141. TACOOMAH MAKES A DANCE.

William Forbes, Dry River, Cock-pit country.

Tacoomah make a dance, get Anansi for de fiddler, an’ Grass-quit was

coming as a fiddler too. Robin Redbreast was to play de music, Monkey

was to blow de bugle. Well, after de night de dance commence. Anansi

gwine to play,

“Queena bunna, ring-ki-ting,

You sen’ fe great Grass-quit,

You don’ sen’ fe me!

Anansi draw bow so sweet, ring-ki-ting,

Anansi draw bow so sweet, ring-ki-ting.”

Tacoomah say,

“You ya, you ya, so ya, me ya,

Wid a fort tumba like a tenky bunna,

Wid a jump, wid a jump, like a tenky bunna.” [64]

Robin Redbreast say,

“Jock, Jock, when you coming home?”

Jock said,

“Tomorrow evening.”

“What in your right?”

“Boot an’ spur.”

“What in your left?”

“Bow an’ arrow. [65]”

Jock [66] said,

“Robin redbreast

Was pretty well dressed,

And he was into his nest,

And a puppy went into his nest

And broke his neck t’ru distress.”

Well, den, Turtle an’ Duck goin’ in de river fe go an’ swim, an’ dem is

to run to a hill-side in de river. An’ Cock is de judge. Den Cock went

to sing fe dem—

“Co co re co.”

Jamaica Anansi stories · 第 179 / 554 题