Chapter IX: Part I: Annancy Stories (3)

One day there was an India woman who have a daughter, an' when the gal born she born with a gold ring on her finger. An' everybody hear about it but they never see it.

An' Mr. Annancy was very crave to got the gal to be his wife.

An' Annancy study a plan an' take up his bands of music an' go down to the gal yard, an' when him go down they admit Mr. Annancy.

An' when they admit him Annancy beguns to play all different tune just to see if the gal would laugh with him. But the gal was very sad, neither would laugh nor smile, until Annancy see there was no good, an' tell good bye an' go home back.

Annancy when him goes home back, met his friend Mr. Rabbit in the road.

Rabbit ask him:--"Brother Annancy, where you is comin' from?"

An' Annancy begun to tell Rabbit.

So Rabbit make a bargain with Annancy that he is going to try his luck.

So Annancy say:--"As you being such a clean an' white gentleman I think you will succeed. So if you succeed, when you coming home back you must make me know; then you can take me to be your servant."

That time Rabbit didn' know what Annancy study. Annancy mean was to take away the gal from Rabbit.

So Rabbit start to the yard, an' when him go they admit him in.

An' the mumma ask Rabbit what he come about.

Rabbit says he is looking for a courtier.

An' the mumma say to Rabbit:--"Oh, my dear Mr. Rabbit, I am very sorry! You is only but a meat,[44] so I can't give you my daughter."

[Footnote 44: Cf. the Bantu use of _nyama_ ("meat") for "an animal." (A.W.)]

An' Rabbit spend a little time till he tell goodbye.

Meanwhile Annancy wouldn' go home. Him sit in the road till Rabbit coming home back. An' him ask Rabbit if him succeed.

Rabbit say:--"Oh no!"

So they begin to talk. An' by this time Sea-gaulin was passing an' hear what they are saying.

An' when Gaulin go home back, him 'tudy between himself that, if him only get a bus an' dress himself tidy an' drive to the gal yard, she'll sure be his wife.

An' Sea-gaulin goes down, an' the gal was very glad to see him an' invite him inside the house, an' they begun to arrange to be married.

An' there was a old-witch boy which was brother to the gal whisper to her:--"That one is Gaulin."

An' the gal say:--"Oh no, it is my dear love."

So the boy say to then:--"Never mind, one day you will find out if he is not Mr. Gaulin."

So, when Gaulin tell goodbye an' go home to his yard back, the boy follow him an' go to the river side where Gaulin is fishening, an' he climb a tree which hung over the water.

An' when Gaulin come down the river he 'tart a singing:--

[Music:

My iddy, my iddy Pyang halee,
Come go da river go Pyang,
me Yahky Yahky Pyang me jewahlee Pyang,
me Yahky Yahky Pyang me jewahlee Pyang.]

An' that time Gaulin didn' know that the boy was on the tree hearing him.

When he first sing his hat fall off.

An' he sing again his jacket was off.

That time the boy was seeing every bit.

An' he sing again an' his shirt was off.

Sing an' sing till the trousies drop off.

An' as he done he find himself inside the water begun to fishening.

An' as him put him head under a stone-hole the boy come down off the tree an' find himself back to his yard.

An' next Wednesday when Gaulin come to get married, the boy provide for him to sing that very same tune when they are on the cake table.

An the boy say:--"Ladies and gentlemen will you like to hear a song?"

An' everybody say "Yes."

An' that time the boy was a fiddler, an' he tune up his violin an' beguns to play "My iddy, my iddy Pyang halee."

Gaulin say:--"Oh no, my brother, stop that tune. That same very tune kill my grandfather, an' when you sing it you let me remember my old grandfather."

An' the boy never stop sing an' play till all Gaulin clothes drop off.

An' Gaulin fly out the door mouth an' find himself right up in the air.

An' from that day that's what make Gaulin fly so high.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Gaulin=, the Egret. In stormy weather the egrets leave the seaside and fly up into the country to fish in the streams. They are especially fond of the small crabs which abound in the mountain rivulets. The words of the song have been spelt so as to convey as nearly as possible their right sound. =Halee= rhymes in both syllables to the =stali= of the Venetian gondolier. =Jewahlee= is =Jubilee= with a different middle syllable. =Pyang= with French =a= made as short as possible is the Egret's cry. It should be accented and brought out strongly.

=When him goes home back=, as he was going home.

=white gentleman.= This counts many points in the estimation of the Negro.

=Rabbit spend a little time.= Most characteristic. After the rebuff one would have expected him to go away at once, but that is not the Negro's way. He is never abashed, and after the curtest refusal of any favour he has come to ask, will sit on and talk of other things, finally taking his leave as if nothing had happened.

=bus=, the buggies which ply for hire in Kingston are so called.

=Wednesday=, the favourite day for weddings. The bridegroom is accompanied to church by a godmother, not the baptismal one but another specially appointed for the occasion.[45] They ride to church, which is usually at some distance from the yard. The bride also rides from her yard, accompanied by a godfather and two bridesmaids between the ages of eight and eleven. The ceremony and signing of the register over, the newly-wedded couple mount and gallop to the wife's yard, the rest of the company following more leisurely. Arrived there, the bride proceeds to put on her wedding-clothes and the guests are received by the godfather and given sugar-water and bread. When the bride has donned her satin gown and veil (she was married in her riding-habit) and with much sorrow pinched her feet into white shoes too small for them, the company sit down to the cake table. This has upon it two cakes, two fantastically fashioned loaves of shewbread, triumphs of the baker's art with their doves and true lovers' knots, and three vases of cut flowers. The bread is not eaten then but is distributed (_distribbled_, as they have it,) to friends on the days following the wedding. One cake is cut. A knife and fork being handed to a bridesmaid she takes off the cake-head, which is a small top tier or addition to the cake proper. This is put aside and afterwards sent to the officiating minister. The godfather then proceeds to the more serious work of cutting up the cake, giving pieces first to the bride and bridegroom and then to the guests. The second cake is left intact. Wine is poured out, and there are speeches and toasts and hymns. Then follows dinner, which is over about five o'clock. They then begin to play _Sally Water_ (see introduction to the Ring tunes) which goes on for an hour or two, and as night falls dancing is started. This goes on all night and does not end, at the earliest, till dusk on the following day, Thursday. It is often kept up until Friday evening or even until Saturday, the dancers and musicians appearing to require no rest. The latter are well supplied with rum and when they get sleepy they beg for an extra tot to rub their eyes, which burns them and keeps them awake. The whole of this time refreshments are supplied to the guests, and as long as these hold out they do not disperse, or as they put it:--"till hungry bite them they no go 'way."

[Footnote 45: Is this a survival of the African institution of "sureties" (Yao, _ngoswe_, see Duff Macdonald, I. 118), or "sponsors," who arrange the marriage? I am not sure whether the custom exists among Negro as well as Bantu tribes. (A.W.)]

The Sunday after the wedding is 'turn t'anks (return thanks). The married couple and their friends get all the beasts, _i.e._ horses and mules, they can muster, and ride to church dressed in their best. The bride and bridegroom, attended by the godfather and godmother, sit in "couple bench," the rest of the party going to their own pews. After service the whole cavalcade gallops as hard as it can, regardless of the precipices which skirt all Jamaica mountain paths, up hill and down hill to the husband's yard. There wine is provided, and the second cake is cut and eaten. Dinner follows at three, and then _Sally Water_ is again played until midnight, when dancing recommences and goes on till four or five o'clock on Monday afternoon. This is the end of the festivities, which sometimes cost twenty pounds or more.

=provide for him=, prepared himself.

=door mouth= includes not only the opening, but also the whole space just outside the door.

XXV. ANNANCY, MONKEY AND TIGER.

One day Annancy an' Tiger get in a rum-shop, drink an' drink, an' then Monkey commence to boast. Monkey was a great boaster.

Annancy say:--"You boast well; I wonder if you have sense as how you boast."

Monkey say:--"Get 'way you foolish fellah you, can come an' ask me if me have sense. You go t'rough de whole world you never see a man again have the sense I have."

Annancy say:--"Bro'er Monkey, how many sense you have, tell me?"

Monkey say:--"I have dem so till I can't count dem to you, for dem de all over me body."

Annancy say:--"Me no have much, only two, one fe me an' one fe me friend."

One day Monkey was travelling an' was going to pass where Tiger live. Annancy was working on that same road.

As Monkey passing, Tiger was into a stone-hole an' jump out on the fellah an' catch him. All his sense was gone, no sense to let him get 'way. Tiger was so glad, have him before him well ready to kill.

Here come the clever man Mr. Annancy.

When he saw his friend Monkey in the hand of such a wicked man he was frighten, but he is going to use his sense.

He said:--"Marnin', Bro'er Tiger, I see you catch dat fellah; I was so glad to see you hold him so close in hand. You must eat him now. But before you eat him take you two hand an' cover you face an' kneel down with you face up to Massa God an' say, 'T'ank God fe what I goin' to receive.'"

An' so Tiger do.

An' by the time Tiger open his eyes Monkey an' Annancy was gone.

When they get to a distant Annancy said to Monkey:--"T'ink you say you have sense all over you 'kin, why you no been get 'way when Bro'er Tiger catch you?"

Monkey don't have nothing to say.

Annancy say:--"Me no tell you say me have two sense, one fe me an' one fe me friend? Well! a him me use to-day."

From that day Tiger hate Annancy up to now.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=can come and ask me=, that can come. The ellipsis is best explained by giving the sentence another turn: "Get away you man who are so foolish that you can come," etc.

=into a stone-hole=, in a cave.

=Tiger was so glad, etc.=, Tiger was well pleased and held him in his paws all ready for killing.

=why you no been=, why didn't you.

=a him me use=, that is the one I used.

XXVI. THE THREE PIGS.

One day a Hog have three Pig an' the three of them was boy. When they were about two month the father died, so the mother grow them up herself. When the Pig them come to big young man the mother said to the first son:--"Me son, a time fe you go an' look you own living."

The day come when he was to start. The mother tie up his clothes an' give him, an' said:--"If you get work sen' an' tell me."

The Pig start.

As he was going he meet a man with a cart of hay.

He said:--"Please, sir, you can give me that hay that I may go an' build a house?"

The man give him.

Pig go an' make up a house with his hay, an' find it very warm an' comfortable.

One day Wolf come, call:--"Little Pig, little Pig, let me come in."

Pig say:--"No, no, by the hair of my chinnychinchin."

Wolf said:--"I will huff an' I will cuff an' blow you house down."

Wolf huff an' cuff an' blow down the house, an' go in an' eat Pig.

The mother wait an' can't get no letter from the first son.

She send the other one, second to the first, an' that one travel until he meet a man with a cart of kindling.

He say:--"Please, sir, you can give me that kindling that I may go an' build a house?"

The man give him.

He make up his house, an' one day Wolf was passing, see that it was pig house, call to him:--"Little Pig, little Pig, let me come in."

Pig say:--"No, no, no! by the hair of my chinnychinchin."

Wolf say:--"I will huff an' cuff an' will blow you house down."

An' he do so an' go in an' eat Pig.

The mother wait six months an' don't get no letter.

She said:--"Those boy must be get good work an' can't get to write."

The last son she said:--"Me own little son, time fe you go look you living."

Pig say:--"Yes, mumma me wi' go now."

She tie up his bundle give him some money an' kiss him, say:--"You must try write me."

The boy start.

He travel an' travel till night take him. He has to sleep under a stone-hole. When he was sleeping he get a dream that he see his two brother was in a frying-pan. He was so frighten he wake an' start away the same hour. He travel till day clean. At about nine o'clock he get to a big road. He travel on that road till he meet a man with a cart of brick.

He said:--"Please, sir, you can give me that brick that I may go an' build a house?"

The man give him.

He go an' make up a grand house with the brick.

When his house finish Wolf hear, an' come one day, call to Pig:--"Little Pig, little Pig, let me come in."

Pig say:--"No, no, no! by the hair of my chinnychinchin."

So wolf think that this house was like the rest.

He said:--"I will huff an' cuff an' will blow you house down."

He try for one whole day an' never succeed, so he lef an' go home an' 'tudy upon Pig.

One evening he come an' call Pig an' tell him he know where there is a garden of all sort a t'ing, so Pig must come an' let them take a walk.

Pig ask him:--"What time you will be going?"

He said:--"A two in the morning."

Pig 'tart eleven, go an' come back with all good food.

At two Wolf come an' call:--"Little Pig, you ready?"

Pig say:.--"You lated; I go an' come back already."

Wolf was so vex he go home back. He didn' want nothing but to eat Pig.

He said a next day:--"Little Pig, I know where there is a apple tree a Mr. Simmit garden, make we go an' get some."

Pig ask:--"What the time?" Wolf say "T'ree."

Pig go two.

By Pig was on the tree fulling up his basket here come Wolf. Pig was so frighten he was on the tree trimbling. Wolf was quite glad to think he was going to catch Pig. He couldn' stand his ground, but dance about with joy.

Pig say:--"The apple is so sweet that I have fe take a good load. Mr. Wolf, you would like to taste one?"

Wolf say "Yes."

Pig say:--"Let me see if you can run as that apple?"

Pig throw one of the apple far an' Wolf run after it. By the time he is come back Pig get down off a the tree, leave him baskit an' everyt'ing, an' run nearly reach home.

Wolf was so sorry when he come, left the apple an' gone home.

Next night he call to Pig an' tell him that he know where there will be a met, so they must take a walk.

Pig say:--"What hour?" Wolf said "T'ree."

Pig start twelve an' go dance till two. He was the best dancer an' they give him a butter-churn as a reward. As he walking home he see Wolf at a distant coming.

He said:--"My goodness King! What I going to do?"

Nevertheless he get in the churn a roll down the hill.

Wolf see the thing. He run for his home.

The next day he go an' ask Pig if he did go to the ball.

Pig said:--"Yes, an' as I was coming home I see you, an' was so frighten I get in me churn an' roll down to see if you don't run. An' so you did run, Ha! Ha!"

Wolf get vex. He huff an' cuff all day again to see if he could broke down the building, but all he do he has to lef' it.

So one rain night he send his wife with a young baby to see if Pig would take her in by changing her voice.

She went an' call:--"Mr. Pig, please Sir, if you can give a night rest, Sir; for rain, an' I am from far."

Pig said:--"No, I don't take in no stranger whatever, especially you, Mrs. Wolf. You husban' try an' try an' can't manage, an' now him send you to see if you can kill me."

Mrs. Wolf commence to climb the chimley.

Pig put a big copper of water on the fire an', by the time she reach the top an' was coming down the chimley, she drop in the water an' dead, she an' the child.

Wolf come again an' call Pig.

An' Pig take up this song:--

[Music:

Wolf, Wolf, Wolf! no use you try fe come in,
You wife dere da ready;
Ha! Ha! Ha!
You wanta try fe come in,
Come Wolf,
Me will put you both together.]

Wolf get worser vex, commence to beat Pig house with all his might an' couldn' get in. He climb up the chimley, an', by he fe get to the top, the pot of boiling water was long time ready waiting for him, an' he going down in a haste make a slip, drop in the water.

Pig salt them an' put them in his cask to soak, an' write to invite his mother to help him eat them for he find out it was them eat his two brother.[46]

[Footnote 46: Cf. Joseph Jacobs, _English Fairy Tales_, No. xiv., and note, p. 233. (C.S.B.)]

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Pig them.= Read these words together, not, Pig--them come.

=you can give=, can you give.

=huff=, scratch with the hoof.

=kindling=, small wood to light fires with.

=day clean.= Day is clean when you can see to walk.

=big road=, one that is what the Italians call _carozzabile_, carriageable. In the hills of Jamaica the roads are for the most part mere mule tracks.

=Simmit=, Smith.

=make we go=, let us go.

=What the time?= at what time?

=By Pig=, as Pig.

=fulling=, =trimbling=, always so.

=when he come, etc.=, when he came back to the tree, that he left the apples and went home.

=met=, meeting, ball.

=da ready=, already.

=by he fe get=, by the time he got.

=cask to soak.= Salt meat is kept in a tub of brine.

XXVII. DUMMY.

There was a man couldn' talk, called Dummy.

One day Annancy bet the King he going to make Dummy talk.

So the King say:--"If you make Dummy talk I will give you one of my daughter fe marry."

Well, Annancy went to Hog, ask him:--"Bro'er Hog if I carry you fe Dummy, whe you wi' say?"

Hog say:--"Me wi' say ugh! ugh!"

Annancy say:--"You won't do."

He went to Goat:--"Bro'er Goat, if I carry you fe Dummy, whe wi' you say?"

"Me wi' say Meh--eh--eh!"

"You won't do."

So he went to fowl.

Fowl say:--"Me wi' say Clk! Clk! Clk!"

"You won't do."

So he went to Bro'er Peafowl an' ask him:--"What you will say if me carry you fe Dummy?"

Peafowl say:--"Me wi' say:--

[Music:

"Chirryway,
Chirryway, Chirryway dem de,
Chirryway, Constan' dead to-day,
Chirryway."]

Then Annancy say:--"A you me wanty."[47]

[Footnote 47: See the story of Tangalomlibo in Torrend, _Comparative Grammar of S. African Bantu Languages_, p. 319, where the cock is chosen as messenger, when the ox and goat are rejected. (A.W.)]

So Annancy beg Bro'er Peafowl he must come with him to Dummy.

An' when Dummy hear the tune it sweet him so, he commence to shake him head an' hum.

So them went to the King yard, Peafowl before, Dummy in the middle, Annancy de a back.

An' as they reach up Annancy say "Wheugh!" being him breat' gone an' him tired, but peafowl never cease with the song.

When Annancy got him breat' he say to the King:--"Master me a come, me a go make Dummy talk."

Then the King say:--"I will like to hear Dummy talk."

An' Peafowl sing an' sing, an' make all sort of figure before Dummy.

Dummy commence to shake him head two t'ree time de way de song sweet him.

At last Dummy begin to hum.

As Peafowl see him commence to hum, Peafowl make a sudden spring, went up to Dummy with a great flourish, an' at last Dummy sing right out the same as Peafowl:--

[Music:

Chirryway,
Chirryway, Chirryway dem de,
Chirryway, Constan' dead to-day,
Chirryway.]

An' Annancy get the bet an' the King marry him off.

An' Annancy give Peafowl gold all over his body an' six quarts of corn. From that Peafowl cover all over with gold.

NOTES.

=Whe you wi' say=, what will you say?

=sweet him so=, pleased him so much.

=Constan'=, Constance.

XXVIII. ANNANCY AND CANDLEFLY.

One day Annancy go to Brother Candlefly yard fe fire.

When him go Candlefly give him fire an' tell him to wait an' he will go give him a few eggs.

When Annancy get the eggs he go home with the fire.

The next day he go back fe fire an' Candlefly give him more eggs.

Annancy go till him get halfway, out the fire an' turn back.

When him come him say:--"Bro'er Candlefly, the fire out; give me some more."

When Candlefly give him the fire, him wait an' wait to see if him can get more eggs. Candlefly never give him one.

Annancy say:--"Bro'er Candlefly, the fire a burn me, please give me one egg make me wet me han', fe make it better."

Candlefly give him one an' tell him to come an' he will carry him where any amount of egg da, "But you must not come till close a night."

Annancy don't wait till night, go about midday. When him go him get a long bag ready. Every minute him come out of the house an' look on sun. Annancy couldn' tarry but only praying to see if night can come.

When night come Candlefly get ready an' tell Annancy to stay aback. Them travel till at last them get. (Annancy going to play out Candlefly.)

Every gash Candlefly gash an' see a egg going to pick it up, Annancy say:--"A me first see ahm."

Candlefly gash again: Annancy take away every one till him bag full. Candlefly don't get one. So as Annancy such a strong man Candlefly compel was to lef' without say a word.

But Annancy going to feel the blow.

After Candlefly gone with the light Annancy couldn' find nowhere to put his foot.

Annancy say:--"Poor me boy, I mus' try see if I can fin' the way."

Annancy start.

Him travel till him go an' buck on a house. The way the night was so dark he never see the house, he just buck on it.

He don't know whose house it was but him call "Godfather!"

The person answer:--"Who is that calling?"

Him say:--"Annancy, you godson, bring some eggs fe you."

During this time Annancy never know that it was Tiger who him hate so much.

When the door open there come Brother Tiger.

Annancy say:--"Marnin', Godfather Tiger."

Tiger say:--"Come in."

Same time Tiger send his wife to go an' put on the copper on the fire.

So them boil the whole barrel-bag of eggs.

When the eggs boil Tiger ask Annancy if him want any.

The frighten in him, him say "No."

So Tiger eat the whole bag of eggs, he an' his wife an' children.

To find out if Annancy want any of the eggs Tiger tell him wife fe lef two of the good shell. So Tiger get a lobters an' put with the egg shell.

When Annancy go in to sleep, Annancy see these two eggs, don't know that it was shell. Tiger know how the fellah love eggs.

When lamp out Annancy 'tretch him hand to catch the eggs.

Lobters paw give him a good bite. Him jump. Then Tiger know that it was the egg the fellah want.

Tiger ask:--"What the matter Mr. Annancy?"

"No dog-flea a bit me up so, sir? Me never see place have dog-flea like a you yard."

Tiger gone back to sleep.

Five minute more Annancy cry out:--"Lahd! me never see place have dog-flea like a you yard."

During this time he was trying to get the egg-shell. So he try an' try the whole night an' never get.

When day light Tiger say:--"Me son, me sorry to see dog-flea bit you so last night. You is the first man come here a me house say dog-flea bit you."

Annancy say:--"Godfather, I don't get a rest from I go to bed till now."

Tiger wife get tea an' give him, so he get ready.

Tiger say:--"Go a me goat-pen, you see one goat, fetch him ya fe me before you go."

Annancy go. When him go he see a big he-goat, him beard was a yard long. Annancy catch the beard, lift him up t'row him a ground, take a big stick begin to beat him, give bup! bup! say:--"You b'ute! a you master nyam all me egg never give me so so one self."

Him beat him so till the goat form 'tiff dead. Now this was Tiger all the time. Annancy leave him gone to see if he can get any knife to cut him up.

By Annancy come back him don't see no goat, only a big old man standing up. Him put after him. Annancy run back to Tiger yard. The man was after him. Annancy see a gourdy, run right in it. Tiger lost the fellah.

Well! Tiger take his gourdy going fe water.

Annancy, knowing that Tiger mother was sick, as Tiger get halfway with the gourdy on his head Annancy call out of the gourdy mouth:--"Bro'er Tiger, you mumma dead a house from yeshterday."

Tiger stop, him listen, him can't hear.

He make a move.

Annancy bawl out again:--"Bro'er Tiger, you mumma dead a house from yeshterday."

Tiger stop, him listen, him can't hear.

He go on again, he hear the voice again.

He throw down the gourdy.

Annancy get out, said to Tiger:--"You b'ute! if you been broke me foot you wouldn' min' me wife and picny."

Tiger hear the voice but never see a soul.

Him run gone home to see if his mother dead. When he go his mother was still alive.

Annancy go home an' go to Candlefly yard tell him say:--"I never will be cravin' again, ya, Bro'er? you fe carry me again." An' Candlefly say "Yes."

Every day Annancy come. Candlefly wife say:--"Him gone long time."

Annancy never get to go with Candlefly again, an' he don't know the place.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=Candlefly.= Among the smaller fire-flies which twinkle all the year rushes, in the summer months, the great Candlefly. It makes a roaring sound with its strong, swift flight, and is a strange and splendid object. It has three lights, two looking like eyes, and a larger and much more brilliant one underneath the thorax. When at rest only the eye lights shine, but with the spread of its wings a shutter is drawn back and discloses the abdominal light. The insect, which is the size of a cockchafer but rather longer, is commonly called Big Winky or Peeny.

=da=, is pronounced like Italian.

=look on sun=, looks at the sun to see if it is sinking.

=a back=, behind.

=get=, get to the place.

=gash=, flash. Lightning is said to gash. As explained above, this gashing of the great light of the Candlefly is continuous while it is in flight, but ceases as soon as it rests.

=buck on=, run against. A horse =bucks=, here, when he stumbles. A man =bucks= his toe when he knocks his naked foot against a stone, and women fight (men too for that matter) by =bucking= with their heads.

=Marnin'.= Good morning and good evening are used as salutations without reference to the actual time of day.

=barrel-bag=, a bag of the capacity of a flour barrel.

=the frighten, etc.=, owing to the fright which was in him he said "No."

=fe lef'=, to leave.

=lobters.= This transposition of letters has a ludicrous effect on the word.

=paw=, pronounced =pah= very broadly.

Fleas are always called dog-fleas, or rather dahg-fleas.

=tea=, the morning sugar-water, is the signal that it is time for the guest to be soon moving on. Generally, however, he is given something to do before he goes.

=ya=, here.

=so so one self=, even one.

=form=, pretended.

=Him put after him.= The old man put (ran) after Annancy.

=You couldn' mind, etc.= This piece of pleasantry is common. When two men are doing anything that requires care to avoid accident, such as moving a heavy stone, one says to the other:--"No kill me ya, you couldn' min' me wife an' picny," you can't support my wife and children.

=ya=, do you hear? Which is also its meaning in the preceding note. Just now =ya= meant 'here.'

XXIX. PARSON PUSS AND PARSON DOG.

One day Toad was courting for a long time to a very pretty India gal, an' Toad didn' want marry the gal. An' him didn' want the gal was to leave him but to live without married.

An' Puss was Toad parson. An' the mother send an' call Puss, an' when Parson Puss come, the mother lay the matter before Parson Puss.

An' Parson Puss call Toad one of his lovely member in the church, an' him didn' want Toad was to leave his church. An' Parson Puss talk until Toad agree to married the gal.

An' Dog himself was a parson.

So Toad send out a invitation to all his countrywoman an' countryman, an' invite Tacoma an' his families, an' likewise invite his friend Mr. Annancy an' his families. An' when him done Toad invite Parson Dog.

An' the day when Toad is to married Parson Puss come to married Toad.

An' Parson Dog come with his gown was to take away the business from Parson Puss.

But Toad say:--"Oh no! he will like to give his Parson the preference."

An' Dog say:--"Yes, I must have it. If not will be mossiful fight to-day."

Puss wife, was the organ-player, say:--"What a man fe swear!"

An' Parson Puss say to Toad mother-in-law:--"You don't mustn't listen what that fellah Parson Dog is saying. He so tief, as soon as they 'tick the hog he will soon forget all this for he has to go an' lick blood, so when he gone I will marry my member Toad."

An' so Dog did go away.

Until he come back Parson Puss marry off Toad.

An' when they eat cake done, then Parson Puss ask the young ladies them to let them go an' play in the ring, an' so they did do.

That time Parson Dog didn' know what was doning, but soon he hear this sing:--

[Music:

When you see a hugly man,
When you see a hugly man,
When you see a hugly man,
Never make him marry you.]

An' as him hear him hold up one of him foot an' listen.

An' he come nearer an' hear again:--

[Music:

Parson Dog won't married me,
Parson Dog won't married me,
Parson Dog won't married me,
Cut your eye an' pass him.]

Then Parson Dog shake him head, run come.

An' as he run come he meet Parson Puss was wheeling all the gal.

Parson Dog get very vex an' he bear an' bear.

But as he hear plain how the sing go, an' see that some of the gal Puss was wheeling began to laugh after him, say:--"No see how him mout' long," Parson Dog get fairly upstarted till him run in the ring an' palm Puss an begin to fight him.

An', as Parson Puss feel Parson Dog 'trength more than fe him, him look for a very tall tree an' run right upon it to save his life.

An' from that day that why Dog an' Puss can't 'gree until now.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=lovely member.= A certain amount of blarney is supposed to be admissible to keep your sheep from straying to a rival's flock.

=to married Toad.= Though they sometimes say =marry= (see the first song) they prefer =married=. The =d= before the =T= of Toad is very awkward to pronounce, yet the reciter, whose normal speech is of the laziest, like that of all his kindred, got it out quite plainly.

=mossiful=, unmerciful. Dog really used a bad word here, which is always put in his mouth. He uses the same word in "Finger Quashy." So much does it belong to him that it occurs as a descriptive adjective to the dog in the tune for the third Quadrille figure, which will be found among the dance tunes. The word is not really very bad, but it was not considered appropriate to a book which may find its way into the nursery, so in every case another one is substituted.

='tick=, stick. The pig was killed for the wedding festivities, which were only just beginning. See note on weddings in "Gaulin."

=play in the ring=, play Sally Water, see Ring Tunes.

=doning=, being done.

=never make him marry you=, never let him, etc.

=cut your eye=, turn your eye aside. Where we use transitive =cut= they put intransitive =cut eye=.

=wheeling=, turning them in the dance.

=run come=, came running up.

=bear an' bear=, was patient for a while. A picturesque way of describing Dog's self-restraint. He bears it and he bears it again.

=no see, etc.=, don't you see how long his mouth is. This is always the joke about Dog. About Puss it is:--"You face too (very) short. Cut off half inch you don't have nose."

=upstarted=, angry.

=palm=, touch or hold with the hand.

=fe him=, his.

XXX. CHICKEN-HAWK.

Once a lady have t'ree daughter. One of the daughter, the youngest one, born with a gold teet'. The other sisters h'ard of the teet' an' ask their sister to show them the teet', but she never would show them.

One day they get Monkey an' Goat to come an' dance to let the sister laugh. They make all sort of mechanic. She never laugh all the dance Monkey an' Goat was dancing.

Those other two pay her so much to see the teet'. She won't show them.

So the second sister tell the big one say:--"Sister, let we go make bargain with Chicken-hawk to try if we can see the teet'."

So they did go an' see Chicken-hawk about it an' pay Chicken-hawk so much.

The day come when they fix up to go to the river.

Chicken-hawk was on a tree.

So they gone to swim for a long time, the big sister them swimming an' laughing in the water for the little one to laugh for them to see the teet', but she never laugh.

During that time Chicken-hawk took up all three of them clothes an' gone on a high tree where them can see him.

When the sister know that Chicken-hawk took the clothes they came out of the water all t'ree of them.

All the clothes was gone.

The first sister commence fe sing:--

[Music:

Chicken-hahk oh! Chicken-hahk oh! give me me frock.
Chicken-hahk oh! Chicken-hahk oh! Chicken-hahk!]

An' Chicken-hawk bring come.

The next sister do the same an' get her frock.

Here comes the youngest one. She shut up her mouth an' was calling from her t'roat:--

[Music:

Hm hm hm
hm hm hm]

Chicken-hawk never give her.

When the big sister see that she won't call for them to see the teet' they leave her, an' she become 'fraid an' call out:--

[Music:

Chicken-hahk oh! Chicken-hahk oh! give me me frock.
Chicken-hahk oh! Chicken-hahk oh! Chicken-hahk.]

An' the big sister run come an see the golden teet' an' was so glad.

They go home an' tell their mother that we have gain the battle an' have seen the gold teet'.

From that day we see gold teet' until now.

NOTES.

=mechanic=, antics.

=so much=, a sum of money.

XXXI. PRETTY POLL.

Once a Duke have a sarvant. So this sarvant was courting to a young man for a long time.

So one day another friend come to see the Duke. So he love the Duke sarvant an' the Duke sarvant love him. So this man ask the Duke for her.

The Duke say:--"No, she is courting already."

So the friend was sorry.

The gal tell the young man say:--"Me love you, an' if you going to marry me I will lef' my lover an' come."

The young man say:--"How you will manage that the Duke not going to allow it?"

The gal say:--"You look out."

So one evening, when the gal lover come home, she ask him to let them go for a walk far away. "I am going to show you a very pretty place."

During this time the gal know where a well was, so she is going to shub him into the well.

As they reach to the place they see a pretty flowers in the well.

So they was looking at the flowers.

As she see that her lover was gazing at the flowers she just shub him right in the well an' said:--"T'ank God! me going to get that pretty young man."

During this time there was a Parrot on a tree seeing all that was going on, cry out:--

[Music:

Ha ha! Ha ha!
I have a news to take to the Duke at home;
you have your dearest lover an' cast him down to the well.]

The gal look up an' see the Parrot.

She get frighten, call to Poll:--

[Music:

Come, Pretty Poll, come!
There is a house of gold an' silver before you sit 'pon tree.]

Poll sing:--

[Music:

Tree I barn,
Tree I must be stay till my time come to die.]

An' Poll commence to fly from tree to tree an' she was following him till they get out to a village. Poll was still singing an' she was begging.

Poll fly from house to house till he get on the Duke house an' sing.

The gal was crying.

The Duke hear, send out man an' they listen until them hear what Poll said, an' them catch the gal an' chop off her head.

An' Poll get good care.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

This is another version of the "King Daniel" story.

=before you sit=, instead of your sitting.

=Tree I barn=, etc. On a tree I was born, on a tree I must stay.

XXXII. ANNANCY AND HOG.

One day Annancy an' him grandmamma go to a ground.

Annancy left him fife.

When him coming home, he an' his grandmamma, he said:--"Gran'mumma you know I leave my fife at groun'."

Him grandmamma say:--"Me son a know you well. You is a very bad boy. Go for it but don't play."

When Annancy coming home he play:--

[Music:

None a we, none a we commando
Sairey gone home commando
Yahka Yahky Yak commando,
Suck your mother bone commando.]

An' as he play he meet Hog.

Hog say:--"Brother, a you a play da sweet sweet tune."

Annancy say:--"No, Bro'er."

Hog say:--"Play, make me hear."

Annancy play twee, twee, twee, all wrong note.

Hog say:--"Tche! you can't play."

Hog gone round short pass.

As Hog go round short pass, him buck the boy was playing the tune.

Hog say:--"Bro'er Annancy I think a you a play, you beggar, you light fe me dinner, you libber fe me dog."

An' Hog carry home Annancy an' goin' to do him up for him dinner.

An' when Hog think him done up Annancy him done up him own mother.

An' that made Hog nasty feeder up to to-day.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=ground=, a provision ground where yams, etc., are grown. They often pronounce it =grun=, rhyming to run but even shorter.

=a leave=, I leave.

This tune has a bobbin, see _Digging sings_. Nonsense words of course.

=commando=, pronounced common doe.

=yah=, with French =a=.

=pass=, path. It no doubt should be =gone down short pass=. The paths circle round the steep mountain sides and short cuts connect the loops.

=buck=, stumbles on, meet.

=you light, etc.= Your lights for my dinner, your liver for my dog.

XXXIII. DRY RIVER.

Once a man have t'ree daughter. Dem go go pick wacky.

When dem a come, dem come to a river having no water.

Dem meet a old man beg dem a wacky.

The two biggest one give the old man two wacky, one each, an' the little one wouldn' give any.

An' the old man sing:--

[Music:

You no give me one wacky you can't pass,
You no give me one wacky you can't pass,
You no give me one wacky you can't pass,
Dry River will come an' take you 'way.
Draw me nearer,
Draw me near,
Dry River will come an' take you 'way.]

An' the little one won't give.

An' the two big sister want to give two more of their wacky to the old man; but the old man say:--"No, the little one must give me one of fe her wacky."

An' she won't give.

So the old man sing the sing again.

An' still the little one won't give, until at last the river come down carry him gone.

From that day people drowning.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

In the heavy rains of October and May the rivers rise suddenly, and an insignificant stream or dry river-bed becomes a raging torrent. Travellers are delayed in the Seasons, as these rainy times are called, owing to the fords becoming impassable. This happens now less frequently than formerly, not because the rivers do not 'come down' but because many of them are bridged.

=wacky= (French =a= with a turn to =o=, almost "wocky"), guava. This fruit which makes the well-known jelly is wild. It is the size of a small apple, and has a delicious scent when ripe and yellow. Raw, however, it is not a good fruit. The flavour is coarse and the pulp is full of very hard seeds, which must be swallowed whole.

=when dem a come=, when they reach the place where the wackies are they come to a river.

=old man beg, etc.=, old man who asks them for a wacky. Much of the conciseness of negro speech is due to the suppression of relatives and prepositions.

=you no give=, if you do not give.

XXXIV. YELLOW SNAKE.

Once a woman, name Miss Winky, have four children, three son an' one daughter. The son them was hunter-man and the youngest son was old-witch. This sister never can find her fancy. Everybody come she say: "Lard, this one hugly, me no like him at all!"

Till one day she an' the mother an' old-witch boy was at home.

Snake was on a journey, get to a rum-shop. Talking an' talking they bring up some talk about this gal, that everybody go for her she refuse.

Snake say:--"Is she a pretty gal?"

They say:--"Yes, man, she is a beauty to look at."

Snake said:--"I bet anything I get that gal."

Snake change an' fix up himself an' go to the yard.

When he go he said:--"Good day, Miss Winky, I come to ask you for your daughter."

The gal, was in the room, run out to see if it is a pretty man.

As she come out she said:--"Mamma, this is my love, no one else."

So Snake was invite in the house.

The mother said:--"Well, as you get your fancy I am going to married you."

So the next day they go an' get marry.

After dinner Snake get ready, an' the gal mother tie up all her clothes an' they start.

They travel the whole night until daylight an' never could get, till about midday they reach the place. It was a big stone-hole.

Snake carry her under, put her to sit down.

An' after Snake get a good rest he commence to swallow her.

On the meantime the old-witch boy, name of Cawly, know all what was going on in the wood, tell his two elder brother to come "an' let us go hunting for I hear the voice of my dear beloved sister crying for me in the wood."

The two brother said:--"You always goin' on with your foolishness."

He said:--"Never mind, come let us go an' see."

So they start an' they walk like beast, till at last they nearly reach where they could hear the sister.

They hear a voice:--

[Music:

Fe me Cawly Cawly oh!
If no hunter-man no come here oh!
Yalla Snake will swallow me.]

Snake, fe all him mout' full, get to say:--"Me will swallow you till you mumma no fin' piece of you bone."

The brother come close to the place, climb upon the stone.

They hear the voice plainer, come down off the stone an' see that Snake leave but the head of their sister.

They go down on Snake an' kill him an' split him an' take out their sister an' carry her home.

From that day she never marry again for she feel the hand of marry.

So everybody that pick too much will come off the same way.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Snake=, pronounced in two syllables, Se-nake with the exact value of vowels in the French words _ce n'est que_, and of course stopping at the _k_ sound of the _q_.

=Tie up all her clothes=, in a bundle which she would carry on her head.

=get=, get to Snake's home.

=beast.= This is the generic name for a beast of burden, horse, mule, or donkey.

=fe all=, although.

=get to say=, managed to say.

=fe me=, my.

=feel the hand of marry=, a biblical expression. She felt the hand of matrimony, and behold it was heavy.

XXXV. COW AND ANNANCY.

One day Annancy was passing Cow pastur', saw the whole of them was cleaning their teeth with chewstick.

He was so frighten for Cow, he stay outside the pastur' on a tree an' call to Cow, telling them howdy.

Cow never answer him, so he get worser frighten.

He said to himself:--"If I give them piece of cane, fool them say it is my chewstick, they might a come friend with me."

So Cow them go out in the night to feed.

An' when them gone Annancy go an' get his side-bag full with cane as quick as he can. An' when him come Cow them gone away for the whole night, so he climb the tree an' sleep on the tree until daylight.

An' when the sun begin to hot the Cow come under the tree fe throw up their food fe eat it back. Same time Cow cleaning him teeth with the chewstick.

Presently the papa Cow see a big piece of something drop out of the tree.

He look up see Annancy, call to him:--"What you doing de?"

Annancy say:--"Me bring piesh a chewshtick fe you."

Cow take up the cane begin to chew. Instead of cleaning teeth he was swallowing both juice an' trash.

Cow say:--"Him sweet; you no hab no more de now?"

Annancy say "Yes."

Cow call him down from the tree.

When he come down he give everybody piece of the cane, tell them that it is fe him chewstick.

During this time he have a big bottle of cane-juice, ask Cow if him want a taste.

Cow take a taste, he done the whole bottle of it.

So they all get in friend with Annancy.

An' Annancy invite Cow to go home with him, an' he will show him where he get such good chewstick.

Cow say:--"You no have nobody a you yard."

Annancy say "Yes."

Cow say:--"Me shame fe go."

Annancy say:--"Make me go home an' sen' dem 'way."

Annancy go home, tell all his friend them must look out, him going to fetch Cow, ya.

Them say:--"If you bring Cow you we will never trust you the longest day we live."

Annancy say:--"Look out."

He take a rope. When he go back he tell Cow that him no see nobody a yard, so Cow must come make dem go.

Cow say, "Yes."

Them 'tart.

Annancy tell Cow that as he is such a coward man him have a piece of rope, Cow must make him put it on his neck, afraid a when him a go the picny them go see him, go make noise, you go turn back.

Annancy say: "Bro'er Cow, when you go near me yard, if you yerry them picny a make noise no frighten, fan you tail with strength."

When them get to where all the friend an' children could see him, him call to them:--"A da come, no see me frien' a come tell you howdy." He turn to Cow said:--"Fan you tail, no min' dem people."

At last them reach the yard.

Annancy have a big tree at the front of his house. He tell Cow:--"Bro'er Cow, stay ya, make me go look after the house; me wife no know, say me a bring 'tranger ya, so we can't carry you in so, so you can fan you tail as much."

During this time Annancy gone to get all his tool sharpen to kill Cow. He left his biggest son to watch Cow but he can't trust the boy. Every minute he come to look if Cow is there.

The first time he come an' look he say to Cow:--"Fan you tail."

When the thing them nearly done sharp he come back, see Cow was fanning his tail.

He said to Cow:--"You Cow, you no yerry me say 'No fan you tail a me yard?'"

Cow fan fe the better.

He come with his bill, said to Cow:--"If you no 'top fan you tail either you kill me or me kill you."

Cow won't stop.

He say to one of the friend:--"Now, now, sir, you see how that man a frighten me picny a me yard, him mout' so hugly."

Him come up nearer to Cow say:--"If you no 'top fan you tail somet'ing mus' done."

Cow won't stop, seeing the fly a trouble him.

Annancy set a run with his bill chop at Cow neck.

Cow draw back his head, the bill catch the rope, set Cow free, so he run for his life.

Annancy say:--"Come back, Bro'er Cow, a fun me a make wi' you, simple little fun, you run gone home."

But Cow was flying for his home an' never stop.

Annancy take up this song:--

[Music:

Lard! Lard! hasty kill me dead oh!
Poor me boy oh! a whe me a go do?
Me put me pot a fire fe boil Cow liver,
but hasty kill me dead.]

From that day Annancy never can go where Cow is.

Anywhere Cow see him he reach him down with his mouth.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

We have had this story already in another form (Annancy and Cow, No. 20).

=chewstick=, a common climber. A piece of the stem about the thickness of a pencil is cut and makes a sort of soapy froth as it is chewed. It has an agreeable bitter taste and is used to clean the teeth.

=howdy=, how do you do?

=cane=, sugar-cane.

=fool them=, take them in, delude.

=side-bag.= Everybody has his side-bag or namsack (knapsack).

=papa=, pronunciation something between puppa and poppa, with slight accent on the first syllable. Cows in Jamaica are of both sexes.

=de there=; the _e_ is that of "debt" lengthened. French "est" gives it exactly. Whe has the same _e_.