DANCE AND SONG.
139. The Fifer. [Note]
Richard Roe, Maroon Town, Cock-pit country.
There’s a boy once, mother got only the one boy an’ ’he love him so much that ’he give him a flute. So one day they go to far groun’ an’ coming back the boy leave the flute at the groun’. When he catch half-way, he remember it an’ he tell him papa. Papa say to go back for it, but he mus’ be careful not to blow it coming back because he got a lot of wil’ beasts to pass. So as he come home he begin to blow,1
♩ = 72
Minnie, Minnie, wa-yo da Lim-ba, Minnie, Minnie, wa-yo da Lim-ba.
Minnie, Minnie, wa-yo da Lim-ba, Minnie, Minnie, wa-yo da Lim-ba.
Wild beast rush out, say, “Who’s dat blowing de pipe, sah?”—“Oh, no, not me blowing!” An’ go ’way, blow again. Wil’ beast rush out. “Ha! you?”—“No, grandpapa, not me blowing!”—“Den who blowing?”—“He gone on befo’, massa; not me blowing!”—“Blow, let me see.”—“Flee flitty flee, flee flitty flee.”
Wil’ beast go away. He commence the right tune now,
“Minnie Minnie, wa-yo da lim-ba,
Minnie Minnie, wa-yo da lim-ba,
Minnie Minnie, wa-yo da lim-ba.”
(Wild beast rush out, catch him, compel him to play.)
“Ah, I catch you now, sah! Play de tune now, sah! blow, sah!”
Then he began to blow the right tune, both dance. Different [170]wil’ beasts—Tiger, Asoonah, all the wil’ beasts come out an’ dance. An’ the father get frightened, come shoot all the wild beasts, all drop save him boy. An’ flog the boy.
140. In Come Murray.
William Forbes, Dry River, Cock-pit country.
It was said when you go you see a man going to play dat Nansi story. Get anodder wid a pint a water, den him gwine to turn a drunkard, begin to totter, say, “Tiger, tiger, lie down”—
♩ = 84
Zin come Murray. I take drink, lay down, Zin come Murray.
Murray, ah, lay down, Zin come Murray. I take drink lay down,
Zin come Murray. Oh, poor Murray. Zin come Murray.
I take drink, lay down, Zin come Murray.
141. Tacoomah makes a Dance. [Note]
William Forbes, Dry River, Cock-pit country.
Tacoomah make a dance, get Anansi for de fiddler, an’ Grass-quit was coming as a fiddler too. Robin Redbreast was to play de music, Monkey was to blow de bugle. Well, after de night de dance commence. Anansi gwine to play,
“Queena bunna, ring-ki-ting,
You sen’ fe great Grass-quit,
You don’ sen’ fe me!
Anansi draw bow so sweet, ring-ki-ting,
Anansi draw bow so sweet, ring-ki-ting.”
Tacoomah say,
“You ya, you ya, so ya, me ya,
Wid a fort tumba like a tenky bunna,
Wid a jump, wid a jump, like a tenky bunna.”1
[171]
Robin Redbreast say,
“Jock, Jock, when you coming home?”
Jock said,
Jock3 said,
“Robin redbreast
Was pretty well dressed,
And he was into his nest,
And a puppy went into his nest
And broke his neck t’ru distress.”
Well, den, Turtle an’ Duck goin’ in de river fe go an’ swim, an’ dem is to run to a hill-side in de river. An’ Cock is de judge. Den Cock went to sing fe dem—
“Co co re co.”
Duck an’ Turtle swim—
“Shekey, shekey, shee-e-e.”
142. Anansi makes a Dance. [Note]
William Forbes, Dry River, Cock-pit country.
Again, Anansi make a dance. Him playing de fiddle,
♩ = 84
Kelly bam bom ba, Kelly bam ya Morree! Kelly bam bom ba, Kelly
bam ya Morree! Kelly bam bom ba, Kelly bam ya Morree!
Dem dat kyan’ run, dey no hearie! etc.1
Kelly bam bom ba, Kelly bam ya Morree! Kelly bam bom ba, Kelly
bam bom ba, Kelly bam bom ba, Kelly bam ya Morree! Kelly[172]
bam bom ba, Kelly bam bom ba, Kelly bam ya Morree! Kelly
bam bom ba, Kelly bam bom ba, Kelly bam bom ba, Kelly
bam ya Morree! — — — — — — — — — —
Goat dere a dance, say,
“Me kyan’ run, but me cunnie do!”
Dog begin to sing,
“Na way you lie, Samedy,
Pussy no dead at all!”
Den Puss an’ Rat begin to dance an’ say,
“Massa Puss an’ Massa Rat a jump shandelay,2
♩ = 160
Oh, jump shandelay, jump shandelay, den a jump shandelay.
Oh, oh, jump shandelay—Missa Rat a jump den a jump shandelay!
Oh, oh, jump shandelay. Jump shandelay, will you jump shandelay!
Oh, oh, jump shandelay, oh, Missa Rat a jump, will you jump, shandelay!
Den she went an’ jump it, den she went an’ jump it, den she went an’ jump it,
den she went an’ jump it, den she went an’ jump it, den she went an’ jump it.
Well, Anansi boy was blowing de fife,
“Ti-li-harry-ham, handsome ben-in-ben!”
[173]
Den de bull was coming along, hear dem, say,
♩ = 63
Oh who dey ca’ me Timmo Limmo? Timmo Limmo, oh?
Zin kuma Ya ya ya, oh, Zin kuma.
♩ = 69
Timmo Limmo, oh, Timmo Limmo oh, Zin kuma.
Ya, ya, ya, oh, Zin kuma. Ah, who dey ca’ me Timmo Limmo?
Ah, who dey ca’ me Timmo Limmo, oh, Zin kuma. Ya, ya, ya oh,
Zin kuma Timmo Limmo, oh, Zin kuma. Ah who dey ca’ me
Timmo Limmo? Ah, who dey ca’ me, Timmo Limmo,
Timmo Limmo, oh, Zin kuma. Ya, ya, ya, oh, Zin kuma.
143. Red Yam. [Note]
Mary Jane Roden, Brownstown, St. Ann.
Anansi and Tacoomah have two little boy. So Anansi go to him ground, he have a yam name of ‘red yam’. So when he carry home de yam, if de two little boy don’ tell him de name of de yam, don’ give ’em no dinner. So one night de little boy say, (dance to the fiddle and drum),
“Poor me bwoy, papa no gi’ me no dinner!
If I don’ know de yam name, papa no gi’ me no dinner!
Poor me bwoy, me go fe dead fe hungry, da la!”
[174]
Another day papa go to ground. So the little boy follow him go right outside a bush, go set for him. When him coming back he fall down, say, “Now me little red yam mash up!” So when him come home an’ said to the little boy, “Come, me pickney, pupa come an’ if you tell me de name of dis yam to-night, I goin’ to give you a good supper,” the little boy say,
“T’ank God, me know him name,
T’ank God, me know him name,
T’ank God, me know him name!”
“Come, now, tell me!”
“Ai! red yam, t’ank God a red yam!”
(dance and play the fiddle and drum).
When the papa boil the dinner, give him a big dinner fe him call the name. When he eat the big dinner the papa gi’ him the night, boy sing,
♩ = 72
1st Verse.
Pupa, de yam name red e yam? Yes, ma bwa, name red e yam.
Chorus.
Belly full to-night wid me red yam. Eat, ma bwa, eat, ma bwa,
Eat, ma bwa, de yam name red e yam Sing, ma bwa, Sing, ma bwa,
Sing, ma bwa, de yam name red e yam. Laugh, ma bwa, laugh, ma bwa,
2nd Verse.
laugh, ma bwa, de yam name red e yam. Pupa ma belly full
wid de red yam, Pupa ma belly full wid red yam. Laugh, ma bwa,[175]
laugh, ma bwa, laugh, ma bwa, yo’ belly full wid de red yam.
Sing, ma bwa, sing, ma bwa, sing, ma bwa, yo’ belly full wid de red yam.1
1 The narrator continued with the following which, she insisted, belongs with the song:
This last measure may be repeated at will, or the whole three about Tom. The oftener it is sung, the sweeter the song, in Mother Roden’s opinion and in that of many others.
This singer was most uncertain; in intonation, repetitions, etc. she varied exceedingly and agreed that any way the song was repeated to her by the transcriber was correct, no matter how it was sung. The transcriber, therefore, will not vouch for these three tunes. The old woman is a cripple and can neither read nor write. H. R. ↑
144. Guzzah Man.
Mary Jane Roden, Brownstown, St. Ann.
One day Tacoomah, Monkey and Baboon were driving a truck with rum to the wharf fe master. When they were going, Anansi said to Tacoomah they have a dance an’ they invite Monkey an’ Baboon to the dance. An’ while they was dancing, Anansi an’ Tacoomah go t’ief t’ree puncheon of rum from Monkey an’ Baboon, come back to the dance, see Monkey an’ Baboon was dancing. Anansi say,
Guzza man, Guzza man, Brudder Nansi drink rum. Oh,
Guzza man, Guzza man, Guzza man. So Anansi tie Tiger, tie him ’til he jump, Tiger.
Guzza man, Guzza man, Guzza man. Tom drunk, but Tom no fool,[176]
Tom drunk, but Tom no fool, la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
Mary Jane Roden, Brownstown, St. Ann.
Fowl invite Pretty Poll to chapel, den Pretty Poll said to Fowl, “Kyan’t go to chapel for me soso fedder.” Poll said to Kyan-crow, “Make go to chapel.” Kyan-crow said to Pretty Poll him kyan’t to go chapel for him peel-head young man.
Come we go to church, Pretty Poll. Come we go to church, Pretty Poll.
Pretty Poll, wan’ get married Same time as a so so fedder.
John Crow say he be de bride, same time he, peel-head young man.
146. The Cumbolo. [Note]
Sarah Findley, Santa Cruz Mountains.
An ol’ man an’ a wife was travelling going on walk when they hear a nice music was playing an’ the ol’ man say to his wife, “O Quasiba,1 hear dat sweet music singing over yonder. I like [177]to know where dat music come from.”—“Ol’ man, you tak time walk an’ we soon hear where dat music from.… But Bruddie, dat ol’ Cumbolo dat was singing las’ night!”—“Den you mus’ come let we dance de Cumbolo, Susan, we all a Cumbolo!” (sing and dance)—
1 Two school-mistresses in Bethlehem, Santa Cruz Mountains, gave the following list of “born-day names” which belong to negro children in Jamaica according to the day of the week upon which they are born. See Jekyll, int. x (l.c.).
An old woman who was telling me of some obeah practises assured me that the obi-man (sorcerer) did not use a man’s common name when he wanted to bewitch him, but his “born-day” name.
| Boys | Girls | |
| Sunday | Quashy | Quashiba |
| Monday | Quaco | Juba |
| Tuesday | Cubena | Cuba |
| Wednesday | Cudjo | Bennie |
| Thursday | Quaw | Abba |
| Friday | Cuffy | Pheba |
| Saturday | Quamin | Benneba. |
147. John-crow and Fowl at Court.
Susan Watkins, Claremont, St. Ann.
John-crow and Fowl went to court. Now as Fowl’s baby was prettier than Crow’s, Crow had taken Fowl’s baby and left her baby for Fowl to take. So Fowl took Crow to court. The judge said whichever could sing the sweetest song should have the prettiest baby. Crow sang,
“Periwe, periwa!”
Fowl sang,
“Sun up an’ sun down,
I sing the song to cheer me heart.
’Tis my charming baby dear,
Bam, cluck, cluck!”
So Fowl got back her pretty baby and Crow got her ugly one.
148. Wooden Ping-ping and Cock.
Matilda Hall, Harmony Hall, Cock-pit country.
Wooden Ping-ping (there’s a worm in the dirt name so) and Cock. So then Wooden Ping-ping hid in the earth and the Cock hunted for him, couldn’t find him. Wooden Ping-ping said (fine falsetto voice, rising inflection),
“Clay den, clay den, see me, ah?
Clay den, clay den, see me, ah?”
Cock answered,
“Na pullee theng theng,
Na pullee theng theng!”
They kept on singing, this in the earth, that outside; but Cock couldn’t find him. [178]
149. Animal Talk. [Note]
James Anderson Hilton, Maroon Town, Cock-pit country.
Fowl tell de other fowl say, “Tell odder, one, odder one, odder one!” till it scatter over de whole worl’.
Cock say, “If it tre-ew, yes!”
Horse stamp him foot on de eart’, “What in my stomach, mak it stay in deah!”
Jack-ass say, “De worl’ don’ level!” (for if de worl’ level, don’ hav to wear crupper on his tail.)
Cow say (slowly and drawlingly), “Mas-sa wor-r-r-k ne-v-e-r don-n-ne!”
Mule say (quickly and with energy), “It will done! it will done! it will done! Massa work will done!”
Crab say, “Mustn’t trust shadder after dark!”
Ground Dove say, “My hears! my hears! my hears!” (won’t hear what his parents tell him).
Hopping Dick go up on sharp ’tump an’ White Belly go up on one tall tree an’ bet one bet who can stay de longest widout eat. Hopping Dick say, “Chem chem cheery o!”
White Belly say,
“Coo coo coo, me hearie you!
Coo coo coo, me hearie you!”
Hopping Dick go down to de groun’ pick up worm. White Belly stay up on tree all de time. White Belly fall down an’ die.
[179]
WITTICISMS.
Old-time Fools.
I.
The master send out one of them for a clock. When he get part of the way home the clock strike. An’ say to the clock, “If you talk on me head again I mash you’ mout’!” An’ up come again the clock strike. An’ he said, “Don’ I tell you if you talk again I mash you mout’?” An’ up came the clock strike again. An’ him put down the clock, say, “If you can talk, you mus’ walk!” An’ as the clock couldn’t walk, take a piece a ’tick an’ mash it up! An’ take up the clock an’ put it ’pon the head. An’ when he go in, Massa ask him how did the clock mash up, an’ said the clock a talk ’pon the head an’ him put him down to walk an’ he won’t walk an’ he mash it up. An’ the massa call the driver an’ give him a good flogging.
II.
Master sen’ them out for two jug o’ rum, an’ when they come to the river, they say they want a drink. An’ one come top o’ the bridge an’ sen’ the other down into the river an’ say he t’rowing out the rum in the river, when the water taste he mus’ tell him. An’ he t’row out the whole jug an’ he couldn’t taste it. An’ after he t’row out the first jug, say, “What kin’ of rum is this have no ’trength?” An’ him begin on the other jug an’ him t’row out the whole of that again, an’ him couldn’t taste. An’ they take the two empty jug an’ go home to the master, an’ they get a flogging for it.
Duppy Stories.
IV.
Once a man was walking in the street on a night. He met a duppy. His teet’ was like fire; so de man went to ask for a light, did not know it was duppy. So de duppy gash his teet’ at him an’ he run. So de duppy went on met him again. De man did not know it was him, went up wid a complain’:—“See, sir, I meet a man jus’ now, ask ’im for a light an’ he gash his teet’ at me!” De duppy grin his teet’ again an’ ask, “Teet’ like dese?” an’ de man run again.
V.
Once a man was travelling in a dray packed with sugar. The molasses off the sugar was trailing underneath the dray. Two duppies came up and was sucking the molasses, an’ say, “After the molasses so sweet, how is the sugar?” The drayman happened to hear it, wheeled his whip in the air an’ give the duppy a good lick. Duppies ran off, crying, “Me dead one time, me dead one time, me can’t dead two time!”
VI.
Once there was two duppies warming themselves over the fire. So one said to the other, “Cubba gwine to married.” The other one said, “Cubba gwine to married? She don’ have frock, she don’ have coat. Shove fire, gi’ me story!”
VII.
Once some duppies were in a house. A man was outside; the duppies didn’t see him. So they peeped all through the window to look at the moon. They said, “The moon is pretty pretty!” Another one said it was wrong, so he said, “Norra you norra me can’t talk it prop-prop!”
VIII.
One man were going out upon an errand an’ night catch him on de way. An’ he see a horse an’ lick de horse an’ de horse go after him an’ he was running. An’ when catch de bridge, run under de bridge mash a Rolling Calf.1 Said, “Masha masha no hurt me, but de frighten you frighten me!” Horse said de licky licky no hurt him, but de ‘brute’ him call him. [181]
Animal Jests.
IX.
Louse an’ Dog-flea have a quarrel. Dog-flea, he said, “Brar Louse, when him ketchin’ yo’ a head, how you manage?” Louse said, “Brar, me gwine a knot knot.” Louse said to Dog-flea, say, “Brar, when him ketchin’ you, how you manage?” Dog-flea said, “Me gwine a seam in.” Dog-flea said, “Den, Louse, when dem a comb you, whe’ you go?” Louse said, “I lie down flat ’pon de meat.” Louse said to Dog-flea, “Den, Brar, when dem dip a hot water how you manage? Dog-flea say, “Come, come, sah, dat don’t fe yo’ business!” So de quarrel end.
X.
Ground-lizard and Ground-rat were two friends. Rat said to Ground-lizard, “How black nigger sta’?” Lizard say, “Oh, dey ugly-lookin’ chaps’.” Rat said, “Yes? I see dem but nebber can stan’ to look pon dem. Soon as dem see me dem say, ‘Look Groun’-rat! look Groun’-rat!’ an’ take a stone to kill me, so I get out a dem sight.” Ground-lizard say, “When dey buck up on me suddenly, I jump, but when I go a little way, turn round on dem an’ look; dat how I know dey ugly-lookin’ chap.”
XI.
Puss and Dog went out journeying one day and they found a thruppence. So they divided and now the trouble was they didn’ know which thing to buy with a penny ha’penny. Dog said, “Brar Puss, I goin’ to take fe my quattie to buy a quattie worth of ‘look’.” Puss say, “I won’ buy ‘look’, I wi’ buy cattle!” So the Puss buy a pair of lizard and let them go on the run, and they run to breed. That is why you see a cat always after lizard, and a dog is always looking, looking, looking and doing nothing.
XII.
Han’ a go market. Hear beg Han’ a buy meat. When Han’ come a pass, he cut piece of de meat. Den Mosquito see him, an’ Mosquito come fe go tell Hear say Han’ cut de meat. Den eb’ry time Mosquito go to tell Hear, Han’ knock him. He come back again—“Hearie!” Han’ knock him (striking his ear with his hand). Couldn’t tell him yet.
XIII.
Monkey said to Goat, “I want to make a ball and I have a jacket I don’t want to wear; so I sent for you to see if you will [182]buy the jacket.” And said, “Try on the jacket, see if it will fit you.” So Goat try on the jacket, and Monkey said, “It kyan’t fit you better!” Goat said, “Fit? fit? fit? (strutting about looking at himself) fit fe tre-ew!” So Goat buy the jacket.
XIV.
Anansi an’ Tiger was travelling going thru’ a stream of water. Anansi want to find if Tiger can tell a story. Anansi foot went right down on a sort of stone in de water. Anansi say, “I mash a fish!” Tiger holla out say, “I smell de fat!”
XV.
Tacoomah say, “Anansi, yo’ ma dead!”—“A’ right! bit’s wort’ a meat fe sarve t’day.”—“Anansi, yo’ ma wake!”—“A’ right! one somebody kyan’t live a worl’.”
Lies.
XVI.
Once me an’ pa went to groun’ fe go work. So we carry a gourd of water, go hang it up on a tree. An’ when we ready to go back a yard an’ we go look fe de gourd, we see dat duck come nyam off de gourd an’ lef’ de water hang up ’pon de tree.
XVII.
Once I was carrying a pan of water an’ I had to go’ t’ru a ten bar’ wire fence wid de pan on me head, an’ I run t’ru an’ not one drop never t’row away.