Jamaican Song and Story Part 48

_Jack Mantora me no choose any._

NOTES.

=help him up=, with his head-load.

=fresh=, fresh meat.

=a no the one, etc.=, he has not only one, he has several.

=danger home=, is very dangerous.

=over the country=, over the place.

=see me ya, etc.=, see me here, I am coming.

=twillingky twing ping ya=, a good imitation of the Hawk's vengeful shriek. Strong accent on the =ya=.

=bam=, French =a=, English =m=, imitating the discharge of the gun.

=what do that fellah=, what has befallen that fellow.

XLVII. FINGER QUASHY.

One day Dog invite four Puss to dinner. They were good friend. One of the Puss name was Tatafelo, one name Finger Quashy, one name Jack-no-me-touch. The last one was Tumpy John because he has no tail.

When them come, all the Puss was in long coat an' burn-pan hat. Dog was in trousies an' shirt.

An' Dog tell them all howdy very friendly, for he didn' know what Finger Quashy doing him.

An' Finger Quashy quite glad fe see how Dog look friendly an' please, an' didn' have no t'ought that him was tiefing fe him pear.

So the whole of them sit down, Dog making a complain to them that, so he get a pear an put it to ripe, by the time he ready for it him don't see none.

An' Finger Quashy was doing it.

An' Finger Quashy jump up tell Dog:--"Mr. Dog, me no tell you all time say you want one watchman? a da' fellow Ratta a tief you pear. Last night me dream say me see you put me fe watchman an' me catch the fellah, so you better put me fe guard you house from that tiefing Mr.

Ratta."

Dog was quite agree.

Dog said:--"After dinner I will tell you better."

Quashy said "Yes."

So Dog lef' them gone to get dinner.

By Dog gone, Quashy come out of the house, go into Dog b.u.t.tery, see two green pear, take them out go hide them.

Ratta see him go over the kitchen cry out:--"Why, why, why! Quashy take you pear; you no yerry? Quashy take ahm gone."

By Dog get in the house Quashy was in already sitting down look quite meek an' christianable.

Dog lef' them go see if his pear was there.

When he go there was none, an' Dog don't like nothing as his pear an'

bone, an' he get vex, take all the dinner t'row it 'way, go in the house take down his 'tick.

By the time Dog fe lick one of the Puss everybody was on a tree on the far side of Dog yard.

Dog swear all sort of bad word fe the one that take him green pear.

Everybody say:--"Thank G.o.d me no eat green pear."

Finger Quashy said:--"Lard! what a man fe swear!"

Dog see that he couldn' manage to catch Puss, leave and go away.

An' as Dog turn round, his son playing with fire burn his house an'

all his clothes.

From that day Dog hate Puss till now, for it is Puss cause him to have one suit till him dead.

_Jack Mantora me no choose none._

NOTES.

=Tatafelo=, Italian =a=, the other vowels English.

=Pear=, _i.e._ the West Indian pear, a delicious vegetable.

=tell you better=, make the final arrangement.

=Why, why, why!= squeaked like a rat.

=by the time Dog fe lick=, as Dog was going to strike.

=everybody=, used also of inanimate objects. They say:--"I going to water cabbage, tomato, everybody."

=T'ank G.o.d, etc.=, a favourite form of exculpation, which, however, does not necessarily imply innocence.