a. The Devil-husband.
William Forbes, Dry River, Cock-pit country.
There was two sister an they had a yawzy brudder who de two sister
didn’t care about. They was faderless and mudderless. An’ see a man
come to court de two sister to carry dem away; an’ de man tek dem into
de boat to carry home, an’ de little yawzy boy tu’n a cockroach an’ get
into de boat. An’ when deh get home, de house-maid tell de two girl,
“Wha’ you follow dis man come heah now? He is Devil!” An’ de Devil tell
de house-maid dat she mus’ feed dem well, an’ de little boy come out of
de boat.
Well, deh had a big cock a de yard, an’ de house-maid said, “I gwine to
sen’ you home into de boat.” An’ t’row out a bag o’ corn gi’ de cock,
say, “When him fe eat it done, de boat will catch home”. So de cock
commence to eat de corn—
“Hock kaluck kum ka tum swallow!
Hock kaluck kum ka tum swallow!”
knock him wing bap bap bap bap! After he knock him wing, he crow—
“Ko ko re ko!
Massa han’some wife gone!”