Jamaican Song and Story Part 28

There was a man couldn' talk, called Dummy.

One day Annancy bet the King he going to make Dummy talk.

So the King say:--"If you make Dummy talk I will give you one of my daughter fe marry."

Well, Annancy went to Hog, ask him:--"Bro'er Hog if I carry you fe Dummy, wh you wi' say?"

Hog say:--"Me wi' say ugh! ugh!"

Annancy say:--"You won't do."

He went to Goat:--"Bro'er Goat, if I carry you fe Dummy, wh wi' you say?"

"Me wi' say Meh--eh--eh!"

"You won't do."

So he went to fowl.

Fowl say:--"Me wi' say Clk! Clk! Clk!"

"You won't do."

So he went to Bro'er Peafowl an' ask him:--"What you will say if me carry you fe Dummy?"

Peafowl say:--"Me wi' say:--

[Music:

"Chirryway, Chirryway, Chirryway dem d, Chirryway, Constan' dead to-day, Chirryway."]

Then Annancy say:--"A you me wanty."[47]

[Footnote 47: See the story of Tangalomlibo in Torrend, _Comparative Grammar of S. African Bantu Languages_, p. 319, where the c.o.c.k is chosen as messenger, when the ox and goat are rejected. (A.W.)]

So Annancy beg Bro'er Peafowl he must come with him to Dummy.

An' when Dummy hear the tune it sweet him so, he commence to shake him head an' hum.

So them went to the King yard, Peafowl before, Dummy in the middle, Annancy d a back.

An' as they reach up Annancy say "Wheugh!" being him breat' gone an'

him tired, but peafowl never cease with the song.

When Annancy got him breat' he say to the King:--"Master me a come, me a go make Dummy talk."

Then the King say:--"I will like to hear Dummy talk."

An' Peafowl sing an' sing, an' make all sort of figure before Dummy.

Dummy commence to shake him head two t'ree time de way de song sweet him.

At last Dummy begin to hum.

As Peafowl see him commence to hum, Peafowl make a sudden spring, went up to Dummy with a great flourish, an' at last Dummy sing right out the same as Peafowl:--

[Music:

Chirryway, Chirryway, Chirryway dem d, Chirryway, Constan' dead to-day, Chirryway.]

An' Annancy get the bet an' the King marry him off.

An' Annancy give Peafowl gold all over his body an' six quarts of corn. From that Peafowl cover all over with gold.

NOTES.

=Wh you wi' say=, what will you say?

=sweet him so=, pleased him so much.

=Constan'=, Constance.

XXVIII. ANNANCY AND CANDLEFLY.

One day Annancy go to Brother Candlefly yard fe fire.

When him go Candlefly give him fire an' tell him to wait an' he will go give him a few eggs.

When Annancy get the eggs he go home with the fire.

The next day he go back fe fire an' Candlefly give him more eggs.

Annancy go till him get halfway, out the fire an' turn back.

When him come him say:--"Bro'er Candlefly, the fire out; give me some more."

When Candlefly give him the fire, him wait an' wait to see if him can get more eggs. Candlefly never give him one.

Annancy say:--"Bro'er Candlefly, the fire a burn me, please give me one egg make me wet me han', fe make it better."

Candlefly give him one an' tell him to come an' he will carry him where any amount of egg da, "But you must not come till close a night."

Annancy don't wait till night, go about midday. When him go him get a long bag ready. Every minute him come out of the house an' look on sun. Annancy couldn' tarry but only praying to see if night can come.