George Parkes, Mandeville.
Anansi one day went to a river to catch fish, an’ while fishin’ down
the stream, he came across a hole. He put his han’ down in the hole an’
something hol’ the han’. He said, “A who hol’ me?” The something said,
“No me!”—“Me who?” The thing said, “No me Fling-a-mile!” Anansi said,
“Fling me a mile mak I see.” The t’ing wheel Anansi, wheel him, an’
fling him one mile from the spot. When Anansi drop, he nearly knock out
his senses.
He said, “I mus’ eat somet’ing out of dat hole!” He went an’ get six
iron fork an’ six wooden one an’ stick up at the place where he drop.
Nex’ day he was going back down fe fishing. He meet up Hog. He said,
“Bredder Hog, mak we go down a river go ketch fish now?” Hog said yes.
When they reach the river, both of them started. Anansi, he walk on the
side where the hole are not, Hog, he walk on the side where the hole
are. Anansi look over to Hog way and said, “What a pretty hole in front
of Bredder Hog deh! You mus’ get somet’ing out of de hole deh. I don’
min’ if it befo’ me!” So Anansi tell Hog to put his han’ in the hole
see if him feel anyt’ing. Hog put in him han’. Hog said, “Somet’ing
hol’ me han’!” Anansi said, “Ax a who hol’ you!” Hog said, “A who hol’
me?” The t’ing say, “A me!” Anansi say, “Ax him, say ‘A me who?’” Hog
say, “A me who?” The t’ing say, “No me Fling-a-mile!” Anansi said to
Hog, “Tell him fling you a mile mak you see.” Hog say, “Fling me a mile
mak I see!” The t’ing wheel Hog, wheel him, wheel him, drop him right
on the fork Anansi fix up. Hog drop dead. Anansi tak up Hog put him in
a bag and said, “I well wan’ fe eat you long time!” At that time Monkey
was on the tree watching Anansi.
The nex’ day Anansi start back to the river, meet up Bredder Goat. He
say, “Bredder Goat, mak we go down a river, go ketch fish?” Goat say
yes. Anansi tol’ Goat to walk on the hand where the hole is an’ he walk
on the opposite side. While going along Anansi said, “What a pretty
hole in front of Br’er Goat deh! You mus’ fin’ somet’ing in a hole like
dat. I wish it were me de hole we’ deh befo’!” Anansi said to Goat,
“Put yo’ han’ in deh see if you can fin’ anyt’ing.” Goat put the han’
in the hole. Somet’ing hol’ him. He said, “Somet’ing hol’ me!” Anansi
said, “Ax a who hol’ you!” Goat said, “A who hol’ me?” The t’ing said,
“No me!” Anansi said, “Ax ‘A me who?’” Goat say, “A me who?” The t’ing
say, “No me Fling-a-mile.” Anansi said, “Tell him fling you a mile mak
you see!” Goat say, “Fling me a mile mak I see!” He wheel Goat, whee’
whee’ wheel, an’ drop him right on the fork one mile. Goat drop dead.
Anansi took up Goat an’ put him in his bag, said, “I well wan’ you fe
eat a long time!” At that time Monkey was still watching him.
The nex’ day he start to go out again; he met up Br’er Dog. Anansi said
to Dog, “Mak we go down a river go ketch fish!” Dog say yes. On
reaching to the river, Anansi tell Dog to walk on the side where the
hole is an’ he walk on the opposite side. On reaching to the hole
Anansi said, “What a pretty hole in front of Br’er Dog! You mus’ fin’
somet’ing in dat hole. I wish it we’ deh befo’ me!” Anansi say to Dog,
“Put yo’ han’ in deh if you feel anyt’ing.” Dog put the han’ in the
hole. Something hol’ him. He said to Anansi, “Somet’ing hol’ me!”
Anansi said, “Ax ‘A who hol’ me?’” Dog said, “A who hol’ me?” The
somet’ing say, “No me!” Anansi say, “Ax him ‘me who?’” Dog say, “Me
who?” The somet’ing say, “No me Fling-a-mile!” Anansi say, “Tell him
fling you a mile mak you see!” Dog said, “Fling me a mile mak me see!”
The t’ing fling Dog whee’-a, whee’-a, whee’, an’ dash him one mile on
the stake. Dog drop on the stake dead. Anansi tak up Dog, put him in
his bag an’ said, “A well wan’ you fe eat long time!”
Now Monkey couldn’t bear it no longer, come off the tree. The nex’ day
while Anansi was going down, Monkey put himself in the way where Anansi
was to meet him. Anansi said, “Br’er Monkey, mak we go down a river go
ketch fish.” Monkey say, “Yes, a well wan’ company fe go down too!” On
reaching to the river, Monkey walk on the side where the hole is an’
Anansi on the opposite side. On reaching to the hole Anansi said, “What
a pretty hole in front of Br’er Monkey! You mus’ fin’ somet’ing in a
hole like a dat. I wish a we’ me i’ deh befo’!” Anansi said to Monkey,
“Put yo’ han’ in deh, see if you fin’ anyt’ing.” Monkey say, “No,
Br’er, me go put me han’ in deh, somet’ing go hol’ me!” Anansi said,
“No, man, me no t’ink not’ing wi’ hol’ you!” Monkey said, “You come put
yo’ han’ in deah.” Anansi said, “No, as you de closee, you put fe you
han’ in deah.” Monkey said, “No! somet’ing wi’ hol’ me!”—“No! not’ing
no in deah fe hol’ you!” So Anansi go near to the hole now and tell
Monkey mus’ put down him han’, an’ Monkey refuse. Anansi now make
attempt to put his han’,—like that—in the hole, an’ Monkey push it
down, an’ the somet’ing hol’ Anansi han’ now. Monkey said to Anansi,
“Tak out de han’!” Anansi say, “Me han’ kyan’ come out; somet’ing hol’
it!” Monkey says, “Ask a who hol’ you.” Anansi speak in a very feeble
v’ice, say, “A who hol’ me?” The t’ing say, “No me!” Monkey say to
Anansi, “Ax ‘A me who.’” Anansi said in a feeble tone of v’ice all ’e
time, “A me who?” The t’ing say, “A me Fling-a-mile.” Monkey say, “Tell
him fe fling you a mile mak you see.” Anansi now said in a feeble tone
of v’ice, “Fling me a mile mak I see!” So tak Anansi an’ wheel him,
whee’, whee’! An’ while it was wheeling him he said to Monkey, “Br’er
Monkey, run one mile from heah, whe’ you see some iron an’ wooden
fork,—jus’ haul dem out fe me!” Monkey tak off him hat an’ run half way
an’ stop where he could see when Anansi drop. Anansi drop on de fork
an’ belly burst ’tiff dead! An’ Monkey take him an’ put him in his bag,
take him go eat him.