Moses Hendricks, Mandeville.
Anansi took the job to sweep the market. After he swept the market and
got the pay, he bought a pig called ‘wee pig’. On his way home he had
to cross a stream. He couldn’t get the pig across. He wouldn’t carry it
himself and he wouldn’t pay anyone to assist him,—wanted free help. So
he saw a dog coming along. He said, “Br’er Dog, I beg you bite this
pig, make this pig jump over the river, make Anansi get home.”
Dog said no, couldn’t do it.
He saw a stick coming along, said, “Do, Br’er Stick, I beg you lick
this dog, make this dog bite this pig, make this pig jump over this
river, make Anansi get home.”
Stick said no, couldn’t do it.
He see Fire, say, “Do, me good Fire, burn this stick, make this stick
lick this dog, make this dog bite this pig, make this pig jump over
this river, make Anansi get home.”
Fire says no.
He sees Water. “Do, me good Water, I beg you out this fire, make this
fire burn this stick, make this stick lick this dog, make this dog bite
this pig, make this pig jump over the river, make Anansi get home.”
Water said no.
He saw a cow coming. “Do, Br’er Cow, drink this Water, make this water
out this fire, make this fire burn this stick, make this stick lick
this dog, make this dog bite this pig, make this pig jump over this
river, make Anansi get to go home.”
Cow said no.
He saw a butcher coming. “Do, me good butcher, I beg you butcher this
cow, make this cow drink this water, make this water out this fire,
make this fire burn this stick, make this stick lick this dog, make
this dog bite this pig, make this pig jump over this river, make Anansi
get home!”
Butcher said no, wouldn’t do it.
He sees Rope coming along. “Do, Br’er Rope, I beg you hang this
butcher, make this butcher kill this cow, make this cow drink this
water, make this water out this fire, make this fire burn this stick,
make this stick lick this dog, make this dog bite this pig, make this
pig jump over the river, make Anansi get home!”
Rope said no.
Saw Grease coming along. “Do, me good Grease, grease this rope, make
this rope hang this butcher, make this butcher kill this cow, make this
cow drink this water, make this water out this fire, make this fire
burn this stick, make this stick lick this dog, make this dog bite this
pig, make this pig jump over the river, make Anansi get home!”
Grease said no.
He saw a Rat. Said, “Do, me good Rat, gnaw this grease, make this
grease grease this rope, make this rope hang this butcher, make this
butcher kill this cow, make this cow drink this water, make this water
out this fire, make this fire burn this stick, make this stick lick
this dog, make this dog bite this pig, make this pig jump over this
river, make Anansi get home!”
Rat says no.
Saw Puss coming along. “Do, Br’er Puss, I beg you kill this rat, make
this rat gnaw this grease, make this grease grease this rope, make this
rope hang this butcher, make this butcher kill this cow, make this cow
drink this water, make this water out this fire, make this fire burn
this stick, make this stick lick this dog, make this dog bite this pig,
make this pig jump over this river, make Anansi get home!”
Puss says, “Yes, I will kill your rat!”
Rat says, “Before you kill me, I will gnaw the grease!”
Grease says, “Before you gnaw me, I will grease the rope!”
Rope says, “Before you grease me, I will hang the butcher!”
Butcher says, “Before you hang me, I will kill the cow!”
Cow says, “Before you kill me, I will drink the water!”
Water says, “Before you drink me, I will out the fire!”
Fire says, “Before you out me, I will burn the stick!”
Stick says, “Before you burn me, I will lick the dog!”
Dog says, “Before you lick me, I will bite the pig!”
Pig says, “Before you bite me, I will jump over the river!”
So away went the pig over the river; and him and Anansi went home safe
and without expense.