Jamaican Song and Story Part 29

When night come Candlefly get ready an' tell Annancy to stay aback.

Them travel till at last them get. (Annancy going to play out Candlefly.)

Every gash Candlefly gash an' see a egg going to pick it up, Annancy say:--"A me first see ahm."

Candlefly gash again: Annancy take away every one till him bag full.

Candlefly don't get one. So as Annancy such a strong man Candlefly compel was to lef' without say a word.

But Annancy going to feel the blow.

After Candlefly gone with the light Annancy couldn' find nowhere to put his foot.

Annancy say:--"Poor me boy, I mus' try see if I can fin' the way."

Annancy start.

Him travel till him go an' buck on a house. The way the night was so dark he never see the house, he just buck on it.

He don't know whose house it was but him call "G.o.dfather!"

The person answer:--"Who is that calling?"

Him say:--"Annancy, you G.o.dson, bring some eggs fe you."

During this time Annancy never know that it was Tiger who him hate so much.

When the door open there come Brother Tiger.

Annancy say:--"Marnin', G.o.dfather Tiger."

Tiger say:--"Come in."

Same time Tiger send his wife to go an' put on the copper on the fire.

So them boil the whole barrel-bag of eggs.

When the eggs boil Tiger ask Annancy if him want any.

The frighten in him, him say "No."

So Tiger eat the whole bag of eggs, he an' his wife an' children.

To find out if Annancy want any of the eggs Tiger tell him wife fe lef two of the good sh.e.l.l. So Tiger get a lobters an' put with the egg sh.e.l.l.

When Annancy go in to sleep, Annancy see these two eggs, don't know that it was sh.e.l.l. Tiger know how the fellah love eggs.

When lamp out Annancy 'tretch him hand to catch the eggs.

Lobters paw give him a good bite. Him jump. Then Tiger know that it was the egg the fellah want.

Tiger ask:--"What the matter Mr. Annancy?"

"No dog-flea a bit me up so, sir? Me never see place have dog-flea like a you yard."

Tiger gone back to sleep.

Five minute more Annancy cry out:--"Lahd! me never see place have dog-flea like a you yard."

During this time he was trying to get the egg-sh.e.l.l. So he try an' try the whole night an' never get.

When day light Tiger say:--"Me son, me sorry to see dog-flea bit you so last night. You is the first man come here a me house say dog-flea bit you."

Annancy say:--"G.o.dfather, I don't get a rest from I go to bed till now."

Tiger wife get tea an' give him, so he get ready.

Tiger say:--"Go a me goat-pen, you see one goat, fetch him ya fe me before you go."

Annancy go. When him go he see a big he-goat, him beard was a yard long. Annancy catch the beard, lift him up t'row him a ground, take a big stick begin to beat him, give bup! bup! say:--"You b'ute! a you master nyam all me egg never give me so so one self."

Him beat him so till the goat form 'tiff dead. Now this was Tiger all the time. Annancy leave him gone to see if he can get any knife to cut him up.

By Annancy come back him don't see no goat, only a big old man standing up. Him put after him. Annancy run back to Tiger yard. The man was after him. Annancy see a gourdy, run right in it. Tiger lost the fellah.

Well! Tiger take his gourdy going fe water.

Annancy, knowing that Tiger mother was sick, as Tiger get halfway with the gourdy on his head Annancy call out of the gourdy mouth:--"Bro'er Tiger, you mumma dead a house from yeshterday."

Tiger stop, him listen, him can't hear.

He make a move.

Annancy bawl out again:--"Bro'er Tiger, you mumma dead a house from yeshterday."

Tiger stop, him listen, him can't hear.

He go on again, he hear the voice again.

He throw down the gourdy.

Annancy get out, said to Tiger:--"You b'ute! if you been broke me foot you wouldn' min' me wife and picny."

Tiger hear the voice but never see a soul.

Him run gone home to see if his mother dead. When he go his mother was still alive.

Annancy go home an' go to Candlefly yard tell him say:--"I never will be cravin' again, ya, Bro'er? you fe carry me again." An' Candlefly say "Yes."

Every day Annancy come. Candlefly wife say:--"Him gone long time."