Negro Folk Rhymes Part 18

De June-bug's got de golden wing, De Lightning-bug de flame; De Bedbug's got no wing at all, But he gits dar jes de same.

De Punkin-bug's got a punkin smell, De Squash-bug smells de wust; But de puffume of dat ole Bedbug, It's enough to make you bust.

Wen dat Bedbug come down to my house, I wants my walkin' cane.

Go git a pot an' scald 'im hot!

Good-by, Miss Lize Jane!

HOW TO GET TO GLORY LAND

If you wants to git to Glory Land, I'll tell you what to do: Jes grease yo' heels wid mutton sue, W'en de Devil's atter you.

Jes grease yo' heel an' grease yo' han', An' slip 'way--over into Glory Lan'.

DESt.i.tUTE FORMER SLAVE OWNERS

Missus an' Mosser a-walkin' de street, Deir han's in deir pockets an' nothin' to eat.

She'd better be home a-was.h.i.+n' up de dishes, An' a-cleanin' up de ole man's raggitty britches.

He'd better run 'long an' git out de hoes An' clear out his own crooked weedy corn rows; De Kingdom is come, de n.i.g.g.e.rs is free.

Hain't no n.i.g.g.e.r slaves in de Year Jubilee.

FATTENING FROGS FOR SNAKES

You needn' sen' my gal hoss apples You needn' sen' her 'la.s.ses candy; She would keer fer de lak o' you, Ef you'd sen' her apple brandy.

W'y don't you git some common sense?

Jes git a liddle! Oh fer land sakes!

Quit yo' foolin', she hain't studyin' you!

Youse jes fattenin' frogs fer snakes!

THE MULE'S KICK

Is dis me, or not me, Or is de Devil got me?

Wus dat a muskit shot me?

Is I laid here more'n a week?-- Dat ole mule do kick amazin', An' I 'spec's he's now a-grazin'

On de t'other side de creek.

CHRISTMAS TURKEY

I prayed to de Lawd fer tucky-o.

Dat tucky wouldn' come.

I prayed, an' I prayed 'til I'se almos' daid.

No tucky at my home.

Chrismus Day, she almos' here; My wife, she mighty mad.

She want dat tucky mo' an' mo'.

An' she want 'im mighty bad.

I prayed 'til de scales come on my knees, An' still no tucky come.

I tuck myse'f to my tucky roos', An' I brung my tucky home.

A FULL POCKETBOOK

De goose at de barn, he feel mighty funny, Caze de duck find a pocketbook chug full o' money.

De goose say: "Whar is you gwine, my Sonny?"

An' de duck, he say: "Now good-by, Honey."

De duck chaw terbacker an' de goose drink wine, Wid a stuffed pocketbook dey sho' had a good time; De gra.s.shopper played de fiddle on a punkin vine 'Till dey all fall over on a sorter dead line.

NO ROOM TO POKE FUN

Nev' min' if my nose are flat, An' my face are black an' sooty; De Jaybird hain't so big in song, An' de Bullfrog hain't no beauty.

CROOKED NOSE JANE

I courted a gal down de lane.

Her name, it wus Crooked Nose Jane.

Her face wus white speckled, her lips wus all red, An' she look jes as lean as a weasel half-fed.

BAD FEATURES

Blue gums an' black eyes; Run 'round an' tell lies.

Liddle head, liddle wit; Big long head, not a bit.

Wid his long crooked toes, An' his heel right roun'; Dat flat-footed n.i.g.g.e.r Make a hole in de groun'.

MISS SLIPPY SLOPPY

Ole Miss Slippy Sloppy jump up out'n bed, Den out'n de winder she poke 'er nappy head, "Jack! O Jack! De gray goose's dead.

Dat fox done gone an' bit off 'er head!"

Jack run up de hill an' he call Mosser's hounds; An' w'en dat fox hear dem turble sounds, He sw'ar by his head an' his hide all 'round, Dat he don't want no dinner, but a hole in de ground.

HOW TO MAKE IT RAIN

Go kill dat snake an' hang him high, Den tu'n his belly to de sky.

De storm an' rain'll come bye an' bye.

A WIND-BAG