Negro Folk Rhymes Part 17

LITTLE SISTER, WON'T YOU MARRY ME?

Liddle sistah in de barn, jine de weddin'.

Youse de sweetest liddle couple dat I ever did see.

Oh Love! Love! Ahms all 'round me!

Say, liddle sistah, won't you marry me?

Oh step back, gal, an' don't you come a nigh me, Wid all dem sa.s.sy words dat you say to me.

Oh Love! Love! Ahms all 'roun' me!

Oh liddle sistah, won't you marry me?

RAISE A "RUCUS" TO-NIGHT

Two liddle n.i.g.g.e.rs all dressed in white, (Raise a rucus to-night.) Want to go to Heaben on de tail of a kite.

(Raise a rucus to-night.) De kite string broke; dem n.i.g.g.e.rs fell; (Raise a rucus to-night.) Whar dem n.i.g.g.e.rs go, I hain't gwineter tell.

(Raise a rucus to-night.)

A n.i.g.g.e.r an' a w'ite man a playin' seben up; (Raise a rucus to-night.) De n.i.g.g.e.r beat de w'ite man, but 'e's skeered to pick it up.

(Raise a rucus to-night.) Dat n.i.g.g.e.r grabbed de money, an' de w'ite man fell.

(Raise a rucus to-night.) How de n.i.g.g.e.r run, I'se not gwineter tell.

(Raise a rucus to-night.)

Look here, n.i.g.g.e.r! Let me tell you a naked fac'; (Raise a rucus to-night.) You mought a been cullud widout bein' dat black; (Raise a rucus to-night.) Dem 'ar feet look lak youse sho' walkin' back; (Raise a rucus to-night.) An' yo' ha'r, it look lak a chyarpet tack.

(Raise a rucus to-night.)

Oh come 'long, chilluns, come 'long, W'ile dat moon are shinin' bright.

Let's git on board, an' float down de river, An' raise dat rucus to-night.

SWEET PINKS AND ROSES

Sweet pinks an' roses, strawbeers on de vines, Call in de one you loves, an' kiss 'er if you minds.

Here sets a pretty gal, Here sets a pretty boy; Cheeks painted rosy, an' deir eyes battin' black.

You kiss dat pretty gal, an' I'll stan' back.

PASTIME RHYME SECTION

SATAN

De Lawd made man, an' de man made money.

De Lawd made de bees, an' de bees made honey.

De Lawd made ole Satan, an' ole Satan he make sin.

Den de Lawd, He make a liddle hole to put ole Satan in.

Did you ever see de Devil, wid his iron handled shovel, A sc.r.a.pin' up de san' in his ole tin pan?

He cuts up mighty funny, he steals all yo' money, He blinds you wid his san'. He's tryin' to git you, man!

JOHNNY BIGFOOT

Johnny, Johnny Bigfoot!

Want a pair o' shoes?

Go kick two cows out'n deir skins.

Run Brudder, tell de news!

THE THRIFTY SLAVE

Jes wuk all day, Den go huntin' in de wood.

Ef you cain't ketch nothin', Den you hain't no good.

Don't look at Mosser's chickens, Caze dey're roostin' high.

Big pig, liddle pig, root hog or die!

WILD NEGRO BILL

I'se wild n.i.g.g.e.r Bill Frum Redpepper Hill.

I never did wo'k, an' I never will.

I'se done killed de Boss.

I'se knocked down de hoss.

I eats up raw goose widout apple sauce!

I'se Run-a-way Bill, I knows dey mought kill; But ole Mosser hain't cotch me, an' he never will!

YOU LOVE YOUR GIRL

You loves yo' gal?

Well, I loves mine.

Yo' gal hain't common?

Well, my gal's fine.

I loves my gal, She hain't no goose-- Blacker 'an blackberries, Sweeter 'an juice.

FRIGHTENED AWAY FROM A CHICKEN-ROOST

I went down to de hen house on my knees, An' I thought I heared dat chicken sneeze.

You'd oughter seed dis n.i.g.g.e.r a-gittin' 'way frum dere, But 'twusn't nothin' but a rooster sayin' his prayer.

How I wish dat rooster's prayer would en', Den perhaps I mought eat dat ole gray hen.

BEDBUG