The yam-hill story is very common in Jamaica. Parkes learned it in
Kingston. Pamela Smith tells it, page 59 and JAFL 9: 278. Sometimes a
song accompanies the story. The number of Yam-hills varies.
Compare Cronise and Ward, 167–171; Parsons, Andros Island, 109.
The story depends upon the idea that it is unlucky to reveal to others
a marvel one has seen oneself, or to repeat certain taboo words. A lad
in the Santa Cruz mountains explained the taboo by saying that Anansi
had “six” legs. Another said that Anansi’s mother’s name was “Six.” So
in Pamela Smith (JAFL 9: 278), the Queen’s name is “Five.” Compare
Rivière, 177; Krug, JAFL 25: 120; Schwab, JAFL 32: 437, and the next
two numbers in this collection.