Jamaican Song and Story Part 51

Mister Winkler Winkler oh coocoorico the gal is gone.

Awake me wake go look a hole the gal was gone.]

Mr. Winkler hear an' was coming like lighten with his t'ree-foot horse, deeble-a-bup, deeble-a-bup.

He call out:--"Me coming", deeble-a-bup, "Me coming", deeble-a-bup.

At last he reach the yard an' see the gal gone. He get a canoe an'

start after her, an' by next day light he see the gal boat was far away.

He call out:--"Sairey d 'pon sea, Sairey d 'pon sea, come back darling, you husband d come fe you."

When the gal look he say:--"Shub ahead, boatman, do, to save me life!"

An' by the time they get a land Devil was near them.

An' the boatman shot off a piece of Devil canoe an' water get in, so Devil has to go home back.

An' when the gal go home, tell her father what was her life, the father say:--"Don't marry again to n.o.body, not if even the King."

An' the father take her in an' give her servant to look after her.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=cuss=, abuse. It does not imply swearing. To swear is to =cuss bad word=.

=in a bar=, a barred-up room.

=deeble-a-bup=, the sound of the three-legged horse's step. Compare the itty-itty-hap of "Mr. Bluebeard."

The Cook adopts Annancy's device in "Annancy and Screech-owl."

=coocoorico.= The c.o.c.k's crow is excellent. The Negro is very clever in his imitation of animals.

=a hole=, at the hole, through the hole.

=canoe=, p.r.o.nounced with accent on the first syllable and French =a=.

LI. WHEELER.

One day Puss was going out on a journey, an' he travel till he reach to a river mouth. An' as Puss being afraid for water he couldn' cross the river.

An' Puss has to stop for two day an' one night, an' Puss climb a tree which hang over the water.

An' Mr. Annancy was fishening.

An' Annancy fishening till him come where Puss was, an' Puss didn'

call to Annancy.

An' same time Annancy meet up a licking 'tump a river side. Annancy lick, him lick, him lick, him lick outside till him sen' him han'

inside.

An' when Annancy shub him hand him feel something hold him.

An' Annancy get very frighten an' pull fe get him hand out, an' him couldn' get 'way.

An' Annancy ask the question:--"Who hold me?"

An' a voice in a the 'tump said:--"Me, Wheeler."

An' Annancy said to him must wheel him make him see.

An' him wheel Mr. Annancy mile an' distant.

An' when Annancy drop he didn' dead, an' he said:--"T'ank G.o.d! I met with a little accident, but I see it going to be a living for me an'

me family."

An' Mr. Annancy went home an' get some lovely iron peg, an' when him come he plant them in the river course to the very spot which him did drop.

That time Puss seeing all what Mr Annancy is doing.

Annancy leave, an' come where Wheeler is, an' keep himself very quiet, an' presently Peafowl was pa.s.sing.

An' Annancy call upon him say:--"Bro'er Peafowl, a living is here for me an' you."

An' Peafowl ask him what is it.

An' he take Peafowl an' carry him where Wheeler is, and he says:--"Bro'er Peafowl, you see that hole. As you hand is so long, don't be afraid, just shub you hand in there now an' you will find something grand."

An' as Peafowl shub in him hand Wheeler hold him.

An' Annancy tell him that he must pull.

An' when him pull he couldn' get 'way.

An' Mr. Annancy feel very proud an' happy till he laugh with joy in his heart.

An' when him done laugh him tell Peafowl to say:--"Who hold me here?"

An' Wheeler say:--"Me, Wheeler."

Annancy tell him to say:--"Wheel me mile an' distant."