Negro Folk Rhymes Part 38

But don't bring none yo' ole bedbugs, If you don't want to git fersaken.

[48] A superst.i.tion that it is good luck to catch a bat in one's hat if he doesn't get bedbugs by so doing.

RANDSOME TANTSOME

Randsome Tantsome!--Gwine to de Fair?

Randsome Tantsome!--W'at you gwineter wear?

"Dem shoes an' stockin's I'se bound to wear!"

Randsome Tantsome a-gwine to de Fair.

ARE YOU CAREFUL?

Is you keerful; w'en you goes down de street, To see dat yo' cloze looks nice an' neat?

Does you watch yo' liddle step 'long de way, An' think 'bout dem words dat you say?

RABBIT HASH

Dere wus a big ole rabbit Dat had a mighty habit A-settin' in my gyardin, An' eatin' all my cabb.i.t.c.h.

I hit 'im wid a mallet, I tapped 'im wid a maul.

Sich anudder rabbit hash, You's never tasted 'tall.

WHY THE WOODp.e.c.k.e.r'S HEAD IS RED

Bill Dillix say to dat woodp.e.c.k.e.r bird: "W'at makes yo' topknot red?"

Says he: "I'se picked in de red-hot sun, Till it's done burnt my head."

BLESSINGS

The chivalry of the Old South rather demanded that all friends should be invited to partake of the meal, if they chanced to come calling about the time of the meal hour. This ideal also pervaded the lowly slave Negro's cabin. In order that this hospitality might not be abused, the Negroes had a little deterrent story which they told their children.

Below are the fancied Blessings asked by the fict.i.tious Negro family, in the story, whose hospitality had been abused.

BLESSING WITH COMPANY PRESENT

Oh Lawd now bless an' bin' us, An' put ole Satan 'hin' us.

Oh let yo' Sperit min' us.

Don't let none hongry fin' us.

BLESSING WITHOUT COMPANY

Oh Lawd have mussy now upon us, An' keep 'way some our neighbors from us.

For w'en dey all comes down upon us, Dey eats mos' all our victuals from us.

ANIMAL PERSECUTORS

I went up on de mountain, To git a bag o' co'n.

Dat c.o.o.n, he sicked 'is dog on me, Dat 'possum blowed 'is ho'n.

Dat gobbler up an' laugh at me.

Dat pattridge giggled out.

Dat peac.o.c.k squall to bust 'is sides, To see me runnin' 'bout.

FOUR RUNAWAY NEGROES--WHENCE THEY CAME

Once fo' runaway n.i.g.g.e.rs, Dey met in de road.

An' dey ax one nudder: Whar dey come from.

Den one up an' say: "I'se jes come down from Chapel Hill Whar de n.i.g.g.e.rs hain't wuked an' never will."

Den anudder up an' say: "I'se jes come here from Guinea Gall Whar dey eats de cow up, skin an' all."

Den de nex' n.i.g.g.e.r say Whar he done come from: "Dey wuked you night an' day as dey could; Dey never had stopped an' dey never would."

De las' n.i.g.g.e.r say Whar he come from: "De n.i.g.g.e.rs all went out to de Ball; De thick, de thin, de short, de tall."

But dey'd all please set up, Jes lak ole Br'er Rabbit W'en he look fer a dog.

An' keep it in mind, Whilst dey boasts 'bout deir gals An' dem t'other things: "Dat none deir gals wus lak Sallie Jane, Fer dat gal wus sweeter dan sugar cane."

WISE SAYING SECTION

LEARN TO COUNT

Naught's a naught, Five's a figger.

All fer de white man, None fer de n.i.g.g.e.r.

Ten's a ten, But it's mighty funny; When you cain't count good, You hain't got no money.

THE WAR IS ON

De boll-weevil's in de cotton, De cut-worm's in de corn, De Devil's in de white man; An' de wah's a-gwine on.

Poor n.i.g.g.e.r hain't got no home!

Poor n.i.g.g.e.r hain't got no home!

HOW TO PLANT AND CULTIVATE SEEDS

Plant: One fer de blackbird Two fer de crow, Three fer de jaybird An' fo' fer to grow.