Jamaican Song and Story Part 19

An' he fire after Man-crow an' two more feather fly out.

An' so the singing an' shotting go on.

At every song Man-crow come down one branch, an' Soliday fire an arrow an' knock out two feather, till five arrows gone.

So Brother Annancy was on a tree watching Soliday what he is doing.

An' the song sing for the sixth time, an' Man-crow jump down one more branch.

An' Soliday put his last arrow in the bow an' took good aim an' shot after Man-crow.

So he killed him an' he drop off the tree.

An' Soliday go an' pick up the bird an' take out the golden tongue an'

the golden teeth, an' shove it in a him pocket, an' Soliday come straight home to his grandmother.

An' Annancy come off the tree an' take up the bird, put ahm a him shoulder, cut through bush until he get to the King gate, an' he rakkle at the gate.

They ask:--"Who come?"

He say:--"Me, Mr. Annancy."

An' they say:--"Come in."

An' the King said:--"What you want?"

"I am the man that kill Man-crow."

An' they take him in an' marry him to one of the King daughter an'

make a very big table for him an' his family.

They put him in the middle of the table, but he refuse from sit there.

He sit to the doorway to look when Soliday coming. (The King then do know that that fellah up to trick.) An' directly Annancy see Soliday was coming, he stop eating, ask excuse, "I will soon be back." An' at that same time he gone outside into the kitchen.

An' Soliday knock at the gate.

An' someone answer him an' ask:--"What you want?"

"I am the boy that kill Man-crow."

An' they said:--"No, impossible! Mr. Annancy kill Man-crow."

An' he take out the golden tongue an' teeth an' show it to the King, an' ask the question:--"How can a bird live without teeth an' tongue?"

So they look in the bird mouth an' found it was true.

An' they call Annancy.

An' Annancy give answer:--"I will soon be there."

An' they call him again.

An' he shut the kitchen door an' said:--"Me no feel well."

All this time Brother Annancy shame, take him own time fe make hole in the s.h.i.+ngle get 'way.

They call him again, they no yerry him, an' they shove the kitchen door.

Annancy lost in the s.h.i.+ngle up to to-day.

An' the King marry Soliday to his daughter an' make him to be one of the richest man in the world.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Yawzy.= Yaws is a disease very prevalent among the Negroes. It causes ulcers to form on the soles of the feet. In old slave days every estate had its yaws-house for the accommodation of the sufferers. This complaint does not attack the Whites.

=six bow an' arrow=, a bow and six arrows, we suppose.

=Johnny-cake=, journey cake made of flour and water fried in lard.

=spot a place=, spot of place, exact place.

=ask excuse=, asks to be excused. p.r.o.nounce the =s= like =z=.

=shame, etc.=, was ashamed and was quietly making a hole in the s.h.i.+ngle roof so as to get away.

XVIII. SAYLAN.

There was a man have two daughter. One of the daughter belongs to the wife an' one belongs to the man. An' the wife no love for the man daughter, so they drive her away.

An' she get a sitivation at ten s.h.i.+llings a week, an' the work is to look after two horses an' to cut dry gra.s.s for them.

An' every night she put two bundles of dry gra.s.s in the 'table.

An' the mother was very grudgeful of the sitivation that she got.

An' one night she carry her own daughter to the pastur' an' they cut two bundles of green gra.s.s. An' they go secretly to the horse manger an' take out the dry gra.s.s an' put the green gra.s.s in its place.

So the horse eat it, an' in the morning they dead.

An' the master of that horse is a sailor.