8. TIGER’S BONE-HOLE.

William Forbes, Dry River, Cock-pit country.

Tiger had a big pot o’ meat, an’ him boil an’ lef’ it gone a groun’.

An’ he have a bone-hole; when he ate de meat, t’row it into de hole.

An’ Anansi tak him wife an’ t’ree pickney an’ he say dey five gwine to

de house an’ get into de pot eat de meat. An’ after dey hear Tiger was

coming, him an’ him wife an’ de t’ree pickney, five of dem, go in de

hole. An’ Tiger come an’ say, “Not a creetur nyam dis meat but Brar

Nansi!” An’ Tiger begin now eat meat, an’ de first bone him t’row into

de hole, him knock one of de pickney. An’ as he go fe holla, Anansi

says, “Shut yo’ mout’, sir, don’ cry!” An’ he eat again, t’row out

anodder bone, knock anodder pickney. As him go fe cry, say “Shut yo’

mout’, sir!” As he eat anodder bone again, he knock de las’ pickney,

mak t’ree. Tell him say him mustn’t cry. Ate anodder bone an’ t’row it

in de hole, knock de mudder. As him go fe cry, say, “Shut yo’ mout!”

An’ de las’ bone he eat, knock Anansi in a head. Anansi say, “Mak we

all holla now in a de hole!” So dey all holla “Yee! yee-e-e!” in a de

hole, an’ as dey holla, Tiger get frighten’ an’ run lef’ de house, an

Anansi an’ wife an pickney come out tak all de meat go away, run him

out of his house ’count of dat bone-hole!

Jack man dora!

Jamaica Anansi stories · 第 18 / 554 题