Jamaican Song and Story Part 15

=take him tail.= They are fond of this expression. Other examples are:--"The horse take him mout' fe 'cratch him foot," the horse scratches his leg with his mouth. "Me take me owny yeye an' see it," I saw it with my own eyes.

=a wh me a go do?= What am I going to do, what shall I do?

=dirty=, ground.

XIII. SNAKE THE POSTMAN.

One day Annancy ask Snake to be his postman.

Snake ask him how much he is going to pay him.

An' Annancy tell Snake that he know he is a man love blood, an' when him come in the night he will give him a bite off his head.

An' Snake did agree.

An' the first night he give Annancy a bite in his head, an' Annancy feel it very much.

An' the second night when Snake is to come back Annancy invite his friend Mr. Rabbit. An' Annancy usual to sleep out in the hall. An'

that night, when his friend Mr. Rabbit did come, he move an' go in the room an' make a very high bed. An' his friend Mr. Rabbit didn' know what Annancy mean to do.

So Annancy put him out in the hall, an' tell him that one of his cousin is sleeping in here too, so he will come in later on; an' when him hear him call he must just get up an' open the door an' see who it is.

An' when Annancy out lamp Rabbit think it very hard, an' say to himself:--"Bro'er Annancy up to some trick."

An' Rabbit wake up an' begun to dig a hole, an' him dig a hole until him get outside the door an' find himself back to his yard.

When Snake come in the night to get the other bite from Annancy him call Annancy.

Annancy wouldn' give answer as him being put Rabbit outside in the hall, an' Snake continually calling until Annancy give answer.

An' when him give answer he begin to wake Rabbit an' thought Rabbit was inside the house. He didn' want was to receive his bite, an' he begun to call Rabbit "Cousin Yabbit," that Rabbit may glad an' give him answer. When him couldn' hear, him say "G.o.dfather Yabbit" An' him call again "Bro'er Yabbit," an' him couldn' hear him. An' he call again "Puppa, Puppa!" an' he couldn' hear.

An' him light the lamp an' come out the hall an' begin to s'arch for Rabbit. An' when him look, him see Rabbit dig a heap of dirt an' come out.

An' Annancy beguns to cry inside the house an' wouldn' open the door.

An' he begin to complain to Snake that the first bite him gi' him he 'mash up the whole a him head.

An' Annancy 'tudy a 'cheme, catch up a black pot an' turn it down over him head.

An' as he put out him head Snake bite the pot, t'ought it's Annancy him catch. An the whole of Snake mouth was in sore. An' when he get home he send back to Annancy that he sick an' won't manage to come back another night.

An' Annancy was very glad an' send go tell him that himself is in bed.

An' when the bearer start for home him sing this song:--

[Music:

Somebody waiting for Salizon, Somebody waiting for Salizon, Somebody waiting for Salizon, Take up your letter an' go.]

An' from that day Snake broke friend with Annancy.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

The house would have two rooms, first the hall and then the inner room or bedroom. From Rabbit's burrowing operations it appears to have no floor. This was a common condition in the old times, but now it gets rarer and rarer. Only Coolie (East Indian) houses are unfloored.

=him being put=, he had put.

='tudy a 'cheme=, studies a scheme. It is more usual ='tudy a plan=. This common, vulgar song is evidently of late origin and probably does not really belong to the story.

XIV. DOBA.

One day Puss make a ball an' invite the whole world of Ratta.

All the Ratta dress in long coat an' silk dress. There was t'ousand of them women, an' men. When them come they bring a little boy an' the mother with a young baby.

When all the Ratta settle, the door was shut, an' the Puss them have them junka 'tick secretly in a them trousies' foot. They made a bargain between themselves that, when the Ratta deep in dancing, Doba must out the lamp, then the licking-match commence.

When the music begin, it sweet Ratta so that they dance till their white s.h.i.+rt-bosom was wet.

The fiddler was Dandy Jimmy Flint.

An' this is what the fiddle say:--

[Music:

Doba, Doba, Doba no make de little one get 'way Ballantony Bap! twee twee, Ballantony Bap! twee twee.]

The boy Ratta take notice of what the fiddle say.

Him go to him dada an' whisper:--"Puppa, you no yerry what the fiddle say?"

[Music:

Doba, Doba, Doba no make de little one get 'way Ballantony Bap! twee twee, Ballantony Bap! twee twee.]

The father say:--"Get 'way, Sir, you little fellah you! It the worst fe carry any little boy out fe met. Go, off, Sir, you lying fellah!"

During this time the boy hear what the music say in truth, went an'