Jamaican Song and Story Part 72

There is an idyllic simplicity about the following:--

[Music: _5th Figure._

Birdyzeena, Birdyzeena, Come make we go da Champong market, Come make we go, dear, Come make we go, dear, Come make we go da Champong market.]

CLVII.

[Music: _5th Figure._

Me an' Katie no 'gree, Katie wash me s.h.i.+rt in a sea.

If you t'ink a lie, If you t'ink a lie, Look in a Katie yeye.]

CLVIII.

Water seems formerly to have been scarce in Kingston, judging by the following:--

[Music: _5th Figure._

Down town gal no have no water to wash them head to keep them clean.

Down town gal no have no water to wash them head to keep them clean.

Why! Why! Why! Take them gal in charge.

Why! Why! Why! policeman, Take them gal in charge.]

CLIX.

The policeman is not always on the spot when he is wanted:--

[Music: _4th Figure._

Sal you ought to been ashame!

You tief Mister Dixon Brahma, You nyam ahm a Yaws-house[58] level, Sally ought to been ashame.]

[Footnote 58: _Yaws_, see p. 57.]

In this country any plot of ground that is moderately flat is called a level.

CLX.

[Music: _4th Figure._

Good morning, Mister Harman, How are you this morning?

I brought a serious complain about the old Barbadian.

What about the 'badian?

Him s.h.i.+rt has no border, Him face favour marlan, Come give me me one an' ninepence.]

The singer goes to Mr. Harman, who is employing the Barbadian (whom he accuses of wearing a ragged s.h.i.+rt and having a face like a marlingspike), to try and get some money which the latter owes the complainant. This is an excellent example in short of an interview between two Black men. Of the sixteen bars four are occupied with salutation, four with complaint, and four with abuse. Two are given to a question as to the cause of complaint which receives no answer, and two to a demand for money owed by another person. So we have three-quarters of the interview devoted in equal parts to compliment, complaint, and abuse; one-eighth to an attempt on the part of the person interviewed to discover what is amiss; and one-eighth to a demand for money from the wrong man.

CLXI.

The lovers' quarrel which comes next is evidently not serious:--

[Music: _5th Figure._

Hullo me honey!

Hullo me sugar!

Hullo me old time gal!

Oh den, gal, if you love me, Why don't you write me?

Hullo me old time gal!

Hullo me honey!

Hullo me sugar!

Hullo me old time boy!

Oh den, boy, I wouldn' married you, Not for a fardin', Hullo me old time boy!]

CLXII.

[Music: _5th Figure._

When mumma dere you say you sick, Dis mumma gone you get better, 'tan' 'teady till him come 'tan' 'teady, 'tan' 'teady till him come 'tan' 'teady.]

When mamma tells her daughter to take her hoe and come out into the field she feigns sickness. Her brother comes in and finds her quite well. "All right," he says, "just (dis) you stand steady ('teudy, French _eu_), just you wait till she comes home and you will get a flogging."

CLXIII.