Jamaican Song and Story Part 20

The sailor took the gal who caring the horse to hang her.

An' when he get to the 'pot a place to hang her he take this song:--

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Mourn, Saylan, mourn oh!

Mourn, Saylan, mourn; I come to town to see you hang, hang, you mus' be hang.]

An' the gal cry to her sister an' brother an' lover, an' they give her answer:--

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Sister, you bring me some silver?

No, my child, I bring you none.

Brother, you bring me some gold?

No, my child, I bring you none.

Lover, you bring me some silver?

Yes, my dear, I bring you some.

Lover, you bring me some gold?

Yes, my dear, I bring you some.

I come to town to see you save, save you mus' be saved.]

An' the lover bring a buggy an' carry her off an' save her life at last.

An' the mumma say:--"You never better, tuffa."

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

This is quite an unusual form of story, but appears to be of some antiquity in my district, where it ranks as an Annancy story.[43]

[Footnote 43: Cf. _The Maid Freed from the Gallows_, F.J. Child, _Ballads_, vol. ii., p. 346. (C.S.B.)]

=caring=, taking care of. This is so convenient a word that it is used by everybody.

=You never better=, you will never be good for anything.

=tuffa=, with Italian =u= imitates spitting, a sign of contempt.

XIX. ANNANCY AND SCREECH-OWL.

One day Annancy made a dance, an' ask 'creech-owl to be the musician.

An' Annancy send an' invite all his friend.

An' when they come Ratta was in long coat an' Guinea-pig too, for Ratta tell Guinea-pig they must wear long coat an' they will get all the gal to dance with.

An' 'creech-owl is a great player, but the only danger he cannot sing in the day.

An' 'creech-owl has a c.o.c.k in his yard, an' he sent an' ask Annancy if he can bring a friend along with him.

An' Annancy send an' tell him that 'tis no objectin to bring the friend, an' Annancy tell 'creech-owl that he will get a lots of drink.

At that time Annancy didn't know the friend as yet.

So, as he being hate 'creech-owl, he didn't wish to see no friend of his.

So when the friend come the friend was a c.o.c.k.

An' Annancy was very sorry for he knew that the c.o.c.k going to crow when day clean, an' 'creech-owl going to know when day is cleaning an'

go away.

An' Annancy got some corn, an' get a pint of 'trong rum, an' t'row the rum in the corn, an' let the corn soak in the rum.

An' when the c.o.c.k call out to 'creech-owl that he is hungry, he says to Mr. Annancy that he must treat his friend Mr. c.o.c.k, an' Annancy took some of the corn an' give to the c.o.c.k.

An' it so being that he love corn, Annancy continually feed him with the corn until he get drunk an' fast asleep.

An' Annancy feel very glad in his heart that he is going to kill Brother 'creech-owl for his breakfast.

An' when 'creech-owl playing, his mind was on his dear friend Mr.

c.o.c.k, an' he continually listen to hear him crow, an' he couldn' hear him.

An' he ask for him.

Mr. Annancy tell him that he is having a rest.

An' 'creech-owl play an' play till day catch him.

An' Annancy got a kettle of boiled water an' dish it out an' ask his friend them to have some tea.

An' 'creech-owl get very sad to see day catch him.

An' Annancy didn' know wh make 'creech-owl wouldn' drink the tea.

So Annancy begin to raise a confusion over it, say, as he won't drink the tea he must made up him mind to sarve him breakfast.

An' 'creech-owl began to cry.

An' the same time Annancy (that wicked fellah!) take up 'creech-owl music, an' ask young ladies an' young gentlemen to a.s.sist him in a n.o.ble song which he is going to kill Mr. 'creech-owl with.

An' this the song:--

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