Jamaican Song and Story Part 47

In these curiously simple tunes, if tunes they can be called, it is most important to mark the time and to pay great attention to the lengths of the notes. To hear them sing, or rather say, "Lord!" is the most laughable thing. The first one begins on a note rather below the =C= of =Toe=, and slides downwards ending with an expiring grunt on a very low note of the voice. The second one is done in the same way, but is, all the way through, a little lower than the first. The point is to let the breath go with the sliding note instead of holding it as in singing.

=longubelo.= The first syllable is p.r.o.nounced as in English, and the rest of the vowels are Italian, the =e= being rather more narrowed, but never quite reaching to the sound of =bale=.

=tum tullalullalum tum.= Strong accent on the =tull= and clean neatly cut syllables. Italian vowels.

=mumma.= The =u= between Italian =u= and Italian =o=.

=fire him=, throws her. Yet not quite "throws," for the Jar never lets her hand go. =Fire 'tone= is the usual expression for throwing stones.

The Jar fires her first from the bedroom to the living-room (hall), next from the hall to the yard, then from the yard to the seaside, and all the time it holds her by the hand.

XLVI. JOHN CROW AND FOWL-HAWK.

One day Fowl-hawk go to John Crow yard an' tell him that him fe come have a walk with me to a country for something promise there to me.

"One day I go out an' in my way I pa.s.s a river. As I come to the river I meet Fowl. Him ask me to help him up, an' the baby any time him born I must come for it. Well my dear sir, the baby born; an' when I go, Fowl say him never make a promise with me. Look you, sir, if you see the picny, nice fresh fe we mouth, an' a no the one, but him hab more.

So you will get a good bag of fresh, but the country danger home."

John Crow say:--"Me yerry dat place hab bad name, me no want go."

Hawk say:--"You too fool, we a man! we'll get 'way, me son, if them want to catch we. When me go d the first time me go slam in a Fowl yard. Me an' him stay a whole day a quarrel, an' me no dead. Come, me good friend, make we go."

Them start.

Them fly an' fly till them get over the country.

Hawk say:--"Brother John, we get over the place. Look down yonder, look fres.h.!.+"

John Crow say:--"Me no go down d."

Hawk say:--"A so! you too fool! Come make we go down little more."

Them go down till them pitch on a tree.

Hawk say:--"Brother, you see them better. I da go sing make them know say me a come."

John Crow say:--"If them yerry you, dem no will kill we!"

"No, all time me go down me an' Fowl a good friend, no mo' the little quarrel we have."

Hawk call out:--"See me ya me da come, me da come to the bargain, me da come, come; twillinky twing ping ya, me da come."

Fowl hear, tell him picny dem fe go hide.

So Dog was a gunner man, an' him an' Fowl a good friend, for Fowl always give him good treatment.

So Fowl go an' tell Dog say:--"Danger! hawk a come fe me daughter, so me a beg you fe come a yard an' shot him fe me when him come."

Dog come, an' him an' Fowl hide.

Hawk said to John Crow:--"Come make we go down."

John Crow say "No."

Hawk say:--"Hungry will burn you back."

John Crow say:--"Me no trust, me wi' wait 'pon G.o.d leisure."

Hawk say:--"All time you wait 'pon G.o.d fe give you you will never get; no see me a man no wait 'pon no man? Me go look what me know me want, but me if I get anyt'ing I never give you little piece self, you foolish fellow you! I gone."

Hawk start the singing again going down:--"See me ya, me da come, twillinky twing ping ya."

By Hawk get down Dog hit him _bam_.

Hawk dead.

John Crow laugh "Ha ha! let me pull me rusty bosom s.h.i.+rt an' put on me gown an' go down to see what do that fellah."

John Crow go down.

As him get on Fowl-hawk find that him was dead him say:--"Tank G.o.d, ha, ha!"

John Crow dig out the two eye and say:--"A this eye the fellah take a see," an' put it in his pocket an' turn on eating.

Dog look, an' say to Fowl:--"You finish with that one, so, sister, any time them come you send an' call me. I can't stop, I am very vex. I send out my son yesterday an' Puss meet him on the road an' beat him an' take 'way the money that I give him to give Brother Monkey. Him tell me son say him have a old grudge fe me an' him can't get to beat me, so him will beat all me picny. So, sister, I ha da go home, will be blue fire when I catch Puss."

When Dog go to Puss yard an' call him, Dog ask Puss for a drink of water an' a piece of fire.

Puss say:--"Go 'way from me gate, I know wh you come about."

Dog say:--"Ah, me man, will be blue fire!"

Puss gate was lock, for Puss have company the day. This company was Rabbit.

Dog say:--"I want to see you."

Puss say:--"Go 'way I tell you, you mout' long like a devil fork."

Dog broke the gate an' go in.

Puss lock up his house, an' stay inside an' cuss Dog till Dog has to go home.

An' Monkey say him will get the money from Puss for them is good friend.

So Dog go home to his yard an' have a hatred for Puss till death.