Thomas White, Maroon Town.
A woman have t’ree daughter an’ one son, an’ de son was a yawzy ’kin.
[55] De t’ree sister, one name Madame Sally, one name Madame Queen
Anne, one name Madame Fanny, an’ de brudder name Andrew. De t’ree
sister don’ count much by de brudder. An’ one day dem goin’ out to see
frien’, an’ bake pone an’, in de mo’ning, tell der mudder good-by an’
tell der fader good-by; dey never speak to de yawzy boy Andrew. Travel
de whole day till late tek dem. An’ dey look out on a common, dey saw a
big white house an’ dey call up an’ ax fe a lodging fe de night, an’ de
woman in de house tell dem yes. An’ it was an Ol’ Witch house dem goin’
to sleep. De Ol’ Witch woman cook dinner give dem, an’ bed-time get a
nice bed to sleep in. An’ de Ol’ Witch woman drug dem, an’ dey fallen
in sleep.
At de said time, de yawzy ’kin brudder Andrew was half Ol’ Witch an’ he
know what his sister was goin’ to meet in de night. An’ he follow dem
whole day, until night, when de girl gone to bed, de Ol’ Witch brudder
fin’ himself under de Ol’ Witch house. An’ dis Ol’ Witch woman had
t’ree copper hung up into her house. An’ part of de night when de girl
were in sleep, Ol’ Witch went to kill one of de girl. As him catch de
girl t’roat for go cut i’, yawzy boy Andrew cry out,—
Ya bwa, ya bwa, ya bwa, ya bwa. Raise up an’ you, madam
Fan, you. Raise up an’ you, madam Sal, you. Raise up an’ you,
madam Queen Anne, An’ me name An’, an me name Andrew, an’ me name An’.
As him sing out, razor-mout’ tu’n over. Ol’ Witch woman said, “But,
bwoy, whe’ you come from come here?” Andrew say, “Hi, Nana! me follow
me sister dem come deh. But I have yawzy an’ when de yawzy bite me, me
mudder kill a cow an’ tek de blood an’ wash me.” De Ol’ Witch kill a
cow an’ tek de blood an’ wash de boy, an’ de boy fall in sleep back. So
she go an catch Madame Queen Anne to cut him t’roat, an’ de boy Andrew
bawl out again,
“Ya, bwoy, ya, bwoy, a me name o
A me name Andrew,
Rise up, Madame Fanny,
Rise up, Madame Queen Anne,
Rise up, Madame Sally,
A me name o,
A me name Andrew, a me name o.”
Ol’ Witch razor mout’ tu’n over. Ol’ Witch gi’ out, “Bwoy, whe’ you
come from, torment me so?” Boy said, “Hi, Nana! when me to home, when
me yawzy bite me, if it is de bigges’ barrow me mamma got, ’m kill him
an’ tek de blood wash me.” An’ Ol’ Witch kill a barrow an’ wash him,
an’ de boy gone to bed, gone sleep. Day coming fast, Ol’ Witch mad to
eat de girl. When she t’ink dat Andrew asleep, him not sleeping. Well,
de ol’ lady wait for a good time an’ him went in de room an’ him catch
Madame Fanny t’roat to cut him. An’ him hear,—
“Ya, bwoy, ya, bwoy,
A me name Andrew, a me name o
Rise up, Madame Fanny,
Rise up, Madame Queen Anne,
Rise up, Madame Sally,
A me name o
A me name Andrew, a me name o.”
Boy jump out an’ say, “Hi, Nana! de yawzy bite me dat I kyan’ sleep.
Nana, when I to home me mamma tek de bigges’ sheep, tek de blood wash
me.” Dat time, Ol’ Witch copper deh ’pon fire was boiling hard, an’
Andrew ketch de Ol’ Witch an’ knock him down in de copper an’ kill him
dead. An’ Andrew detain de t’ree sister ’pon Ol’ Witch property, an’
him claim de property as his own, an’ sen’ away for his mudder an’ his
fader, an’ tek all de Ol’ Witch riches an’ live upon it, mek himself a
man.
Jack man dory, choose none!