Jamaican Song and Story Part 27

Wolf, you would like to taste one?"

Wolf say "Yes."

Pig say:--"Let me see if you can run as that apple?"

Pig throw one of the apple far an' Wolf run after it. By the time he is come back Pig get down off a the tree, leave him baskit an'

everyt'ing, an' run nearly reach home.

Wolf was so sorry when he come, left the apple an' gone home.

Next night he call to Pig an' tell him that he know where there will be a met, so they must take a walk.

Pig say:--"What hour?" Wolf said "T'ree."

Pig start twelve an' go dance till two. He was the best dancer an'

they give him a b.u.t.ter-churn as a reward. As he walking home he see Wolf at a distant coming.

He said:--"My goodness King! What I going to do?"

Nevertheless he get in the churn a roll down the hill.

Wolf see the thing. He run for his home.

The next day he go an' ask Pig if he did go to the ball.

Pig said:--"Yes, an' as I was coming home I see you, an' was so frighten I get in me churn an' roll down to see if you don't run. An'

so you did run, Ha! Ha!"

Wolf get vex. He huff an' cuff all day again to see if he could broke down the building, but all he do he has to lef' it.

So one rain night he send his wife with a young baby to see if Pig would take her in by changing her voice.

She went an' call:--"Mr. Pig, please Sir, if you can give a night rest, Sir; for rain, an' I am from far."

Pig said:--"No, I don't take in no stranger whatever, especially you, Mrs. Wolf. You husban' try an' try an' can't manage, an' now him send you to see if you can kill me."

Mrs. Wolf commence to climb the chimley.

Pig put a big copper of water on the fire an', by the time she reach the top an' was coming down the chimley, she drop in the water an'

dead, she an' the child.

Wolf come again an' call Pig.

An' Pig take up this song:--

[Music:

Wolf, Wolf, Wolf! no use you try fe come in, You wife dere da ready; Ha! Ha! Ha!

You wanta try fe come in, Come Wolf, Me will put you both together.]

Wolf get worser vex, commence to beat Pig house with all his might an'

couldn' get in. He climb up the chimley, an', by he fe get to the top, the pot of boiling water was long time ready waiting for him, an' he going down in a haste make a slip, drop in the water.

Pig salt them an' put them in his cask to soak, an' write to invite his mother to help him eat them for he find out it was them eat his two brother.[46]

[Footnote 46: Cf. Joseph Jacobs, _English Fairy Tales_, No. xiv., and note, p. 233. (C.S.B.)]

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Pig them.= Read these words together, not, Pig--them come.

=you can give=, can you give.

=huff=, scratch with the hoof.

=kindling=, small wood to light fires with.

=day clean.= Day is clean when you can see to walk.

=big road=, one that is what the Italians call _carozzabile_, carriageable. In the hills of Jamaica the roads are for the most part mere mule tracks.

=Simmit=, Smith.

=make we go=, let us go.

=What the time?= at what time?

=By Pig=, as Pig.

=fulling=, =trimbling=, always so.

=when he come, etc.=, when he came back to the tree, that he left the apples and went home.

=met=, meeting, ball.

=da ready=, already.

=by he fe get=, by the time he got.

=cask to soak.= Salt meat is kept in a tub of brine.

XXVII. DUMMY.