Negro Folk Rhymes Part 6

Who'll take sugar in de coffee-o?

I'se de prettiest liddle gal in de county-o.

My mammy an' daddy, dey bofe say so.

I looks in de gla.s.s, it don't say, "No"; So I'll take sugar in de coffee-o.

[14]THE TURTLE'S SONG

Mud turkle settin' on de end of a log, A-watchin' of a tadpole a-turnin' to a frog.

He sees Br'er B'ar a-pullin' lak a mule.

He sees Br'er Tearpin a-makin' him a fool.

Br'er B'ar pull de rope an' he puff an' he blow; But he cain't git de Tearpin out'n de water from below.

Dat big clay root is a-holdin' dat rope, Br'er Tearpin's got 'im fooled, an' dere hain't no hope.

Mud turkle settin' on de end o' dat log; Sing fer de tadpole a-turnin' to a frog, Sing to Br'er B'ar a-pullin' lak a mule, Sing to Br'er Tearpin a-makin' 'im a fool:--

"Oh, Br'er Rabbit! Yo' eyes mighty big!"

"Yes, Br'er Turkle! Dey're made fer to see."

"Oh, Br'er Tearpin! Yo' house mighty cu'ous!"

"Yes, Br'er Turkle, but it jest suits me."

"Oh, Br'er B'ar! You pulls mighty stout."

"Yes, Br'er Turkle! Dat's right smart said!"

"Right, Br'er B'ar! Dat sounds bully good, But you'd oughter git a liddle mo' pull in de head."

[14] For explanation see Study in Negro Folk Rhymes.

RACc.o.o.n AND OPOSSUM FIGHT

De racc.o.o.n an' de 'possum Under de hill a-fightin'; Rabbit almos' bust his sides Laughin' at de bitin'.

De racc.o.o.n claw de 'possum Along de ribs an' head; 'Possum tumble over an' grin, Playin' lak he been dead.

COTTON EYED JOE

Hol' my fiddle an' hol' my bow, Whilst I knocks ole Cotton Eyed Joe.

I'd a been dead some seben years ago, If I hadn' a danced dat Cotton Eyed Joe.

Oh, it makes dem ladies love me so, W'en I comes 'roun' pickin' ole Cotton Eyed Joe!

Yes, I'd a been married some forty year ago, If I hadn' stay'd 'roun' wid Cotton Eyed Joe.

I hain't seed ole Joe, since way las' Fall; Dey say he's been sol' down to Guinea Gall.

RABBIT SOUP

Rabbit soup! Rabbit sop!

Rabbit e't my tunnup top.

Rabbit hop, rabbit jump, Rabbit hide behin' dat stump.

Rabbit stop, twelve o'clock, Killed dat rabbit wid a rock.

Rabbit's mine. Rabbit's skin'.

Dress 'im off an' take 'im in.

Rabbit's on! Dance an' whoop!

Makin' a pot o' rabbit soup!

OLD GRAY MINK

I once did think dat I would sink, But you know I wus dat ole gray mink.

Dat ole gray mink jes couldn' die, W'en he thought about good chicken pie.

He swum dat creek above de mill, An' he's killing an' eatin' chicken still.

RUN, n.i.g.g.e.r, RUN!

Run, n.i.g.g.e.r, run! De [15]Patter-rollers'll ketch you.

Run, n.i.g.g.e.r, run! It's almos' day.

Dat n.i.g.g.e.r run'd, dat n.i.g.g.e.r flew, Dat n.i.g.g.e.r tore his shu't in two.

All over dem woods and frou de paster, Dem Patter-rollers shot; but de n.i.g.g.e.r git faster,

Oh, dat n.i.g.g.e.r whirl'd, dat n.i.g.g.e.r wheel'd, Dat n.i.g.g.e.r tore up de whole co'n field.

[15] Patrollers, or white guards; on duty at night during the days of slavery; whose duty it was to see that slaves without permission to go, stayed at home.

SHAKE THE PERSIMMONS DOWN

De racc.o.o.n up in de 'simmon tree.

Dat 'possum on de groun'.

De 'possum say to de racc.o.o.n: "Suh!"

"Please shake dem 'simmons down."

De racc.o.o.n say to de 'possum: "Suh!"

(As he grin from down below), "If you wants dese good 'simmons, man, Jes clam up whar dey grow."