Charles Roe, Maroon Town, Cock-pit country.
Deh was an Ol’ Witch call Brar Dead, never talk to nobody; if him talk
to anybody, him be dead. But him only making some bow all day an’ set
it to catch all wil’ animal, an’ when he catch dem, he put dem over
fire an’ dry dem, but him no eat dem. So Mr. Anansi go deh one day an’
say, “Brar Dead, gi’ me some of you meat now.” But he never ’peak to
Mr. Anansi, for him can’t talk to nobody. So Anansi goin’ in an’ tak a
whole bagful of de dry meat an start to eat it.
So Brar Dead has a brindle puppy. So Brar Dead pick some green bush an’
gi’ to de brindle puppy. So Mr. Anansi going to mak him talk dat day
now. So when him come out an’ tell little dog say when him sing an’
people drop dead, puppy mus’ t’row de bush on dem, because first day
him gwine hear him voice. So him tak one de a arrow now an’ start, an’
de dog mus’ follow him now. So when he stick him lance, blood don’
come; Anansi don’ walk dere. So go on; so when he stick at odder
cross-road, blood come an’ he say dere Anansi walk. So when he sing,
Anansi got to stop. He sing,
“Anansi ma shway, Anansi ma shway,
A pupa yan kin baw, eh, eh, wa-eh!
A yan kin baw yeh, ke ya ma-dee,
Eh, eh, wa-eh, eh, wa-eh!
Eh, ey-eh wa-ey-eh!”
So he goin’ till he ketch Anansi, an’ when he see Anansi, tell de
little puppy say mus’ ketch Anansi. So de puppy ketch him, an’ when he
ketch him, poke de bow t’ru Anansi two ears an’ he buil’ up a fire an’
burn up Anansi to dust.