Jekyll, 84–85, connects the animal competitors with the story of making
the dumb girl speak, as in numbers 95, 96. In Milne-Home, 73–77, the
animals compete to sing at the king’s dance. In African parallels, some
peril is involved of which a bird is to bear warning. But in all my
versions and in those given by Mrs. Parsons from Andros Island,
112–113, the birds summon the father of a new-born child. The song of
one of my versions from Maroon-town runs,
Mr. Canoe-lo, Mr. Canoe-lo,
I want de key of de hall door,
Mistress Canoe hard labour.
Mrs. Parsons says that the negroes of Andros Island agreed that this
was the most popular story on the island.
Compare Torrend, 87–88; Junod, 140–141; Dennett, 103–104; Jacottet,
108; Theal, 63–66; Renel 1: 32–34; 279–281, 282–287; Parsons, Andros
Island, 112–113; Sea Islands, 106.
Peafowl’s reward gives an explanatory turn to the end of the story. In
Hendricks version from Mandeville, Peafowl sings,
Mister Conna Levrin, Mister Conna Levrin,
When she’s going to die, ah-h!
The husband reaches home in haste. The lady gives Pea-fowl the promised
reward, and “he took the bag of gold and the silver, and in his joy he
threw it right over his head, over his entire body, never remembered
his two feet. That’s the reason why Pea-fowl’s so handsome all over—has
such beautiful feathers and such ugly feet.”