Negro Folk Rhymes Part 2

You tears through de graveyard!

You makes dem ugly [3]hants wail.

Ole Molly Cottontail, Won't you be sh.o.r.e not to fail [4]To give me yo' right hin' foot?

My luck, it won't be fer sale.

[2] Leg bail = to run away.

[3] Hants = ghosts or spirits.

[4] This embraces the old superst.i.tion that carrying in one's pocket the right hind foot of a rabbit, which has habitually lived about a cemetery, brings good luck to its possessor.

[5]JUBA

Juba dis, an' Juba dat, Juba [6]skin dat Yaller Cat. Juba! Juba!

Juba jump an' Juba sing.

Juba, [6]cut dat Pigeon's Wing. Juba! Juba!

Juba, kick off Juba's shoe.

Juba, dance dat [6]Jubal Jew. Juba! Juba!

Juba, whirl dat foot about.

Juba, blow dat candle out. Juba! Juba!

Juba circle, [6]Raise de Latch.

Juba do dat [6]Long Dog Scratch. Juba! Juba!

[5] This peculiar kind of dance rhyme is explained in the Study in Negro Folk Rhymes.

[6] The expressions marked [6] are various kinds of dance steps.

ON TOP OF THE POT

Wild goose gallop an' gander trot; Walk about, Mistiss, on top o' de pot!

Hog jowl bilin', an' tunnup greens hot, Walk about, Billie, on top o' de pot!

Chitlins, hog years, all on de spot, Walk about, ladies, on top o' de pot!

[7]STAND BACK, BLACK MAN

_Oh!_ Stan' back, black man, You cain't s.h.i.+ne; Yo' lips is too thick, An' you hain't my kin'.

_Aw!_ Git 'way, black man, You jes haint fine; I'se done quit foolin'

Wid de nappy-headed kind.

_Say?_ Stan' back, black man!

Cain't you see Dat a kinky-headed chap Hain't nothin' side o' me?

[7] In a few places in the South, just following the Civil War, the Mulattoes organized themselves into a little guild known as "The Blue Vein Circle," from which those who were black were excluded. This is one of their rhymes.

NEGROES NEVER DIE

n.i.g.g.e.r! n.i.g.g.e.r never die!

He gits choked on Chicken pie.

Black face, white s.h.i.+ny eye. n.i.g.g.e.r! n.i.g.g.e.r!

n.i.g.g.e.r! n.i.g.g.e.r never knows!

Mashed nose, an' crooked toes; Dat's de way de n.i.g.g.e.r goes. n.i.g.g.e.r! n.i.g.g.e.r!

n.i.g.g.e.r! n.i.g.g.e.r always sing; Jump up, cut de Pidgeon's wing; Whirl, an' give his feet a fling. n.i.g.g.e.r! n.i.g.g.e.r!

JAWBONE

Samson, shout! Samson, moan!

Samson, bring on yo' Jawbone.

Jawbone, walk! Jawbone, talk!

Jawbone, eat wid a knife an fo'k.

Walk, Jawbone! Jinny, come alon'!

Yon'er goes Sally wid de bootees on.

Jawbone, ring! Jawbone, sing!

Jawbone, kill dat wicked thing.

INDIAN FLEA

Injun flea, bit my knee; Kaze I wouldn' drink ginger tea.

Flea bite hard, flea bite quick; Flea bite burn lak dat seed tick.

Hit dat flea, flea not dere.

I'se so mad I pulls my hair.

I go wild an' fall in de creek.

To wash 'im off, I'd stay a week.

AS I WENT TO s.h.i.+LOH

As I went down To s.h.i.+loh Town; I rolled my barrel of Sogrum down.

Dem la.s.ses rolled; An' de hoops, dey bust; An' blowed dis n.i.g.g.e.r clear to Thundergust!