FOREIGN SECTION
AFRICAN RHYMES
The rhymes "Tuba Blay," "Near Waldo Tee-do O mah nah mejai," "Sai
Boddeoh Sumpun Komo," and "Byanswahn-Byanswahn" were kindly contributed
by Mr. John H. Zeigler, Monrovia, Liberia, and Mr. C. T. Wardoh of the
Bassa Tribe, Liberia. They are natives and are now in America for
collegiate study and training.
NEAR-WALDO-TEE-DO O MAH NAH MEJAI
OR
NEAR-WALDO-TEE-DO IS MY SWEETHEART
1. A yehn me doddoc Near Waldo Tee-do.
Yehn me doddoc o-o seoh-o-o.
Omah nahn mejai Near Waldo Tee-do.
Omah nahn mejai Near Waldo Tee-do.
_Translation_
Near Waldo Tee-do gave me a suit.
He gave me a suit.
Near Waldo Tee-do is my sweetheart.
Near Waldo Tee-do is my sweetheart.
TUBA BLAY
OR
AN EVENING SONG
1. Seah O, Tuba blay.
Tuba blay, Tuba blay.
2. O blay wulna nahn blay.
Tuba blay, Tuba blay.
_Translation_
1. Oh please Tuba sing.
Tuba sing, Tuba sing.
2. Oh sing that song.
Tuba sing, Tuba sing.
THE OWL
We are indebted for this Baluba rhyme to Dr. and Mrs. William H.
Sheppard, pioneer missionaries under the Southern Presbyterian Church.
The little production comes from Congo, Africa.
Sala wa m[)e]n t[)e]nge, Cimpungelu.
Sala wa m[)e]n t[)e]nge, Cimpungelu.
Meme taya wewe, Cimpungelu.
Sala wa m[)e]n t[)e]nge, Cimpungelu.
_Translation_
The dancing owl waves his spread tail feathers.
I'm the owl.
The dancing owl waves his spread tail feathers.
I'm the owl.
I now tell you by my dancing, I'm the owl.
The dancing owl waves his spread tail feathers.
I'm the owl.
SAI BODDEOH SUMPUN KOMO
OR
I AM NOT GOING TO MARRY SUMPUN
1. Sai Sumpun komo.
De Sumpun nenah?
Sumpun se jello jeppo
Boddeoh Sumpun.
2. Sai Sumpun komo.
De Sumpun nenah?
Sumpun auch nahn jehn deddoc.
Boddeoh Sumpun.
_Translation_
1. I am not going to marry Sumpun.
What has Sumpun done?
Sumpun doesn't live a seafaring life
Boddeoh Sumpun.
2. I am not going to marry Sumpun.
What has Sumpun done?
Sumpun does not support me.
Boddeoh Sumpun.
BYANSWAHN-BYANSWAHN
OR
A BOAT SONG
[=O]-[=O] Byanswahn blay Tanner tee-o-o.
O Byanswahn jekah jubha.
De jo Byanswahn se kah jujah dai.
[=O] Byanswahn blay dai Tanner tee-o-o.
_Translation_
Oh boat, come back to me.
Since you carried my child away,
I have not seen that child.
Oh boat come back to me.
THE TURKEY BUZZARD
Dr. C. C. Fuller: a missionary at Chikore Melsetter, Rhodesia, Africa,
was good enough to secure for the compiler this rhyme, written in
Chindau, from the Rev. John E. Hatch, also a missionary in South Africa.
Riti, riti, mwana wa rashika.
Ndizo, ndizo kurgya ku wande.
Riti, riti, mwana wa oneka.
Ndizo, ndizo ti wande issu.
_Translation_
Turkey buzzard, turkey buzzard, your child is lost.
That is all right, the food will be more plentiful.
Turkey buzzard, turkey buzzard, your child is found.
That is all right, we will increase in number.
THE FROGS
The following child's play rhyme in Baluba with its translation was
contributed by Mrs. L. G. Sheppard, who was for many years a missionary
in Congo, Africa.
Cula, Cula, Kuya kudi Kunyi?
Tuyiya ku cisila wa Baluba.
Tun kuata tua kuesa cinyi?
Tua kudimuka kua musode.
_Translation_
Frogs, frogs, where are you going?
We are going to the market of the Baluba.
If they catch you, what will they do?
They will turn us all into lizards.
JAMAICA RHYME
BUSCHER GARDEN
This Negro rhyme from rural Jamaica was contributed by Dr. Cecil B.
Roddock, a native of that country. The word _Buscher_ means an overseer
or master of a plantation.
All a night, me da watch a brother Wayrum;
Wayrum ina me Buscher garden.
Oh, Brother Wayrum! Wha' a you da do,
To make a me Buscher a catch a you?
Oh a me Buscher, in a me Buscher garden;
Me a beg a me Buscher a pardon!
VENEZUELAN NEGRO RHYMES
These Venezuelan rhymes: "A 'Would be' Immigrant" and "Game Contestant's
Song," came to us through the kindness of Mr. J. C. Williams, Caracas,
Venezuela, S. A. He is a native of Venezuela.
GAME CONTESTANT'S SONG
We're going to dig!
We're going to dig a sepulcher to bury those regiments.
White Rose Union!
Get yourself in readiness to bury those regiments.
Oh Grentville! [54]Cici! Cici!
Beat them forever.
Sa your de vrai!
We'll send them a challenge,
To mardi carnival.
Sa your de vrai!!
[54] Cici = a kind of game.
A "WOULD BE" IMMIGRANT
Conjo Celestine! Oh
He was going to Panama.
Reavay Trinidad!
Celestine Revay, la Grenada!
What d'you think bring Celestine back?
What d'you think bring Celestine back?
What d'you think bring Celestine to me?
Twenty cents for a cup of tea.
TRINIDAD NEGRO RHYMES
We are very grateful to Mr. L. A. Brown for his kindness in giving to us
the two Venezuelan rhymes which follow. His home is in Princess Town,
Trinidad, B. W. I.
UN BELLE MARIE COOLIE
OR
BEAUTIFUL MARIE, THE EAST INDIAN
Un belle Marie Coolie!
Un belle Marie Coolie!
Un belle Marie Coolie!
Vous belle dame, vous belle pour moi.
Papa est un African.
Mamma est un belle Coolie.
Un belle Marie Coolie!
Vous belle dame, vous belle pour moi.
_Translation_
Beautiful Marie, the East Indian!
Beautiful Marie, the East Indian!
Beautiful Marie, the East Indian!
You beautiful woman, you're good enough for me.
Papa is an African.
Mamma is a beautiful East Indian.
Beautiful Marie, the East Indian!
You beautiful woman, you're good enough for me.
A TOM CAT
My father had a big Tom cat,
That tried to play a fiddle.
He struck it here, and he struck it there,
And he struck it in the middle.
PHILIPPINE ISLAND RHYME
The following rhyme came to me through the kindness of Mr. C. W. Ransom,
Grand Chain, Ill., U.S.A. Mr. Ransom served three years with the United
States Army in the Philippine Islands.
See that Monkey up the cocoanut tree,
A-jumpin' an' a-throwin' nuts at me?
El hombre no savoy,
No like such play.
All same to Americano,
No hay dique.