53. WHY WOODPECKER BORES WOOD.

Samuel Wright, Maroon Town, Cock-pit country.

There was a bird name of Woodpecker promise his mother to bury him into

a stone, an’ go all about an’ tell all his frien’ dat him gwine to bury

him mother into a stone. An’ de mother was poorly unto death an’ he

went to go an’ bore a stone, an’ he turn back an’ said, “Mother, I try

the stone but I can’t bore it. I’ll bury you into a wood.” An’ he bore

de wood. An’ after de death of his mother, he buried him into a wood.

That is the reason the wood-pecker bore the wood.

Jamaica Anansi stories · 第 63 / 554 题