Jamaican Song and Story Part 16

dug a hole fe him an' him mumma.

When Ratta in hot dancing the gate-man Puss, Mr. Doba, out the lamp.

Then the junka 'tick fly round an' all the Ratta was kill. Blood was cover the floor an' all the Puss take their share.

Only boy Ratta an' his mumma an' the young baby, get way.

If the puppa did take what the boy say him wouldn' dead.

Puss ball was flourish with meat.

If boy Ratta an' his mumma didn' get 'way we wouldn' have no Ratta in dis ya-ya-world again.

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=Ratta=, rats.

=Puss them.= These words are closely joined together.

=junka 'tick=, short sticks.

=trousies' foot=, the legs of their trousers. The Negroes are expert in the art of hiding things about their person.

Fighting with sticks is called a =licking-match=.

=sweet= (a verb), pleased, delighted.

In these stories the fiddle is often made to sing words which some have the gift of hearing.

=Bap!= is the knock of the stick, or "lick of the stick" as they say.

=twee twee=, the squeak of the rat.

=no make=, don't let.

=it the worst fe carry, etc.= It is very troublesome to take a little boy out to a meeting. Met, dance, spree, picnic are convertible terms.

=Carry= is seldom used as in English. They say:--Carry the mule a pastor (to the pasture). When a man carries you over a river on his back he "crosses you over."

=Doba=, long =o= as in Dover.

=Blood was cover, etc.=, the floor was covered with blood.

=Dis ya-ya=, the vulgar English "this here." =Ya-ya= is said very quickly.

It does not come into common speech but is reserved for Annancy stories and is generally found only in Annancy's mouth.

XV. DRY-BONE.

One day Rabbit invite Guinea-pig to his yard.

An' when Guinea-pig go, Rabbit ask Guinea-pig to go an hunting.

An' Rabbit meet up Dry-bone.

An' when him meet up Dry-bone, him t'row down his gun an' him call to Guinea-pig an' tell him:--"I meet with a luck."

An' Guinea-pig tell Rabbit:--"I won't carry none of the Dry-bone, but you must make me carry the birds what we kill."

Rabbit wasn't agree to let him carry the birds, but Guinea-pig coax him until Rabbit consent an' they fix up the bargain: Rabbit was to carry Dry-bone, an' Guinea-pig was to carry the birds.

So they put Dry-bone into the bag, an' Rabbit ask Guinea-pig to help him up.

An' Guinea-pig help him up an' pick up the gun an' carry it.

An' they start home to their yard.

An' when Rabbit got half part the road he found the load getting heavier an' heavier, an' him ask Guinea-pig to take it for a while.

Guinea-pig tell him that he made no promise was to help him with Dry-bone.

Rabbit walk on till the load get so heavy him begin to cry, say that him going to t'row down Dry-bone.

An' Dry-bone fasten on his head an' begin to talk.

He say to Rabbit:--"You take me up you take up trouble."

An' that time Guinea-pig was laughing after Rabbit.

Just then that cravin' fellah Mr. Annancy was pa.s.sing an' see Rabbit with his load. He thought that it was something good, an' he ask Rabbit that he will help him carry it.

An' Rabbit was very glad to get relief of his trouble.

So Annancy take Dry-bone from Rabbit an' put him on his own head.

An' when Annancy 'tart, he t'ought that Rabbit was coming.

An' Rabbit turn back an' hide a bush an' leave the trouble to Annancy.

When Annancy get home to his yard him find that it was Dry-bone, an'

it vex him in a him heart.

An' Annancy want to leave Dry-bone an' go away.