IX. Blessings

BLESSINGS

The chivalry of the Old South rather demanded that all friends should be
invited to partake of the meal, if they chanced to come calling about
the time of the meal hour. This ideal also pervaded the lowly slave
Negro's cabin. In order that this hospitality might not be abused, the
Negroes had a little deterrent story which they told their children.
Below are the fancied Blessings asked by the fictitious Negro family, in
the story, whose hospitality had been abused.


BLESSING WITH COMPANY PRESENT

    Oh Lawd now bless an' b[=i]n' us,
    An' put ole Satan 'h[=i]n' us.
    Oh let y[=o]' Sperit m[=i]n' us.
    Don't let none hongry f[=i]n' us.


BLESSING WITHOUT COMPANY

    Oh Lawd have mussy now upon us,
    An' keep 'way some our neighbors from us.
    For w'en dey all comes down upon us,
    Dey eats m[=o]s' all our victuals from us.


ANIMAL PERSECUTORS

    I went up on de mountain,
    To git a bag o' co'n.
    Dat coon, he sicked 'is dog on me,
    Dat 'possum blowed 'is ho'n.

    Dat gobbler up an' laugh at me.
    Dat pattridge giggled out.
    Dat peacock squall to bust 'is sides,
    To see me runnin' 'bout.


FOUR RUNAWAY NEGROES--WHENCE THEY CAME

    Once f[=o]' runaway Niggers,
    Dey met in de road.
    An' dey ax one nudder:
    Whar dey come from.
    Den one up an' say:
      "I'se jes come down from Chapel Hill
      Whar de Niggers hain't wuked an' never will."

    Den anudder up an' say:
      "I'se jes come here from Guinea Gall
      Whar dey eats de cow up, skin an' all."

    Den de nex' Nigger say
    Whar he done come from:
      "Dey wuked you night an' day as dey could;
      Dey never had stopped an' dey never would."

    De las' Nigger say
    Whar he come from:
      "De Niggers all went out to de Ball;
      De thick, de thin, de short, de tall."

    But dey'd all please set up,
    Jes lak ole Br'er Rabbit
    W'en he look fer a dog.
    An' keep it in mind,
    Whilst dey boasts 'bout deir gals
    An' dem t'other things:
      "Dat none deir gals wus lak Sallie Jane,
      Fer dat gal wus sweeter dan sugar cane."