Jamaican Song and Story Part 22

=a fun me a make=, it's fun I am making, I was only pretending.

=min=, been, wrong auxiliary for did. I did not know that I had done anything wrong.

Subst.i.tute the vowel =ah= in water, all, bawl, call.

XXI. TACOMA AND THE OLD-WITCH GIRL.

One day there was a old-witch gal, an' Tacoma want the gal to marry.

An' Tacoma went to the gal yard an' ask the gal to courten to. An' the gal tell Tacoma that he don't want a husband as yet.

So Tacoma get very sad in his heart, an' he comes home back to his yard, an' when he come he 'tudy a plan. An' when he 'tudy the plan he fix a day to go back to the gal yard.

An' Tacoma get a buggy, an' get Ratta for his Coachman, an' get a pair of brown-coloured mongoose to be the horse.

An' when Tacoma was going he sent to notice the gal that he is coming such a day.

An' Tacoma went to his friend Annancy an' borrow long boots an' dress himself nicely, an' borrow a gold watch an' chain, an' got a helmet to his head.

An' when Tacoma ready he order his coachman to harness up the horses.

An' when he start he carry lots of present, an' hitch a grey horse behind the buggy, an' take along with him t'ree pieces of music.

An' this time Tacoma didn' know the gal was a old-witch, an' all what Tacoma talk from home the gal really know everything.

An' he reach up the yard an' sing:--

[Music:

I will make you have a present of a nice gold watch, Just to wear it on your side for to let the people see, If you'll only be my true lover, If you'll only be my true lover.]

An' the gal answer:--

[Music:

No, no, dear, not for all your gold watch, I will never be yours true lover, I will never be yours true lover.]

An' Tacoma have plenty more t'ing is to make a present to the gal. An'

he promise to give her a nice silk dress, an' a nice silver bangle, an' a nice gold egg, an' a nice grey horse, an' tell the gal that everyt'ing, which is going to make him a present to, he must wear it along the street to let the people see, if you will only be my true lover.

An the gal say to Tacoma:--"No, for I want the best thing which you have."

An' Tacoma guess an' guess an' he couldn' find out.

An' the gal say if Tacoma find out she will marry Tacoma.

An' Tacoma guess an' guess until he made the gal a promise that he will give him the key of his heart.

An' then the gal was so glad an' said to Tacoma that I'll ever be yours true lover.

An' Tacoma sent for the gal's parents an' his parents an' marry off the gal, an from that day the gal becomes Tacoma wife.

NOTES.

=mongoose=, see the note to the dance tune "Mahngoose a come."

=yours true lover=, always =yours=. Generally it is "you" for "your." They say "this is yours" correctly and then add "and this is mines."

=t'ing is=, things.

=which is going, etc.=, which he is going to make her a present of.

When, commenting on Tacoma's directions, I objected that the girl could not wear the grey horse, the boy who was telling the story saw it at once and said:--"No, he must =carry= it." When the story was done (it is reproduced exactly from his dictation) he sang all the missing verses with the girl's answer to each verse, and instead of his usual "carry" which did not fit he subst.i.tuted "lead it in the street." The singer will see at once where to make the necessary alterations. The words "silver bangle" want four quavers instead of two crotchets, and it will be worn on the hand as they call the wrist or any part of the arm. "Just to keep it in your hand" follows "gold egg." "The silk dress is worn 'long the street," and after "the key of my heart" comes "just to keep it in your own." I was looking out in this last verse for a change in the words "for to let the people see," but none came.

To the last verse the answer is:--"Yes, yes, dear, for the key of your heart I will ever be yours true lover." [Cf. Baring-Gould, _Songs of the West_, No. xxii.; Fuller-Maitland and Broadwood, _English County Songs_; and _Journal of the Folk-Song Society_, Vol. ii., pp. 85-87.

(C.S.B.)]

XXII. DEVIL'S HONEY-DRAM.

One day Devil set his honey-dram near a river side.

An' Annancy has a little son name of John Wee-wee, an' when the boy find out Devil honey-dram he continually tiefing all the dram.

An' Devil couldn' find out who was doing it.

An' Devil put out a reward that if any one can prove who is tiefing his dram he will pay them a good sum.

An' one day Annancy miss his son, an' Annancy guess that the little boy must be gone to Devil honey-dram.

An' as Annancy being a tief himself he went an' s'arch for the boy.

An' when he go he found him drunk an' fast asleep. An' Annancy lift him up an' bring him home.

An' when the boy got sober, about three days after, he got so use to the dram an' he went back.

An' Devil gone out to hunting. An' when he was going he ask his mother to give a heye upon his dram until he come in. An' the mother went down to the dram an' he found the boy drunk the very same again.

An' there was no one know the woman name except Mr. Annancy.

An' Annancy went an' look for his son.

An' when he go the woman catch the boy already an' carry him to Devil yard. An when the boy go the woman gi' him some corn to beat.

An' Annancy went an see his son was beating corn, an' he ask the woman what the boy is doing here. An' the woman tell him that this is the boy was tiefing all Devil honey-dram, an' now him catch him, an' him wouldn' let him go until the master come.