Chapter XI: Part I: Annancy Stories (5)

Ratta see him go over the kitchen cry out:--"Why, why, why! Quashy take you pear; you no yerry? Quashy take ahm gone."

By Dog get in the house Quashy was in already sitting down look quite meek an' christianable.

Dog lef' them go see if his pear was there.

When he go there was none, an' Dog don't like nothing as his pear an' bone, an' he get vex, take all the dinner t'row it 'way, go in the house take down his 'tick.

By the time Dog fe lick one of the Puss everybody was on a tree on the far side of Dog yard.

Dog swear all sort of bad word fe the one that take him green pear.

Everybody say:--"Thank God me no eat green pear."

Finger Quashy said:--"Lard! what a man fe swear!"

Dog see that he couldn' manage to catch Puss, leave and go away.

An' as Dog turn round, his son playing with fire burn his house an' all his clothes.

From that day Dog hate Puss till now, for it is Puss cause him to have one suit till him dead.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Tatafelo=, Italian =a=, the other vowels English.

=Pear=, _i.e._ the West Indian pear, a delicious vegetable.

=tell you better=, make the final arrangement.

=Why, why, why!= squeaked like a rat.

=by the time Dog fe lick=, as Dog was going to strike.

=everybody=, used also of inanimate objects. They say:--"I going to water cabbage, tomato, everybody."

=T'ank God, etc.=, a favourite form of exculpation, which, however, does not necessarily imply innocence.

XLVIII. ANNANCY AND HIS FISH-POT.

One day Brother Annancy always set him fish-pot in a river ober a fallin' fe catch jonga. Tacoma usual to go an' knock it.

An' Annancy set watch into a river corner, an' Tacoma come fe knock it; he didn' know Brother Annancy hide there fe watchin' him.

As Tacoma go over de fish-pot Brother Annancy chuck him down, an' Tacoma catch in de fish-pot.

Annancy go beg Brother Rabbit say:--"Bro'er Yabbit, me fish-pot catch a big fish, come an' help me knock it, me one can't manage it, Bro'er Yabbit."

Brother Annancy an' Brother Rabbit went to the river.

Annancy say:--"Bro'er Yabbit, me feel me tummy hurt me dis marnin', no able fe put me foot in de cold water, see if you one can manage fe take out de fish-pot."

Brother Rabbit go an' take it out till he nearly make shore with the fish-pot.

Annancy say:--"Bery well, you kill Brother Tacoma! Bery well, you kill Brother Tacoma!"

Then Brother Rabbit commence to cry now, an' the frettenation in a Rabbit he say he kill somebody an' he know they going to hang him, an' next day Rabbit dead.

Then the case didn' try again.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=fish-pot=, made of bamboo strips and looking like a lobster-pot.

=jonga=, the smallest of the three kinds of crawfish which abound in the streams and rivers of Jamaica.

=knock=, empty.

=tummy=; a less pretty word is really used. Annancy squeaks his words more than usual here.

=Bery well, etc.=, in 6/8 rhythm [Music] and he claps his hands to the measure twice in the bar.

=frettenation=, probably fright, but may have something to do with fretting. Owing to Rabbit's fright, he says that he has killed a man. Rabbit, through fright, says that he has killed a man. These elliptical expressions are hard to understand until one has heard them often.

=try again=, try after all.

XLIX. HOG AND DOG.

One day Hog was going out to look work, an' Hog name was Cuddy.

An' he got out an' walk all about an' couldn' get no work.

An' when he come home Ratta employ him to keep watch for him when Broder Puss is coming.

An' Hog ask Rat how much is his pay.

An' Rat tell him that he will give him t'ree an' sixpence a week but he must find himself every t'ing to eat an' drink.

An' Hog didn' agree. But as the time being so hard he says he will bear with Ratta till the week out.

An' when the week done Ratta pay Hog, an' Ratta t'ought that Hog was still keeping watch for him.

So Ratta go out, an' when he come back he didn' fin' Hog.

An' him say:--Wasn' God, Puss would broke in on him.

An' him cuss Hog that Hog would walk an' never get no work, an' some which worse than Hog will laugh after him.

An' Hog start one morning to look work.

What that fellah Mr. Dog done Hog.

As he, being a market-keeper, he set down at the market gate an' see Hog was passing, an' he ask Hog where he is going.

Hog tell him that he is going to look a little work.

Same time Dog burst out a laugh. An' as he burst out a laugh he ask Hog t'ought he was working with Ratta.

An' Hog feel so shame to himself till he wouldn' answer Dog.

An' Dog laugh after Hog with this sing:--

[Music:

Time get so hard
Hog an' all a look work,
Dog sit down a market gate an' go laugh at a Hog distress;
me rarabum Cuddy de da door,
me rarabum Cuddy de da door,
me rarabum Cuddy de da door.]

An' Dog sing an' sing an' sing till Hog get vex an' come home back.

An' from that day that's why Hog must always hate Dog until now.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Cuddy=, short for Cordelia.

=wasn' God=, if it wasn't for God.

=rarabum=, nonsense word, Italian vowels.

=de da door=, is at door, is out of doors.

L. DEVIL AND THE PRINCESS.

Once a King has a daughter, an' that gal was a pet to her father.

So one day a Prince come to ask for her.

The father love the young man, but the gal say:--"Puppa, me don't like him." So the father promise her that anybody she see she like he will agree to it.

So one night a good friend of the King made a dance an' invite the young Princess to the ball.

This man who made the dance invite all classes of people. So he invite Devil too, but they don't know that it was Devil.

When all the guests come everybody give their name. Devil give his name Mr. Winkler. So the ball commenced.

Devil see the gal. He went an' ask her if she wish to dance with him.

The gal was so glad say:--"Yes, sir, for I love you the most."

When they dance till daylight the gal don't want to lef' Devil.

She say to Devil:--"Come have a walk home with me."

Devil say:--"Yes, I would go, but I am a man have such a great business, I has to go home very soon to seek after it."

The gal say:--"Come go home with me you will get me to marry, for my father is a King."

An' as Devil hear about marry he go home with the gal.

When she get to the house she call to her father:--"Puppa, here come my lover, I have found him at last."

So the servant-boy was an old-witch, said:--"Young mistress, you know that man is Devil?"

The gal get vex, begin to cry.

She go to her father crying, tell him "the servant-boy cuss me most shameful."

The father get upstarted, come out to the boy, don't ask the boy nothing, catch the boy an' put him in prison.

They take Mr Winkler in the palace, an' the father fix up an' they get marry.

After Mr. Winkler get marry he said:--"I am ready to go."

The King say:--"No, I can't send away my one daughter. You must stay and I will make you a King too."

Mr. Winkler say "No."

During this time they don't know that it was Devil, for when the boy tell them they get vex.

Devil marry ten time an' he eat all his wife, so he was going to eat this Princess too.

So, as he was so anxious to go, the gal have to go with him.

When they ready to start the father give them a long bag full with money. Devil get a boatman an' they start.

They sail four days before they get to their home.

When the gal get there she go meet a old lady in the house. This lady was Devil cook.

As he got in he said to the cook:--"I have got a good fat meat for the party."

So Devil go an' lock up the gal in a bar, an' lef' the old lady to watch if the gal is going to get 'way. He lef' a Cock that any time the old lady say that the gal get 'way he must call, an' him lef' a bag of corn to feed the Cock that he may keep good watch.

The old lady say "Yes."

Devil ready to start, order his t'ree-foot horse saddle, for he is going to invite his friend to come an' help him eat the gal.

He start, deeble-a-bup, deeble-a-bup.

As he get about a mile the old lady go in to the gal, take her out an' tell her that her husband is Devil an' he is going to eat you.

The gal begin to cry.

The old lady say:--"Don't cry, I love you an' I going to let you go, but the Cock is a watchman; he will see you, an' if he see you he will call for his master, but never min' I will try."

The old lady get ten quart of the corn an' a gallon of rum, soak the corn in it for about a hour, an' after give it to the Cock.

An' the Cock eat the whole evening till night, an', after him finish eat, him drop asleep.

The old lady get a boatman an' pay him an' he take the gal over the sea.

When day nearly light the Cock wake an' go to look if he see the gal through a hole. When he look the gal was gone. Him go to the cook an' ask.

The lady said:--"Him gone, an' I was calling you an' you never wake."

Then Cock sing out:--

[Music:

Mister Winkler Winkler oh
coocoorico
the gal is gone.
Awake me wake go look a hole
the gal was gone.]

Mr. Winkler hear an' was coming like lighten with his t'ree-foot horse, deeble-a-bup, deeble-a-bup.

He call out:--"Me coming", deeble-a-bup, "Me coming", deeble-a-bup.

At last he reach the yard an' see the gal gone. He get a canoe an' start after her, an' by next day light he see the gal boat was far away.

He call out:--"Sairey de 'pon sea, Sairey de 'pon sea, come back darling, you husband de come fe you."

When the gal look he say:--"Shub ahead, boatman, do, to save me life!"

An' by the time they get a land Devil was near them.

An' the boatman shot off a piece of Devil canoe an' water get in, so Devil has to go home back.

An' when the gal go home, tell her father what was her life, the father say:--"Don't marry again to nobody, not if even the King."

An' the father take her in an' give her servant to look after her.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=cuss=, abuse. It does not imply swearing. To swear is to =cuss bad word=.

=in a bar=, a barred-up room.

=deeble-a-bup=, the sound of the three-legged horse's step. Compare the itty-itty-hap of "Mr. Bluebeard."

The Cook adopts Annancy's device in "Annancy and Screech-owl."

=coocoorico.= The Cock's crow is excellent. The Negro is very clever in his imitation of animals.

=a hole=, at the hole, through the hole.

=canoe=, pronounced with accent on the first syllable and French =a=.

LI. WHEELER.

One day Puss was going out on a journey, an' he travel till he reach to a river mouth. An' as Puss being afraid for water he couldn' cross the river.

An' Puss has to stop for two day an' one night, an' Puss climb a tree which hang over the water.

An' Mr. Annancy was fishening.

An' Annancy fishening till him come where Puss was, an' Puss didn' call to Annancy.

An' same time Annancy meet up a licking 'tump a river side. Annancy lick, him lick, him lick, him lick outside till him sen' him han' inside.

An' when Annancy shub him hand him feel something hold him.

An' Annancy get very frighten an' pull fe get him hand out, an' him couldn' get 'way.

An' Annancy ask the question:--"Who hold me?"

An' a voice in a the 'tump said:--"Me, Wheeler."

An' Annancy said to him must wheel him make him see.

An' him wheel Mr. Annancy mile an' distant.

An' when Annancy drop he didn' dead, an' he said:--"T'ank God! I met with a little accident, but I see it going to be a living for me an' me family."

An' Mr. Annancy went home an' get some lovely iron peg, an' when him come he plant them in the river course to the very spot which him did drop.

That time Puss seeing all what Mr Annancy is doing.

Annancy leave, an' come where Wheeler is, an' keep himself very quiet, an' presently Peafowl was passing.

An' Annancy call upon him say:--"Bro'er Peafowl, a living is here for me an' you."

An' Peafowl ask him what is it.

An' he take Peafowl an' carry him where Wheeler is, and he says:--"Bro'er Peafowl, you see that hole. As you hand is so long, don't be afraid, just shub you hand in there now an' you will find something grand."

An' as Peafowl shub in him hand Wheeler hold him.

An' Annancy tell him that he must pull.

An' when him pull he couldn' get 'way.

An' Mr. Annancy feel very proud an' happy till he laugh with joy in his heart.

An' when him done laugh him tell Peafowl to say:--"Who hold me here?"

An' Wheeler say:--"Me, Wheeler."

Annancy tell him to say:--"Wheel me mile an' distant."

An' him wheel Peafowl an' dash him on the iron peg, an' Mr. Annancy went an' pick him up an' put him in his bag.

An' him went back to his old place a bush an' sat quiet.

That time Puss was seeing all this.

Ratta was passing, an' as Annancy see him Annancy said to him:--"I's all you deeshent man I like to see."

An' Ratta ask him:--"What for?"

An' Annancy say:--"Don't be afraid; a living is here for you an' me."

An' he carry Ratta an' show him the 'tump.

An' when him show Ratta, Ratta ask him if this is the living.

Annancy say:--"No shub you han', man, in the hole, an' you will fin' a living."

An' as Ratta shub him hand Wheeler hold him.

An' Annancy tell him that he must pull.

Him say he can't get 'way.

Annancy tell him to ask:--"Who hold me?"

"Me, Wheeler."

Annancy tell him must say:--"Wheel me mile an' distant."

An' he wheel Ratta an' dash him on the iron peg again.

Annancy went an' pick him up an' put him in his bag, an' go back same place.

After, Puss come down off the tree an' walk through the bush an' go down the river a little ways an' then turn up back, coming up very meek an' poorly.

Annancy so glad to see Bro'er Puss him say:--"Walk up my bold friend Mr. Puss. Come an' see the living which is here for me an' you."

An' Puss playing as to say that he didn' know nothing at all about it.

An' Mr. Annancy begin to show Puss the 'tump, an' he tell Puss to shub him hand in the hole.

When Annancy show Puss the hole, Puss say that him don' see it.

Annancy get vex and say:--"Shub you han' you so, man! Shub you han' you so, man! There, there!"

An' Puss put him hand another way, playing to say he don' see it. An' he go on, go on, till Annancy make a flourish with him own hand, an' Annancy hand slip in the hole an' Wheeler catch him.

An' Annancy begin to cry as him know the danger which is down below.

An' him cry out:--"Do, me good Bro'er Push, jus' run a river course; you will see some iron peg, pull them up for me."

An' Puss begin fe walk in him sinnicky way, an' hide a bush where Annancy can't see.

When Puss come, him say him pull them.

Annancy wouldn' believe, an' crying still say:--"Bro'er Push, mus' go an' fetch one come make me see."

Puss go, an' when him come back him come without it.

Annancy ask him where is it.

Him tell Annancy that it too heavy, an' him roll it 'way.

An' Annancy, still crying, wouldn' believe. An' he begin to call Puss Godfather Push, an' beg him hard:--"Do, me good Godfather Push, just you jump pull dem."

An' him go on, go on, till him believe Puss, an' him ask the question:--"Who hold me?"

"Me, Wheeler."

"Wheel me mile an' distant."

An' Annancy fly by the air an' drop slam on his own trap.

An' Puss walk down an' pick up Annancy, an' put him in the bag with Peafowl an' Ratta an' carry off all the living with a jolly song:--

[Music:

Poor me little Cubba boy, barn day no Cubba?
Me da go da Vaylum, barn day no Cubba?]

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=licking 'tump=, a tree stump with bees in it. The honey trickling out makes a licking-stump of it.

=lick, him lick, him lick.= These words are run closely together, then a pause, and then =him lick outside=. Pause again, after which the sentence finishes.

=wheel=, to cause to turn or spin. I have no clue to =Mr. Wheeler=.

=mile an' distant=, to the distance of a mile.

=I's all you, etc.=, it's all you decent men.

=What for?= Ratta was suspicious of Annancy's flattery.

=poorly=, poor in spirit, meek.

=sinnicky=, sneaky.

=Bro'er Push, must go=, you must go.

=barn day no Cubba?= is not my born-day (birthday) Cubba. Children used to be named according to the day of the week on which they were born.

Day. Boys. Girls.

Sunday. Quashy. Quashiba.
Monday. Cudjo. Jubba.
Tuesday. Cubbenna. Cubba.
Wednesday. Quaco. Memba.
Thursday. Qua. Abba.
Friday. Cuffy. Fibba.
Saturday. Quamin. Beniba.

According to this list, Cubba is a girl's name, but it is perhaps short for Cubbenna.

=me da go da Vaylum=, I am going to Vaylum.