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PRINTED IN U.S.A.
In compliance with current
copyright law, Cornell University
Library produced this
replacement volume on paper
that meets the ANSI Standard
Z39.48-1992 to replace the
irreparably deteriorated original.
1997
Cornell University
Library
The original of this book is in
the Cornell University Library.
There are no known copyright restrictions in
the United States on the use of the text.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924079620021
CORNELL
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY
BOUGHT -WITH THE INCOME
OF THE SAGE ENDOWMENT
FUND GIVEN IN 189I BY
HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE
ANNANCY STORIES
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COPYKIGHT iSgg
By ROBERT HOWARD RUSSELL
UNBfNOABtt
INTRODUCTION
THE "Annancy Stories," by Miss Pamela Colman Smith, a young lady
who has recently come from Jamaica to live in this country, are per-
haps the most original contribution to negro folk-lore literature since
the day when "Uncle Remus " gave us his imperishable record of
"Brer Rabbit."
These new stories are a contribution from the West Indian Negroes.
They belong to the same class with the stories of "Brer Rabbit,"
which undoubtedly inspired the young authoress to collect them, as they have inspired
all other writers of folk-stories, since Mr. Harris's genius blazed the way. The differ-
ences form one of the points of interest. Some of the tales bear traces of descent
from jEsop; others have the impress of the "Arabian Nights," whilst yet others show
marks of the less ancient fairy tale. Whatever their origin, however, "Annancy" will
prove of great interest not only to all who may enjoy this class of literature; but to
that wider public who recognize the value of sincerity, and read only for entertainment.
The young authoress has been gifted with the power to illustrate her stories in a man-
ner as original as the stories themselves.
Both as narrator and artist she has struck out boldly on new lines and deserves the
success which it is hoped her courage and ability may bring her.
\/Ad^'^a^^h'^4^^<ll~-
CONTENTS
Annancy and Chim-Chim ....••• 9
De Man An' De Six Poach Eggs ..... 12
Why Toad Walk Ton Four Leg .... 14
Annancy An' Tiger Ridin' Horse . . . . . 17
Mr. Titman ....... 20
Why John Crow Hab Peel Head ..... 25
Candoo ....... .28
Mother Calbee .......-• 31
How Annancy Win De Five Dubbloon . • • • • 35
Morass .... . . . 38
Annancy And Gingy Fly ....... 41
How Annancy Went To Fish Country . . . . -44
Haylefayly An' Pretty Peallope . ... 47
Paarat, Tiger An' Annancy . . . . 51
BuU-Garshananee ...... -55
Annancy An' De Nyam Hills . . • • • • 59
Ticky-Picky Boom- Boom ..... .62
De Golden Water, De Singin' Tree An' De Talkin' Bird . -65
How Annancy Fooled Death .... .69
The Three Sisters . , . . . . . -72
Annancy And Dry Kull ; Or, Why Hog Hab A Long Mouth . 75
Dog An' De Duckanoo ....... 78
ANNANGY AND CHIM-CHIM
IN a long before time in dis countr)'^ dere lib Chim-chim Bird, and Chim-chim Bird
him buil' him nest on de top of de grass; so dat it blow up an' down wid de wind.
An' in de evenin' when de north breeze blow, de nest go up and down and rock
Breda Chim-chim Bird to sleep.
Now in dis same country dere lib a bery cleber man call Annancy, an' him some-
time make himself big, an' sometime little. A sort o' * jumbe man.
Now dese two, Breda Annancy and Chim-chim, get to know each oder in de
bush. An' dey play cyards togeder, and Breda Chim-chim he always win Annancy.
Now, before dey play dey agree dat whoefer lose is to pay a fine to de oder one. An' de
fine is to be a piece of flesh off de one dat lose. So dey play fe many, many nights, an'
Chim-chim he always win. An' each time he take a piece of flesh off Breda Annancy
till Annancy get quite thin. So at last one night Breda Annancy say him would only play
one time more. So de nex' night dey play, an' Breda Annancy he win! A'en him laugh,
him was so please, an' say, "Now, me Breda Chim-chim, you mus' pay you fine." But
Chim-chim only laugh an' fly away.
Long time Annancy try to catch Chim-chim all sort of way, by springes, an' caliban
an' lime, but all dis time Chim-chim was too cleber fe him.
So at last Breda Annancy go an' tell Breda Tiger about it, an ax him fe help him
catch Breda Chijn-chim Bird. So Tiger he listen, and when Annancy finish, he t'ink,
an' t'ink fe long time, an' at las' him say: —
"I tell you, Breda Annancy what I wi' do. I wi' lie down an' play I dead, an' you
get a bell, and you ring de bell all over de town, and say 'Tiger dead ! ' an' den we wi'
see if Chim-chim will come to de funeral."
Den Annancy say: —
"All right, Breda Tiger, an' if I catch Breda Chim-chim Bird I give you a cow."
So it was agree that if Breda Annancy catch Chim-chim, Tiger would get de cow.
So dey wrote de bargin out.
Nex' market day Breda Chim-chim Bird come to town fe get some salt fish an' yams
an' a j-quattie peas. An' as him was goin' troo de town him hear a bell, an' him ax
what it is, and de people dey tell him say: —
"De great Massa Tiger is dead ! "
So Breda Chim-chim go home an' put on him long-tail-blue coat an' him que-que
♦Bogeyman. fPenny-ha-pcnny.
ANNANCY AND CHIM-CHIM
shoe, an* de que-que shoe say, "Buoay-soi ! buoay-soi ! " an' he go to Breda Tiger house.
An' him ax : —
"Well, what Breda Tiger dead wid ? " An' dey say. " Dead wid de heat of de wedder."
An' Chim-chim say: —
"When him dead ? "
An' dey say : —
" He dead yesterday forenoon."
An' den Chim-chim say: —
"Well, I sorry; but is him laugh at all since him dead.?"
An' dey say: —
"No!"
An' Chim-chim bird say : —
"You eber hear man dead an' him no laugh .? "
Den when Breda Tiger * yerry dis him gib one big laugh. Den Chim-chim Bird say: —
"Hey-hey! Who eber hear dead man laugh yet?" An' he fly away laughing. An'
Annancy neber catch him dat time. An' so Tiger didn't get de cow.
Den Annancy say, " I gwin try one more time." So he go an' get in Breda
Chim-chim's nest, and say, " I will see if I don't catch him dis time ! "
After him lay dere fe long time Breda Chim-chim he come home to him nest
and him look an' see de nest look funny — de nes' nebber go down so low before —
what is de matter wid it ? So Chim-chim fly all about, an' at las' say:^7-
" Good evening, me nest."
An' de nes' no say notin'. So Chim-chim say : —
"Hi ! Ebery ebening I say good ebening to me nest, an' me nest say good ebening to
me ; but to-night me nest won't say notting ! "
So den Annancy say "Good ebening, Breda Chim-chim Bird ! "
An' Chim-chim say, " Why, me nebber hear nest talk ye^:." An' him fly away.
An' Annancy neber catch him to dis day !
"■-!'«;«*»««
NEX- MARKET DAY BREDA CHIM-CHIM COME TO TOWN.
DE MAN AN' DE SIX POACH EGGS
IN a before time, a man was trabblin from one town to anoder, an' after bin
walk an' walk fe many mile, him was bery hungry. An' so him stop at a ■
shop, an 'axed fe someting fe eat. An' dey brought him six poach eggs. A
eat dem, an' he say him don' got any money to pay fe dem; but would <
back an' pay, when he find him fortune.
So after twelve years, de man v/as ridin' along de road, on him w^ay back to
own country — fe him had found him fortune — an' was goin' home bad
see him fren anct^* relation. An' as him go by de Cook shop, him stop an' pay six pt
fe de eggs he had eaten twelve years before.
An' de keeper of de Cook shop say, it was not enough, dat if de man had not eate
eggs, dey would have grown up to chickens, an' de chickens would grow up to hens
de hens would lay more eggs, an' dey would grow to chickens, an' dat de six eggs wi
be worth more dan sixty pounds, not six pennys!
An' de man say, he would not pay any more dan six pence.. An' de Cook shop kei
say him mus'! an' so at las' de Cook shop keeper, take de man to de Judge, an' de Ju
didn' know what to say. An' while dey was conversin', an' de Judge was t'inkin', a 1.
boy came in to de court house. An, him hab a bag under him arm, an' de judge say,
"What you got?"
; An' de boy say, .. " . N " ■.?
"Parch peas, sah!" ..;■"
"What you goin' to do wid it.?" An' de boy say,
"Plant it!"
An' de Judge say,
"But parch peas won't grow!"
An' de boy say,
"An' poach eggs won't hatch!"
So de Judge laugh! An' he neber make de man pay any'ting! An, de man was so tar
full to de boy, dat he took him home wid him, an' he grow up an' get all de man mom
when him go away wid Death.
Dis story prove dat "No catchee no habie! *
AN' DE COOK SHOP KEEPER SAY HIM MUS' !
WHY TOAD WALK 'PON FOUR LEG
IN a long before time — before Queen Victoria come to reign over we. Toad was a
buckra gentleman, an' walk 'pon two leg, an' wear quee-quee shoe, an' a hat
wid feaders, an' a long two-tail coat! An' dere was a prince lib in de same town
where Toad lib, an' a' old Obeah* woman lib dere too, an' de name ob de town
was Four Paths, an' de name ob de Obeah woman was Recundadundad-
rumunday.
Now de Obeah woman was bery proud, fe dere was no oder Obeah woman
in de country who could do all de magic she could, an' she set her min' on marrin de
Prince. So she go borrow a silk dress, an' a coach an' four horses. An' when she walk
to de coach de dress go swish — swish — ^swish. An' she hab feaders in her hair. An' she
make herself just like a buckra woman. An' she drive out, an' when she drive out,
who should she buck up on de road but de Prince out ridin', 'pon a big horse! An'
de Prince wonder who dis gran' lady was, an' she bow to him, an' him was so please.
An' so ebery t'ing was arrainge an' de weddin' day was fix', an' eberyt'ing ready,
an' a big cake — all white like race cake wid little sweets 'pon de top!
An ebery body please!
An' at las' de day come! An' den Bredda Toad he go to de Prince and say to him: —
"You know dat de lady you is goin' to marry is not'ing but an old Obeah woman,
an' her name is Recundadundadrumunday!"
An, de Prince would'n believe him, den Toad say: —
"You know she, as well as meself an' you see — I pass by her yard ebery night when I
go home. An' I hear her tellin' all sort ob spells an' tings. An' I know her well, an' her
name is Recundadundadrumunday!"
An' de Prince didn' believe it at all! But when Toad gone him go to de Obeah
woman, an' him say: —
"I know what you is. You are playin' trick 'pon me. You is not'ing but an Obeah
woman an' you' name is Recundadundadrumunday!
14
'I KNOW WHAT YOU IS. YOU PLAYIN' TRICK 'PON ME."
IS
WHY TOAD WALK 'PON FOUR LEG
"An' den she gib a loud kreech, an' trow off her silk frock, an all de fine t'ings she
hab on, an' den she tek her chunky* pipe an' Obeah stick, and run out de Prince house,
fe fine who tell de Prince dis one big lie!
An' den she go along de road, an' walk, an' walk, an' walk, an' bum-bye she buck
up wid a cow. An' she tell de cow say:
"Cow, you tell de Prince who lib at Four Paths dat I is an' Obeah woman an' dat me
name is Recundadundadrumunday?"
An' de cow say: —
"No, missus, I wouldn' do such a t'ing!"
An' she go on again, an' she go fe a long time. An' bum-bye she buck up wid a sheep.
An' she tell de sheep say: —
"You go tell de Prince at Four Paths dis one great big lie — dat me name is Recundad-
undadrumunday, an' dat I is an Obeah womian?"
An' de sheep say: —
"Noa; missus, you tink I would do sech a t'ing?"
An' so den she go on, an' on again, fe a mile an' a few chain, an' den she buck up
wid Toad himself, an' him had been watchin' her all de way, an' foUowin' her in de
bush. An' Bredda Toad say: —
"Oh, dere is me good frien' — me old frien' — I know so long time, Recundadundad-
rumunday."
An' him laugh. But den she say: —
"I know you, now. You go tell de Prince who I is, an' now I will show you."
An- she tek her Obeah stick an' beat Toad wid it, an' pull off all him gran' clothes,
hirii two tail coat, an' all, an' lick him down 'pon him four legs, an' say: —
"Now, me Bredda Toad, you will neber sarve me so again. An' you mus' always
walk 'pon four legs from now!"
An' den she put on de gran' two tail coat an' plume hat, an' go off! But she neber
marry de Prince, an' she go to anoder country. Colon or some oder place, an' was neber
seen any more.
An' Toad was neber a buckra gentleman again an', because of what him do to de
Obeah woman, him walk 'pon four legs to dis day.
Dis story show dat —
"Quattie buy trouble, hundred pound can't cure it."
i6
ANNANCY AN' TIGER RIDIN' HORSE
IN a long before time Annancy an' Tiger was both cortin' de same young
lady. An' dey was bery jealous ob each oder. So one day Annancy him go
to de young lady house, an' him say:
"You know Breda Tiger is not'ing else dan an old ridin' horse?"
An' de young lady was bex.
An' so de nex' time Tiger come fe see her she say:
"Go away wid you! How you can come cortin' me when you know you is
not'ing but an old ridin' horse!"
An' Tiger him bawl out:
"Who tell you dis one great big lie?"
An' she say Annancy tell her, an' she didn' tink it was a lie at all! So Tiger him say
him would bring Annancy to prove it! An' him hurry go Annancy house. But Annancy
see him comin' out ob de window. An' him run an' get 'pon de bed an' play him was
sick. An' Tiger him come to de door, an' knock, an 'say bery sot'ly:
"Breda Annancy, is you in?"
An' Annancy say, as dough him was bery sick:
"Yes, me Breda, I is in."
An' Tiger him go in. An' Annancy say:
"Oh, me Breda, I so sick wid feaver!"
An' Tiger say:
"You tell de young lady dis one great big lie; dat I is not'ing but you fada's old jack-
ass ridin' horse? Now you is to come an' prove dat I is not a ridin' horse!"
An' den Annancy say:
"Oh, me Breda! How you tink I can come wid you? I just take doctor medecine an'
two pill! How you tink I can come to de young lady house tonight?"
17
ANN AN CYAN' TIGER RID IN' HORSE
An' Tiger say:
"You mus' come! I tell you what I wi' do, Breda; J will carry you 'pon me back! ^
So Annancy say all yite! An him get up, an' take him saddle down from de rafter, an
put it 'pon Tiger back, an' Tiger say:
"Wha" dat for?"
An' Annancy say:
"Dat is so I can go sof 'ly 'pon you' back, fe me head hurt me so!"
An' den him go an' tek down him bridle an' rein, an' put dem 'pon Breda Tiger.
An' Tiger say:
"Wha' dat for?"
An' Annancy say:
"Dat is so when you walk too fas', I will pull you back, me head hurt me so!"
Den Annancy, him go and tek down him spur an' ridin' whip; an' den him mount up
'pon de table, an' den 'pon Breda Tiger, an' say:
"Now, me Breda Tiger, you mus'n' walk too fas'."
An Tiger walk off. An' when dey get a mile an' a little, Annancy tek him ridin' whip
an' give Tiger a lash! An' Tiger jump, an' say:
"Warra! Wa' dat?"
An' den Annancy say:
"Oh, me Breda, de fly dey boder you so, I is lickin' dem off!"
And den Tiger say:
"Nex' time doan lick so hot!"
So dey go anoder mile an' a little; an' den Annancy tek him ridin' whip an' lash Tiger
'pon de ear! An' Tiger say:
"Warra! Wa' dat?"
An' Annancy say:
"De flies dey boder you so, Breda Tiger!"
An' Tiger say:
"Nex' time you mus'n lick so hot, Breda Annancy!"
An' den dey go anoder mile an' a little, an' at las' dey get to de young lady house far
as de yard mouth.
An' when dey get dere, Annancy see de young lady standin' in de door mouth, an'
him Stan' up in him stirrup, like how jocky do, a' Kin'ston race cou'se. An' him lash
Tiger, an' use him spur till Tiger gallop! When dey get to de door where de young lady
was standin', Annancy take off him hat an' wave it, an' him bawl out:
"Me no tell you so. Missus! Dat dis old Tiger was not'ing but me fader's old long-ear
jackass ridin' horse.?"
An' him jump off, an' Tiger was so 'shame dat him gallop away into de bush, an' was
neber seen any more!
i8
'GO AWAY WID YOU! HOW YOU CAN COME CORTIN' ME WHEN YOU KNOW YOU IS NOT'ING
19
MR. TITMAN
IN a long before time dere was a woman, an' she hab nine children, an' dey was
all girls! An' de oldes' one name Quashiba. Now dis woman, she used to make
cakes fe ten buckra ladies, an' dey gib her de flour, an' sugar, an' butter, an' eggs,
an' all de tings, an' den she would make de cakes — an' bake dem. An' den de
buckra ladies dey pay fe it; an' dey would tell all dem frien' dat dey bake de
cakes — dem! An' all de frien' say what lubly cake dey make. An' so dat is how
de woman she make her livin'.
One time she git de tings fe mek nine cakes, an' dey was in de oven; an' she was goin'
out fe de tings fe de las' cake. An' she tell the children not to let de cakes burn! An' not
to touch dem! So she go out. An' de cakes dem smell so good dat after a little Quashiba
say to de oder children:
"It can't hurt jus' fe look 'pon dem!"
So she open de oven door, an' de cakes look so nice an' brown. An' she say:
"Let us taste dem."
So all de children tek each one a cake, an' tek one little bite! An' when dey get one
bite, dey want anoder, an' when dey get anoder, den dey want anoder, an' anoder, an'
anoder! Till all de cakes dem was heat up!
When de mumma she come home, she ax de children how de cakes was gettin' on, an'
de children say:
"We heat dem all up!"
An' de woman say:
"You heat dem all up?"
An' dey say:
"Yes."
An' den de woman go to de corner, an' get a broom dat was dere, an' lick dem hard,
till dey all jump about, up an' down, up an' down, like how people do a Kinston race
course when dem horse beat!
MR. TITMAN
Now at dis time de king was a buckra gentlemen. An' him happen to be ridin' by,
just at dis time. An' when him hear dis n'iie him wonder what.it can all be about.
An' him pull up liim horse — it was a big buckra horse — an' him bawl out:
"What is all dis n'ise about?"
An' de woman hear him, an' come runnin' to de door an' ax him what him want.
An' she did'n know it was de King. An' him say:
"What is all dis n'ise about?"
An' she say:
"Oh, me darter, she jus spin a whole fiel'* of linen, an' we is rejoicin'!"
An den de king say, him was de king. An' den de woman was please! An' him say
dat if it was true dat the darter spin a whole fiel' of linen, she mus' be him Queen.
An' den de woman call out Quashiba, an' it was all arrange, an' de weddin' day was
fix, an' de cake, an' all de oder tings order.
An' everybody was please. An' so dey was marry.
An' it was fix dat fe a year an' a day de girl Quashiba was to hab all de bittles f she
could eat — mos'ly cakes — an' all de frocks she could wear, an' all de frien's to call 'pon
her dat she want. But at de end of de year an' a day she was to spin tree whole fiel's of
linen! An' when de woman hear dis she was frighten, but Quashiba say dat before de
time'was up de King would forget all about it.
So eberyting go lubly for de year an' de day. An' den de King he go an' tell Quish-
iba, an' put her in a room as big as a fiel', an' padlock an' bolt de door. Den Quashiba
was well frighten! An' begin to cry. An' while she was cryin' she hear a n'ise, an' she
look up, an' she see a little man. An' him was ugly fe true! Him hab on a tall green hat,
an' him hab a wooden leg an' 'triped trousers, an' a tail! An' him begin bowin' an'
grinnin', an' grinnin an' bowin.' An' Quashiba was more frighten dan eber!
An' den de little man ax her what was de matter; an' she go' an' tell him all about
ebery ting! An' him say him would help her if she would guess his name tree times, fe
de tree night, tree time ebery night. An' she t'ank him an' say she would. An' den de
little man begin singin' an' singin', an' walkin' an' walkin', roun' an' roun'.
An' Quashiba she go to sleep, an' when she wake up it was dark, an' de moon was
lookin' in t'rough de little window. An' she see de ugly little man bowin', an' grinnin',
an' grinnin' an' bowin'. An' de room was full of linen! Right up to de top! An' de little
man say:
"Now, Missus Queen, what is me name?"
An' Quashiba say:
"You name Septimus!"
An' de little man say:
"Noa!" An' him laugh.
An' she say:
"Den you name Obidiah!"
"Noa!" An' him laugh.
An' den she tink an' tink an' tink, an' at las' she say:
"Den you name is *Jaams!"'
An' de little man say, "Noa!" An' him laugh like anyting an' fly away.
*Ficld. fVicIuali.
MR.TITMAN
De nex 'mornin' de King come an' him was please to see all de linen. An' him tek
Quashiba into anoder room, jus' as big as de firs'. An' padlock her in. An' dis rooni was
de same as de oder, but it hab two windows instead of one. An' Quashiba wonder if de
little man would come again.
An' while she was tinkin' dis, dere was de little man right before her, bowin' an'
grinnin', an' grinnin' an' bowin'. An' him begin singin' an' singin' an' walkin' roun', an'
roun', an' roun'.
An' den Quashiba go to sleep again, an' when she wake up it was not night yet, but
jus' before de night come down. An' dere was de ugly little man bowin' an' grinnin' de
same as before. An' the whole room was chock full of linen! An' him say:
"Now, good evenin', me Missus Queen. I hope you is well. Now what is me name.?"
An' Quashiba she say:
"You name is Nicholas."
An' him say:
"Noa!"
An' she say:
"Den you nanme is Neahmia! "
An' him say:
"Noa!" an' laugh.
An' she tink an tink long time an' den say:
"Neb ercouldarazor ! ' '
An' him say "Noa!" an' laugh, an' shake him head, an' fly away.
In a little time de King him unlock de padlock an' come in, an' when him see de
room full ob linen, him was so please dat him ax de Queen to hab supper wid him. An'
dey hab a gran' supper of roas' goat-mutton, an ackees, * an' red peas-, an' rice, an' yams,
an' sweet potatoe an' pJaintain, an' lot of oder good t'ings!
An' de King tell how when him was out huntin' wild hogs de day, him come to a
place where was a big hole in de groun'. An' him look in, an' see a funny little man
wid a wooden leg, an' 'triped trousers, an' a tall green hat, an' a tail; an' him was
dancin' 'pon de wooden leg an' singin' an' singin':
Me name Missa Titman,
Me name Missa Titman,
He — I — oo — hum,
Titman — Titman!
An' dancin' roun' an' roun' all de time!
Den Quashiba laugh, an' was please. An' dey eat as much as dey could, an' den de
nex' mornin' de King tek Quashiba an' put her in de las' room. An' it had t'ree win-
dows, an' was jus' as big as eder ob de oders. An' pretty soon de little man come, an' bow,
an' grin, an' grin, an' bow. An' say:
"To-day is you' las' chance. If you doan' guess me right name I will heat you up!"
An' so him dance, roun', an' roun' an' roun', an' sing, an' sing, an' Quashiba go to sleep
de same as de oder time.
An' when she wake up it was mos' dark, but de night doan' come quite down yet.
An' dere she see de little ugly man, jus' de same — an' bowin' an' grinnin', an grinnin'
an' bowin'. An him say:
AN' HIM SAY HIM WOULD HELP HER, IF SHE GUESS HIM NAME TREE TIME.
23
MR. TITMAN
"Now, Missus Queen, you mus' guess well dis time — ^you only hab t'ree guess more —
an' if you doan' know me name I will h'eat you!" An' him tail go roun' an' roun' till
you couldn' see it! An' him laugh.
An' Quashiba say:
"You name 'Quashie!"
An him say "Noa!" An' him tail go 'roun'!
An' him say:
"You only got two more guess — so tink good!"
And she say:
"You name mus' be — be — no — it's not dat! it mus' be Teardoor!"
An' him say:
"Noa! It's not dat! You mus' tink good dis time!"
An' him tail go roun', an' roun', an' roun', till you couldn' see it!
An' so den Quashiba step back an' say:
"You' name is — is — Missa Titman!"
An' him gib a 'creech, an' pop wid a loud noise! An' left behin' him a scent dat favor
like burnt feaders!
An' dat is all ob dis story; but if you lie, or tell fib, Missa Titman he gwine come an'
catch you an' put you in him bag, an' den him will corn you, an h'eat you!
24
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WHY JOHN CROW* HAB PEEL HEAD
IN a before time, John Crow hab feaders 'pon him head. But him don' got any
name. An' him ashame, dat eberybody hab a name but him!
One time, as John Crow was walkin' out, he meet Breda Annancy, an' him
tell him how him t'ink it too bad dat eberybody got a name but him doan' hab
Den Breda Annancy, him tell Breda John Crow dat if him inbite all him
frien' an' relation, an' get a barrel of flour, an' a big copper pot, like what dey
boil sugar in fe make rum, him would come an' christen dem all!
Den John Crow him was please! An' him t'ank Breda Annancy berry much!
Now, all dis time Annancy dislike John Crow. An' when him tell him dat him mus'
inbite him frien' and relation, he mean to play a trick 'pon dem all. An' dis please Bredda
Annancy so dat him could hardly wait fe de day to come when him is to christen John
Crow. Well, at las' de day it come, an' Annancy him put on him coat, but it was'n him
bes' coat — no! him middlin' old coat was good enough fe John Crow!
Well, him- put on him coat, an' go out to Bredda John Crow house. An' when him
get dere, him fine John Crow^ an' all him frien' an' relation was dere waitin' An' dey
hab a barrel of flour, an' a big copper pot, an' a fire lighted under it, an' water in it,
boilin'! An' Annancy say him w^as goin' to make de christenin' cake. So him empty de
flour barrel into de pot, an' den him tell de John Crow, dem not to look — fe him was
goin' to make a grand cake. So dey all put dere heads into de barrel, till de barrel was
chock full of dere heads? An' den Annancy him take a stick an' stir, an' stir, till all d«
flour an' water boil up. An' den he bawl out: —
"Now, me Breddas, you mus'n look, fe if you do it will poil!"*
An' dem say: — ,
"Noa; we is not lookin'!"
So den Annancy him take de pot up, an' carry it to where de John Crows were, wid
dere heads in de barrel, an' den him lif up de pot an' say: —
♦Buzzard, fSpoil.
35
WHY JOHN CROW HAB PEEL HEAD
"Now, me Breddas, dis is de way I christen you, John Crow!"
An' him spill all de flour an' water dat was boilin' into de barrel, an' burn dem. An'
den him laugh, an' t'ink dat was de end of all de John Crows.
But dey was not dead, an' when dey get well again dey fine dat dem head peel, an'
neber would grow feaders any more.
An' dat is why John Crow hab peel head to dis day!
26
AN' ANNANCY SAY HIM COIN' TO MAKE DE CHRISTENIN' CAKE.
27
rice, an' salt fish, an'
Annancy eat, an' eat.
CANDOO
ONCE, in bery hungry times, Annancy him go out walkin' in de
bush, fe fine tings fe eat. An' him get to a place where dere was a
lot of Dibbydibby trees. An' dere on de groun' was a little iron pot
wid tree legs turn upside down. An' when Annancy see it, him say: —
"What a pitty pot!"
"An' de pot say: —
"Me no name pot."
An' Annancy say: —
"What you' name, den?"
An' de pot say: —
"Candoo!"
Den Annancy say: —
"Do mek I see."
An' den de pot it turn ober, an' out of it come red peas an'
ackee, and roas' plantain, an' nyams* an' plenty oder t'ings. An
an' eat. Long time he don' get anythin' fe eat, an' him was bery hungry
An' him eat till him couldn't walk! An' den him go sleep. An' when him wake, him
find it was night time, an' de moon was shinin' bright. An' Annancy him look fe de
pot, an' it was turn over, wid its legs turn up in de air!
So Annancy go home, an' when him son Tacoma see him, him sav: —
"Why! Puppa fat!"
An' him tell him Mumma how fat Puppa look. An' dey wonder where him get de
b'ttles -f fe eat.
So Tacoma get some okra seed, an' him put dem in Annancy pocket, an' cut a hole
in de pocket. So when Annancy walk out, de okra seed drop all de way, an' show where
him go. Den Tacoma an' him Mumma, Crookie, get all de basket, an' calabash, J an' bag
dey could carry an' follow de okra seed. An' bum-bye dey get to de Dibbydibby tree,
an' dere dey see Annancy fas' asleep. An' dere was de iron pot, wid its legs up in de
air. An' Tacoma say: —
"What a pitty pot!"
An' de pot say: —
"Me no name pot!"
•Yarns, f Victuals. |Gourds.
28
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AN' DEY TURN DE POT OBER, AN' IT WAS NEBER ANY GOOD AGAIN
29
CANDOO
An Crookie say: —
"Wha' you name, den?"
An' de pot say: —
"Candoo!"
An' den dey both say: —
"Oh, do make we see!"
An' den de pot turn ober, an' all de good bittles come out, an' Crookie an' Tacoma
eat, an' eat, as much as dey could. An' den dey fill dere basket, an' calabash, an' bag full
up, an' den dey turn de pot ober, an' it was neber any good again!
Nex' time when Annancy want bittles, an' tell de pot, do make him see, de pot don'
say nottin'. An' Annancy fine it was no good again. An' den he was hex! An' him fine
out dat somebody playin' trick 'pon him, but he couldrf' tink who it was.
When hungry time come back again, Annancy was out walkin' in de bush, an' him
come to where dere was a lot of Cashaw trees, an' on de groun' was a pitty riding whip.
An' when Annancy see it him say: —
"What a pitty whip!"
An' whip say: —
"Me no name whip."
An' Annancy say: —
"Wha' you name, den.?"
An' whip say: —
"Candoo!"
An' den Annancy say: —
"Do make I see!"
An' de whip jump up an' flog Annancy till Annancy back all mash up! Den Annancy
go home, an' him tek de pitty ridin' whip wid him. An' him hang it on de back ob de
door. An' Annancy him go to bed. An' Tacoma come an' see him in de bed, an' him go
tell him mumma, Crookie: —
"Puppa back all mash up!"
An' den dey see de whip on de back ob de door. An' dey wonder where it come from
An' den Annancy say to Tacoma: —
"Go to de door, an' see what you see!"
An Tacoma an' Crookie go, an' dey say: —
"What a pitty whip!"
An' de whip say:^
"Me no name whip!'
An' dey say: —
"What you name, den?"
An' de Avhip say: —
"Candoo."
An' dey say: —
"Do make w^e see!"
An' den de whip jump up an' flog dem till dey jump all about, roun' an' roun', like
how people do a Kinston race course, when dem horse beat! Dis story show dat
"Cotton tree eber so big, but little axe cut him!"
3°
MOTHER CALBEE
IN a long before time dere was a woman, an' she hab a darter who was as cross an'
ugly as she herself, an' a stepdarter dat was as good an' pretliy as de oders was
ugly! An' de ugly girl was bery jallous of de stepsister, an' so she an' her mumma
plan dat she an' de good sister would pick goongoo peas togedder, an' whoeber
pick de most should get a gold chain, but who pick the least would have to go
down de well!
Now de good girls name was Phiba, an' de bad one's was Beneba. An' in
de early mornin' dey go out an' begin pickin' peas. An' de mudder she gib Beneba de side
ob de garden where dere was de most peas. An' Phiba had to go in de oder side ob de garden
where de peas trees didn' bear much.
An' dey pick, an' pick all day.
An' in de evenin' Beneba hab a lot of peas, an' Phiba only a few. So she was put down
de well, an' Beneba hab de gold chain given to her.
When Phiba go down to de well bottom she find herself in a big fiel' of pimento grass,
an' when she walk 'pon it de grass say: —
"Don', me pretty maid; don' crush me. Some day I will be of use to you."
Den she step softly — softly so not to crush de grass. An' bum-bye she come to some
brambles an' pingwings, an' dey say: —
"Don", me pretty maid, don' knock us down. Some day we will be of use to you."
An' she pass by de pingwings an' brambles an go on, an' bum-bye she get to a mango
tree dat was all leanin' down wid de weight of de fruit, an' de tree bawl out to her: —
"Oh! me pretty maid, do come shake me; me mangoes all ripe, an' some day I will be
of use^to you."
An' she shake de tree, an' put de man goes in a heap 'pon de ground. An' she go on, an'
on, an' bum-bye she come to a cow, an' de cow say: —
"Do, me pretty maid, come an' milk me. Some day I will be of use to you."
So den she milk de cow. An' set de pan of milk down 'pon de ground. An' she go on
•31
MOTHER CALBEE
and on, fe a long time. An' at last she get to a little house, an' dere was an old^ woman
standin' in de door mouth. An' Phiba ax her if she wish anybody fe work, an' de old
woman say: —
"Yes, me child, I do, an' me name is Moder Calbee."
' An' she gib Phiba a basket, an' tell her fe fetch water in it. An' Phiba go to de ribber-
side, an' de basket wouldn' hold water at all. An' she didn' know what to do. An' den a
turtle come out de river an' tell her fe put a plantain leaf in it, an' de water would'n run
out. So she do it, an' fill de basket, an' go back to Moder Calbee wid it.
Den Moder Calbee ax her if she would rather have a ham bone, or a whole ham, a
grain ob rice, or a quart ob rice. An' Phiba choose de grain ob rice an de ham bone. An'
Moder Calbee say if she see a black puss come an' ax her fe some dinner she mus' break
its back.
So den Phiba take de ham bone an' de grain ob rice an' put dem in de pot, an' boil
dem, an' de rice swell till it fill de pot, an' de ham bone it grow to a big ham! An' Phiba
eat and eat a good dinner, an' a black puss come in an' axed for some dinner, an' Phiba
gib him all him could eat. An' de nex' mornin' Moder Calbee ax if she hab broken de
puss' back, an' she say: —
"Yes, missus, I do.
An' Moder Calbee say: —
"No, me child, you can't work fe me, you is too clebber. Howsomeber, as you done
all I axed you, go into de room, an' you will see some calabash.* Choose one, an' you
shall hab it fe you' own!"
So den Phiba went into de room, an' all around was all sort ob calabash. Painted one
an' some ugly, an' some big, an' some little! So she look all about, an' at last she pick
out a little ugly one.
An' den she tank Moder Calbee, an' say goodby to her, an' she go back de way she
come, to de well bottom. An' when she hab gone a far way, she hear a noise, an' she look
round, an' see a lot ofax-a-menj- comin, an' she run, an' dey run, till she get to where
de cow was. An' den de cow bawl out: —
"Come, me pretty maid, an' I will hide you!"
An' she run to de cow, an' de cow sit 'pon her, an' hide her. An' when de ax-a-men,
dey come up, dey don't see Phiba anywhere at all! An' so dey go back to Moder Calbee
again, an' say dey couldn' find de girl at all! An' Moder Calbee say: —
"She is in hidin' under de cow; go an' fetch her," an' dey start out.
By dis time Phiba she get to where de mango tree was, an' when de mango tree see
her runnin' from de ax-a-men, him bawl out: —
"Come, me pretty maid, an' I will hide you!"
So den de mango tree grow down its branches all about her. An' de ax-a-men couldn'
find her at all! So dey go back to Moder Calbee, an' tell her dey couldn' find de girl, an'
she say: —
"You is fools, she is hidin' under de mango tree; go an' fetch her!"
So dey start out again, an' dey see Phiba runnin', an' dey run, an' she run, till dey come
to where de brambles, an' pingwings was. An' dey bawl out to her: —
"Run t'rough us me pretty maid, an' we will grow up an' hide you!"
^Gourds, f Men with axes.
$2
AN' A BLACK PUSS COME IN AN' AXED FE SOME DINNER,
33
MOTHER CALBEE
So she do, an' de ax-a-men dey come, an' dere was a wall of brambles an' pingwings,
an' dey couldn' get t'rough dem. An' Phiba 'tank de pingwings, an' run, an' run, till she
get to de pimento grass, an' den she see de ax-a-men comin'. An' de pimento grass bawl
out to her: —
"Come, me pretty maid, an' we will hide you!"
"An' she run to de grass, an' it grow ober her, an' when de ax-a-men dey come, dey
couldn' find her at all! So dey go back an' tell Moder Calbee all about it, an' she was hex.
So Phiba she get to de well bottom, an' go up, an' when de stepmoder an de sister
Beneba see her dey was hex! An' dey put her in de pigsty. An' den she open de calabash,
an' out of it come all sort of lubly clothes, an' she put dem on, an' den out of it come a
lubly big house, an' coach an' horses an' eberyting gran'. So den she marry de king of de
country, an' lib happy ever after.
Now, when Beneba see what gran' tings Phiba get out of de calabash, she say she would
go down de well an' find her fortune, too. So she jump down de well, an' when she get
to de pimento grass she roll an' trample all de grass, an' den she go on, an' on, an' bum-
bye she get to de brambles an' pingwings, an' she pull dem up an' knock dem down. An'
den she go on, an' on, till she get to de mango tree, an' what she couldn't eat she trew
away in de bush. An' den she go on, an' on, till at last she get to de cow, an' de cow say: —
"Do come milk me, I beg you."
An' she milk it, till she couldn't drink any more, an' den she go on till she get to
Moder Calbee door mouth. An' she ax if she want anybody to work, an' Moder Calbee
say yes. So she gib her de basket, an' tell her fe fetch water in it. An' den Beneba go to
de river an' put water in de basket, an' it wouldn't stay at all. An' den de turtle come an'
tell her fe put a plantain leaf in it. An' she trow stone at de turtle an' tell him to mind
him own business. An' den she go home back to Moder Calbee, an' say she couldn'
catch water in a basket. An' den Moder Calbee ax her if she would rather hab a ham
bone or a ham, a grain ob rice, or a quart. An' she say: —
"What I gwin' to do wid a grain ob rice an' a ham bone. I nebber hear ob cookin'
dinner out ob one grain of rice!"
An' so she take de quart ob rice an' de ham, an' cook it in de pot! An' Moder Calbee
tell her to beat de black puss if him come! So Beneba eat, an' eat, but de rice boil down
to bery little, an' de ham boil half away — an' she was bex. An' den de black puss come,
an' she break its back wid a morter stick. An' de nex' mornin' Moder Calbee ax her if
she beat de puis, an' she say,
"I brake him back, hear, ma!"
An den Moder Calbee tell her fe go an' get a calabash. An' she go in de room and
pick out a bright one, all colors, an' berry pretty! An' den she say goodby, an' go off.
An' she get to de well bottom all right widout any ax-a-men chasin' her.
An den she go up de well, an' tek de pretty calabash home.
An' she an' her mumma open it, an' all kinds ob snakes, an' lizards, an' centipa an' all
sorts ob insect come out ob it, an' eat dem up!
An' dat was all ob dem.
Jack man doro, I don't want any more!
34
H°^ ANNANCY WIN DE F^^" DUBBLOON
ONCE dere was a woman, an' she had t'ree darters, an' dey nebber had
any body come to see dem. An' no body was allowed in. Annancy was
at dat time livin' in de town where dese sisters were. An one day some
of dc people in de town, dey had a bet, dat if anybody could get in de
house dey should have five dubbloons. An' so Annancy say, "Nobody
else no go dere, me, Annancy, wi' go dere!" An' him get a
fiddle^ an' go to de house door mout';* an' play. An' de fiddle say,
"Nobody no go dere,
Tingy-ringy-ring,
Nobody no go dere,
Tingy-ringy-ring,
Me, Annancy, wi' go dere
Tingy-ringy-ring ! ' '
An' him play, an' play, an' de three girls look out of de window an' see Annancy, an'
dey bawl out to dere mumma "Come an listen to de music!" An' dey beg dey mumma
to let him come in. An' den he come in, an' play, an' play, an' dey dance, an' dance, an'
had a bery nice time. An' den dey had a gran' supper, an' den dey dance all night till
before day. An den Annancy win de five dubbloons!
Dis story show dat dere is notting dat a man can't do if he try!
35
36
AN' DEN HE COME IN, AN' PLAY, AN' PLAY, AN' DEY DANCE.
37
MORASS
IN a long before time dere was a debil, an' a bery wicked one, an' he lib on de
top of a hill, an' down at de bottom of de hill was a ribber, where plenty people
use' to come ebery day fe fetch water.
Now de Debil's name was Taninkin-an-Gouzy, an' him feet neber touch water.
An' when he see people comin' to fetch water, he would come runnin' down de
hill, an' ax'dem his name — an' if dey could say him name, he no touch dem,
but if dey could not tell him name, he catch dem, an' put dem in a bag, an'
take dem up to him house, an'corn dem fe eat.? So when he come down to de riber dis
is what him would say:
"Gouzy, Gouzy, madam."
"An' den, if dey know him name, dey sing,
"Gouzy, Gouzy,
Gouzy, Gouzy,
Taninkin-an-Gouzy."
So den he could not catch dem, an' was oblige' to run up de hill again.
One time (after a big October rain, when de riber come down bonk-to-bonk*), a
gal come fe fetch water; an' Gouzy come runnin' an' jumpin' down de hill. An' him
say,
"Gouzy Gouzy, madam."
An' den de gal she put down her calabash on de groun'. an' sing:
"Gouzy Gouzy,
Gouzy Gouzy,
Taninkin-an-Gouzy,
Shakin Dumma Gouzy!"
An' de debil say,
"What is Shakin Dumma.?"
An' de gal say,
"Shakin Dumma is me name."
So den de Debil an' de gal go to de parson, an' de parson he marry dem. An' dey hab
a pickney,-]- an' dey get a pretty little silver bell, an' tie it roun' de pickney
neck wid a blue ribbon. So dat if de pickney stray away in de bush, dey would hear
where him was, an' find him.
*Bank to baok fPickanoiny
38
AN' GOUZY COME RUNNIN' AN' JUMPIN' DOWN DE HILL.
39
MORASS
After seven years, Shakin Dumma she want to go home back, an' see her frien' an'
relation, an' Gouzy Gouzy wouldn't let her go. Every before-day, for many week, Shakin
Dumma she take, little an' little, gold and silver from de Spanish jars under de groun',
where Gouzy Gouzy keep all de treasure dat him get from de people he corn an' eat.
So when de Spanish jar dey empty, an' noting was lef but de Pickney fe carry away,
den Shakin Dumma, she tie up de silver bell, on de pickney neck, wid a piece of old
cloth and string. Den she take up de pickney, an walk sot'ly sof ly to de door, an' unlock
de door bery sof ly. An' run down de hill. But when she get half way down de hill, de
string pop! an' de bell begin to ring, an' Gouzy Gouzy hear it, an' wake an' jump out of
him sleep and bawl out,
"Shakin Dumma, a wey you dey?"*
An' he don' hear notting, but de sound of de bell. So him run down de hill. Now by
dis time Shakin Dumma get to de riber side.
De evenin' before, dere was a heaby heaby rain, and de riber was from bonk-
to-bonk. An' Shakin Dumma she swim, an' swim, an' was almos' carry away, but she
catch hold of some bush, an' climb up de oder bonk.
By dis time Gouzy Gouzy get to de riber side, an' bawl out,
"Gouzy Gouzy who dey?"
An' Shakin Dumma sing out,
"Gouzy Gouzy,
Taninkin-an-Gouzy,
Shakin Dumma Gouzy."
So den him bawl,
"Weh you deh forf Shakin Dumma.?"
An' Shakin Dumma she laugh, an den Gouzy Gouzy ne jump in de riber, an' try to
get ober, but because him foot neber touch water, he couldn't swim.
So he go right down to riber bottom an' he turn morass!
An' dat's why you always see morass in water!
♦Where are you.' fW bat arc you there forf
40
\
\
ANNANCY AND GINGY FLY
IN a before time, Annancy one day go fe see him Godmodder an' Godfadder
Rabbit. When Annancy got to dere house him say : —
" Good mornin', Godmodder, I hope you is berry well dis mornin'."
An' den she say:- —
"Why! here is Annancy! How is you, ma son; come in an' see you God-
fadder — him is sittin' down in de house."
An' den Annancy him go in an' tell him Godfadder Rabbit good mornin'.
An' den him Godmodder beg him fe stay wid Godfadder, till she go fetch water. So
soon as she turn her back Annancy him box Godfadder dead, an' when Godmodder
come back him pretended cryin'. An' den Godmodder, she say : —
"Well, me son, what fe do? You must go bury him!"
An' den Annancy say him would — but she mus' gib him a pound of lard, an' a fry
pan, an' some bread, an' him' would go an' ax Breda Gingy Fly fe help him dig de
hole. So den she gib him de lard, an' de fry pan, an' de bread. An' Annancy go, an' him
get *Gingy Fly, an' dey tek Godfadder Rabbit wid dem. An' when dey get to de burial
ground dey build a fire an' fry de lard, an' den when it was well hot, dey put Godfadder
Rabbit in de fry pan an' fry him, an' den dey eat him up, and dey bury de bones. And
dem was so full of rabit dem could'en walk. So dey lie down under a Tamarind tree and
sleep, till de evenin' breeze come down from de hills and wake dem up.
When dey was returning home, Annancy say to Gingy Fly: —
" What you is goin' to say to Godmodder when we get home back .? "
An' Gingy Fly him say : —
" I will tell her we eat him up, an' how good him was ! "
Annancy den say : —
"O — h ! yes, fe true, we did ! How him did agree wid you Breda Gingy Fly! "
In a little him say : —
" Let I see your tongue ! " An' den Gingy Fly him put out him tongue, an' Annancy
41
ANNANCY AND GINGY FLY
him tek him knife an' cut it off. An' when dey get home Gingy Fly couldn't talk. An'
dey ax him what was de matter. Annancy say dat Gingy Fly laf, at Godfadder an'
Godmodder, an' dat him was struck dumb.
An' dat is why Gingy Fly can only say vro-vro-vro-vro to dis day!
42
"GOOD MORNIN', GODMODDER, I HOPE YOU IS BERRY WELL DIS MORNIN".
43
now ANNANCY W"^^ TO FISH COUNTRY
ONCE dere was a famine in de land, an' Annancy went over into Fish
Country. An' when him see de fat young mullets, dem him mout' water
no riber! So him tunderation what fe do! An' so him dress himself up in
long two-tail coat, an' tall hat, an' mount one big white choker, an'
mek belieb him was a doctor.
Now dere was a rich fish famb'ly with a blind old grandmoder, so
dey call Bredda Annancy in, fe zamine*, an' cure de old lady.
Bredda Annancy polish him big boot, an' cock him eyeglass, an' look wise no screech
owl! An' when him see de plump old Mrs. Queen-fish, de way de water run out of him
mout' like riber! When all de famb'ly come roun', an' ax Annancy question, as to wedder
him can cure de old lady — Annancy look contemp' like! An' tell dem him cure bigger
blind eye, commonly!
An den Bredda Annancy tell dem to put de old woman to bed, an' to put a fire in de
fire pot, an' gib him a fry pan, an' a loaf of bread, some butter, pepper an' salt, a plate,
knife an' fork.
an
Den him go in de room wid de old grannie fish, an' him tell dem all, dat when dey
hear de fry pan cry, twee-twee-fee-twee, dey mus' all hold hands, an' dance, an sing:
"Bim me grandie eye da well, fee fee grandie eye dey cure!"
When him mek all him arrangements done. Dr. Annancy lock de door, an' den him
say to de old lady:
"Hold up your face mam while I zamine you eye."
An den de old lady 'trech up her face, an' Annancy put de knife in her neck, iami In
less dan no time Annancy scrape off de scales' an' knock de old lady in de fry pan, an'
spread de butter, an' pepper an' salt 'pon de fat old Queen-fish, an' when de fry pan cry
twee-twee-fee-twee, de whole famb'ly outside join hands, an' dance, an' as dey dance dey
sing,
"Bim me grandy eye da well.
Fee fee grandie eye da cure,
fExaminc.
44
ANNANCY LOOK CONTEMP' LIKE !
45
HOW ANNANCYWENTTO FISH COUNTRY.
Bim me grandy eye da well.
Fee fee grandie eye da cure!"
In a bery short time Bredda Annancy, who was well famish, eat up de old lady, an'
only leave a few bones, which him wrap up in de pillow case, an' kiber* up under de
sheets. Den him wipe him mout', an' pick him teeth, an' den him open de door, sof ly
an' peep him head out, an' tell de famb'ly dat de old lady was fas' asleep, and dat she
mus' not be disturb, for six hours time!
When de fish dey hear dat de cultivation on de old lady's eyes was successful, dem heart
almost burst wid greatfullness, an dey fill up Annancy's bag wid food 'nough fe last hirn
one whole year! Annancy den mek him way home. An' go on, an' on, an' when him get
to de riber side, which devide him country from Fish country, him find plenty of Alli-
gator ready fe eat him. So him call Darg, an' say,
"Bredda Darg, I beg you take me across de riber, on you back!"
Darg say,
"What will you gib me, if I do take you over?"
Annancy say back to Darg,
"Hi! me no wi' gib you half de food in me bag?"
So Darg run down de riber, an' bark, an' mek Alligator t'ink him going jump in, so
dey all go down which side Darg was, an' Darg gallop up, put Annancy on him back,
an' before Alligator could turn round, fe dem is a t'ing dat take a long time to turn!
Darg jump in de riber wid Annancy 'pon him back, an' swim over to de oder side.
Now Annancy was dat cubbagcj" dat him grudge to gib Bredda Darg any of de food in
him bag, an' so when Darg ax him fe it him 'toopj down, an' pick up a big rock-a-
tone§, an trow it down into de riber, an' cry out:
"Bredda Darg me bag tumble in de riber, go quick an' bring him up fe me!
Now Darg is a craven ravenous creature, an' him fix him mind on de food, an' feget
all about de Alligator, so him jump in de water, an' begin dive fe de bag, when him
rise up de third time. Alligator catch him, an' Annancy tek him bag, an' mek track fe
home, before Fish find out dat dere grandmother had been devoured.
Ever since dat day, Annancy is always a 'ceetful creature, an' de more 'ceetful, de longer
him legs grow; dat's why dey sometimes call him — Daddy long legs!
*Cover. |Greedy. JStoop. ^Rock-stone.
46
HAYLEFAYLY AN' PRETTY PEALLOPE
IN a long before time, dere was an Obeah woman, an' she hab two darters, call
Haylefayly, an' Rosabella. An' she marry a man who hab two children, call
Pretty Peallope, an' Simeon. An' when Pretty Peallope feel please, de wedder
was fine, but when she hex, de wedder was very unpleasant.
Now, Pretty Peallope an' Simeon was buckra children, an' dat mek de Obeah
woman an' her darters dislike dem bery much, an' dey was bery cruel to dem,
an' mek dem work in de yard an' dig nyams* an' fetch water from de riber, an'
all sort ob hard work, an' den dey mek fun at dem an' call dem name!
Dere fader was hex at dis, but after a time him die — an' den de Obeah woman get all
him gran' house, an' money, an' eberyt'ing. So, after a time Simeon him tell Pretty Peal-
lope him would go find him fortune. So him set out, an' walk an' walk, fe a many mile,
till him get to de King house, an' him ax' if dey want anybody fe work; an' dey say, yes,
dey w^ant a 'culianj" in de kitchen.
So him wash dishes, an' do all de dirty work. An' den him tell de cook about him
sister Pretty Peallope, an' how when she was please de sun shine, an' when she was bex
de wedder it was stormy. So bum-bye it reach de ears ob de King. An' hirri send fe Sim-
eon, an' tell him go fetch him sister, him would like fe see she — an' if it true what Sim-
eon say, she mus' marry de King son.
So Simeon him set out an' walk an' walk till him get to where de Obeah woman was
libin'. An' when dey see him come home widout any fortune, dey was bex an' lick him.
So, one time soon, when him t'ink dat Haylefayly or Rosabella or de Obeah woman
was not dere, him tell Pretty Peallope what de King say; but Haylefayly was behin' de
door, an' she hear all dem say. An' she go an' tell her mumma all about it. An' so de
mumma say dey would all go to de King house togedder.
So dey all get into de coach. De Obeah woman, an' Haylefayly, an' Rosabella, an'
Pretty Peallope. But dere wasn' room for Simeon, so him hab to sit outside wid de coach-
man. Well, dey go on an' on, drivin' fas'. An' Haylefayly an' Rosabella pinch Pretty
Peallope an' mek her cry, an' den dey call her name. An' so it come on to rain. An'
Simeon bawl out: —
"My dear sister Pretty Peallope, what is de matter dat it rain so hard?"
♦Yams. 1-Scullion,
47
HAYLEFAYLY AN' PRETTY PEALLOPE.
An' she couldn' hear him, so she ax Haylefayly what him say, an' she say: —
"Him say dat you is to cut off you right foot an' gib it to us!"
So she cut off her right foot, an' de Obeah woman put it in her pocket. An' dey go on
teasin' an' teasin' her, till it t' under an' lightnin' an' rain. An' den Simeon bawl out: —
"What is de matter. Pretty Peallope?"
An' she ax Rosabella what him say, an' she say: —
"You mus' gib us you oder foot an' you right eye!"
So she do, an she cry harder dan eber, an' den it blow an' blow an' rain harder dan
eber! An* Simeon bawl out again: —
"Pretty Peallope, what is de matter dat it storm so?"
An' she ax dem what him say, an' dey say dat him say, dat she mus' gib dem. her lef
eye. So she do, an' now she cry so dat it blow a hurricane! An den Simeon bawl out once
more: —
"What is de matter, dear Pretty Peallope?"
An' she ax dem what him say, an' dey say, "Dis!" an' dey trow her out of de buggy
window into de ribber dey was passin'.
An' when dey get to de King house Simeon ax dem where was him sister. An' dey say:
"She say she wouldn' stay in the buggy, an' you ax'n her so many questions!"
An de Obeah woman mek her darter Haylefayly all dress up gran', an' dey take her to
de King as Pretty Peallope. An' when de King find out dat she couldn' mek de sun shine
or de rain come, he was hex! Hi! him so bex dat him say Simeon was to sit in de yard
an' hab all de dish water trow 'pon him, for tellin' such a great big lie' An him say him
heber believe Simeon hab any sister at all! An' de old Obeah woman an' de darters stay at
de King house.
Pretty Peallope she get out ob de ribber an' go on an' go on, till she get to an ole
man house. An him grow all sort of grapes an' fruit fe market. An' she stay dere, an'
help him take care of him children, as him wife gone on a visit to her frien' an' relation
in de country.
Now Pretty Peallope know dat de old Obeah woman was bery fond ob grape, an' so
she get one ob de old man children fe tek some grape to de King house, an' to say dat
dey was fe sale fe a right eye. An' she go, an' she bawl out when she get to de King house:
"Dese nice musqueedor grapes fe a right eye. All dese nice grapes fe a right eye!"
An' when de Obeah woman hear dis she come runnin' out to buy dem. So when she
hear dat dey was fe a right eye she say to de little gal: —
"What you want wid a right eye?"
An' de little gal say, —
"One ob our sheep hab loss an eye an' can't see fe walk about wid only one."
So de Obeah woman gabe her de right eye of Pretty Peallope, an she run home wid
it to her, an' she put it in, an' Pretty Peallope feel glad, an' de sun shine an' de grape
grow big an fat!
Well, bum-bye .she sen' de little gal again wid some more grape, an' dis time she go an'
ax fe a left eye an' two feet, an' de Obeah woman an' Haylefayly tink dat de grape look so
sweet dey mus' hab dem! An' dey ax what de gal want fe dem, an' de gal say:
"Oh, missus, our cow hab loss an eye an' two feet."
An' de Obeah woman gib dem to her, an' she run home wid dem to Pretty Peallope. An'
48
BUT HAVLEFAYLY WAS BEHIN' DE DOOR, AN SHE HEAR Ahh DEM SAY.
49
HAYLEFAYLYAN' PRETTY PEALLOPE
now, when she hab both eye an' both feet she was please, an de grape dey grow so sweet,
hi! jus' like sugar cane. An' den de man wife come home, an she t'ank Pretty Peallope fe
takin' care ob de children dem!
An' Pretty Peallope tell dem all goodby, an' start ofFfe de King house. An she walk an'
walk fe a good long way, an' when she get dere, dey took her to de King, an him was please
wid her looks. An' de King say if she was Simeon's sister, he was sittin' in de yard, an' all
de dish water was pour 'pon him.
An' when she hear dis she cry.
An' de rain come down in torrents! An' de king know dat she is really Simeon sister,
an' she cry an' cry, an' de rain wet up all de people dat had run out fe bring in Simeon.
An' when Pretty Peallope see Simeon she was so please dat de sun it shine, an' all de
flowers spring up. An' den de king was please, an' she tell dem all about Hayleyfayly an'
Rosebella an' de Obeah woman how bad dey had been to her, an' dey was put into a
cane mill an' crunch up to nottin'.
An' Pretty Peallope marry de king son, an' Simeon marry de king darter, an' dey was
well when I see dem at de las' gran' market buying nyams.
Dis story show dat —
"Ebery dog hab him day, an' ebery puss hab him four o'clock."
5°
PAARAT, TIGER AN' ANNANCY
ONCE in a long before time, after a bery dry season, de hungry time
dey come. Annancy an' Tiger go out into de bush to look fe food, an'
when dey was lookin' dey buck up Breda Paarat.* An' den Annancy
say dat dey would all change dere names an' tek new ones. An' Annancy
say him name would be Checherebanja.
An' den Tiger say him name would be Gelukiezanger.
An' Paarat him say him name would be Greencornharo!
An' Tiger say dat dey would all go firs' to Paarat mumma an' ax her him name, an'
if she couldn' name him new name dey would corn her and eat her up! An' den go to
Tiger mumma's house, an' den to Annancy mamma's an' ax dere names. So dey set out,
an' go to Paarat mumma's house, an' when dey get dere dey sing:
Annancy name Checherebanja!
Tiger name Gelukiezanger!
Paarat name Greencornharo!
Den Paarat say:
"Mumma, what me name.?"
An' him mumma say:
"Me son, you name Paarat; me christen you so!"
So den Tiger an' Annancy jump 'pon her an' chop off her head. An' while dey was
cornin' her, Annancy him say:
"Excuse me, genimen, I mus' run home an' get me umbrella. It look bery much like
rain!"
An' him run off as quick as ever to him mumma an' say:
"Mumma? Tiger an' Paarat dey comin' here, an' dey will ax you me name, an' now I
hab taken a new name, an' I call Checherebanja, not Annancy again. Now what js me
new name mumma?"
An' him mumma say:
5'
PAARAT, TIGER AN' ANNANCY
"Che-che-re-banja, me son!"
"All right, mumma, now I mus' hurry back to me frien's or dey will wonder where I
is gone!"
So him run off to dem an' when him get dere, dey ax him where is him umbrella.
An' him say:
"Why! I feget what I go for when I get home, but I don' tink it will rain quite yet!"
An' by dis time dey had finish corn Paarat mumma. So dey all go off to Tiger house
nex' an' sing:
Annancy name Checherebanja!
Tiger name Gelukiezanger!
Paarat name Greencornharo!
So den Tiger say:
"Mumma what me name?" An' she say:
"Tiger, me son! Me christen you so!"
An' so den dey chop off her head, an' while dey was cornin' her fe eat (and dey
hab to corn her better dan Paarat mumma, fe now dey was not so hungry again, after
eatin' Paarat mumma, an' dey want Tiger mumma to las' longer) Annancy him say:
"Genimen, excuse me; I mus' run home an' get peppers, an' some pimento to put 'pon
Tiger mumma, fe Tiger neber eat good widout!"
So him run as fas* as him could home, an' him say:
"Mumma, mumma."
An' him mumma say:
"Yes, me son."
An* him say:
"Mumma, what is me name?"
An' she say:
"Annancy, me son!"
An' him say:
"Noa, me name isn' dat any more; it is Checherebanja now!"
An' him mumma say:
"All right, me son, Checherebanja!"
An* den him pick some pimento off de trees in him yard as him was goin* back, but
when him get to de yard mouth him tink him had better run back an' ax him mumma
if she remember him name. So him run back again to him mumma an' ax her once more
what him name was, an' she say:
"Annan — Oh! Checherebanja, me son!"
An' him say:
"Doan' feget, mumma!"
An' she say all 'ite, an' dis time him run as fas' as ever to where Tiger an' Paarat
was cornin* Tiger mumma. An' Annancy say:
"I couldn' fine any nice pimento at all fe a long time!"
An' dey ax fe de pepper. An' Annancy say:
"Why! I feget it! but I tink you can do widout it. We will put it on when we eat
her."
52
JUS- DEN ANNANCY GET TO DE TREE BOTTOM.
53
PAARAT, TIGER AN' ANNANCY
So when dey finish corn Tiger mumma dey put her in a barrel an' put it up fe when
de hungry time come again. An' den dey go to Annancy house, an' dey sing:
Annancy name Checherebanja!
Tiger name Gelukiezanger!
Paarat name Greencornharo!
An' dey ax Annancy mumma what him name an' she say:
"Checherebanja!
An' dey coul'n eat her! an' dey was bex!
Den Annancy take her an' carry her up to de top of a high cotton tree, an' dey^ lib
dere fe a long time, an' ebery.day Annancy mumma let down Annancy to de groun' in
a basket on de rope end. An' den Annancy go teaf* yams an' tings, an' den when him
want to get up de tree, he would sing:
Mumma, mumma, here you' son Annancy,
Mumma, mumma, him want fe come up.
An' den she would let down de basket an' Annancy would get in, an' den she would
pull him up.
Now Tiger an' Paarat watch all dis, an' so one day dey come to de tree bottom an'
both sing out:
Mumma, mumma, here you' son Annancy,
Mumma, mumma, him want fe come up.
An' when she hear dis she say:
"Me son, what mek you' vice-j" so double?"
An' Tiger an' Paarat say:
"Oh, mumma, I catch fresh cold out in de bush!"
So she let down de basket an' bofe get in, an' she pull an' pull an' pull, but dey was so
heaby she couldn' pull fas'. So she bawl out:
"Me son, wha' mek you so heaby?"
An' Paarat say:
"Oh, mumma, I eat such a lot of — "
But jus' den Annancy get to de tree bottom, an' when he see him mumma puUin' up
Tiger an' Paarat him bawl out:
"Mumma, let drop de basket!"
An' she was deaf, an' no hear what him say. So she bawl out:
"What you say, me son? You want de bushel basket?"
An' him say: "Noa, let dem dwop, dwop! It's Tiger an' Paarat!"
An' so den she drop it, an' Tiger and Paarat break dey necks, an' den Annancy an'
him mumma corn dem an' eat dem. An' so dey hab plenty fe eat trough de hungry times.
Dis story show dat:
"Cunny — cunnyj better dan strong!"
♦steal. fVoicc. ^Cunning.
54
BULL-GARSHANANEE
IN a long before time dere was a wild bull, an' him hab t'ree head an' one tail,
an' him name Bull-Garshananee.
One time in de dry season a buckra* woman came to fetch water at de pond dat
was on Bull-Garshananee groun'. An' she hab her pickneyj- wid her.
Bull-Garshananee see somebody catchin' de water, an' him was hex an' run
an' eat up de Buckra w^oman. But de pickney him ran into the bush^ an'
Bull-Garshananee couldn' fine him at all! Bum-bye an old Obeah woman pass
by, an' fine de pickney an' take him homewid her an' bring him up fe her own pickney,
an' sen' him to school. An' when him win de oder boys at marbles dey make fun at him
an' call him name and bawl out: —
"Dat mek so!"
One time dis happen, an' him get hex, so when him get home him say to de old Obeah
w^oman: —
"De boys bawl 'Dat mek so' at me, n' I don' know what dey mean! "
An' de Obeah woman say: —
"Did you eber hear of Bull-Garshananee?"
An' de boy say: —
"Yes; him got t'ree head an' one tail, an' him eat eberybody dat come near him!"
An' de Obeah woman say: —
"Well, when you was bery small, Bull-Garshananee eat uo you mumma!"
An' de boy say:
"Den you is not me mumma?"
An de Obeah woman say:
"No, me pickney; you mumma was a Buckra woman, an' I fine you in de bush an'
bring you home wid me."
♦while. fPickaninny-
5S
BULL-GARSHANANEE
An' de boy say:
"Den you is a good old woman to take care of me so, all dis time after me mumma
was eaten by Bull-Garshananee. An' de King ob de country say dat whoeber kill Garshan-
anee is to marry de princess, an' I is goin' to kill him!"
An de Obeah woman say:
"No, me pickney, Bull-Garshananee will eat you up! How-some-eber, if you can lif
dis house off de groun', you shall go an' try fe kill him."
So den de boy take him hand an' lif de house right off de groun'! An' den de old
Obeah woman was so please dat she gib him a bow an' t'ree arrows an' some dumplin'.
An' de boy tell goodby to de Obeah woman an' start out 'pon him way, fe fin' Bull-
Garshananee. An' him walk an' walk an' walk an' go on, an' on, an' on, fe many a
plenty week, till him come to where de pond side was, where Bull-Garshananee eat up
him mumma! An' him look all about, an' him no see netting. So he climb up a tall
cocoanut tree an' wait, an' wait fe t'ree day an' night, an' him get bery hungry, for de
last dumplin' was gone, an' so him pick a cocoanut an' drink de water.
After t'ree day an' night pass by, an' it get to de fourt' dav him hear a nise comin' an'
comin', an' him look an' doan' see notting! But bum-bye him see Bull-Garshananee com-
in', an' him hab t'ree head an' one tail, jus' so people say him did hab! An' him was bery
ugly! And when him see him de boy sing: —
"Garshananee, Garshananee,
Sarchin' fe you since January.
Come, Garshananee, let I see you!"
An' Garshananee sing: —
"An' w^eh de boy
An' weh de man
To call me name?"
An' de boy say: —
"Me dyer* fe you."
So den Garshananee come runnin' an' bellowin', an' run at de tree an' buck it. An' de
tree go down, down, almos' to de groun'. An' de boy say:
"Bear up, me good tree, bear up!
God make de green to stan'
An' de dry to fall;
Bear up, me good tree, bear up!"
Den Garshananee buck de tree again. An' it go down till it nearly touch de groun'! An'
de boy say:
"Bear up, me good tree, bear up!
God make de green to stan'
An' de dry to fall;
Bear up, me good tree, bear up!"
Den Garshananee buck de tree again. An' de boy take de bow de old Obeah woman gib
him, an' one arrow, an' shoot it at one of Garshananee head, an' de head fall off.
An' de boy take anoder arrow an' shoot it, an' off go anoder head.
An' den de boy take him las' arrow an' shoot it, an' knock off Garshananee las' head an'
dat was de end ob him.
56
so DEN GARSHANANEE COME RUNNIN' AN" BELLOWIN", AN' RUN AT DE TREE AN' BUCK IT.
57
BULL-GARSHANANEE
An' den Garshananee was bex, an' roar an' bellow.
An' de boy come down, an' cut de t'ree tongue out of Garshananee t'rce head, an' tie
dem up in him kirchief, an' go fe show dem to de old Obeah woman. An' she was so
please fe see him, an' make him sit down an' eat a big supper of yams an' plaintain, an'
meat, an, duckanoo.* An' den gib him a gran' coat an' new clothes, an' sen' him to de
king.
Now all de time Garshananee was tryin' to get at de boy Annancy was watchin', but
him make himself so small dat you couldn' see him at all! An' when de boy go off wid
de tongue Annancy come out ot hidin' an' take de t'ree head, and de tail, and run wid it
to de King house, an' tell de King.
"Me say, me Annancy kill Garshananee, an' I come marry you darter!"
An' jes' as him was tellin' dis one great big lie, de boy come in, an' say him had kill
Bull-Garshananee! An' Annancy say:
"You see de head I get from Garshananee. You doan got netting to show dat you kill
him!"
An' den de boy say:
"Where is de tongue?"
An' den Annancy was so shame dat him run under de table. An' dat is why you always
see Annancy under de table to dis day!
An' so de boy an' de King darter was marry, an' of course she was please not to have
to marry Annancy.
An' de old Obeah woman put Obeah 'pon dem, an' dey lib long time, an' dey was
well an' happy when I see dem last. An' dat was yesterday. Dey drive past my house in a
grand coach an' four horses.
♦Pudding-.
ANNANCY AN' DE NYAM HILLS
IN a long before time dere was a Queen, who was bery wicked; an' she was an
Obeah* woman, an' her name was Five; but she didn't Uke dat name, so she
say, whoeber say Five, mus' fall down dead!
An' one time, it was bery hungry times, an' all de ribers were from bonk to
bonk"}" — ^an' nobody could get across to go a market side. An' Annancy get to be
bery hungry, so he was cunny-cunnyj an' go an' buil' five nyam hills by de
riber side. An' he buil' a nice little house dere, too.
An' when de rainy season ober, de people dey come fetch water at de ribber. An' by
dis time Annancy was getting more an' more hungry. So when anybody come along him
would say: —
"I beg you, come tell me how many nyam hills I have here; I can't count bery well!"
So den de friendly ones would come to where de nyam hills was an' count dem.
"One, two, tree, four, five" — an' when dey say "five" dey fall down dead, an' den
Annancy corn dem an' eat dem!
So time go on an' on; an' Annancy lib bery well, an' in plenty, till one time Guinea
Fowl come along, on her way to de grand market; an' Annancy say: —
"Oh, Missus Guinea Fowl! I beg you come count me nyam hills fe me. I make some,
an' I don't know how many. Do, come tell me!"
So Guinea Fowl come to where de nyam hills dem was. An' den she go an' sit pon
one ob dem an' say: —
"I see, one, two, tree, four, an' de one I sittin' on!"
"Cho!" say Annancy; "you don' count right at all!"
An' Guinea Fowl say again, "One, two, tree, four, an' de one I sittin' on!"
An' Annancy say again, "Cho! you don' count right, at all!."
So den Guinea Fowl say, "How you count it, den?"
An Annancy say: "One, two, tree, four, f-i-v-e! — five!"
An' him fall down dead, an' Guinea Fowl eat him up.
Dis story show dat "greedy choke puppy!"
♦Witch. tBznk to bank, t^unnine.
59
6o
'I SEE ONE, TWO, TREE, FOUR, AN' DE ONE I SITTIN' ON!'
6t
TICKY-PICKY BOOM-BOOM
IN a before time, Annancy, him hab a yard wid nyams* in it, an' he tell Bredda
Tiger he was gwine hab a buckraj- yard wid flowers! And him say dat if him dig
up de nyams him should hab dem fe him own.
So Bredda Tiger take a cutlass and try fe dig up de nyams, but de more him
dig de more de nyams dey grow down into de groun'.
When four o'clock come, work time over. Tiger was bex! So him take de
cutlass and mash up de groun'. An' when him was goin' home him hear a n'ise.
An' him look roun' an' see de nyams dey comin'.
And dey go,
Ticky-picky-boom-boom,
Ticky-picky-boom-boom,
Boof!
An' him run, an' de nyams run, an' some o' dem got two leg, an' some o' dem got.
t'ree leg, an' some o' dem got four leg.
An' him run, an' de nyams run!
Him get to Bredda Darg house, an' him say: —
"Do, me Bredda Darg, hide me from de nyams!"
Darg say; — "All yite! but you musin make a n'ise!"
So Tiger him hide behind Bredda Darg, an' de dyams dey come,
Ticky-pick)'-boom-boom,
Ticky-picky-boom-boom,
Boof!
An' de nyams dey say: —
"Tell we, Bredda Darg, if you seen Bredda Tiger.?"
An' him say: —
"Noa, I doan' see him at all."
An' Tiger bawl: —
♦Yams. fWhiic man.
62
AN' TIGER HIDE BEHIND SHE. AN' DE NYAMS DEY COME.
63
TICKY-PICKY BOOM-BOOM
"Wh— y!"
An' Darg run 'way an' leave him to de nyams.
An' de nyams jump, an' Tiger jump, an' de nyams run, an' Tiger run, till him come
to Mudder Dilly. An' Tiger say: —
"Do, me Mudder Dilly, hide me from de nyams dem!"
An' Mudder Dilly say: —
"You mus'n' make a n'ise."
An' Tiger hide behind she. An' de nyams dey come.
Ticky -picky-boom-boom,
Ticky-picky-boom-boom,
Boofl
An' de nyams say, —
"Mudder Dilly, you see Bredda Tiger pass dis side?"
An' Mudder Dilly say: —
"Noa, I doan' see him."
An' Tiger bawl: —
«Wh— y!"
An' Mudder Dilly fly away, an' lef him to de nyams. An' Tiger him run, an' den
de nyams dey run, an' Tiger him jump, an' de nyams dey jump, till dey get to Bredda
Goat. An' Tiger say: —
"Do, me Bredda Goat, hide me from de nyams!"
"All lite, Bredda Tiger, but you mustn't make a n'ise."
Den de nyams dey come,
Ticky-picky-boom-boom,
Ticky-picky-boom-boom,
Boof!
"Bredda Goat, you seen Bredda Tiger go dis side?"
An' Bredda Goat say: —
"Noa, me nyams. I doan' see him go dis side at all!'
Den Tiger bawl out: —
«Wh— y!
An' de nyams jump an' try fe get at Tiger, but Goat buck dem till dey all mash all up
to little pieces.
Den Bredda Tiger take up de pieces of dem an' inbite Bredda Goat fe come home wid
him an' eat de nyams.
So dey go home to Bredda Tiger house, an while de nyams was boilin' in de pot
Bredda Goat he eat de nice green grass in de front of Tiger house.
But when de nyams dey ready Tiger t'ink it too much a pity to part dem an' Bredda
Goat.
So den Bredda Tiger him go take Bredda Goat an' put him un de pot wid de nyams
an' eat dem all up.
Dis story show how some people ungrateful.
64
DE GOLDEN WATER, DE SINGIN' TREE
AN' DE TALKIN' BIRD
IN a before time dere was t'ree sisters, an' one evenin,, dey was sittin' 'pon de
door step — an' de oldes' one say,
"I wish I was de King's chief baker's wife, what nice buns an' cakes I would
have to eat!
"An den de nex' one say,
"Oh, how I would like to be de King's chief cook's wife, what nice t'ings I
w^ould hab fe eat!"
"An, de las' one she say,
"I wish I was de King's wife, how happy I would be!"
Now who should be goin' by, but de King an' him chief counselor, an' dey hear all
dat de t'ree sisters say. But de t'ree sisters did'n know it was de King dat pass by at all.
So de nex' day de King him sen' fe dem. An' at firs' dey was frighten' an' didn' want fe
go at all. But den dey t'ink dat it may turn out all nice, so dey go. An' de King him
ax dem what dey was talkin' about 'pon de door step de night before. An' de oldes' one
say she don't remember — an' so den him ax de nex' one — an' she don't remember right-
fully — an' so den him ax de younges' one, an' she tell him all about it, an' de King laugh!
An' him sen' an' call in de parson an' marry de oldes' gal to de chief baker; an' de nex'
one to de chief cook, an' de younges' one him marry himselt!
Well — So time go on, an' on, an' bum-bye de Queen hab t'ree children. An' de sisters
dey was bery jallous, an' one night dey teaf away de t'ree children, an' put dem in a
basket, an' trow it in de riber. An' when de King come home from trabblin' him was
bery hex, dat him t'ree lubly children was loss. An' him scol' de Queen, but she say she
don't know notting of where dey was gone. An' he hab her set up in de yard an' all de
dish water trown 'pon her.
De basket float down de riber, an' down de riber, till it come to a sugar mill; an' de
water from 6^ riber turn de wheel. An' de book-keeper wife she see de basket on de riber,
65
DE GOLDEN WATER, DE SINGIN' TREE AN' DETALKIN' BIRD
when she was washin' clothes. An' she catch it, an' fin' t'ree pretty children in it, two
boys an' a pretty little gal. An' she run an' tell her husban' an' he come runnin' an' he so
please, dat dey take de children an' bring dem up, till dey was quite big.
An' bum-bye de old man de book-keeper an' him wife dead. An' de two breddas an' de
little gal grow up. An' one ob de breddas grow corn an' grin' corn, till him was quite
rich; an' de oder bredder, grow cane, an' grow cane, an' grin' cane, an, grin' cane, till
him was quite rich: an' dey buil' a gran' house, an' dey an' dere sister lib in it. An' one
day de breddas dey go out huntin' an while dey was away dere was an' old woman came
to de house, an' de sister gib her a dish of soup an' some salt fish. An' den show de old
woman de house. An' den de old woman say,"
"Me darter dis is a lubly house, an' de only t'ing dat is needed, is de Golden water, de
Singin' tree, an' de Talkin' bird!"
An' de gal ax her where dey was to be foun'. An' de old woman sing:
"On yonder mountain top.
You will find
De golden water
De singin' tree an'
De talkin' bird!"
An' she say good bye to de gal, an' go away. An' when de Breddas come back she
tell dem what de old woman say. An' dey say dey would go out fe fine de wonderful
t'ings. An' so dey start out 'pon dere horse, an' lef de sister at home.
Dey go on, an' go on, till bum-bye dey buck up an' old woman. An' she ax dem where
dey was goin' an' dey tell her. An' it was de same old woman dat told dey sister about de
t'ings, but dey didn' know it w^as she. An' she ax dem fe somet'ing fe eat — an' dey
gib her all dey hab. An den' she t'ank dem an' gib dem each a ball of cotton, an' tell dem
to t'row it back of dem when dey was ridin' along. Den dey would hear a -big n'ise, but
dey was not to look roun'. So dey t'ank her an' go on. An' dey t'row de balls behind
dem, an' dey hear a great n'ise of shoutin', an' groun' shake, an' it tunder an' lightnin'!
An' dey was so frighten' dat dey look roun', an' de groun' it open an' swallow dem up!
So de sister wait, an' wait, an' wait, an' when she see de Bredders dey no return she
start out fe sirch fe dem. An' before she go she gib her nurse a red correl necklace,
an' tell her dat when it turn white, she mus' be sick, an' if it turn black she was dead,
but if it stay red an' bright, she was all right. An' she go on, an' go on, an' bum-bye she
buck up de old woman an' she tell her where she was goin'. An' de old woman gib her
a ball of cotton, an' tell her to t'row it back of her, but not to look back, whatever she
hear.
So she t'ank de old woman, an' go on, an' she t'row de ball of cotton back of her, an'
hear a great n'ise, of all sort of t' under an' shoutin' an' n'ises; but she don't look back!
An' she go on, an' on, an' on, till she get to de top of de mountain — an' dere was a
beautiful green fiel', an' in de middle of de fiel' was de singin' tree, an' under de tree was
de fountain of golden water, an' on- a bush near de tree sat de talkin' bird. An' de tree
sing so sweet!
An' so she catch de bird an' take a bottle of de golden water, an' a branch off de singin'
tree. An' de talkin' bird tell her to sprinkle some of de golden water 'pon de rocks, an'
trees, an' t'ings, as she do, an' dey turn into people, dat was turn into dose t'ings. But she
66
NOW WHO SHOULD BE COIN' BY, BUT DE KING AN' CHIEF COUNSELOR.
67
DE GOLDEN WATER, DE SINGIN' TREE AN' DE TALKIN' BIRD
don't see her breddas any where. An' she set out trabblin' home ways. An' bum-bye she
come to de foot of de bally.* An' on each side of de road she see a tall rock-a-tonef dat
favor like her breddas. An' she prinkle, 'prinkle, de rock-a-tones wid de golden water
an' dere was her two breddas. So dey all go home togeder.
An' now dere house no' want anyt'ing fe mek it nicer — an' dey fasten up de
branch of de singin' tree ober de door; an' de bird he lib in a pretty golden cage, at
night, but in de day time, him fly all about, an' find out t'ings! An' dey keep de golden
water lock up fe when anybody hab feaver. An' de necklace, de gal she gib her nurse,
it stay bright, an' don't turn no oder color but red. An' dey was so please to get back
home again!
One day de breddas was out huntin' in de wood an' dey buck up de King. An' de
King ax dem to dinner an' dey go, an' den dey ax de King to dere house fe dinner an'
him come. An' before him come, de talkin' bird tell de gal to put him in de dinin' hall,
an' put a dish of pearls 'pon de table. An' de King him come, an' when him see de dish
of pearls 'pon de table him was bery surprise. An' him hear de branch of singin' tree sing,
an' him was more surprise! An' de talkin' bird say,
"An' you are so surprised at a dish of pearls; what would you t'ink, if you was to know
dat dese t'ree children are yours!"
De King him was so delighted! An' him take de t'ree children home wid him. An'
hiin hab dere mumma from where she was in the yard, wid de dish water t'rown 'pon
her, an' had her wash wid soap!
An' de two sisters dey was put in a pit, with there arms tie, an' with scorpions, an'
snakes, an' centipede, an' lizards; an' Annancy, who eat dem up!
*V alley. fRock-stone.
68
HOW ANNANCY FOOLED DEATH
ONCE in a before time, Annancy was walkin' out in de bush, an' bum-
bye him come to a house, an' in de door mouth was sittin' an old, old,
bery old man, an' him name Death. But Annancy don' know dis, and
him come up close to de door mouth an' say,
"Marnin' me Massa! You hab any scraps of food fe give me?"
But Death no say netting. An' den when Annancy no hear him say
notting — him say,
"Hi! him say I can go in; an' help me self!"
So he go in, an' eat eberyt'ing him could find! An' him come de nex' day, an' say,
"Marnin' massa, how you is dis day.? "
An' Death sit dere, an' sit dere, an' no say notting! An' den Annancy say,
"I hab a darter an she wan' fe go out as a cook. Shall I bring her to you to lib wid
ycu.''
An' Death no say notting! An' Annancy say,
"Hi! him say I can bring her fe lib wid him!" So de nex' day Annancy bring him
darter, an' leave her wid Death. An' de nex' day him come, an' him do'an find her any-
where! An' hjm hunt about, an' hunt about, an' at last him find her ring in de oven, but
could'n find her at all! So him go to Death an' say,
"Massa! where me darter.?"
An' Death no say notting! An' den Annancy ax him again,
"Massa, where me darter.?"
An' Death bawl out,
"I take her an' eat her, an' now I will eat you!"
An' him jump 'pon Annancy, but Annancy him run, an' Death run, Annancy jump,
an' Death jump! Till at last Annancy get to him yard mouth! An' him bawl out,
"Wife, wife, put de children up 'pon de rafter!"
An' de wife Crookie bawl out.
69
HOW ANNANCY FOOLED DEATH.
"What? You say you want de bushel basket?"
An' Annancy bawl,
"No! I tell you put de children up 'pon de rafter!"
An' him run into de house, an' catch up Crookie, an' de children, an' jump up 'pon
de rafter wid dem. An' Death him could'n reach dem at all! An' dey hold on wid dere
hands, an' at last de oldes' child cry out,
"Oh, Puppa, me hand hurt me!"
An' Annancy say,
"Drop den, drop! Death will know what to do wid you!"
So de child drop, an' Death take him, an' put him in him bag. An' pretty soon anoder
child cry out,
"Oh Puppa! me hand hurt me!"
An Annancy say,
"Drop den, drop — Death will know what to do with you!"
So de child drop — an' Death put him in him bag! An' so all de children drop, an'
Death put dem in him bag! An' at las' Crookie she drop, an' Death put her in him bag.
An' den him wait, an' wait, fe such a long time! Till bum-bye Death him get berry
tired of waitin', an' waitin'! So him bawl out,
"Look a here, Bredda Annancy? is you comin' down, or not?"
An Annancy say,
"No! if I drop I pop! I am so fat, an' if I popped! you could'n find enough fe put
in you bag! But if you'll get de flour barrel in de oder room, I will drop into dat, an' den
I won't pop!"
So Death him get de flour barrel, an' put it under Annancy. An' den Annancy him
drop into it! An' all de flour fly up into Death's eyes, an' while he was rubbin' it out
Annancy him jump out of de barrel, an' away him run, an' Death him run. An' Annancy
jump, an' Death jump, but he couldn't catch him at all!
An' Death not catch Annancy to dis day!
7°
"LOOK A HERE, BREDDA ANNANCY? IS YOU COMIN' DOWN, OR NOT?"
71
THE THREE SISTERS
IN a before time, dere lib t'ree sisters. An' dey names were Isadora, Florinda, an'
Laurita. An' de two eldest were bery cross an' spiteful to Laurita. An' dey were
always goin' out to parties and teas — an' dey would neber tek Laurita wid dem
fe she was so pretty, an' dey was so ugly.
So dey make her stay at home, an' do all de dirty work, an' wear rags, while
dey go out. An' Laurita feel bad, an' one time dey went out to a King house
ball, an' lef her at home, an' she was cryin', an' cryin', an' she hear a little
nise an' she look up, an' dere she see an old Obeah woman. An' de Obeah woman ax
her what was de matter, an' she tell her all about it! An' den de Obeah woman say, she
would help her an' send her to de ball! An' out of her pocket she bring a lot of little
sticks, an' an iron pot, an' build a fire, an' say a great many funny Obeah words, an' out of
de pot come a lubly silk frock! An' a wreath of silver flowers, an' gold chain, an' beads,
an' shoes of real gold! An' den Laurita put dem on, an' de Obeah woman take a calabash
an' put it in de pot, an' it come out a big coach, an' horses, an' coachman; an' Laurita
get in it an' go to de ball at de King house. An' ebery body wonder who dis lubly lady
was. An' de sisters dey did'n know her at all, but was bery jallous ob her!
De King he dance wid her, an' dance wid her, an' wid nobody else. An' when de clock
it struck twelve, Laurita she go home, jus' as de old Obeah woman told her to do. An'
she go back home in de coach, an' de Obeah woman was waitin' fe her, an' she put de
gran' frock, an' de shoes, an' de gold chain, in de pot again, an' dey boil up, an' was
gone! An' den she t'ank de Obeah woman, an' she say, dat de nex ball Laurita should go
again!
An' when de sisters dey come home, dey tell Laurita all about de lubly lady dat was
at de ball, an' how she danced with the King, an' how jallous dey was of her!
An' bum-bye de King him give anoder ball. An' Isadora and Florinda dey dress up
gran', an' go to it. An' after dey had gone, de Obeah woman she come, an' boil de pot!
An' anoder frock come out of it! An' she take de calabash, an' coach come out of it. An'
-Laurita she go to de ball, an' de King him was so please fe see her. An' him ax her
72
AN- LAURITA SHE GO TO DE BALL, AN' DE KING HIM WAS SO PLEASE FE SEE HER.
73
THE THREE SISTERS,
name, an' she couldn' tell him. An' she dance wid him all de evenin' an' de sisters was
so jallous! An' when twelve strike she go an' drive back in de coach. An' de Obeah woman
do de same wid de t'ings! An' so now de King him was wonderin' an' t'inking who the
lubly lady could be! An' so him say him would have anoder ball de nex' week, an' him
t'ink she would come again! An' how de sisters dey did talk about de pretty lady, an' how
please de King was wid her!
De nex' week come, an' de sisters dey go to de ball in gran' new frocks. An* den de
Obeah woman come an' boil de pot de same way! An' dis time de frock was all of gold
wid flowers on it! An' de gold chain hab big blue stones in it, an' when Laurita- was all
dress up in de t'ings, she look more lubly dan ever! An' de calabash coach take her to de
King house, an' she dance, an' dance, wid him, an' him was so please to see her! An' she
hab such a good time dat twelve of de clock strike, an' she run out, an' when she get
outside de door mouth, one of de lubly gold slippers it fall off, an' she did'n stop to get
it. An' den all her gran' frock an' chain, an'' tings turn to her old rags an' t'ings.
An' she run an' run, an' no calabash coach was dere. An' she run an' run. An' den a
big rain it come up, an' wet her, an' at las' she get home, an' dere was nobody dere but
de parrot. An' him was please to see her. An' de sisters came home, an' say dat de lubly
lady was dere de third time, an' dat she was in such a hurry when she went away dat she
dropped her gold shoe, an' de King found it an' said he would sen' it all about de coun-
try, an' who ever it fit was de lubly lady, an' he would make her him Missus Queen.
Bum-bye de King came wid de shoe, to de house of de t'ree sisters. An' when dey see
him comin' Isadora an' Florinda dey take Laurita, an' put her in de oven. De Parrot see
all dis, an' when Isadora try an' put on de little gold shoe, him sing out,
"You may pare your heels.
You may pare your toe
But de owner of de shoe
Is in de O — ven!"
De King wonder what de parrot is sayin'. An' Florinda put him cage in anoder room.
An' den she try to put on de shoe. An' den de parrot bawl out again,
"You may pare your heel.
You may pare your toe.
But de owner of de shoe
Is in de O— ven!"
An' de King him wonder what de parrot is sayin'. An' him listen, an' listen! An' at
las' he go an' look in de oven, an' him find Laurita in it. An' bring her out, an' put on
de shoe, an' it jus' fit!
An' den de King took her home, an' had a gran' weddin', an' a big feast! An' de sis-
ters was so greedy, dat dey eat, an' eat, till dey pop a-sunder!
An' de King an' Laurita dey live bery happily, an' was well an' hearty when I hear of
dem last!
Jack man dooro, I don't want any more!
74
ANNANCY AND DRY-KULL;
OR, WHY HOG HAB A LONG MOUTH.
"N a before time dere was a buckra lady, an' she had a cocoanut tree, but nobody
could eber pick de cocoanuts off, because of dewapses* on de tree. So she offer a
prize, of a cow, to anybody dat would pick de cocoanuts off, wid out feelin of de
place w^here de w^aps bite dem.
So Annancy he w^ent to de missus, an' say he would pick de cocoanuts. So
den all de people dey gather round, an' Annancy he go up de tree, an' de wapses
dey go fe him, an' bite him hot! An' him bawl out:
"You know what I see once? A cow, you hear? Yes, a cow, an' him was blue here!"
An' him knock off a waps, "an red here!" an' he knock offanoder waps, "an yellow here
an' purple here, an' green here!" An' all de time he was knockin' off de wapses, an' de
people didn' know it!
So Annancy went right up de tree! An pick de cocoanuts, an' nobody saw him knock
off de wapses at all! So den de buckra lady gib Annancy de cow, an' him tank de lady, fe
it, an' den he took de cow out in de bush fe eat it! An' when him was roas'in' de cow
who should him see comin' but Bredda Dry-Kull.-|- An' Annancy was well frighten when
he see him! An' Dry-Kull say:
"Don' eat de cow, if you eat it, I will put defeaver 'pon you!" An' Annancy gib Dry-
Kull de cow an' Dry-Kull eat it up. After him eat all but de bones, him go to sleep, an'
den Annancy tek de bones an' boil dem in pot fe mek soup. An' jus' as him was goin'
to eat dat, Dry-Kull jump up an' say,
"If you eat it I will put de feaver 'pon you!"
So den Dry-Kull eat up de soup, an' den Annancy didn' get anyt'ing of de cow at all!
An' den Dry-Kull he tell Annancy dat him find him a bery nice frien', an' would like
to lib wid him. An' den Annancy say, him doan' got room fe Bredda Dry-Kull in him
house, an' Dry-Kull say dat if he wouldn" take him to lib wid him, he would put de
feaver heat 'pon Annancy!
*W»sps. f-SkuU.
75
ANNANCY AND DRY-KULL
So Annancy took Dry-Kull on him back, an' carry him home. An' him lib at An-
nancy's house fe a long time! An' Annancy, an' him wife Crookie, an' Tacoma, an' all
de oder children, dey doan' get not'ing fe eat! An' one day dey hear Bredda Hawk
comin' An' now Bredda Hawk is de only t'ing dat Dry-Kull is frighten of So when
Annancy hear him flyin', when him fly, him wing go,
"Pin-yon — ^pin-yon."
Den Annancy go out an' call soFly, sof ly:
"Bredda Hawk — Bredda Hawk! beg you come down!"
So den Bredda Hawk him come down! An' Annancy tell him all about Bredda Dry-
Kull, an' beg Hawk fe carry him away! An' Hawk say:
"What you gib me if I do?"
An' den Annancy say,
"I will gib you a nice big cock Bredda Hawk — but oh me dear Bredda, do carry Dry-
Kull away — far!"
An' den Hawk go in de house — which part Dry-Kull was, an' tek him up — ^an' fly
away wid him! An' when he get up in de air — Annancy an' Crookie dey bawl out to
Bredda Hawk, "Carry him far, Bredda Hawk — carry him far!" An' Hawk wing say:
"Pin-yon — pin-yon — ^pin-yon!" An' him fly away wid Dry-Kull!
An' de nex' day Hawk come back, an' ax fe him cock, Annancy tell him say:
"You wait here Bredda Hawk, an' I will get him!"
So den Annancy he go in de house, an' fetch him gun, an' come out wid it, an' shoot
it at Bredda Hawk, but it did'n hit him! An' den Bredda Hawk him fly up in de air,
an' him wing go:
"Pin-yon, pin-yon!" An' den Annancy tek him gun an' fire again, an' dis time he kill
Bredda Hawk dead! An' den dey tek Bredda Hawk, an' corn him, an' eat him.
When de nex' hungry time come, Annancy was walkin' out in de bush, fe find a
somt'ing fe eat! An' bum-bye him walk so far, dat him reach to anoder part of de coun-
try. An' he was well famish. An' he come suddenly 'pon a. t'ing 'pon de ground — an' it
was Bredda Dry-Kull sleeping. An' Annancy go an' try to eat him, but when him mouth
to.uch Dry-Kull, him mouth grow out long! like how hog mouth do to dis day! An' den
Dry-Kull go all to ashes! An' den Annancy say:
"Why! what I gwin do? I can't go home wid me mouth so. Crookie would'nt
let me into de house! I mus' t'ink how I can leave it behind!" So Annancy t'ink, an' t'ink,
an' at las' him hit 'pon a plan! When him get to de nex' town, him tell all de people,
dat Missus Queen send dem all howdeedo — an' hope dem is well, an' dat she wish all de
people in de town, to go to de riber nex' day, an' unscrew dere mouths, an' go into de
riber to bathe, widout dere mouths. An' so come de nex' day, all de people in de town
go down to de riber, an' unscrew dere mouths, an, put dem 'pon de bonk+, an' den dey
go in de riber an' bathe. An' when dey was all in, Annancy go an' look at all de mouths.
An' at dis time Hog had a short mouth. An' Annancy hunt all about till he fin' Hog
mouth, an he tink dat it would suit him well. So he unscrew him mouth, an' put on Hog
short mouth, an' run away home!
An' when Hog come out of de riber, an' fin' long mouth dere, an' not him own, himwas
bex, but dere was no oder mouth he could hab — so him put on de long one.
An' dat is why Hog hab a long mouth to dis day!
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AN' HIM COME SUDDENLY 'PON A T'ING 'PON DE GROUND.
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DOG AN' DEDUCKANOO
ANNANCY was walkin' out one day in de bush, an him come to a
Duckanoo tree. An' it was full of Duckanoos*. An' him was bery
hungry, an' so he climb up fe get one. An' when he climb up to
de top of de tree, de Duckanoo jump to de groun'. An' den Annancy
he come down, an' when he comedown, de Duckanoo jump up on
de tree again! Den Annancy he go up — Duckanoo jump down, an'
when Annancy come down to the groun', Duckanoo jump up; an' dis
go on for a long time. An' who should pass by but Bredda Darg!
Now Bredda Darg was bery hungry himself; and he would like to get a Duckanoo, too.
Den Annancy tell Bredda Darg, how de Duckanoo treat him, and beg him fe catch de
Duckanoo, when it jump down, an' him would gib Darg half ob it!
Annancy den go up de tree, an' de Duckanoo jump down, an' Darg catch Duckanoo
in him mouth — and vops! And Darg swallow him down!
An' Annancy was hex! An' Darg he run, an' Annancy him run, an' Darg run, an An-
nancy run. Den Annancy stop runnin', an' go to Bredda Darg house; an' hide, in de
groun' — an only him eyes was out of de groun'!
So in de evenin', Bredda Darg him come home, an' him see eyes lookin' out ob de
groun' at him! An' Bredda Darg say:
"Hi de firs' time I see groun' hab eyes!"
So den Annancy jump out, an' catch Bredda Darg — an' quese-j- de Duckanoo out of him!
An' dat is why Darg is thin at one end to dis day!
*A Duckanoo is a kind of pudding made of corn meal, and tied up in a plantain leaf, and then boiled. fScjueeze.
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ANNANCY DEN GO UP DEj TREE.
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