-bay, yat-en-day, yum-bay,

O to yum-bay."

Wen B' Frog saw 'er comin* again de nex' day, 'e say, " Fah
Gawd sake, B* Parakeet come down an* git in dis bag ! " B* Para-
keet say, "No, I ain't comin' down to-day." B' Frog say, "B* Para-
keet, fah Gawd sake, come down!" *E say, "No, I ain' comin*
down ! " Then de girl come in de fieF an' B' Frog sunk unde* de
dry leaves an' just lef 'is head out, 'e was so shame* ! She said, " I
thought it wan't Miste* B* Frog doin* all dis work ! " She went
home an* tol* her fathe* ; an* B* Frog wanted to beat Miste* B* Para-
keet. An* B* Parakeet said, " Cut *im off in de eas' ! " Miste* B'
Frog turn *n* run to westward. Miste* B* Parakeet said, " Cut *im
off to westwahd ! ** B' Frog met a goat. *E say, " Did you see B*
Parakeet.?'* *E say, "All that fray I an' 'im had is done.** Miste'
B* Parakeet married de lady an* got *er three hunderd doUahs.

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc.

 

XXIV.
'BOUT B' DOG, B* CAT, B* RABBIT, AN' B' GOAT.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

Had a dinnah one day an* had a lot o* beef. B* Dog was a very
great lover of a beef bone. Whiles dey were 'roun* de table heatin',
B' Goat threw lot o* beef bone out o* de window. B* Dog turn
'roun* an* looked at it short. B* Cat says, " Min*, B' Dog, don*t
make no shame here to-day** (by bad habits of jumpin* out de window
fah beef bone).

B* Rabbit throwed out one. B' Dog jumped out de window afte'
it; B' Cat out afte' B' Dog; chasin' 'im. Afte' B' Cat foun' 'e
could n' ketch 'im, 'e went back to de house. Said, " Did n' I tell
you 'bout havin' B' Dog here ? Did n' I tell you B' Dog make a
shame ? " B' Cat was as bad as B' Dog ; 'e was chasin' 'im to get
it. That story 's ended.

E bo ban, my story 's en,' etc.

 

A Young Lady an' 'er Son.

 

87

 

XXV.
THE LADY AN' 'ER TWO DAWTAHS AN' 'ER HUSBAN'.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

'Eh husban' gener'ly like peppah in 'is food. Dis day 'e came
home off de fiel*, she had peas fah dinnah. They was n't peppah
enough fah 'im. Tol' 'is wife to go an* git some mo' peppahs. She
went an' got 'er han' full. She mashed them up an' put it in de
peas. Then 'e et two spoonfuls ; 't was so peppery 'e ax fah watah.
'E sent de heldes' dawtah to de well fah watah. When she got there,
B* Parakeet jumped out with 'is fiddle. Commence to play this : —

 

Kan - gi it wan*t no dip - pe' in de welL Kan • gi

 

yang.

 

She jumped out an' begun to dance. De nex* eldes' come down.
Said, " Mah 's goin* to kill you ! " When she went to draw de
watah, 'e played de same song with 'is fiddle. She went out fah a
pardne* fah 'eh siste'. When they look again, de mothe' come down.
When she went to go to dip de watah B' Parakeet played de same
song. She went out to dance. Then 'eh husban' come down.
When 'e went to get in de well to drink de watah, B' Parakeet went
down an' played de same song with 'is fiddle an' 'e went out pard-
ner fah 'is wife. 'E dahnced till 'e dahnced 'eself dead.

£ bo ban, my story 's en', etc.

 

XXVI.

A YOUNG LADY AN' 'ER SON.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

The lady she had a drum in de house ; she told her son not to
beat it. That if he would beat it the spirits would dreg him away.
Afte' she was gone out a hearin' 'e got de drum an' commence to
knock : —

 

Mama gone in bay - road,Papa soon come back,On-ly poor me won't,On-ly

 

88

 

Bahama Songs and Stories.

 

poor me won*t,Dumeracker,Dumeracker,Dumeracker,Dumeracker,I wan* to go ;

 

Dumeracker,Dameracker,Dumeracker,Dumeracker, I wan' to go.

 

When 'e looked 'e saw the spirits comin'. Say, " Boy beat dat
t'ing 'gain ; le' me dance ! " 'E says, " I cahn' knock ! " 'E says,
" O B* Frog, come knock dis t'ing for me ! " B* Frog say, " I cahn'
knock." 'E says, " O B' Yabby, knock dis t'ing fah me." B' Yabby
says, " I cahn' knock." 'E say, " O B* Monkey, knock dis t'ing fah
me!" B' Monkey say, "I tell you what I do." 'E say, "Goto
you' pa's trunk an' git me t'ree shillin' flakes o* tobacco." 'E went
an* got 'im de tobacco. B' Monkey put one piece in 'is mouth, an'
'e commence to knock de drum : —

Ma-ma gone in bay-road, etc.

'E kep' B' Monkey knockin' all day. Afte' that the spirits went
away.

£ bo ban, my story 's en*, etc

 

a

 

it

 

XXVIL
B* GOAT, B' BOUKI, AN' B' RABBIT.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

Dey went in de sea one day. B' Rabbit had a very splendid chain
around 'is neck. Ol' man came an' taken 'is chain. B' Rabbit say.
Oh, B' Bouki an' B' Goat ; come, go git me chain." B' Bouki say.
You want you' chain go you'sel' ; we ain' goin' with ye."
B' Rabbit stahrted. 'E run ; 'e run; till 'e caught up de ol' man.
'E says, " Master," says, " please to gi' me my chain." 'E says,
"You ride me from here way to dat hill yande', I gi* you you'
chain." 'E rode *im from theh to thet hill; set 'im down; say,
" Maste', gi' me my chain." 'E say, " Now ride me from dat hill
way to dat bother hill, way yande*, an' I gi' you you' chain." ('E
wanted to kill B' Rabbit.) Put 'im down. *E say, " Ride me to dat
house in de wally, way yonde', an' I gi' to you." 'E rode 'im to dat
house. Man took 'im an' t'row 'im in de house. 'E say, "You
stay theh."

De man had a gold band an' a horse. Comin' towards dinnah
time 'e says, "What you* mah does give you fah you' diimah?"

 

The Woman an! 'eh Husban! 89

B' Rabbit said, " My mah always gi' me pebble soup," Man went an'
take an' fill de pot full o' pebbles. 'E says, •* Well, how much wood
you' mah does take ? " " TVee cords." De man went an' got one
cord ; 'e burnt dat out Taken 'is fork to try 'em to see 'f dey was
done. Wen 'e struck 'em dey went Ka-bang ! " Then stahrted to
go fah de othe' cord. B' Rabbit went an' taken de man's gold band
an' horse. When B' Rabbit got home he hid de band an' horse.

or man stahrted to look fah 'is horse. First house 'e come to was
B' Rabbit's house. 'E says, " Oh, little boy, you see any little boy
go by with a horse an' drum ? ^ B' Yabby say, " Yes, Masse' ; I see
'im go way up de street." 'E say, " Ol' man come git some sour." '
B' Rabbit had a hole dug unde' de floo' ; had some boards laid on
it. An' 'e set the man's cheh right ove' that hole ; an' the table.
De man say, " I would n' matte' gittin' somet'in* to eat, Beyeh." *
Afte' de man was finish eatin', B' Rabbit gi' de man a pipe to smoke.
De fellah laid on de arm-cheh ; commence to smokin'. B' Rabbit
taken 'is feet an' move away de board. Ol' man went down ; table,
chehr, an' all. B' Rabbit sung out, •' Full * up, mah, full up, pa ; full
up, mah, full up, pa ! " Dey fulled de hole right up an' beatin' it
down. An' thus ended that 'ol' story.

£ bo ban, my story 's en', etc

 

XXVIII.
THE WOMAN AN' 'EH HUSBAN'.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

No' a woman ; 'er husban' was very sick. She went to de doctah
to see w'at she mus' do fah 'im. Doctah tol' 'er she mus* put 'im
in a wahm bath. She went home an' het the hoven as hot as she
could be. Then she swept de coals out an' set 'im inside o* her ;
stoped de hoven up. W'en she went to it through the day to take
'im out, behol' e' was settin' hup grinnin'. She says, " It 's doctah's
orders ; * grin an' bear it ! ' " W'en she went to take 'im out she
says, " O Gawd, my husban 's dead ! " She ran off fah de doctah.
Doctah, 'e says to 'er, " You fool, you ! I did n' tell you to do dat ; I
tell you to put 'im in a wahm bath."

£ bo ban, my story 's en*, etc.
1 Band. « Limes. « Brother. * Fill

 

go Bahama Soiigs and Stories.

XXIX.
B' BIG-HEAD AN' B' LITTLE-HEAD.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

B' Big-head an' B* Little-head went fah a walk one day. Dey met
up by a whole lot o* pears. Dey set down an* het all dey want
Afte' dey was finish' eatin' de pears, dey went to look fah some
watah. Dey met up by a hole o' watah. B' Big-head say to B' Lit-
tle-head, " Le' me drink first." B' Little-head say, " No, le* me
drink first." B' Little-head stoop down to drink much as 'e want.
B* Big-head went to drink. De mo' B' Big-head use' to drink, de
mo* 'is head use' to grow. Wen 'e had enough, 'e said, " O B* Lit-
tle-head, come pull me out ! " B' Little-head say, " I cahn* pull you
out ! " 'E caught hold 'im, 'e pull ; 'e cahn' pull 'im out. 'E say,
" O Gaw*, B' Big-head, look at de Devil ! " Wen B* Big-head raise
'e broke 'is head off, an' left it in de hole. 'E went home runnin'
with no head, an' dat ended de 'old story.

£ bo ban, my story 's en', etc.

 

XXX.

A BOY AN* SHEEP.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

A boy, once he was mindin* sheep. 'E los' one of 'is sheep one
night. He watch how a deer sleep. Caught de deer an' 'e carried
'im 'ome. Got 'im five hunderd dollahs fah dat. Nex' night 'e los'
anothe' of 'is sheep. Wen' an' watched how a ,'helephint sleep.
Elephint sleep leanin' against a tree. Boy got two bags. 'E wet
'em with kerosene oil, an' hung 'em up unde* de tree. B* Helephint
picked up de bags : ** Hunh, covehs smell sweet to-night." Shoved
'is head in ; in de bags. Boy came an' burnt 'im up there. 'E went
an' 'e got 'im three hunderd dollahs fah that.

'E left off mindin' sheep. 'E went to a man to mind 'oses.
Ev'ry year dis man, w'at 'e went to mind 'oses to, got to change one
o' 'is dawtahs fah watah. This was de las' dawtah 'e had to change
fah watah, when de boy went dere to stop. The boy axed de coach-
man o' de carriage to let *im go. Coachman taken 'im ; kicked 'im
down in de mud. Went an' shook all de shep'erd needles out o' de
bag. 'E says, " Pick 'em up one by one, an' put 'em in de bag."

 

Srm III "" Ccktnliin „/ f,wamfali4

 

De Girl an de Fish. 9^

De coachman stahrted out to go to change de girl fah watah. The
boy went up on de 'os' stable. Said, " Needles, go in de bag ! " De
needles went in de bag.

Boy went down an* got *is 'os* an' kerridge ; dressed down fine,
in a suit o' diagonal an' a beaver. When dey got there, when dey
was about to change eh fah watah, that boy was there, a mile off in
'is kerridge. 'E says, " Befo* dis man shall have dis woman, let two
boar lizards fight." When 'e look de two boar lizards was on de
groun* fightin'. While de two lizards was fightin' dey got de watah
an' went away ; carried de girl back home again.

Nex' year dey went to change eh again. De boy axed de coach-
man to let 'im go again. Coachman told 'im, " No, 'e was n't to go."
De boy did n't say nothin*. W'en dey went dere dey met de boy dere
in de kerridge ; dey did n't know 'im. 'E says, " Befo' dis man shall
have dis woman let two cocks fight." Wile de two cocks was
fightin' 'e taken out 'is han'ke'chief outen 'is pocket an' put a red
stain on it. Passed it to the girl. W'en she went home she went
an* cahed it to 'er fathe'. 'Eh fathe' called all de high people of dat
place an' said, ** 'F any man can get dat stain out o' that handke'-
chief, 'e give 'eh to 'im fah wife an' two thousan' doUahs." All on
'em was tryin', dey could n' git it out. This fellah haxed them to
let 'im try it. Fathe' told 'im, " All right, 'e could try it." 'E rolled
up 'is sleeve ; spread the handke'chief over 'is harm ; then *e spit
on it, taken 'is hand an' rubbed over it. The stain went out. Her
fathe' give 'er to 'im to wife an' 'is two thousan' doUahs. Dat en's

de hold story.

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc.

 

XXXI.
DE GIRL AN' DE FISH.^

Dis day dis girl vwen' down to de sea for salt vwatah. She ketch
one little fish hout de conch shell.^ She name 'im Choncho-wally.
She put 'im in de vwell. Ev'ry mohnen she use' to put some 'er
breakfas' in de bucket an' carry to de fish ; an' some 'er dinner, an'
some 'er supper. She feed 'im 'till 'e get a big fish.

Dis mohnin, vw'en she vwen' to cahy de breakfas' for 'im, she
sing : —

1 In this and the following tales, generally given as " fairy stories," one may
detect elements of the familiar marchen of universal folk-lore. For XXXI., of.
"The Golden Fish/' Fortier, Jour, Am, Folk-Lore, 1888.

^ One of the common sports of Bahama children is to catch tiny fish which
find harbor in old conch shells.

 

9^ Bahama Songs and Stories.

 

Conch-o,Conch-o-wan - y, Don't you vwan* to mar- ry me, My deddy short-tail ?

'E comes up an' she feed 'im. Den she let 'im go down. Vw'en
she vwen' home, de boy say, " Pa, siste' got somet'in* inside de
vwell."

Den de nex' day she come ; bring vittles again for 'im. De man
say to de boy, " You go behin* de tree an' listen to vw'at she goin'
sing." De gal sing : —

" Conch-o, Conch-o-wally,
Don't you vwan* to marry me.
My deddy short-tail ? "

Huh ! De boy ketch it ; 'e gone ; tell 'e pa. De boy say, ** Pa,

sister say, —

* Conch-o, Conch-o-wally,' " etc

De man go ; 'e took he grange,^ 'e sing, —

" Conch-o, Conch-o-wally," etc.

De fish come hup ; 'e strike 'im*. 'E carry 'im home an' dey had

some fur dinner. De gal say, " I bet you dis nice fish ! "

Den de gal took some in de bucket to cahy to de fish. Den vw'en

de gal vwen' to de vwell to call de fish, she sing, —

" Conch-o, Conch-o-wally," etc.
She sing again, —

" Conch-o, Conch-o-wally," etc.

She ain' hear no fish, an' she ain' see none. She sing again, —

" Conch-o, Conch-o-wally," etc.
She begin to cry now, —

•* Conch-o, Conch-o-wally," etc.

Den she vwen* home to de house, behin' de house, an* she cry *er-
self to death.

£ bo ban, my story 's en', etc.

 

XXXII.
THREE BOYS AN' ONE WOMAN.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

Three boys went to look for a fortune one day. They met up by
an ol' woman ; very rich. But still she use' to eat people. The lit-
tle boy says, " 01' woman, please to let me sleep here to-night." She
tol' them, " All right" She put them under the bedstead to sleep.

1 Fish-spear.

 

A Lady ati ^er Two Dawtahs.

 

93

 

Wen she thought they was to sleep, she got up an' got a razor, an'
went to the grin'stone : —

2 r2

 

r r\iy \ \

 

You torn de grin'stuo, I sharp'n de razor,Sbark-a-she,shark-a. sbark-a.

Then the younges' boy jump up an' sung : —

 

lake you do so? Sbark-a-she,sharK-a. shark-a.

 

O gren-di, gren-di, what make you

 

She says, " Little boy, little boy, why won't you go to sleep ? " 'E
says, " My ma always kills de bigges' cow she got an' greets me
with the fat." While she was killin' the cow 'e went an' cut three
banana sucker. He laid them under the bedstead an* sent 'is other
two brothers along. Then 'e went an' taken *er money. She went
to the grin'stone an' commence to sing that same song : —

" You turn de grin'stun, I sharpen de razor,

Shark-a-she, shark-a."

While she was grindin' de razor de boy went with the money.
When she come in she thought the boys was unde' the bedstead.
She was goin' to kill them then. She taken 'er razor an* cut one
banana sucker in two. (She thought that was a boy she was cuttin'.)
She cut the second banana sucker in two. Third banana sucker
she cut in two ; de razor was so hot it went through the floor an'
bum down the house, ol' lady an' all. That 's the whole story.

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc.

 

XXXIII.

A LADY AN' 'ER TWO DAWTAHS.

Once it vwas a time, etc.

Once it was a lady ; she had two dawtahs. This day two gentle-
mens went to de house. One had on cassimere ; de other had on
a suit o' diagonal, with a beaver ; that was the B' Devil. The
younges' dawtah said to de heldes', " W'ich one you love bes' out o'
de two } " She said, de heldes' one, " I love de one that 's got on
de cassimere." De younges' one said, " I love de one that 's got on
de diagonal bes'. (She wanted good clo's !) So de two got married.

 

94 Bahama Songs and Stories.

B* Devil taken 'is wife an' carried 'er to 'is house. An' de eldes'
one, she married not far from 'er mah, an' she was livin' at de eas*.

So she [the mother] had two boys. The younges* one said, " Mah,
gi' me two bits ; " ^ says, " I '11 bring my siste* home." 'Is mothe'
made answe*, " Hush talkin' you* nonsense, boy ! " Says, " You'
siste' bin married a year ago." 'E says, " Never min', you gi* me
de two bits." She gave *im de two bits. 'E went an' bought twelve
pence ^ rice an' a threppence pork. Cooked 'is rice an' pork. 'Is
brother come dere ; says, "You gi' me some o* you' rice." 'E says,
" I '11 do anything you want me to." 'E says, " All right ! " So 'e
gi' 'im the rice an* 'e het it. 'E got 'is horse an' cart, an' 'e harness
'er up an' de two started. He got to a cocoanut-tree firs*. 'E says,
"Pull up dat cocoanut-tree without breakin' a root in it." 'E says,
" I cahnt, brother ! " 'E says, " Gi' me my rice ; gi' me my rice ! "
'E says, " I cahnt gi' you your rice, now we het it ! " 'E says, " Gi'
me my rice, d — you, gi* me my rice ! "

Anyhow, 'e pulled up de cocoanut-tree without breakin' a root in it,
put in de cahrt, an' dey went on. Got to de siste's house ; taken out
de horse outen de cahrt. H'ist up de cahrt in de roof of de house ;
an' de cocoanut-tree. She went an' call B* Devil outen de fiel' ; tol*
'im dat 'er brothers was comin'. She hed the table all ready to em-
brace them so they could heat. When B* Devil come, 'e sat to de
table. When e' was eatin', the boy stood up an' cut de rope away,
an* de cahrt an' cocoanut-tree fell down on de floor. It frightened
B' Devil an' 'e runned away. Boy taken 'is siste' an' carried 'eh
home. That endest de story.

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc.

 

XXXIV.
B' JACK AN' B' SNAKE.8

Once it vwas a time, etc.

De Queen say, " B* Jack, if you can kill dis snake, I don' know
how much money I would n' give you ! " So Jack say, " I wan' five
hundr' dollars to go on a spree." So 'e gone up dere now. 'E say,
'* B' Snake, vw'at you tink dese foolish people say } dey say you*

* Eighteen cents.
« Cents.

« Probably founded upon " Jack the Giant-Killer." Cf . " The Rabbit desires
a Long Tail," Chris tensen, /. ^., p. 36.

 

B' Little^Clod an E Big-Clod. 95

body cahn' go in dis half-hitch.'* ^ 'E come out de hole an' 'e vwen'
in de half-hitch. Den Jack draw de half-hitch taut. Den all dese
soljers come around ; dey cut 'im up in pieces.

So den de Queen say, " Jack, I got one more trial fur you to do."
'E say, " Vwell, vw*at dat is ? *' " If you could go up 'ere in dis
cornfiel' an* kill all de rice-bird, I let you git married to my daugh-
ter," dat 's vw'at the Queen say. 'E vwen* to de fiel* to de rice-bird.
. So B* Jack say, " B' Rice-birds, vw'at you no tink dese foolish people
say } dey say all o' you no rice-birds cahn' full up dis basket ! " De
rice-birds say, " Vy people so foolish, no all us rice-birds cahn' full
up dat basket ! "

So all de rice-bird vwent in de basket. So B' Jack drawed de
basket together with de rice-birds in it. So B' Jack vwen' home to
de Queen with dese rice-birds. Say, " Her' de rice-birds." Queen
say, " Vwell, B' Jack, you can get married to my daughter."

E bo ban, my story *s en*, etc.

 

XXXV.
B' LITTLE-CLOD AN' B' BIG-CLOD.2

Once it vwas a time, etc.

B' Little-Clod had one horse and B' Big-Clod had two. B' Big-
Clod use to take B' Little-Clod's boss an' to work 'im, and use to
give 'im nothin' to heat. B' Little-Clod get wexed. An' 'e vwent to
take B' Big-Clod's boss to work too. Vwen e' vwent to take 'is
boss, B' Big-Clod slapped B' Little-Clod down an' e' sent 'im avay.
'E say, "Jus' le' me sleep here to-night ! " 'E sleep alongside 'is
granfader, B' Little-Clod. B' Big-Clod put B' Little-Clod in front,
an' put 'is granfader over back. An' B* Little-Clod 'e vwent over
back, an' put 'is granfader in front. An' B' Big-Clod come an' 'e
cut off 'is granfader's head because 'e t'ought it vwas B' Little-Clod.
An' nex' momin' B' Little-Clod vwent to buy one bottle o' beer. 'E
sent 'is granfader a glass o' it, — vwat vwas dead. An' 'e fix on 'is
granfader's head. Good! 'E still had him layin' down. 'E sent it
wid de man vw'ich 'e buy de bottle o* beer from. Vw'en de man
vwen', 'e say, ** Sir ! " an' 'e slap *im side de head to make 'im
vwake ; 'e t'ought 'im 'sleep an' 'e knock 'is head off. Den B' Little-

* Slipnoose.

* One can see in this story, albeit somewhat mutilated and abbreviated in the
translation, the Bahama version of Andersen's " Little Qaus and Big Claus."

 

96 Bahama Songs and Stories.

Clod begin to cry. De man say, " No, doan* cry," 'e say ; " I *11
have 'im hurried decent, an' I *11 give you t*ree t'ousan' dollar be-
sides, if you doan* make no noise ! "

'E dig *im up an* 'e carry 'im down in market to sell 'im. Dey
vwas goin' put 'im in jail. Dey say *e kill one ole man. An* as 'e
vwas comin' hack, dark did ketch him in de road an' e' ask one man
to let 'im sleep dere dat night. An' man say, " I let you sleep in de
hold hoss stable." An' *e say, " All right, sir." An' de old man
did ask 'im if 'e was hungry. An' 'e say, " Yes, sir." An' de man
did give him some cold hominy to heat An' de man, vw'en 'e vwas
done eatin', 'e vwent in de hoss stable an' *e set down. An* as 'e
vwas settin' down de man's wife come past an* see 'im, an* ax 'im,
" Vw'at you want dere for ? " 'E say, " You husban' sent me dere
to sleep to-night."

Vw'en B' Big-Clod did kill his hoss, 'e had his hoss skin in his han'
an' 'e tied it roun' his feet. De woman did give her husband cold
hominy to heat.

All de good t'ings she had for de tailor she put in de shelf. An'
she put some in 'er bed ; an' she put de tailor in a big chist An'
den dey was settin' down in de house, de free on 'em ; de little boy,
de man, an' his wife.

An' de man say to de little boy to pitch a riddle, an* den de boy
say, " I don' feel like pitchin' no riddle ! " An' de woman say,
" You know you' mudder an* you* f adder learn you some riddles."
Hax 'im if could n' pitch no riddle. 'E say, " Hall right, mam." 'E
say, " Ma riddle, ma riddle, ma-rendi-ho. Perhaps you can tell me
dis riddle, an' perhaps you cahnt" ^

'E say, " My mudder had a hog had twelve pigs bigger 'n de
twelve bums 2 vw'at vwas in de hoven. De hog vwas jus' 'bout as
big as de stuff' pig dat de woman got underneath de bed, an' de sty
de hog vwas in jus' 'bout as big as de chist vw'at de tailor vwas in,"
— an' den de man vwent in de cubbard, 'e take down de twelve
bums ; 'e take de stuff' pig from underneath de bed. 'E take de
chist, an' 'e t'row it in de ribber, vw'at de man vwas in. An' 'im
an' de boy heat de burns, an' dey had de stuff' pig. An' 'e take his
wife an' 'e t'row 'er in de ribber.

E bo ban, my story 's en', etc.

^ The usual doggerel given when " pitching " or giving a riddle.
^ Sweet cakes.

 

Greo-Grass an Ilop-o-my- Thumb.

 

DE WOMAN AN' DE BELL-BOY."

It vwas a woman. She hax Miste' Sammy vw'at 'e do vw'en 'e
go huntin". She told "ira he turns to wood, e' turn to rock, 'c turn to
hiron. Den his gran'mudder call 'im. She said, "My son, talk
some an' lau^h some."

So dis day "e vwen' huntin' in de woods. "E met hup wid dis ole
woman. She hax 'im 'f 'e vwant to take a vwalk wid 'er. 'E told
'er, " No ! " 'E say, " E neve' vwas bro't up wid company."

She vwcnt 'side de bush an' she turn to old vwitch. Her teet' *
was two feet long. "E turn to wood. She chop 'im down. Den 'e
turn to hiron. She bite it down. Turn to rock. She blow it to
pieces. 'E turn to copper. She p'int it from 'er (vw'en she p'int,
de rock vwastc avay).

Den do boy turn to a bell. Den she turn back, said, " Le' me go
to my restin' hole ! " So dat "a de end o' dat ditty,

 

GREO-GRASS AN' HOP-0'-MY-THUMB.«

Hop-o'-my-Thumb had five brudders, an' hevery one on 'em vwas
bigger 'n him ; 'e vwas de younges', an' 'e vwas only as big as you'
little thumb.

So now de ma vwas dead. Now all on 'em vwas goin' trabbelin',
Dey vwen', dey vwen', all tVu de bushes. So now dey trabbel all
dat day, an' vw'en de sun was down dey see one light. Now dey
gone, A^'j gone, dey gone "till dey come to dat light. So vw'en dey
come to de house, Greo-grass wife say, "Children, whey you no
goin' ? 'f my husban' meet you no here, 'e '11 tear you hall to pieces."
De woman say, " Make haste ! Come here ! le' me hide you ! " She
bide "em somewhey in one secret room in de house. Den, when she
hide 'em, her husban' come wid a whole lot o' tear-up children ;
whole lot o' beastes, helephan' — 'e was so strong 'e could kill any-

1 In this (ale the central thought is seen to be quite similar to that of "Die
Coldene Ziegenbock," by Grimm. There the boy and his sister, pursued by a
witch, arc transformed into many things. Cf. Theal, /. i:., p. 1 24.

" In European folk-lore the witch is generally characteriied l>y having two very
long teeth.

• Evidently a confusion of " Jack the Giant-Killet " and Grimm's " Thumbling."

 

J

 

gS Bahama Songs and Stories.

thing ! Soon 's 'e git in de house, *e say, " Humph ! humph ! I
smell de blood o' one hold Englishman ! ** De woman say, " No ! *'
She say, " 'T ain't a soul in dis house ! " Greo-grass say, " Dat
hain't no good, I smell de blood o' one hold Englishman ! " Greo-
grass vwen' all t'r'u' de house smellin'. Vw'en *e look in dat room,
'e fin' em ; it vwas five on 'em. After 'e fin' *em, 'e say, " Ne' min',
I '11 have dese five fo' my breakfas' in de mornin' ! "

So now Greo-grass had five children, too. His wife made five
gold cap an* five silver cap. Greo-grass put de five gold cap on his
children, an' put de five silver caps on de five bother children. Den
Hop-o'-my-thumb got up durin' de night while Greo-grass vwas
sleepin'. He take de five gold cap an' put 'em on his children, an'
put de five silver ones on Greo-grass' s children. 'Fore day in de
mornin', soon 's de firs' fowl crow. Hop-o'-my-thumb jump hup ; 'e
call all his children : 'e gone. Den, after Hop-o'-my-thumb gone,
Greo-grass jump hup. 'E cut off all five he children head : 'e did n'
know. After a little while 'e fin' hout it vwas 'is children ; 'e vwas
so vex' 'e did n' know vw'at to do ; 'e gone to his wife, 'e say, " Hey !
you cause me to do dis ! 'f you want so hold an' tough I cut hoff you
head ! " Den Greo-grass say, " Ne' min', I go an' look fur 'em." So
now Greo-grass gone ! Hevery step 'e make half a mile. Now
Hop-o'-my-thumb fin' Greo-grass vwas gainin' on 'im. So him an'
he brudders vwen' undernead de rock. So it vwas gittin' dark ; soon
as Greo-grass git abreas' dat rock, 'e lay down an' vwen' to sleep.
Soon as 'e begin to snore, 'e vwaken all de children dat vwas under-
nead the rock. Now Hop-o'-my-thumb vwas goin' kill 'im. All de
hoder brudder say, " No, brudder, doan' go, 'e kill you." Hop-o'-
my-thumb say, ** 'F you doan' hush I kill you ! " Hop-o'-my-thumb
come out ; 'e take Greo-grass's sword. Vw'en Hop-o'-my-thumb
take Greo-grass's sword, 'e come down so; Greo-grass jump two
mile hup in de hair. Vw'en 'e come down 'e kill 'eself dead ! Hop-
o'-my-thumb call all de brudders from undernead de rock. Den dey
vwen' back again to Greo-grass's house. Vw'en 'e get dere, Greo-
grass's wife say, " Whey Greo-grass } " Hop-o'-my-thumb say, " Greo-
grass cannot come, for Great Cay ^ is belongs to Hop-o'-my-thumb."

Dat 's alL

* Giant's Home.

 

De Debbie an Young Prince had a Race. 99

XXXVIII.
DE DEBBLE AN' YOUNG PRINCE HAD A RACE.»

Once it vwas a time, it 's a very good time,
It vwas n't my time, it 'a old people's time,
Vw'en dey use' to talte codfish to shingle house.

Dis young prince vwent in chase fur Brer Bobby. 'E say to Brer
Bobby, " I hear you 's a good gambler." 'E says, " I vwant a trial
with you." Se dey vwent off to gamblin'. After dey vwent off to
gamblin', de more de Debbie did put out, de young prince would win
'ini. 'E said, " Young prince," 'e said, " I vwant a box four square
wide, four square deep." Vw'en 'e vwent home 'e told his mother.
She vwent an' git dis debble box. She said, " Have I tol' you 'bout
gamblin' .' " So 'e vwent on wid dis bo.\, an' as 'e vwen' 'e met up
by a man feedin' turkeys. An' 'e ask 'im, " Whey Brer Bobby live ? "
'E said, " 'E live 'bout t'irty miles from here." Vw'en 'e got dere,
'e knock to de gate. 'E said, " I come to bring you dis box." 'E
said, " Dat 's right, young prince, it exactly like mine, four square."

'E give 'im a wooden ax an' a wooden machete. 'E said, " I vwant
my 'erbs fur my dinner to-day." Vw'en 'e vwent, 'is ax break. De
girl come. Vw'en de girl come, she ax young prince vw'at vwas de
matter. De young prince say, "You' pa gi' me dis wooden ax an'
dis wooden machete to cut dis fiel', like I could cut it ! " She say,
" Young prince, don' cry ; come lay in my lap." Vw'en 'e vwent,
young prince lied in 'er lap ; 'e vwent off to sleep.

She said, " Jumpin' do jumpin', I vwan' dis ground cut, an' I want
de herbs fur my fader's dinner at twelve o'clock 1 So vw'en 'e
vwent to his dinner-table he had de herbs dere. "Young prince,
you good as dat .' " " I good as dat an' better, too ! " 'E said,
" Heagle heggs up in dat tree, dat glass tree. I vwant 'em down fur
my breakfas' in de mornin' ! " 'E vwent to de tree, but 'e could n*
git up. De more 'e go up, de more 'e slip down. So de girl vwen'
dere ; she gi' 'im 'er finger nails, an' she took his uns. An' den 'e
brought de heagle heggs to de Debbie, an' 'e ask 'im 'f 'e vwas good
as dat, an' 'e say, " Good as dat an' better, too." So 'e said, " Now,
young prince, you marry my daughter." (Did I tell you 'er name.'
— my daughter Greenleaf.)

Vw'en dey vwas married dey sleep dere till two o'clock dat night,
vw'en dey git hup ; dey cut dese banana tree an' dey laid dem in de
bed.

' CtTheal, I.e., p. 87; XIX,, Fortier, Louisiana Folk-Tales, Boston and New
York, 1895, p. 69.

 

I oo Bahama Songs and Stories.

One took de seven-mile boss an* one took de six. She took two
heggs as she vwas goin'.

'E ^ took *s t'ree-leg jackass ; dat jackass go sixty mile to sixty
minute, so vw'en 'e vwent from *is house, 'e say, " Fisky lang, lang,
fisky too ; boss raskality ! " So 'e ketch 'er. 'E say, " My daughter
Greenleaf, bow you git across dis ribber ? " " I drink ; me boss
drink ! " An' V drink an' 'is boss drink. 'E vwent on chasin' 'is
daughter. She vwen' on ; she dash anudder hegg ; she say, " I hope
dat may be de bigges' par-pricker ^ dat ever vwas, an' she be on de
eas' side an' 'e on de vwes' ! " She said, " I cut ; my boss cut ! "
Vw'en *e vwas finish cuttin', de girl vwas in de city, so 'e turn back.

She tol' de young prince she would stop dere at de blin' man's, an'
'e could go see 'is parents. So she said, " Don' let de puppy kiss
you* lip, or else you forgot me ! " So *e vwen' on, an' as 'e vwent
home 'e vwas so glad to see 'im de puppy kiss 'is lips, an' jus' as de
puppy kiss 'is lips 'e forgot 'er. An' den 'e vwent an' got an'o'r
lady, an' *e got married to 'er. After 'e got married to 'er 'e 'ired
a servant. Dis lady (Debble*s daughter) vwent over de vwell. She
said, " I 'm too pretty to be a young prince servan* ; I jus' do to be 's
wife." So she vwen' home an' tole *im. So 'e vwe'n an* hired a
middle-aged vwoman. So vw'en she vwen' to de vwell, she look up
in de vwell ; she look up on de tree. She vwent home an' tol' de
young prince, "Dat vwas a good lookin' lady stayin' to de blin'
man's." 'E said, " Go 'an hax 'er to visit my gardens."

She had two doves, a rooster an' a pullet, in one cage. She hax
'er to vwell,' an' she brought dese two doves. Doves had a com in
de cage. Vw'en de rooster dove would bring out dis com, de pullet
dove would carry it in. So dey hax 'er vw'at vwas de meanin' o'
dose two birds. So she up an' tol' 'em. She say she save
young prince life, an' 'e brought 'er 'ere an' lef 'er to de blin' man.
So after she said dat, *e flew right from de girl w'at 'e marry an'
marry dis one. De minister had to marry *em over again. So after
de minister marry *em over again, I vwas passin' an' I vw'isper to
'r 'er ; she vwas so good lookin' so young prince run out, an' 'e give
me a kick an* sen* me here to tell you dat little ditty. Dat 's de
bend o' dat ditty.

1 " De Debbie " starting in pursuit.

* Prickly pear, one of the Opuntia^ very common at Green Turtle Cay.