George Parkes, Mandeville.
There was once a little child born into a country, born with golden
tongue an’ golden teet’, an’ from de day she born, nobody see de teet’
excep’ de mother an’ de father; she never talk for no one to hear her
nor to see neither the teeth nor the tongue. Now the king of the
country hear of it, an’ he offer a gran’ reward for anyone who would
get to make the chil’ talk, because he, the king, never seen a golden
tongue an’ teet’ yet. So lot of men went to the house an’ try all sort
of mechanic; the chil’ wouldn’t talk.
So Anansi heard off it, went to the king an’ tol’ the king that he
would make the chil’ talk; an’ the king say if Anansi make the chil’
talk before him, he will make the reward much larger, but if he don’t
make the chil’ talk before him, he, the king, will kill Anansi. So
Anansi went away, got his fiddle, cord it up, an’ went to the place of
the little chil’; an’ he played on his fiddle to make the chil’ hear,—
“Poly don ya sin do,
Poly don ya sin do,
Poly don ya sin do,
Merry day t’-day ya,
Merry day t’-day ya,
Sin do, sin do-o!”
The chil’ look upon Anansi an’ smile; Anansi shake his head. He play
the tune again—
“Poly don ya sin do,
Poly don ya sin do.”
The chil’ laugh; Anansi get to see de teet’. Now Anansi play stronger
again de same t’ing,—
“Poly don ya sin do,
Poly don ya sin do.”